Set Types: Modeling and Appearance  

Use

Set types are groups of attributes; they are used for assigning additional fields to a product or individual object.

Features

There are different types on which the set types can be modeled. If you create or change a set type, the system generates all necessary system objects such as database tables and function groups. If a set type has been defined as a particular type and then used, it cannot be changed easily. Therefore we recommend to particular attention to what information the set type is to represent, before defining it. This function is used in general by the people responsible for modeling the products and individual objects.

The following table shows the options you have when working with set types. Depending on your set up, other options may or may not be available.

 

Set Type	Key Fields	Attributes	Organizational Dependency	Appearance
Multiple Use	No	Multiple-value attributes	Organization-independent	Single-Line Set Type (with Multiple Use) Single-Line Set Type (with Multiple Use, Multiple-Value Attribute)
	Yes	No multiple-value attributes		Single-Line Set Type (with Multiple Use)
No Multiple Use	No	No multiple-value attributes	Organization-independent	Single-Line Set Type (Without Multiple Use)
	Yes	No multiple-value attributes		Multiple-Line Set Type (Without Multiple Use)

...

 

·        Multiple Use

This is a usage-independent setting that does not directly influence the appearance of the set type. It does, however, influence what other options are available to you and also influences the performance of your system.

¡        If you set the flag Multiple Use, each data record of a set type is indirectly assigned to a product or individual object via an assignment table.

This is a precondition for you being able to assign the attribute values of the set type to several products or individual objects in future releases.

If you intend to use the data of a particular set type for several products or individual objects, you should set this flag.

Set this flag if an extension table contains general data such as the units of measurement for a product. It is quite possible that this data will apply to several different products.

¡        If you do not set the flag for Multiple Use, each data record is assigned directly to a product or individual object, which has a beneficial effect on performance and data volume.

You should not set this flag if you expect to have a large number of products or individual objects and the various data records of a set type will probably only be used in one product or individual object.

Do not set this flag if an extension table contains specific data such as the serial number of a technical appliance. It is unlikely that this data record (serial number) will be used for more than more product.

·        Key Field

If you define at least one attribute of a set type as a key field, you can make several entries per product or individual object for each field of this set type. The attributes of the set type are maintained in table form.

Set types for which additional key fields exist are referred to as multi-line set types. Set types for which no additional key fields exist are referred to as single-line set types.

·        Multiple Values

In this case you can assign several values to the attribute in the relevant table of the product or individual object maintenance.

·        Organizational Dependency

You have the option of creating set types as distribution-chain-dependent or independent. In the first case, the values of all the attributes of the distribution-chain-dependent set types only apply to a particular sales organization and a particular distribution channel.

Set types that are intended for multiple use, whether they are single-line or multi-line, can be organization dependent, whereas set types that are not intended for multiple use, regardless of whether they are single-line or multi-line, are always organization independent.

For more information about the maintenance, screen structure and tab pages of set types, see Set Types Maintenance.

Example

·        Single-Line Set Type (with Multiple Use)

·        Single-Line Set Type (Multiple Use, Multiple-Value Attribute)

·        Multiple-Line Set Type (with Multiple Use)

·        Single-Line Set Type (Without Multiple Use)

·        Multiple-Line Set Type (Without Multiple Use)