Simulating 

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       1.      On the SAP Easy Access screen, choose Logistics ® Retailing ® Master Data ® Article Hierarchy Data ® Simulate.

       2.      You can enter the following on the entry screen for the simulation function:

¡        ID of the hierarchy from which you are copying (source hierarchy)

¡        ID of the node of the source hierarchy to be copied

¡        ID of the hierarchy to which you are copying (target hierarchy)

¡        An existing node ID in the target hierarchy

Depending on the entries, the plausibility checks described above can be performed. The hierarchy data (status, scheduling, and so on) can be displayed for each hierarchy ID.

From the simulation function you can jump to the copy function. The input values for the simulation function are copied to the copy function screen.

The following checks, which run in article hierarchy maintenance, are also available in the simulation:

¡        Check whether all articles are attached to end nodes

Articles that are copied to an activated article hierarchy must be assigned to end nodes (nodes without subordinate nodes) in the structure to be copied. You can deactivate this check for value-only articles in Customizing.

¡        Check for attribute required entry field:

When copying changes to an activated article hierarchy, a check can be run to see whether an attribute assignment is mandatory for the node assignments to be copied.

¡        Check whether the node IDs of the nodes to be copied are unique in the target hierarchy.

¡        Check that articles to be copied are uniquely assigned within a category if the Multiple Article Assignment indicator is set in the target hierarchy.

¡        Check whether the validity of the node assignment to be copied is within the validity period of the (new) parent node assignment (target hierarchy).

¡        Check for authorization to process the hierarchy objects (article, structure).

The following checks are also available in simulation:

¡        Checks (cross-hierarchy):

§         Check for articles that are missing in the source hierarchy:

If an existing structure is revised in a planned article hierarchy, for example, and these changes are copied to an activated article hierarchy, a check can be run to see whether articles that exist in the active hierarchy but not in the planned hierarchy are overwritten or deleted.

§         Check for articles that are missing in the target hierarchy:

If an existing structure is revised in a planned article hierarchy, for example, and these changes are copied to an activated article hierarchy, a check can be run to see whether articles that do not exist in the active hierarchy are added.

§         Check for scheduled node assignments that are missing in the target hierarchy:

Article hierarchy maintenance does not permit the physical deletion of valid node assignments. In the simulation function, you can determine nodes that exist in the source hierarchy but not in the active hierarchy. After the comparison, these nodes can be physically deleted in the planned hierarchy directly from the simulation.

¡        Checks (source hierarchy):

§         Check for article assignments that have expired in the source hierarchy:

Expired assignments in the substructure to be copied are not copied to the activated hierarchy.

§         Check for node assignments that have expired in the source hierarchy:

Expired assignments in the substructure to be copied are not copied to the activated hierarchy.

As every article hierarchy can be characterized by characteristics, such as, status, distribution chain, scheduling, and multiple article assignment, rules (conditions) for when cross-hierarchy simulation is permitted are required:

¡        Hierarchy status:

You can simulate from a planned to an active article hierarchy and vice versa. Cross-hierarchy simulation of hierarchies with the same status is also permitted.

¡        Distribution chain:

A simulation is permitted in every conceivable constellation.

¡        Scheduling:

Cross-hierarchy simulation is permitted if schedules either can or cannot be defined for both the source and the target hierarchy.

¡        Multiple article assignment:

Cross-hierarchy simulation is permitted if multiple article assignment is either activated or deactivated for both the source and target hierarchy.