Reference (SAP Library - Specification Management)

Reference

Use

You can use this function to assign one or more reference specifications to a specification (source specifications of the reference or short references). In doing this the SAP System creates a link from the value assignments of the reference specification to those of the referencing specification. This greatly reduces the amount of data that needs to be entered.

Note

Using the where-used list for specifications function you can display all specifications to which selected specifications are assigned as references (see Determining Usage as References).

Prerequisites

The required reference must belong to a specification type that was specified in Customizing for Product Safety in the IMG activity Specify Specification Types as a permitted source specification type for the specification type of the referencing specification.

Features

The following rules apply for references in the SAP System:

If you assign a reference to a specification, a link is created to the specification from all value assignments of the reference. In contrast to inheritance it is not possible in references to specify value assignment types directly using an inheritance template whose value assignments are to be passed on.

Note

No data is transferred outside the value assignments in referencing. The following, for example, are not transferred:

Identifiers
Material assignments

You can manually overwrite referenced value assignments. You can choose whether:

The referenced value assignment is to be deleted and you re-enter the data
The referenced value assignment is to remain as a template and you overwrite the data

Note

In the property tree, every value assignment type that is assigned values via a reference is marked with . If you overwrite the referenced value assignment manually, the symbol changes to .

If you assign several references to a specification, the value assignment types for these references may not overlap.

This graphic is explained in the accompanying text

Unique Value Assignments to be Transferred from Several References to One Referencing Specification

The system rejects the assignment of a reference if at least one of the following conditions is fulfilled:

The planned reference is identical to the referencing specification (a specification may not reference itself)
The planned reference has a specification type that does not permit the usage as a source specification of the reference (see Prerequisites)
The planned reference is being processed by another user
The planned reference already has references itself (multilevel references are not allowed)
The planned reference overlaps with at least one other reference of the referencing specification in at least one value assignment type
The planned reference transfers value assignments of at least one value assignment type that the user cannot change in the referencing specification because the user does not have authorization to do this

Note

You can deactivate this authorization check in Customizing for Product Safety in the IMG activity Specify Environment Parameters by means of the environment parameter SP_NO_AUTH_CHCK_REF_PROPS.

Activities

If you call a value assignment type that was transferred to the specification via a reference, the value assignment is shown in display mode.

To edit the referenced value assignment you must call the edit mode using on the Display Specification: Value Assignment screen.

You create references while editing the header data.