The following master data objects can be distributed:

• Change Numbers
• Article Master Record
• User Master Record
• Purchasing Info Record
• Business Process
• Classification, class and characteristics
• Conditions
• Cost Center
• Cost center group
• Cost element group
• Cost element
• Customer Master Record
• Activity type
• Activity Master Record
• Activity type group
• Vendor Master Record
• Material Master Record
• Unit of measure for cost center and cost element combination
• Source List
• Human Resources: HR Master Data, Organizational Data
• Profit Center
• G/L Account
• Bill of material (materials and documents)
• Activity price of cost center and cost element combination
• Value scale and quota scale

Some of these master data objects are described in more detail below:

If a change number is distributed using the message type ECMMAS, it contains:

• Change master record (in long text if available)
• Alternative dates
• Validity
• Object types for change master record
• Object management records (in long text if available)

If the distributed change number does not already exist in the target system, it is created here. It is not yet possible to delete a change number in the target system nor to distribute it using a change pointer.

For further information about the central administration of user master data, refer to the ALE Implementation Guide (Transaction SALE).

The following data is not distributed:

• Customs tariff preference data
• Order price history

The prerequisite is that the master records of the vendors and materials in question have already been distributed

The number ranges for purchasing info records need to be synchronized system-wide.

• When the IDoc for purchasing info records of a stock material is posted, if the purchasing info record for the material and the appropriate supplier does not already exist in the receiver system, the number of the purchasing info record is copied from the central system. Otherwise, the existing purchasing info record is updated.
• For purchasing info records for non-stock materials, the purchasing info record number is always copied from the central system. If a purchasing info record with the same number already exists, the system checks whether it has the same supplier and material group as the info record from the central system.

When a purchasing info record is posted, its conditions are not changed. However, the NETPR (net price) and EFFPR (effective price) fields are updated. In other words, the values are copied from the central system.

Conditions for info records must be transferred separately using the standard conditions distribution (message COND_A).

If the PLANT filter object is used in modeling the distribution of purchasing info records, the plant field must contain the value SPACE when you are working with purchasing info records which deal with more than one plant.

If the Material or Material listing filter objects are used for modeling the distribution of info records, the Material field must contain the value SPACE when you are working with purchasing info records for non-stock materials.

The supplier listing filter object cannot be used in the distribution of purchasing info records. Only material listings are allowed to be used as filter objects in the distribution of purchasing info records.

SAP provides the following enhancements:

• MMAL0003: ALE purchasing info record distribution: Outbound Processing
• MMAL0004: ALE purchasing info record distribution: Inbound Processing

For the message type CLFMAS the dependencies of other message types, such as MATMAS and CREMAS must be maintained in different filter groups.

When cost centers are distributed, the field CV_OTYPE for the joint venture object type is not distributed with them.

Addresses of contact persons are not distributed.

Long texts are not included in the change document system.

The activity conditions must be distributed separately with the message COND_A.

If you want to distribute activity contracts or maintain the same master data centrally so that you can use it in other R/3 Systems, then you should distribute activity master records.

Activity master records or any changes made to them are distributed with the report RBDSESRV or with the SMD tool.

When distributing vendor master data, reminder data is posted in inbound processing only to the default dunning area.

If you are using SAP Retail, you can also distribute values for vendor characteristics.

Changes to the material type of a material cannot be distributed. The material type of a material (field MTART) can only be transferred to the receiving R/3 System, if you create a material, not if you change a material. A single material may therefore have different material types in different systems.

The production version segment (E1MKALM) is only used in outbound processing. You cannot import the information into an R/3 System. This information can, however, be processed by non-SAP systems.

If you use the purchasing organization filter object when modeling the distribution of source lists, the supplier field must contain a space if you are working with source lists which span more than one purchasing organization.

If you use the Supplier filter object when modeling the distribution of source lists, the supplier field must contain a space if you are working with source list records which are supplier-independent.

The supplier listing filter object cannot be used in the distribution of source lists. Only material listings are allowed to be used as filter objects.

SAP provides the following enhancements:

• MMAL0001: ALE source list distribution: Outbound Processing
• MMAL0002: ALE source list distribution: Inbound Processing

Statistical key figures are not distributed.

Master data can only be maintained in the local system of the controlling area.

The EXTERNAL ACCOUNTING INFORMATION field in the company code segment is only included if new G/L accounts are created. Changes to this field are not posted. For security purposes, you have to do this manually.

Bills of material (BOM) are distributed with all items valid on the key date and, if applicable, with local object dependencies. Only simple bills of material can be distributed.

The distribution of bills of material does not include:

• Long texts for headers, alternatives and items
• Sub-items
• Global object dependencies these must exist in the system
• BOM history - only the status of the BOM on the key date is distributed.
• the BOM item objects, for example materials, documents and classes. These objects must be distributed separately from, and before, the BOM.
• If applicable, the change number. The change number must exist in the system.

If you send bills of material directly, the user receives a list of all bills of material selected by the system which can be manually edited afterwards. Because only simple BOMs can be distributed, the user cannot select relevant alternative and variant BOMs, plant assignments and material variants for distribution.

You can overwrite the selection date displayed on the selection screen in the detail list. You can also replace it with a change number. For maintenance in the target system, you can also give a valid-from date or a change number (engineering change management). If you do not change it, the valid-from date or change number is copied from the sending system.

Here are the message variants for message type BOMMAT:

• CNG (change, standard): Changes the BOM items.

• CRE (create): Creates the BOM.

• DEL (delete): Deletes the BOM.

Changes to simple material BOMs or BOM items can also be distributed with the SMD tool. This way you can identify items in the target system using the fields, item category, item number, sort string and object. The object field is dependent on item category material, document data and class data.