Specification Management (EHS-BD-SPE)
Purpose
With this SAP component, you create specifications for EH&S objects such as substances, agents, dangerous goods classifications, waste codes, and packaging and assign characteristics to these objects using identifiers. For each specification, you enter structured data and text information, for example, in the form of phrases. You can find information about R and S phrases, material safety data sheet requirements, or physical attributes. The SAP system offers you a selection of typical properties, known as value assignment types, in a property tree. If required, you can use Customizing for Basic Data and Tools
to define your own property trees and value assignment types.
Specification management uses interfaces to external systems to enable you to determine secondary values from existing values. You can then transfer this secondary data and use it to assign values to specifications (see Secondary Data Determination).
Data security must be guaranteed for data you store in specification management. The SAP authorization concept prevents unauthorized access to specification data. All changes to data are logged and thus traceable.
The SAP system enables the creation of a central specification database. The database can be used for cross-company queries, that is, for research purposes or to provide immediate information for incident management. The large amount of information is stored in one central location. The database can also store data for information purposes on specifications of substances that are not physically handled in a company. Data can be recorded in local specification databases and then be matched up with the data stored in a central specification database. Data from the central specification database is then distributed to other systems within companies, which process data for planning, checks, and evaluations.
Integration
If you use the SAP Classification (CA-CL) component, you can define the value assignment types in accordance with your requirements because the classification system
permits the definition of any properties (classes) with any fields (characteristics) you require.
You can assign any number of materials to a specification, thus creating a link to other logistic processes. Currently, automatic report shipping for the specifications of substances requiring a material safety data sheet is carried out from within the delivery, for example.
The SAP system supports the import and export of specification data in production systems. Standard interfaces simplify the transfer of data from existing applications or external systems. EH&S runs data consistency checks. When exporting specifications, you can convert phrases in the active phrase library to phrases for the export library. Similarly, when importing specifications, you can convert phrases in the import library to phrases for the active phrase library (see Tools).
Laws and regulations are regularly amended. These amendments cause changes to system behavior and specification data. You use engineering change management and change documents to assign specification changes to validity periods, and to log changes. Specification management thus allows for mass changes for which you can specify key dates. All modifications become valid on the key date you select. The system allows you to change this date.