Client Data

.As a part of segmentation related changes made to material master at the client level. You can now also maintain if the material is relevant for segmentation by selecting the Segmentation Relevant checkbox. If you make a material relevant for segmentation, then you have to maintain the Segmentation Structure and the Segmentation Strategy. Once the segmentation structure and segmentation strategy are maintained, the Segmentation Strategy Scope maintained for the segmentation strategy is displayed here.

If you create a new material as a copy of an existing material, then the segmentation relevance, segmentation structure, and the segmentation strategy of the newly created material will be the same as that of the existing, reference material.

Segmentation structure and segmentation strategy can be changed in the change mode as long as segmentation is not fixed at the plant level. If segmentation is fixed for even one plant, segmentation structure and segmentation strategy cannot be changed.

Plant Data

Segmentation Structure, Segmentation Strategy, Segmentation Strategy Scope, and Fix Segmentation

As a part of segmentation related changes made to material master at the plant level, you can maintain segmentation by selecting the Segmentation Relevant checkbox. If you make a material relevant for segmentation, then you have to maintain the Segmentation Structure and the Segmentation Strategy. Once the segmentation structure and segmentation strategy are maintained, the Segmentation Strategy Scope maintained for the segmentation strategy is displayed here.

You can then use the Fix Segmentation pushbutton to fix segmentation values for plants.

Once segmentation is fixed at the plant level, it can only be changed using the Conversion of Material report. To access this report, on the SAP Easy Access menu, choose  Logistics Materials Management Material Master Material Conversion of Material .

You can also use the transaction SGT_CONVERT_MATERIAL to execute the report.

If you create a new material as a copy of an existing material, then the segmentation strategy of the newly created material will not be copied from the reference material. This gives you the flexibility to decide the relevance of segmentation strategy at the plant level.

Consumption Priority

Consumption priority is used to whether planned independent requirements (PIRs) are consumed first based on the segments and then based on the consumption mode, or the other way round. With segmentation, you have one more option for consumption priority, which is, only if requirement segments match. You can maintain the Consumption Priority only if you have maintained segmentation strategy for a material. The Seg. Strategy Scope can be 1 or 2.

Stock Protection Indicator

Stock protection is used in demand-supply matching processes that protect the stock for demands from high-priority requirement segments even when the actual demand is not yet available in the system. Stock protection allows businesses using a common stock pool for satisfying demands with different priorities to reserve stock for higher-priority demands against lower-priority demands that come in earlier. You can maintain the Stock Protection Indicator only if you have maintained segmentation strategy for a material. The Seg. Strategy Scope can be 1 or 2.

Discrete Batch Number

Batch Management is also mandatory when a segmentation strategy is maintained for a material and the Seg. Strategy Scope is 1.

Batch management also results in generation of batch numbers in sales and purchase documents. If you want to generate unique batch numbers during batch management, you can do so by selecting the Discrete Batch Number checkbox. This checkbox cannot be used on its own. It can only used in combination with the Batch Management checkbox and the Scope if the segmentation strategy is 1.