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 Equipment Package

Definition

An object for planning to supply a force element with non-consumable goods. This object defines a combination of materials that belong together at material number or serial number level.

Use

In contrast to material planning objects (MPOs) or material containers, equipment packages (EPAs) are not used to define authorized materials, but rather combinations of concrete material numbers or serial numbers that force elements are to be equipped with (for example, a particular type of vehicle combined with a particular type of equipment). For more information, see Equipment Packages .

For information about editing EPAs, see Editing Material Objects .

Structure

Technically, the EPA is implemented as an iPPE node of type S_DFEPA.

Status

EPAs have their own status but no validity period (in contrast to the assignment of the EPA to a force element).

An EPA can have the following statuses from SAP status management: Planned, Requested, Released by Material Owner, Approved, Locked, Flagged for Deletion, Deletion Requested, Obsolete , and Rejected . See also Status Networks .

Properties

You can assign properties for EPAs using the following header data, tab pages, fields/field groups, and pushbuttons in the application Authorized Materials and Material Packages :

  • Header Data

    • Equipment Package

      The unique object ID of the EPA.

    • Description

      The long name of the EPA.

  • Basic Data tab page

    • Material Owner

      You specify who (organizational unit/force element, position, or person), as material owner, is responsible for processing an EPA. This enables you to control the assignment of authorizations for processing the objects.

    • No Handling Unit

      You use this indicator to define whether the EPA is to be used for detailed planning and/or relocation planning.

      • If this indicator is set, the EPA can be used only for relocation planning and not for detailed planning.

      • If this indicator is not set, you can use the EPA for detailed planning and relocation planning.

        For more information about handling units (HUs), see SAP Library and choose Start of the navigation path SAP ERP Central Component Next navigation step Logistics Next navigation step Logistics – General Next navigation step Handling Unit Management End of the navigation path .

    • Packing instruction

      You can assign a packing instruction to an EPA. The packing instruction is later used to generate, manage, and identify derived HUs.

      You can assign an existing packing instruction or create and assign a new one by choosing Generate Packing Instruction .

      To display an assigned packing instruction, choose Display Pkg Instruction .

      For more information about packing instructions, see SAP Library and choose Start of the navigation path SAP ERP Central Component Next navigation step Logistics Next navigation step Logistics – General Next navigation step Handling Unit Management End of the navigation path .

    • Material master record

      You can define properties for an EPA that belong to a material master record by default. When an EPA is created, the system automatically creates a material master record of the material type equipment package .

      For more information, see the documentation for the corresponding field of the material planning object .

      Additionally, you can assign this material master record directly with an external material group that the system can use when determining the supplier via external material groups.

    • Status

      You can choose this pushbutton to change the status of the EPA.

  • Material Items tab page

    • Reference Object

      When defining material items, you can specify a material container or another EPA as a template as required. The material items from this template are displayed as defaults. The assignment to the EPA is displayed on the reference object (as a derived EPA).

    • Func. ID

      You specify whether the material is an optional part, a mandatory part, or the leading record in the EPA.

      • Leading Record

        The leading record represents the material master record that identifies the EPA. It is used to determine the MRP controller, for instance.

        Only one material can be defined as the leading record for any one EPA.

      • Mandatory Part

        Mandatory parts must be included in the EPA.

        If you want to remove mandatory parts from the package, you first have to delete the package.

        Mandatory parts must be available in stock (HU) when the EPAs are created.

      • Optional Part

        Optional parts are taken into consideration when the HUs are created, but they do not necessarily have to be available in the stock storage location.

        Upon request, optional parts can be removed from the package by the person responsible for the EPA.

    • Number

      The number/quantity of the material that is to be included in the EPA.

    • Material / Material Description

      You can assign the EPA a material by selecting a material master record. You can enter any quantity.

    • MPO / MPO Name

      To assign materials, you can restrict the number of possible material master records by selecting an MPO. If you specify an MPO, the system displays in the Material field only those material master records that are assigned as models to the MPO.

    • Serial Number

      You can assign the EPA a material by selecting a serial number.

      A serial number must be assigned in one EPA only. Serial numbers are assigned automatically with a quantity of one.

  • Equipment Packages tab page

    Displays the EPAs to which this EPA is assigned as a reference object (template).

  • Force Elements tab page

    Displays the force elements to which the EPA is assigned. On this tab page, you can also make assignments to force elements. To do so, choose Create Assignment .

    For information about the properties of an assignment between the EPA and force element, see Equipment Packages .

  • Classification tab page

    On this tab page, you can assign an EPA a class from the SAP classification system. For more information, see the documentation for Classification System in SAP Library under Start of the navigation path SAP ERP Central Component Next navigation step Cross-Application Components. End of the navigation path

    Note Note

    You can also define dependencies between characteristics using the functions of the classification system. For example, you can use function module /ISDFPS/PNOID_CL_ATTR_CHK to query defined dependencies between equipment packages (multiple rating).

    End of the note.

  • Texts tab page

    In the Description field, you can define one name for each language required, if necessary. The name assigned when the EPA is created is transferred automatically for the logon language.

  • Documents tab page

    As in the case of force elements, you can also assign documents to EPAs.

Storage

The properties of EPAs are stored in the following tables:

Provisions package

Table

Data

PNODID

iPPE Node: Identification

PNODTX

iPPE Node: Texts

/ISDFPS/PNEPA

Application-Specific Attributes of Equipment Package

/ISDFPS/PNEPAM

Materials Within an Equipment Package

Note Note

You can show a number of additional fields using the Column Configuration or Change Layout… functions.

For this object, you can define your own fields , without the need for any extra modifications. To do so, use the include CI_PNEPA in table /ISDFPS/PNEPA.

End of the note.

To display details of an EPA:

Integration

EPAs can be assigned to force elements.

PPAs that are assigned to a force element can be assigned to relocation steps .