Integrating Batch Classes and Characteristics from SAP ERP

In SAP Global Batch Traceability (SAP GBT) you can use the batch classification as a search criterion to search for batches. If you display the global batch traceability network, the batch classification determines the content that is displayed for a batch under Display Details.

Implementation Considerations

Characteristics in SAP GBT

You create characteristic values for the classification in SAP ERP. The input check is also carried out in SAP ERP.

You can only use characteristics with the following data types for SAP GBT:

Character format
Numeric format
Date format
Time format
Currency

Note Note

Other data types, for example, a user-defined data type, are not supported.

End of the note.

SAP GBT does not support all functions of the classification in your connected SAP system. If you need all functions of the class system, you have to connect to the corresponding SAP system, to display your classified objects there.

Since the classification is basically used for searching for batches, the following applies when creating characteristics in SAP GBT:

Only restrictions to existing class types are created. Class types 022 (Plant Level) and 023 are automatically mapped to class type 223.
A value hierarchy can be created, but is not available on the SAP GBT search screen.
References to table fields (reference characteristic) must exist.
The indicator for evaluation, that is, the following settings in SAP ERP, are not taken into account:
- Not Ready for Input
- No Display
- Display Allowed Values
Settings for controlling unformatted entries are not taken into account.
The validity period is not taken into account.
Object dependencies are not available at all in SAP GBT.
Only a short description is available for classes, characteristics, and characteristic values. If you need more detailed information, you can display the classified batch in the original system.

If it is not possible to transfer a characteristic, for example, because of missing customizing or missing references to objects like table fields, check tables, or function modules, the system allows you to use a corresponding characteristic that accepts the batch values that are transferred by the batch classification IDoc. You can create corresponding characteristics manually, and use the characteristic mapping to integrate these characteristics into classes and batch classifications instead.

Organizational Areas for Characteristics

You can sort characteristics by organizational area. Each organizational area can have an authorization object that allows you to restrict batch information for users. This allows you to put the characteristic data in order, according to the application areas in your company.

In SAP GBT, you define the organizational areas depending on your system environment. The organizational areas cannot be loaded from the corresponding SAP ERP. You have to redefine the organizational areas and the corresponding authorization objects in SAP GBT.

You assign the organizational areas to the characteristics via the class maintenance.

Integration

Integration of Batch Class Definitions and Batch Class Characteristics

SAP GBT uses the same IDoc types for transferring classification data as SAP ERP. You can transfer the corresponding batch class definitions and their class and characteristic definitions to SAP GBT, using the following IDocs:

IDoc Description in SAP GBT	IDoc Type in SAP ERP	IDoc Type in SAP GBT
Batch characteristics	`CHRMAS`	`CHRMAS`
Batch class	`CLSMAS`	`CLSMAS`
Master object classification	`CLFMAS`	`CLFMAS`

Integration of Class Types

Batches in SAP GBT use classes of class type 223. This class type does not exist in SAP ERP. When transferring classification data, SAP GBT automatically maps the SAP ERP batch class types 022 (Plant Level) and 023 (Material/Client Level) to class type 223 (GBT Batch). The customizing of class type 223 for the classification status is copied from class type 023. The classification object type is /GBT/BATCH.

SAP GBT does not differentiate between the classification of materials and the batch master data as in SAP ERP.

Features

Extensibility Using Classification with Standard Characteristics

In SAP ERP, the software component SAP_APPL is available. This software component contains standard characteristics for batch management in SAP ERP, which use the prefix LOBM_. You can copy these standard characteristics to your current SAP ERP client via report RVBSTMRK.

In SAP GBT, the software component SAP_APPLis unavailable. Instead of a copy of the characteristics that use the prefix LOBM_, SAP GBT installs its own characteristics that use prefix SAP_GBT_.

You can copy the SAP GBT standard characteristics using report /GBT/R_COPY_STANDARD_CHARC.

A standard update for standard characteristics in SAP GBT is not supported.

You can use the Business Add-In (BAdI) /GBT/EX_CLF_MAPPING to include an example implementation for mapping the SAP ERP characteristics that use the prefix LOBM_ to the corresponding standard characteristics of SAP GBT. For more information, see section Activities for the Classification with Standard Characteristics.

Extensibility Using the Mapping of Classes and Characteristics

If you want to avoid duplicate names of classes and characteristics, you can use Business Add-In (BAdI) /GBT/EX_CLF_MAPPING.

You can use BAdI method /GBT/IF_EX_CLF_MAPPING~MAP_CLS_NAME to change the name of classes, and BAdI method /GBT/IF_EX_CLF_MAPPING~MAP_CHR_NAME to change the name of characteristics. When you implement and activate the BAdI methods, the IDoc functions for classes, characteristics, and classification use these BAdI methods. When you later use the global batch traceability network, only the changed names are visible, for example, when you search for a batch.

Activities

Activities for the Classification with Standard Characteristics

You implement the BAdI method MAP_CHR_NAME of BAdI /GBT/EX_CLF_MAPPING according to your business scenario as mentioned in the example implementation. For more information, see In Customizing for SAP GBT under Business Add-Ins (BAdIs) for SAP GBT Integration BAdI: Mapping of Class and Characteristic for Classification .

Activities for the Mapping of Classes and Characteristics

You implement the BAdI methods according to your business scenario. For more information, see Customizing for SAP Global Batch Traceability under Business Add-Ins (BAdIs) for SAP GBT Integration BAdI: Mapping of Class and Characteristic for Classification .

Activities for Organizational Areas for Characteristics

You define the organizational areas in Customizing under Cross-Application Components Classification System Classes Maintain Object Types and Class Types .

You select object table /GBT/Batch and then Organizational Areas. Create the organizational areas, for example:

Class Type 223 with organizational area A All
Class Type 223 with organizational area T Technical Details
Class Type 223 with organizational area F Financial Details

You maintain the organizational areas in the batch class. These organizational areas are allowed for the characteristics of this batch class. Furthermore, on the screen for displaying the characteristics of the batch class, you can assign characteristics to the organizational areas that you have defined for the batch class.

You can restrict the authorization using authorization object C_TLS_BER. For more information about the authorization concept, see Authorization Concept in SAP Global Batch Traceability.