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 Category Maintenance

Use

Categories allow products and individual objects to be grouped together according to different criteria, and are used primarily to describe differences within a business context. For example:

  • Descriptive information such as technical properties

  • Ownership (owned, leased, rented)

  • Use

Categories define which set types and relationship types are allowed for a product/individual object, thereby enabling you to structure the information you require on your products/individual objects through the assignment of categories. If a product/individual object is assigned to more than one category, all set types and relationship types for the categories to which the product/individual object is assigned can be used.

Due to certain settings which can be made at category level, thereby applying to all products/individual objects created within these categories, categories also have a control function.

Integration

Number ranges for assigning product/object IDs can be maintained for each category in the hierarchy assigned to the application Product .

To define number ranges, carry out the IMG activity Define Number Ranges for Materials in the Customizing of Cross-Application Components under Start of the navigation path SAP Products Next navigation step Settings for ProductType Next navigation step Number Assignment End of the navigation path .

You can assign hierarchies to applications in the IMG activity Assign Category Hierarchies to Applications in the Customizing of Cross-Application Components under Start of the navigation path SAP Products Next navigation step Product Category End of the navigation path .

Features

A number of features are available at category level within the categories and hierarchies maintenance functionality:

  • Authorization Groups

    By assigning an authorization group to a category, you can determine whether a user is allowed to display, change, or create products/individual objects belonging to this category.

    You can define authorization groups in the Customizing of Cross-Application Components under Start of the navigation path SAP Products Next navigation step BasicSettings Next navigation step Define Authorization Groups End of the navigation path .

  • Person Responsible

    You can specify a person responsible for the category. You may, for example, want to specify the brand manager as the person responsible for the highest-level category, and the product manager for lower-level categories.

  • Object Family

    A category can be assigned to an object family, thereby restricting the use of the category to individual objects belonging to this object family. More than one category can be assigned the same object family.

    A category designated for use with an object family can also be assigned set types. A set type reserved for a particular object family can only be assigned to a category if this category has been assigned the same object family.

    Categories not assigned an object family can be used for both products and individual objects, with the exception of base hierarchies.

  • Product/Object Assignment Possible

    Indicates that products and objects can be assigned to the category in product or object maintenance. The indicator should not be set for root categories.

  • Alternative ID Type

    This ID type will be displayed in the header of the product/individual object in product/object maintenance.

Set Types and Relationship Types

Set types and relationship types are specified on the respective tab pages:

  • Set Types

    You can specify which set types should be assigned to the category concerned, in which view the set type should appear in product/object maintenance. In the SAP GUI, you can also specify in which position the set types should be displayed. You can define your own views in the Customizing activity of Cross-Application Components under Start of the navigation path SAP Products Next navigation step Settings for Product Maintenance Next navigation step Define Views. End of the navigation path

    A Referenced indicator is an additional option available for individual objects for use in conjunction with reference products and is only visible for categories assigned an object family.

  • Relationship Types

    Relationship types can be assigned to a category, enabling just these relationship types to be created for a product or individual object belonging to this category in product or object maintenance. Other relationship types are no longer displayed once a relationship type has been assigned to a category.

    As with set types, relationship types can only be assigned within one hierarchy per product type. If no relationship types are assigned, all relationship types can be maintained in product/object maintenance.

Inheritance

The following fields are inherited by lower-level categories:

  • Product Type

  • Authorization Group

  • Object Family

  • Partner Determination Procedure

  • Alternative ID Type

  • Assigned set types, including view ID, position, and Referenced indicator

  • Assigned relationship types

Inherited fields cannot be changed for lower-level categories. Note however the following exceptions:

  • The view ID and position can be changed for lower-level categories. If the view ID and position are changed for the higher-level category, the view ID and position are overwritten for lower-level categories, even if other entries have been made.

  • A set type can be assigned to a higher-level category and the Referenced indicator set for lower-level categories.

Activities

Creating Product Categories

  1. In the user menu, choose Maintain Categories and Hierarchies .

    The Maintain Categories and Hierarchies screen appears.

  2. Double-click the required hierarchy from either the Worklist or Search tab page in the locator.

    The hierarchy data is displayed in the work area.

  3. Choose Create Category if the hierarchy is new and does not yet have any categories. This creates a root in the hierarchy. Otherwise, double-click the category below which the new category is to be created and choose Create Category .

  4. Enter a category ID and description.

    Note Note

    An entry can only be made in the Category ID field if automatic number assignment was not specified for this hierarchy. If a numbering scheme has been assigned to the hierarchy, but without automatic number assignment, your category ID must be in accordance with this numbering scheme. For more information, see the IMG activity Define Category Numbering Schemes under Start of the navigation path Cross-Application Components Next navigation step SAP Products Next navigation step Product Category End of the navigation path .

    End of the note.

  5. If necessary, specify a product type for the category so that you can assign set types and relationship types to the category.

  6. Enter data as required.

  7. Choose the Set Types tab. For each set type, you can specify the view in which it appears in product/object maintenance and its position in the view, for example, above or below another set type (only valid for product maintenance in SAP GUI). If you do not assign a view, the set type will appear in the Basic Data view.

  8. Choose the Relationship Types tab and, if necessary, assign the relevant relationship types.

  9. Save your data.

Changing Categories

You can always change the category description, but not the category ID. You can also change the product type if no set types or products/individual objects are assigned to the category or to one of its lower-level categories. If the product type is changed, all lower-level categories are changed accordingly.

New set types can always be added, and existing set types assigned to a different view. The position of existing set types in the view can be changed at any time.

Existing set types can only be deleted if:

  • Within this or a lower-level category, no products or individual objects exist for which data was created for this set type.

  • Value range restrictions or default values were defined either for this, or another lower-level category.

The Referenced indicator can only be set subsequently if there are no individual objects within this category or a lower-level category with data maintained for this set type.

New relationship types can be added and existing relationship types deleted only if there are no products or individual objects within this category or a lower-level category with data maintained for this relationship type.

Deleting Product Categories

You can only delete an existing category if:

  • It has no lower-level categories

  • No set types are assigned to it

  • No products or individual objects are assigned to it