Processing a Data Sheet 

Purpose

Data sheets are project-specific based on templates. They are based on value assignments of individual characteristics with number values or alphanumerical entries.

Use the Specification System when a characteristic value assignment already exists in the SAP System:

In this case you can enter or change characteristic values in the data sheet and then import them into the SAP System so as to keep classification up-to-date. The characteristic values in classification are then overwritten.

You can change the characteristics on the data sheet at any time. This makes the Specification System suitable for the flexible engineering process.

Prerequisites

Objects (material, document, and functional location) are assigned to classes. values are assigned to the characteristics when objects are assigned to a class. For more information see the components CA Classification under Classification.

The control data is defined in Customizing of the Specification System for the Microsoft Office application.

The required files are installed for Office Integration. For more information see Prerequisites for Office Integration.

You can define profiles for unit conversion in Customizing of the Specification System.

Process Flow

  1. Do the following to create a data sheet

Save individual templates after processing as data sheets.

If you want to process an earlier data sheet you can

You can start these functions any time even if you have not selected a material, a document, or functional location.

For more information see Creating or Opening Documents.
  1. In the selection area you can select either a material, document, or functional location and transfer the data into the data sheet.

For more information see Selecting Objects.
  1. Transferring characteristic value assignments from the SAP System to the data sheet is done by Exporting Characteristic Values into the Data Sheet.

This is supported by unit of measure conversion and value entry help.

You can select a value from a list when a characteristic has more than one. This aids data consistency.

Characteristic descriptions as well as predefined alphanumerical characteristic values can be stored in more than one language in the SAP System. You can select the desired language before exporting the data sheet. This can aid when dealing with international customers and suppliers.

You may have to send information that is not in the international unit system (SI-System) to some customers. For example you may use the English standard inch and the customer uses metric, that is centimeters. You can use the profiles for unit of measure conversion on a project basis.

You can change settings at any point.
  1. You can keep your data up-to-date in the SAP System by Importing Characteristic Values from the Data Sheet.

This allows you to transport the changed characteristic value assignments back into the system from the Office application. Here you can use unit of measure conversions as well.

You must enter a change number so that the changes of the characteristic values can be followed. You can only change an object with relation to an engineering change order.

  1. To keep maintenance to a minimum you can also carry out mass data processing for characteristic value assignment.

Further information can be found in the components CA Classification under Mass Changes of Values Assignments.

  1. You can us the Document Management System (DMS) for storage. You can store the Microsoft Office document locally on a data carrier transport it later into the SAP System.

More information can be found under Saving Documents.
  1. To link SAP objects you can Create Object Links.

You can link a data sheet to a functional location in order to find all the data sheets from the functional location structure. Navigation to specification data can be ensured when all the functional locations that represent specific installation components are linked to the correct document info record.