Group Maintenance (SAP Library - Engineering Workbench (PP-BD))

Group Maintenance

Use

This function enables you to simultaneously process an item in several of the following types of BOMs:

In alternatives of a multiple BOM

In variants of a variant BOM

Simultaneous processing takes place using item assignments to different alternatives or variants. With the help of group maintenance you can avoid multiple maintenance of BOM items and therefore reduce you work time.

Prerequisites

Group maintenance is activated in Customizing the Engineering Workbench under Editing working areas. For the working areas selected there, or those newly defined, you have to set the BOM indicator in the Group processing screen.

Note

In the Engineering Workbench you can check whether you work with or without group maintenance in the following way:

In the initial screen EWB: Selection criteria for <Focus of your working area> select the symbol This graphic is explained in the accompanying text in the screen area Working area.

The EWB: Working area details dialog box appears.

If the BOM indicator is set in the Group processing screen area then you work with group maintenance. If the indicator is not set then you work without group maintenance.

Features

Within group maintenance you have the following options:

For items in several alternatives or variants you can simultaneously

Create them

Change them

Delete them

Copy them

You can process the item assignment to specific alternatives of variants in various ways. For such assignments, you can

Create them

Delete them

As required, in the Engineering Workbench group maintenance (provided it has been activated in Customizing the Engineering Workbench) can be

deactivated (in the Context screen area of the item overview the symbol appears in the BOM header line)

activated (in the Context screen area of the item overview the symbol appears in the BOM header line)

Activities

You want to	The system
Create an item with group maintenance	Creates the item in all of its assigned alternatives/variants
Change an item with group maintenance	Changes the item in all of its assigned alternatives/variants
Delete an item with group maintenance	Deletes the item (and all its sub-items) in all its assigned alternatives/variants
Copy an item with group maintenance	Copies the item (and all its sub-items) in all its assigned alternatives/variants
Creates assignments in group maintenance	Creates assignments for all selected alternatives/variants
Deletes assignments in group maintenance	Deletes assignments for all selected alternatives/variants
Deactivate/activate group maintenance	deactivates/activates group maintenance

Note

Note that when copying and deleting items with group maintenance, both the item itself and the relevant subordinated subitems, are copied or deleted in all alternatives/variants to which the item is assigned.

Note

If an item that was created with group maintenance and that has several assignments, is further processed with deactivated group maintenance then this item is exploded in the item overview with the same item ID and the same item number according to the number of created assignments. This means that the item processed further without group maintenance is separately listed for each alternative/variant to which it was assigned with group maintenance. Changes to the item then only take effect in the alternative/variant selected for the change.

Recommendation

For a better understanding of the maintenance of items it is recommended that you do not change your processing method (so with or without group maintenance).