Configuring Objects (SAP Library - Variant Configuration (LO-VC))

Configuring Objects

Procedure

On the value assignment screen, values may already be assigned to some characteristics. These values are defined in characteristics maintenance as default values for the characteristic.

Either accept these default values or enter another value for the characteristic.

The default value may already have triggered dependencies.

The characteristic value assignment screen may not show all characteristics, because some are hidden in accordance with the settings defined in characteristics maintenance, or are not relevant to the organizational area.

To change the restriction to organizational areas, choose View ® Organizational areas.

To assign values to the characteristics, enter values on the value assignment screen or display the possible entries and select one.

Confirm your entries.

All the dependencies are processed (refer to Processing Sequence for Object Dependencies).

In the possible entries, you see an icon next to the characteristics and values that have object dependencies. To see the dependencies, choose this icon.
Dependencies can cause characteristics and characteristic values to be hidden or shown.
Dependencies can set values.

Caution

You cannot manually overwrite values that were set by dependencies.

If a value is set that violates a dependency, you see the Inconsistencies pushbutton.
To see what caused the inconsistency, choose Inconsistencies.
The assigned values are logged. To undo the values step by step, choose Undo.

Status Display

When you exit the configuration editor, you may see a prompt with characteristics that have no value, asking you to assign values. The system registers Incomplete status.

This may be for the following reasons:

1. A characteristic that is defined as Required in the Classification System (required characteristic) has no value assigned to it.

2. A required characteristic that is not displayed because of a precondition has no value assigned to it.

3. A characteristic that must have a value assigned to it because of a selection condition has no value.

Assign values to these characteristics or set the status of the configuration to Locked – otherwise, you cannot exit the configuration editor. You can change the status by choosing the pushbutton for showing the current status, or by choosing Extras ® Change status.

In a sales order, Incomplete or Locked status can affect material requirements planning (see Transfer of Requirements for Locked Configurations

Example

A car manufacturer makes the color of seat covers a required characteristic. However, the manufacturer overlooks that fact that the color does not need a value for material "leather", because the company only makes leather seat covers in black.

In the sales order, it is too late to test whether a certain combination causes inconsistency. You need to check whether the assigned values are complete. This is why the configuration simulation is important, because the check is started automatically when you exit the configuration editor.