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  Hierarchical Attributes

Definition

Attributes with multiple levels, which are used to represent structures (such as territory structures or market segments).

Example Example

You subdivide your territory structures into continents, countries and regions and place these in a hierarchical relationship with one another.

End of the example.

Use

You have made the following settings in the Implementation Guide:

You have defined an attribute for use as a hierarchical attribute under Start of the navigation path : Customer Relationship Management Next navigation step Industry-Specific Solutions Next navigation step Media Enterprises Next navigation step Intellectual Property Management Next navigation step Master Data Next navigation step Product Next navigation step Define Hierarchical Attributes End of the navigation path

More detailed information on the Customizing settings required is available in the documentation for this IMG activity.

Note

This document describes the use of the hierarchy when setting up rights dimesions, however you can use a hierarchy any time you need to define a structure. For example you can use hierarchies when defining the content categories assigned to an IP.

Hierarchical attributes without their own hierarchy

You can assign attributes to an existing hierarchy for a hierarchical attribute if the information covers both attributes. The hierarchy for the higher-level attribute is then inherited by the lower-level attribute.

Example Example

The Made for Market attribute inherits the hierarchy of the Market attribute.

End of the example.

Structure

You maintain the hierarchy structure for the hierarchical attributes in the Start of the navigation path SAP Easy Access menu: Next navigation step Industries Next navigation step Media: Intellectual Property Management Next navigation step Master Data Next navigation step Products Next navigation step Maintain Hierarchical Attributes. End of the navigation path

Select the hierarchical attribute and the language in which you want to maintain it.

Maintain the hierarchy by creating nodes and end nodes using the Create Value at the Same Level and Create Value One Lower Level buttons.

Specify the attribute value ID, description and language. Maintain the validity period of the attribute value.

You can move nodes and end nodes using Drag&Drop. You determine the way in which nodes or end nodes are to be moved using Drag&Drop in the settings. You can choose between:

  • Move at the same level above the selected node or end node

  • Move at the same level below the selected node or end node

  • Move one level below the selected node or end node as the first node

  • Move one level below the selected node or end node as the last node

You can change and convert attribute values by double clicking on a node or end node. To convert an attribute value, enter the description and language and choose the Copy Language - Dependent Description button.

Checks

Hierarchical attributes create a tree and not a network or graph. This means that each node has one higher-level node.

The following checks are performed during hierarchy maintenance:

  • Nodes and end nodes in a hierarchy must not contain overlaps. This means that a node or end node with the same ID cannot exist twice at the same point in time.

  • The validity period for lower-level nodes or end nodes must be earlier than the validity period of the higher-level node.

  • The user is informed if several nodes or end nodes exist with the same ID and the associated validity periods contains gaps with regard to the lowest common higher-level node.