Use

You can assign a value to a batch characteristic from within process control by sending a process message of category PI_BT_CL to destination PI14.

This is useful if a characteristic need not be entered in Quality Management (QM). For characteristics that are to be taken into account in quality inspections during production, we recommend transferring the inspection results from QM to the b atch instead (see Link: Master Inspection Characteristic - Class Characteristic and Transfer of Inspection Results to Batch Class ).

Integration

You can use process instructions in the process control system or PI sheet to request process messages for assigning values to batch characteristics. You can, for example, define a process data request in which you request a process message for a specific characteristic of the batch you have produced.

Customizing of the SAP reference client contains several sample process instruction categories for value assignment to batch characteristics. For general information on process instructions, see Process Instructions .

Prerequisites

To assign values to the characteristics of a batch, the batch must have been created in the system.

Features

When creating the message, note the following:

Material and Batch Number

For the system to be able to assign a value to a batch characteristic, you must include the corresponding material and batch number in your process message.

The material and batch must have been created in the system. In the PI sheet and if you create process messages manually, the system uses the input validation for the characteristics to ensure that you enter allowed values. From the process control system, you can trigger input validation via the PI-PCS interface.

If the material number and batch number are missing in the process message, the system writes a corresponding system message to the message log when processing the message. The message itself is assigned status Destination error .

Plant

If the plant has been defined as the batch level in Customizing for Batch Management , the system also requires the plant to identify a batch. It first searches for the plant in the process message. If it does not find it here, it searches for it in the order item.

Process Order and Order Item

You must only include the order number and item in the process message, if you want to use the customer exits for batch valuation (see IMG, section  Logistics - General Batch Management ).

Batch Characteristic Name and Value

In the process message, you identify the characteristic whose value is to be assigned by including the characteristic name. The characteristic must belong to the same class as was used to classify the batch.

You must enter the characteristic value in the unit specified in the batch characteristic.

Consistency Checks:

When processing the process message, the system checks whether the values contained in it are valid and consistent with one another. If the system discovers an inconsistency (for example, an invalid order number or a material number that is not contained in the order), it: