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Define Characteristics Hierarchy

You can define hierarchical structures for characteristics in Profitability Analysis (CO-PA) and analyze these structures later in the information system. This means you can, for example, structure your products or customers in a hierarchy.

Each characteristic value contained in the hierarchy represents a hierarchy node. Further to the characteristic values contained in the master data, you can add "non-chargeable nodes" to the structure.

Note that different characteristics that use the same master data table are grouped in the same characteristics hierarchy. It is not possible to define external hierarchies for characteristics that do not have a check table or text table.

Note that only the characteristic values for one characteristic are grouped hierarchically for each hierarchy. In addition, each characteristic value can occur only once in the hierarchy. Thus each value is unique within the entire hierarchy.

You can define alternative hierarchies for the same characteristic in order to simulate different ways of grouping the characteristic values. These alternative hierarchies are stored as hierarchy variants. You can define up to 999 different variants for each characteristic.

Activities

Creating a characteristic hierarchy

1. Enter the name of the characteristic for which you want to define the hierarchy. Also, enter a number between 1 and 999 for the hierarchy variant.
If you enter a characteristic that has the same data element and domain as another characteristic, the hierarchy applies for both characteristics, since both have the same characteristic values. A list of the characteristics involved is displayed in the lower part of the screen.
2. Choose "Hierarchy -> Create".
The next screen contains information about the hierarchy.
3. Enter a description for the hierarchy and, if desired, select the "Visible system-wide" indicator.
If you select this field, this variant will be active for all applications where you can maintain master data hierarchies. If you do not select it, the variant will only be available in EC-EIS.
4. Choose "Goto -> Back".
5. Then add the nodes to the hierarchy.
Position the cursor on a node and press F4 to display the valid characteristic values to which data can be posted. Choose the desired value or any existing node that cannot receive postings.
If you enter data for a nonchargeable node, this data is transferred to a table. To access this table, choose Goto -> Maintain nonchargeable nodes.
6. Once you have added the desired characteristic values, save the hierarchy.

Each characteristic value can only occur once in the hierarchy variant. If a characteristic value already occurs in the hierarchy, it no longer appears in the list of possible entries. To add new nodes, you can use the following functions:

Changing, displaying, copying, and deleting characteristics hierarchies

The functions for changing, displaying, copying, and deleting master data hierarchies work the same way as the function for creating them.
You can use an existing hierarchy as the basis for creating a new hierarchy variant by copying the existing variant and then changing it.
When you change a hierarchy, you can add new nodes and remove existing nodes, as well as cut and paste existing parts of the hierarchy. When deleting a node, ensure that all dependent entries are deleted as well.
You can search for specific values in the hierarchy by choosing Edit -> Find -> Characteristic value . It is also possible to see the relationships between the different nodes by positioning the cursor on a node and then searching for the parent, child, and so on.
You can expand and collapse branches of the hierarchy by clicking on the plus and minus signs. This makes it easier to find your way around in the hierarchy.

You can delete any hierarchy variants that you no longer need from the initial screen of this transaction.