Up to now, you could specify on the basic data screen of characteristicsmaintenance that several values could be set for a characteristic during value assignment, via the indicator multiple values . If the indicator was not selected, you could only enter one value for the characteristic. This is the distinction between single-value and multiple-value characteristics. The indicator was also taken into account for class-to-class allocation.
As of release 3.0, however, this indicator no longer applies to the
Allocation -> Class to classes function. In this
case, you can enter several values for a single-value characteristic, and
thereby systematically limit the value range from hierarchy level to hierarchy
level.
For example, you have specified that only one value can be chosen for the
characteristic 'color'. If you use the characteristic in a class and allocate
another class to the class, you can enter the values 'red', 'brown', and
'green' for the characteristic, since the single-value indicator does not
apply to class-to-class allocations. On a lower level of the hierarchy, you
can then limit the values further, so that only 'brown' and 'green' are
allowed. However, as soon as you allocate an object to this class, you must
decide on one value ('brown' or 'green').
However, in some cases, an object can also be a node, with the result that
the attribute single-value does not apply to the allocation
of objects to a class either.
For example, in a class of class type '022', materials and batches are
classified. In the Implementation Guide Classes , you
determined via the field Sort item that materials
are to pass on their characteristic values to batches. In this case, a
material is a node to which the 'single-value' attribute of a characteristic
does not apply (see release note:
Different Object Types).
In Release 3.0, the meaning of the single-value or multiple-value attribute of a characteristic has also changed. Up to now, the indicator multiple values could be overwritten in the class. As of Release 3.0, this is no longer possible. The indicators for single value and multiple values are maintained when you define the format specifications of a characteristic, and can no longer be overwritten. They apply globally to all uses of the characteristic. Consequently, a characteristic can only be either `single-value` or 'multiple-value'. When defining the format specifications, you can choose between the following indicators: