In the profitability analysis, characteristics are terms with which the profitability analysis can be performed (for example product group).

Generally the characteristics of the system CO-PA are freely definable. There you can differentiate between the following characteristics:

• Fixed characteristics, set by SAP (contained in the Standard System – not changeable)
• Predefined default characteristics, set by SAP (contained in the Standard System – changeable)
• Characteristics that are defined by a customer (with reference to a reference table or a derivation rule).

The AFS System and the R/3 Standard System support the characteristics in the same way. Furthermore several AFS-specific terms are supposed to be characteristics. You can find the reason for these characteristics in the AFS-specific product structure (with grid/categories).

You can integrate the AFS characteristics as well as customer-specific characteristics into your operating concern. For this you can find a corresponding reference structure in the system (/AFS/COPA). This reference structure contains the following AFS terms:

• Grid value
• Category
• Season (at schedule line level)

If you manage the season at order item level instead at schedule line level, you must define the characteristic season on basis of table VBAP (field J_3ASEAN) and not on basis of the reference table /AFS/COPA.

The valuation type is a further important AFS characteristic for split-valuated materials. This characteristic must be created with reference to table VBAP (order item) and field BWTAR and not with reference to the reference table /AFS/COPA. The system automatically supplies this characteristic with AFS materials with the valuation type that belongs to the respective stock keeping unit. It uses the defined valuation types of the AFS valuation view in the material master as basis.

Besides the named AFS characteristics, you can define all AFS-specific material master data as characteristics of the profitability analysis (for example gender).

You can only use the AFS characteristics with the costing-based profitability analysis. The account-based profitability analysis does not support these characteristics.

You must be sure that the billing and copy control is set, so that the billing quantity refers to the delivery quantity (Customizing: SD -> Billing). You can not cumulate the delivery/batch quantities. At the order-related billing it is also not permitted to cumulate the schedule line quantities.

Define the required AFS characteristics with reference to the reference table /AFS/COPA. Note that a CO-PA description must be assigned to the characteristics that begins with ‚WW‘ (for example WWBWT with reference to the VBAP-field BWTAR).

The characteristics are valid within the entire client and available for all operating concerns. They must be explicitly assigned to the respective operating concern.

Therefore assign the defined characteristics to your operating concerns.