In this IMG activity, you define the rules according to which material determination functions.
When you create documents, material determination enables you to find certain materials automatically using a key already stored in the system rather than using the material number. You do not need to create a material master record for the key entered in the SD document and which you use to find a material. The assignment of materials is carried out in master records for material determination. Here, various keys can be stored for the same material in the system. The key entered can, for example, be a customer-specific material number or the International Article Number (IAN).
With material determination, the material entered is replaced automatically by the material found during document creation. This material determination is dependent on the sales document and can, for example, be used in a promotion when a product is only to be sold with special packaging. During order processing, the system can then automatically exchange the material with the normal packaging for the material with the special packaging for a given period of time.