Attribute Derivation 

Use

The attribute derivation function enables the system to derive single-value or multiple-value target attributes from the characteristic values of source attributes. The fields in the contract that are based on these attributes contain characteristic values found with the help of attribute derivation.

Attribute derivation enhances the Product Configurator functions by entering specific values in contract fields. The following options are available:

·        A contract field is automatically filled with a fixed value that was defined in the product and that cannot be overwritten in the contract.

·        You enter a value in a contract field manually. In the contract, you can overwrite an existing default value from the product.

·        A contract field is filled with a value derived by the system from the value of other attributes.

Attribute derivation enables you to reduce the number of your bank products by grouping together similar products as one and depicting the differences with derivation rules.

Your bank has two products, namely Giro Max and Giro Employee. The only difference between the two is the condition group. You can use attribute derivation to provide just one product in which the condition group is derived on the basis of the Employee indicator.

Integration

You can use source and target attributes delivered by SAP for attribute derivation. You can also use customer attributes created with the Customer Enhancement (BCMA) or Additional Customer Enhancement (BCAA) contract elements as target attributes.

Prerequisites

Before the system can derive the attributes, the following prerequisites must be met:

·        You have defined source and target attributes in the attribute hierarchy of the account product. You do this in the Customizing for Account Management (FS-AM) under Product Management ® Product Definition ® Product Categories ® Edit Attributes for Account Products.

·        You have defined derivation rules for the target attribute for a specific account product in the Customizing for Account Management (FS-AM) under Product Management ® Product Definition ® Account Products ® Create Account Product or Change Account Product.

·        You have activated the attributes for the Attribute Derivation contract element in the account product.

·        You have not suppressed attribute derivation for the target attribute in the contract.

Scope of Functions

Definition of Source and Target Attributes

You can use all source and target attributes defined in the product and contract for attribute derivation.

SAP supplies the following source attributes:

·        Contract Currency

·        Unit of Term

·        Duration of Term

You can also use customer fields as source attributes in the attribute derivation process.

SAP supplies the following target attributes:

·        General Ledger Group

·        Condition Group

Definition of Derivation Rules for Single and Multiple-Value Attributes

The derivation rules are stored in the Product Configurator in the attribute hierarchy for the respective target attributes.

Executing Attribute Derivation

The system generally derives attributes when creating or changing an account, and only in the present, when you check or save the account. It is not important if the data is created or changed directly (in the dialog or BAPI channels) or indirectly (by an order).

Suppressing Attribute Derivation

At contract level, you can suppress attribute derivation for individual target attributes, provided this is enabled by an open padlock in the product. The attributes are then no longer derived automatically by the system.

The system saves the suppressed derivation, meaning that a suppressed target attribute is not derived for future contract changes either. You can also undo the suppressing of the attribute derivation process.

When a target attribute is changed manually in the contract, attribute derivation is suppressed automatically since it is not recommended that a manually changed value be overwritten by attribute derivation. This means that processors are able to override the results of attribute derivation in the contract.

For more information, see the Editing Features section since you can suppress attribute derivation for individual contracts on the Features tab page in the Attribute Derivation group box.