Maintaining master data

The master data is write-protected in the knowledge base.

Knowledge bases form the basis of every configuration carried out using the Configuration Engine.

Master data is edited in the ERP data base.

For the configuration, LO-VC accesses the master data directly.

Configurable objects

Only configurable products (for example, materials and services) can be configuration objects.

Different objects can be configured; in addition to configurable materials, these include task lists, service specifications, or standard networks.

Configuration profile

Configurable materials without a valid configuration profile cannot be used.

Without a valid configuration profile, materials are regarded as not configurable.

Settings for the configuration profile, the initial configuration screen, BOM explosion

The setting for single-level BOM explosion is not supported.

Moreover, the same restrictions that apply to Variant Configuration (LO-VC) also apply here.

See SAP Note 148778 for the permitted combinations of configuration profile.

Setting application views for the configuration profile

Application views defined in the configuration profile do not have any effect.

In the configuration profile, you can determine which application views are to be active.

Scenario setting for the configuration profile

The BOM is not exploded if the order BOM scenario is configured.

Once the configuration result has been transferred to an ERP system, the BOM can be exploded in this system.

No restrictions

Plant-dependent material variants

Only cross-plant variants are found.

Only plant-specific variants are found. Possible corrections for this delta are as follows:

Search for product or material variants

For product variant searches, a string comparison is used for numeric characteristics.

To achieve variant matching similar to Variant Configuration (LO-VC), you must make settings in Customizing.

When searching for material variants, LO-VC uses a tolerant comparison for numeric characteristics.

Search strategy for multi-value characteristics

The interactive variant search returns only variants that correspond to the requested configuration with regard to all values of a multi-value characteristic.

By default, the interactive variant search also returns variants that correspond with the requested configuration in at least one value of a multi-value characteristic. Note that you can change the search strategy using the settings for variant matching.

Product and material variants and BOM explosion

No BOM explosion for material variants because they represent single-level products.

Material variants can be created in such a way that the BOM explosion is copied to the sales order as a list of subitems under the relevant order item.

Configurable material as a variant

A configurable material that is defined as a plant-independent variant of itself is treated as a configurable material without default values.

A configurable material that is defined as a plant-independent variant of itself is assigned default values from the value assignment of the variant when you access the configuration.

Definition of the initial configuration screen

Not required

In the configuration profile

Conflict handling

Detailed conflict resolution help for occasional users and conflict explanation for experts

Technical conflict handling for modelers and experts.

Attribute sets for printing quotations and orders

The function for printing quotations and orders does not take the print-relevant attribute sets into account.

The function for printing quotations and orders uses the print-relevant attribute sets.

Trace, troubleshooting

Tracing is available in the virtual machine container (VM container) logs and on the configuration user interface.

Trace is available in the configuration simulation and when a sales order is created.

Multiple BOMs

One BOM per material.

A material can have several alternative BOMs for different lot sizes.

BOM items

Objects that can be used:

Objects that can be used:

Data for BOM items

A BOM item contains:

A BOM item contains data that is relevant to all application areas.

Key for BOM items (key = number of the BOM item plus material number)

BOM item keys must be unique and they must not occur more than once in a BOM.

BOM item keys may occur several times.

The BOM item is identified by an internal number.

Creating or deleting BOM items

Not possible

You can create or delete BOM items belonging to an order BOM.

Explosion of BOMs in connection with constraints

By default, the BOM is exploded once in a simple breadth first sequence. For this reason, selection conditions at level N that depend on constraints at explosion level M > N cannot be analyzed correctly. Alternatively, the explosion strategy can be changed to depth first. For more information, see SAP Note 879202.

The BOM is exploded several times in a breadth first sequence in connection with constraints. Constraints that are at a lower explosion level may trigger a re-explosion of the BOM.

Change of plant in BOM explosion

The knowledge base generation ignores special procurement keys (MARC-SOBSL) or user exits for the change of plant in the BOM explosion. The plant specified for the knowledge base runtime version is used for all materials.

A change of plant can be controlled by maintaining a special procurement key (MARC-SOBSL) and using corresponding user exits in the function group CUKO.

Class items

Class items are only replaced automatically by materials during the configuration if a unique specialization can be found. For this purpose, the class item characteristics must be assigned a value manually, or the valuation must be derived from the original material by means of object dependencies.

The first material that matches the configuration query is used automatically to replace the relevant class item.

Manual specialization of class items

A class item cannot be replaced manually by a material (specialized).

Class items can be specialized manually.

Mandatory specialization of class items

A configuration is only considered complete if every class item is replaced (specialized) by a material. Therefore, the replacement is obligatory.

For information about removing this delta, see SAP Note 1083650.

In the case of class items, you can specify whether the specialization is optional or mandatory.

If there are no specialized class items in a multi-level configuration, this configuration is only considered incomplete if there are mandatory specializations below it.

Class nodes: Searching with multi-value characteristics (see SAP Note 1564395)

Specified multi-value characteristics are taken into account during the class search. If all assigned values of the characteristic in the configuration are contained in the domain of the classification, the characteristic is considered for specialization.

Specified multi-value characteristics are taken into account during the class search. If at least one assigned value of the configuration is contained in the domain of the classification, the characteristic is considered for specialization.

Class nodes with non-valuated objects

Objects that do not have any classification values for a characteristic of the search query can be found in the class search.

Objects that do not have any classification values for a characteristic of the search query are filtered out of the search result.

BOM base quantity is not equal to 1 piece (that is, the BOM base quantity is greater than or less than 1 piece)

BOMs with a base quantity that is not equal to one piece lead to an incorrect quantity in the Configuration Engine for the items contained. The base quantity is not taken into account.

The base quantity for the BOM header is taken into account for the calculation of the resulting item quantities.

Accumulation of quantities in the configuration

Quantities in multi-level BOMs are not accumulated during the configuration.

The configuration indicates the relative quantity of a subitem as defined in the BOM. This is also the value assigned to the field STPO-MENGE.

Quantities can be converted and accumulated.

In dependencies, the relative and the absolute quantity can be differentiated.

The configuration result indicates the number of subordinate objects in a multi-level BOM.

Quantity number format

Only integers allowed.

No restrictions

Selecting components by classifying materials

Not possible

Possible

Plant specific BOM explosion

When creating a runtime version, you must specify exactly one plant. Therefore, you can only choose a different plant-specific BOM by choosing a different runtime version.

There is no explicit plant field in the Configuration Engine data model. However, you can encode the plant in the version string and use that information for runtime by using the SET_KB method in Customizing for SAP CRM under  Customer Relationship Management Basic Functions Product Configuration BAdI: Enhancements for Product Configuration .

Possible

Class assignment of characteristics

Characteristics that are not assigned to a class are automatically assigned to all classes.

Reference characteristics do not have to be assigned to a class.

Inheritance, class networks, class hierarchies

A unique list of predecessor classes must be available for class networks. This list is necessary to be able to determine the inheritance logic for default values of characteristics.

If a list with superior classes cannot be created when the runtime version is generated, an error message is displayed, for example:

Inconsistent class network

CLASS_01 is assigned to CLASS_02, which, in turn, is assigned to CLASS_03. CLASS_01 is also assigned directly to CLASS_03. The second assignment is superfluous and inconsistent.

Class networks are completely flexible.

The class network in the error message example for the Configuration Engine would be accepted in LO-VC.

Data types DATE, CURR, and TIME in the object dependency

Characteristics with the data type DATE can be used. The following data types cannot be used:

All data types can be used.

User-defined data types

Characteristics with user-defined data types (UDEF) cannot be used.

No restrictions

Value hierarchies

In the case of characteristics, value hierarchies are not copied; the values are output in a simple list.

No restrictions

Intervals for numeric characteristics

Numeric characteristics can be assigned only discrete values during the configuration process. Although the numbers can originate from an interval that is defined in the model as a value range, intervals themselves, however, are not permitted as value assignments.

Allows manual assignment of an interval value if the corresponding flag is set in the characteristic master (CT04). However, this value cannot be used consistently (for example, the system only uses the lower bound of the interval in dependencies).

Characteristic groups relevant for display, assignment of characteristics

A characteristic can be assigned to a maximum of one characteristic group relevant for display.

Other assignments are ignored.

A characteristic can be assigned to several characteristic groups relevant for display.

Reference characteristic SCREEN_DEP

Restrictions must be observed. The following reference characteristics are supported:

The reference characteristic SCREEN_DEP-RESET is not supported.

No restrictions

The facets of a characteristic can be created in such a way that they behave dynamically during the configuration process, that is, they change depending on which characteristic is valuated, and how. Here, you use the reference characteristic SCREEN_DEP during the modeling process.

General handling of reference characteristics

The table fields for which the context information is automatically transferred to the configuration engine depend on the application environment in which the Configuration Engine is running. For more information, see Reference Characteristics and the Configuration Engine.

If you have defined a reference to any other table field or if the table field is not populated, you may use a BAdI implementation to populate the reference characteristic by using the SET_CONTEXT method or SET_VALUES method in Customizing for SAP CRM under  Customer Relationship Management Basic Functions Product Configuration BAdI: Enhancements for Product Configuration .

The tables present in SAP ERP can be used.

Changing reference characteristics

The following fields are always changeable:

In a CRM scenario, additional fields can be changed by the Configuration Engine. For more information, see SAP Library for SAP CRM on SAP Help Portal at http://help.sap.com/crm-core. Choose a release and then Application Help. In SAP Library, choose  Basic Functions Product Configuration with the Configuration Engine in SAP CRM Reference Characteristics in SAP CRM .

A standard set of reference characteristics can be changed (structures SDCOM and VCSD_UPDATE, for example, for sales).

Class-specific overwriting of characteristic attributes

The attributes Not Ready for Input, No Display and Additional Values Allowed must be edited in the characteristic itself.

You can overwrite the characteristic attributes Not Ready for Input, No Display and Additional Values Allowed based on specific classes.

Class-specific overwriting of characteristic value attributes

Class-specific overwriting of characteristic value descriptions and assignment of documents to values are not supported.

You can overwrite characteristic value descriptions based on specific classes. Class-specific assignment of documents to characteristic values is possible.

External value check

Not possible

You can use external value checks that are defined by means of a table or an ABAP function module.

Variant condition keys

If you want to assign variant condition keys, you must create a reference characteristic with reference to the table field SDCOM-VKOND. This is checked when the knowledge base is generated.

Variant conditions can be assigned directly to characteristic values or assigned via dependency to the reference characteristic SDCOM-VKOND.

If you only assign variant conditions directly to characteristic values, you do not need to enter a reference characteristic for table field SDCOM-VKOND.

Presentation of numeric characteristics

Values and value intervals are sorted in ascending numerical order.

Long texts for values and exponential representations are not supported.

Values and value intervals are sorted based on the way they are created in the model.

Long texts for values and exponential representations are supported.

Templates for characteristic values

Templates for characteristic values are supported only to a limited extent. Value templates defined in Customizing are not supported at all.

In the case of numeric characteristics where the format has been specified (and a value template derived automatically from this), language-dependent decimal separators as well as the number of digits before and after the decimal point are checked when they are entered on the keyboard.

During the interactive configuration process, characteristic values entered using the keyboard are checked to determine whether they match the template for the characteristic value.

Variant tables

You can access variant tables or database tables only if these are referenced in the object dependency.

You can access variant tables or database tables by means of function modules without explicitly using object dependencies.

Variant table size

Variant tables cannot contain more than 100,000 rows.

Variant tables can contain more than 100,000 rows, but only if they are defined using a database table.

Characters outside the 7-bit ASCII character set in language-neutral fields

Language-neutral fields can contain 7-bit ASCII characters only (for example, no umlauts).

Characters outside the 7-bit ASCII character set can also be used in language-neutral fields.

Assigning object dependencies to characteristics and characteristic values

All procedures (and actions) must be assigned to a configuration profile or a BOM item.

Procedures (and actions) can be assigned to characteristics and characteristic values, as well as configuration profiles and BOM items.

Assigning preconditions to intervals

Preconditions that are assigned to an interval of the value area are ignored.

No restrictions

Actions

Actions must be converted to procedures. If the appropriate option is chosen, this takes place automatically when the runtime version is created.

In this case, the procedures generated in this way are set to position 0 in the Configuration Engine processing sequence.

Actions are processed once every time data is changed.

Processing of actions does not depend on a sequence. Actions, in contrast to procedures, are processed after the data has been changed (until no more values can be derived from the existing information).

Loading constraint nets

All constraint nets are loaded at the start of the configuration process.

Constraint nets that are assigned to a configuration profile are loaded only if the material was selected during the configuration.

Programming variant functions and user exits

Needs to be written in Java.

The functions of the Java Library cover those of the ERP function group CUPR.

For more information, see Variant Functions.

Variant functions are written in ABAP.

Specified conditions for characteristics that can be restricted

The SPECIFIED condition is fulfilled for a characteristic with an empty value range, if a value is set.

The SPECIFIED condition is not fulfilled for a characteristic with an empty value range, even if a value is set.

Price determination procedures

All procedures are executed in the sequence defined in the configuration profile.

In contrast to normal procedures, procedures that are assigned to the dependency group SAP_PRICING are executed at the end of the configuration process. For more information, see SAP Note 917987.

Procedures in the configuration profile and BOM

If a procedure in a BOM derives a different value for a characteristic than a procedure in the configuration profile, a conflict occurs.

Procedures in the configuration profile cannot overwrite values that have previously been derived by procedures in a BOM.

If a procedure in a BOM derives a different value for a characteristic than a procedure in the configuration profile, the system transfers the value that was derived by the procedure in the BOM. The execution sequence executes the procedures of the BOM again after the procedures of the configuration profile. The procedures can overwrite the values of a characteristic that has already been valuated by another procedure.

Conflicts due to default values

If a constraint conflict due to a default value is detected, the default value can be deleted from the system and the conflict can be resolved automatically. You can switch to the Variant Configuration (LO-VC) compatible behavior (see SAP Note 1226629).

If a constraint conflict due to a default value is detected, the default value is not deleted automatically and the configuration remains inconsistent.

Name conventions for variant tables

Only alphanumeric characters and underscores can be used.

No restrictions

Standardized variant tables

The tables must not contain any intervals or empty fields.

Multiple values are supported.

The rows of a variant table can contain multiple values, no values, or interval values for a characteristic, unless the variant table is linked to a database table.

Change numbers

You can only use change numbers with a valid-from date.

You can use change numbers with a valid-from date or parameter effectivity.

Date of the validity of an object version

You determine the validity of an object version with the date that you specify for the relevant runtime version, together with the plant and the BOM application.

You determine the validity of an object version with the date that you specify when the material is configured.

Object versions

A runtime version contains one version of each object.

The database contains various versions of each object that was changed with Engineering Change Management.