Variant Configuration with SAP

Uwe Blumöhr, Manfred Münch, Marin Ukalovic (Autoren)

Buch | Hardcover

541 Seiten

2010
SAP Press (Verlag)
978-1-59229-283-7 (ISBN)

Infos

This is the single most important resource you need to implement, customize, and use SAP Variant Configuration. Written in a clear and straightforward style, this book teaches you the basic business principles of variant configuration, and helps you master SAP Variant Configuration functionality so you can use it efficiently for your own business needs.

First learn exactly what variant configuration is and how it can benefit your business. Then, explore the steps needed for creating a product model in SAP Variant Configuration and develop the skills needed for customizing SAP Variant Configuration as the authors highlight which system settings are important for the corresponding business processes. You'll get an in-depth look at real customer reports and experiences and find out how the CWG user group can help facilitate your own work. With highly detailed tips, warnings, and in-depth examples throughout, you'll be able to put to use right away the expert advice provided in order to quickly and easily handle your own business processes and customization issues.

Autor

Dr. Uwe Blumoehr is Senior Education Consultant at SAP Germany. Since 1996, he has worked in the training and consulting area and he has many years of experience in the area of training, further education and qualification, in particular in variant configuration segment. Parts of the SAP training will form the basis for some sections of this book. Marin Ukalovic first experienced variant configuration in a training conducted by Dr. Uwe Blumoehr. Dr. Manfred Munch is Application Platform Process Architect at SAP Germany's Product Management and has worked at the development labs focusing on variant configuration since 1999. Moreover, he worked as a secretary of the SAP user group, Configuration Work Group (CWG), from 2001 to 2004. Marin Ukalovic is a Solution Architect for IM&C/Mill, Market Development, LE Manufacturing & High Tech at SAP Germany. Since 1999, he has committed his work on the subject of variant configuration. Moreover, he has been Member of the Board of Directors of the SAP user group, Configuration Work Group (CWG). He his familiar with every single aspect of this topic and he can give explanations that even laymen can understand easily.

Inhalt

* ... Foreword ... 17
* ... Introduction ... 21
* 1 ... Basic Principles of Variant Configuration ... 29
* 1.1 ... What Is Product Configuration ... 29
* 1.1.1 ... Terminology ... 29
* 1.1.2 ... Elementary Configuration Modules ... 34
* 1.1.3 ... Product Configuration in Logistic Scenarios ... 36
* 1.1.4 ... Core Problem of Variant Diversity ... 38
* 1.1.5 ... Procedural and Declarative Approaches ... 41
* 1.2 ... What Is SAP Variant Configuration ... 44
* 1.2.1 ... Product Configuration Using Variant Configuration ... 44
* 1.2.2 ... Further Areas of Use ... 45
* 1.2.3 ... Hello World Example ... 45
* 1.2.4 ... Variant Configuration LO-VC ... 50
* 1.2.5 ... Internet Pricing and Configurator (IPC ... 55
* 1.3 ... How Do Business Processes Benefit from Variant Configuration ... 58
* 1.3.1 ... Prerequisite for the Usage of Variant Configuration ... 58
* 1.3.2 ... Factors for the Usage of Variant Configuration ... 59
* 1.3.3 ... Exemplary Consideration on the Master Data Volume ... 61
* 1.4 ... Summary ... 62
* 2 ... Creating a Product Model for SAP Variant Configuration ... 65
* 2.1 ... Overview of the Modeling and Integration of Variant Configuration ... 65
* 2.1.1 ... Multivariant Product without Variant Configuration ... 66
* 2.1.2 ... Multivariant Product with Variant Configuration ... 66
* 2.2 ... Tools from the Classification System ... 70
* 2.2.1 ... Characteristic Management ... 71
* 2.2.2 ... Class Management ... 77
* 2.2.3 ... Classification ... 78
* 2.2.4 ... Search ... 79
* 2.3 ... Material Master, BOM, and Routing ... 81
* 2.3.1 ... Material Master of the Configurable Material ... 81
* 2.3.2 ... Super BOM of the Configurable Material ... 86
* 2.3.3 ... Super Task List for the Configurable Material ... 89
* 2.4 ... Configuration Profile and Configuration Scenarios ... 91
* 2.4.1 ... Overview of the Configuration Profile ... 91
* 2.4.2 ... Configuration Profile in Detail ... 93
* 2.4.3 ... Overview of Configuration Scenarios ... 99
* 2.4.4 ... Planned/Production Order Without BOM Explosion Scenario ... 99
* 2.4.5 ... Order BOM Scenario ... 101
* 2.4.6 ... Sales Order (SET) Scenario ... 107
* 2.4.7 ... Planned/Production Order with BOM Explosion Scenario ... 111
* 2.5 ... Overview of Object Dependencies ... 114
* 2.5.1 ... Types of Object Dependencies and Assignment ... 114
* 2.5.2 ... The Procedural and Declarative Character of Object Dependencies ... 119
* 2.5.3 ... Global and Local Object Dependencies ... 119
* 2.5.4 ... Status of Object Dependencies ... 120
* 2.5.5 ... Object Dependencies in Classification and in Variant Configuration ... 120
* 2.5.6 ... Execution Sequence of Object Dependencies ... 121
* 2.5.7 ... Basic Syntax Rules ... 123
* 2.5.8 ... Syntax Elements ... 126
* 2.5.9 ... Variant Tables and Functions ... 129
* 2.5.10 ... Evaluation Function for Object Dependencies ... 130
* 2.6 ... Object Dependencies for the Value Assignment Interface or the Sales View ... 134
* 2.6.1 ... Product Modeling Environment PMEVC ... 134
* 2.6.2 ... Example ... 137
* 2.6.3 ... Variant Tables in Detail ... 142
* 2.6.4 ... Constraints in Detail ... 147
* 2.6.5 ... Preconditions ... 152
* 2.6.6 ... Selection Conditions ... 155
* 2.6.7 ... Procedures ... 156
* 2.6.8 ... Reference Characteristics ... 158
* 2.6.9 ... Variant Functions ... 161
* 2.6.10 ... User Interface Design ... 164
* 2.7 ... Object Dependencies for BOM and Routing ... 166
* 2.7.1 ... Local and Global Object Dependencies ... 166
* 2.7.2 ... Selection Conditions for BOM and Routing ... 169
* 2.7.3 ... Class Nodes in BOMs ... 169
* 2.7.4 ... Classified Materials in BOMs ... 173
* 2.7.5 ... Procedures in BOM and Routing ... 175
* 2.8 ... Pricing for Configurable Materials ... 177
* 2.9 ... Product Costing for Configurable Materials ... 184
* 2.10 ... Material Variants ... 185
* 2.10.1 ... Material Master of the Material Variant ... 187
* 2.10.2 ... BOM and Material Variant ... 189
* 2.10.3 ... Routing and Material Variant ... 189
* 2.10.4 ... Pricing and Material Variant ... 191
* 2.10.5 ... Material Variant Matching ... 192
* 2.10.6 ... Material Variant Matching at the Header and Assembly Levels ... 195
* 2.11 ... How to Create a Product Model for the IPC ... 196
* 2.12 ... Summary ... 202
* 3 ... Business Processes in SAP ERP ... 203
* 3.1 ... Introduction Variant Configuration in Business Processes ... 203
* 3.1.1 ... BOMs in Variant Configuration ... 203
* 3.1.2 ... Order Engineering Workbench ... 207
* 3.1.3 ... Variant Configuration and SCM-APO ... 213
* 3.1.4 ... Modeling for Variant Configuration with iPPE ... 216
* 3.2 ... Integration Aspects Along the Supply Chain ... 219
* 3.2.1 ... A Classic Process for the Integration of Variant Configuration ... 220
* 3.2.2 ... Processes with Extended Integration Aspects ... 227
* 3.3 ... Planning and Variant Configuration ... 232
* 3.3.1 ... Evaluations in the Variant Configuration Environment ... 232
* 3.3.2 ... Variant Configuration and Planning An Introduction to the Topic ... 233
* 3.3.3 ... Pure Assembly Planning ... 234
* 3.3.4 ... Characteristics Planning and Standard Product Planning ... 235
* 3.3.5 ... Characteristics Planning and Standard Product Planning with Long-Term Planning ... 241
* 3.3.6 ... Variant Planning and Planning with Planning Variants ... 244
* 3.4 ... Summary ... 248
* 4 ... Customizing SAP ERP for Variant Configuration ... 249
* 4.1 ... Explicit Customizing of Variant Configuration ... 249
* 4.1.1 ... Maintenance Authorizations ... 250
* 4.1.2 ... Statuses ... 251
* 4.1.3 ... Groups ... 252
* 4.1.4 ... Configurable Objects ... 253
* 4.1.5 ... Configuration User Interface ... 253
* 4.2 ... Classification System Customizing ... 254
* 4.3 ... Business Process Customizing Relevant for Variant Configuration ... 260
* 4.3.1 ... Configurable Material Master ... 260
* 4.3.2 ... Item Categories and Their Determination ... 263
* 4.3.3 ... Requirements Types and Requirements Classes and Their Determination ... 265
* 4.3.4 ... Planning Strategies ... 268
* 4.3.5 ... Change Profiles in Order Change Management (OCM ... 270
* 4.4 ... Summary ... 272
* 5 ... Special Features of Product Configuration in SAP CRM ... 273
* 5.1 ... Product Configuration in Different Channels ... 273
* 5.2 ... Configuration of Products versus Services ... 274
* 5.3 ... Procedure for Integrated Production in SAP ERP ... 275
* 5.3.1 ... Sales Configuration versus Production Configuration ... 276
* 5.3.2 ... Replication of the Master Data from SAP ERP ... 276
* 5.4 ... Creating a Product Model Using the PME ... 279
* 5.4.1 ... Essential Properties and Differences Compared to Modeling in SAP ERP ... 279
* 5.4.2 ... Calling the PME ... 280
* 5.4.3 ... Product Models versus Knowledge Bases ... 280
* 5.4.4 ... Version and Status Management ... 281
* 5.4.5 ... Classes, Characteristics, and Values ... 282
* 5.4.6 ... Object Dependencies in the PME ... 283
* 5.4.7 ... Transport of Knowledge Bases ... 290
* 5.5 ... IPC User Interface ... 290
* 5.5.1 ... Java Server Pages and the J2EE Engine ... 290
* 5.5.2 ... XCM (Extended Configuration Management ... 290
* 5.6 ... Special Functions of the IPC User Interface ... 291
* 5.6.1 ... Images and Other Objects ... 291
* 5.6.2 ... Import-Export of Configuration Results ... 292
* 5.6.3 ... Pricing Overview ... 293
* 5.6.4 ... Better Handling of Restrictable Characteristics ... 293
* 5.6.5 ... Search/Set ... 294
* 5.6.6 ... Displaying Long Texts (as of SAP CRM 2006s ... 295
* 5.6.7 ... Messages Controlled by the Configurator (as of SAP CRM 2006s ... 295
* 5.6.8 ... Configuration Comparison (as of SAP CRM 2006s ... 296
* 5.7 ... UI Designer (as of SAP CRM 7.0 ... 297
* 5.8 ... Summary ... 299
* 6 ... Enhancements in SAP Industry Solution DIMP ... 301
* 6.1 ... Overview ... 301
* 6.2 ... DIMP Discrete Industries and Mill Products ... 302
* 6.3 ... Special Requirements of the Mill Industry ... 303
* 6.3.1 ... Sales Order Processing and Production Scenarios ... 304
* 6.3.2 ... Production Discrepancies Planned Configuration and Actual Configuration ... 304
* 6.4 ... Product Configuration Enhancements in Mill Products ... 305
* 6.4.1 ... Fast Entry of Characteristics Simplified Entry of Configurable Document Items ... 306
* 6.4.2 ... Inheritance in Item Documents Global and Local Items ... 309
* 6.4.3 ... Copying Default Values from the Customer Material Information Record ... 310
* 6.4.4 ... Working with Sales Order Versions ... 310
* 6.4.5 ... Variant Configuration in Connection with Make-to-Stock Production ... 312
* 6.4.6 ... Order Combination with Configurable Products ... 313
* 6.5 ... Summary ... 314
* 7 ... Enhancements and Add-Ons in the SAP Partner Environment ... 315
* 7.1 ... Sybit Model Tester (Company: Sybit GmbH ... 317
* 7.1.1 ... Manual Testing: CU50 ... 317
* 7.1.2 ... Sybit Model Tester ... 318
* 7.1.3 ... Summary ... 322
* 7.2 ... Sybit Configuration Visualizer (Company: Sybit GmbH ... 322
* 7.2.1 ... Problem ... 323
* 7.2.2 ... Sybit Configuration Visualizer ... 323
* 7.2.3 ... User View ... 324
* 7.2.4 ... Modeler View The Visualization Modeling Environment ... 325
* 7.2.5 ... System View ... 327
* 7.2.6 ... Summary ... 328
* 7.3 ... VCPowerPack (Company: AICOMP Consulting ... 329
* 7.3.1 ... How VCPowerPack Works ... 330
* 7.3.2 ... VCPowerPack CoreVC ... 330
* 7.3.3 ... VCPowerPack SmartVC ... 330
* 7.3.4 ... VCPowerPack Industry Solutions ... 331
* 7.3.5 ... Project Acceleration ... 332
* 7.3.6 ... Summary ... 332
* 7.4 ... it.cadpilot (Company: itelligence AG and ACATEC Software GmbH ... 332
* 7.4.1 ... CAD and SAP Two Configuration Worlds ... 333
* 7.4.2 ... Structure of Modern 3D CAD Systems ... 333
* 7.4.3 ... Controlling CAD Systems ... 334
* 7.4.4 ... Super BOM in Variant Configuration ... 335
* 7.4.5 ... Automatically Creating CAD Data from Variant Configuration ... 335
* 7.4.6 ... Architecture ... 335
* 7.4.7 ... CAD Configuration ... 337
* 7.4.8 ... Advantages of a CAD Configuration Integrated into SAP ERP ... 338
* 7.4.9 ... Application Scenarios ... 339
* 7.4.10 ... A Look Ahead ... 341
* 7.5 ... top flow-Framework and top flow-Variant Engine (company: top flow GmbH ... 342
* 7.5.1 ... Optimizing the Configuration Dialog Box ... 342
* 7.5.2 ... Functional Enhancements ... 346
* 7.5.3 ... New Object-Dependency Logic Options ... 347
* 7.5.4 ... Process Optimization with the top flow Variant Engine ... 349
* 7.5.5 ... Solution Map for the top flow Variant Engine ... 350
* 7.6 ... Product Model Validation with ConfigScan (companies: Fysbee SAS and eSpline LLC ... 350
* 7.6.1 ... Business Scenarios that Motivate the Need for Change ... 351
* 7.6.2 ... Anti-Patterns in Common Use ... 352
* 7.6.3 ... How ConfigScan Addresses these Issues ... 353
* 7.6.4 ... ConfigScan Validation Suite The Basics ... 355
* 7.6.5 ... Working with the Test Editor ... 356
* 7.6.6 ... Summary ... 358
* 7.7 ... Managing Variant Configuration (company: eSpline LLC ... 359
* 7.7.1 ... Managing the LO-VC Model Lifecycle ... 361
* 7.7.2 ... Managing the LO-VC Transactional Processes ... 366
* 7.7.3 ... Summary ... 370
* 7.8 ... Summary ... 371
* 8 ... Project Lead Reports on Projects and Project Structures ... 373
* 8.1 ... We re Implementing SAP! A Project Lead s Experience Report ... 373
* 8.1.1 ... The Marketing Pitch and What Will Follow Clarify the Prerequisites for Your Work ... 374
* 8.1.2 ... Analyze Your Business Processes and Improve Them ... 376
* 8.1.3 ... How Many Instances Would You Like to Have ... 377
* 8.1.4 ... The Regional versus Global Approach ... 378
* 8.1.5 ... Dealing with Modifications to the Standard System ... 379
* 8.1.6 ... The Compromises You Can or Cannot Accept ... 380
* 8.1.7 ... Finding the Appropriate External Support ... 382
* 8.1.8 ... Communicate Changes Effectively ... 384
* 8.1.9 ... Communicate Necessary Compromise Effectively ... 384
* 8.1.10 ... Train Your Employees ... 385
* 8.1.11 ... Problems After Going Live ... 387
* 8.1.12 ... Changing Mass Data ... 388
* 8.1.13 ... Changing Business Models ... 389
* 8.2 ... Roles in a Variant Configuration Team ... 390
* 8.2.1 ... Expertise and Experts ... 390
* 8.2.2 ... Putting Together and Structuring the Project Team ... 394
* 8.3 ... ASAP for Variant Configuration Projects ... 395
* 8.3.1 ... Project Preparation ... 396
* 8.3.2 ... Business Blueprint ... 397
* 8.3.3 ... Realization ... 397
* 8.3.4 ... Final Preparation ... 398
* 8.3.5 ... Go-Live and Support ... 399
* 8.3.6 ... Golden Client Approach ... 399
* 8.3.7 ... Specific Features of IPC Scenarios ... 401
* 8.4 ... Summary ... 403
* 9 ... Customer Reports on the Introduction of SAP Variant Configuration ... 405
* 9.1 ... Progress of the Project at Getriebebau NORD ... 406
* 9.1.1 ... Initial Situation ... 407
* 9.1.2 ... Measures ... 408
* 9.1.3 ... Results ... 411
* 9.1.4 ... Conclusion ... 413
* 9.2 ... Configurable Materials at Krones AG ... 414
* 9.2.1 ... Project ... 415
* 9.2.2 ... Results ... 415
* 9.2.3 ... Conclusion ... 418
* 9.3 ... Progress of the Project at Hauni Maschinenbau AG ... 419
* 9.3.1 ... Personnel Resources ... 420
* 9.3.2 ... Result ... 421
* 9.3.3 ... Conclusion ... 423
* 9.4 ... Variant Configuration at the Felix Schoeller Group ... 423
* 9.4.1 ... Project ... 424
* 9.4.2 ... Results ... 425
* 9.4.3 ... Extending Variant Configuration Using the IPC ... 429
* 9.4.4 ... Conclusion ... 430
* 9.5 ... SAP at Hulsta and in the Huls Corporate Group ... 431
* 9.5.1 ... Initial Situation ... 431
* 9.5.2 ... Preparation ... 432
* 9.5.3 ... Project Objectives and Results ... 432
* 9.5.4 ... Conclusion ... 439
* 9.6 ... Product Configuration at Baldor Electric ... 439
* 9.6.1 ... Starting Point of the Project ... 440
* 9.6.2 ... Key Characteristics of the Project ... 441
* 9.6.3 ... Basics of the Variant Model ... 446
* 9.6.4 ... Conclusion ... 447
* 9.7 ... Summary ... 448
* 10 ... Challenges in Variant Configuration ... 449
* 10.1 ... Performance Optimization ... 450
* 10.1.1 ... Performance Bottlenecks Occurrence and Influencing Factors ... 450
* 10.1.2 ... Reasons for Performance Bottlenecks ... 452
* 10.1.3 ... Performance Analysis ... 455
* 10.2 ... Change Management ... 457
* 10.2.1 ... Engineering Change Management (ECM ... 457
* 10.2.2 ... Order Change Management (OCM ... 468
* 10.3 ... Complex System Configurations ... 474
* 10.3.1 ... System Configuration Definition ... 474
* 10.3.2 ... Dynamic Modification of the BOM Structure ... 475
* 10.3.3 ... Interlinked Configuration Structures in LO-VC ... 480
* 10.3.4 ... Composition Problems in SCE Advanced Mode ... 483
* 10.4 ... Summary ... 489
* 11 ... Configuration Workgroup ... 491
* 11.1 ... Introduction to the CWG ... 491
* 11.2 ... Tasks and Objectives ... 492
* 11.3 ... History ... 494
* 11.4 ... Organizational Structure ... 496
* 11.5 ... CWG Conferences ... 497
* 11.6 ... CWG Portal ... 498
* 11.7 ... CWG Sandbox System ... 500
* 11.8 ... Summary ... 501
* 12 ... Outlook for SAP Business ByDesign ... 503
* 12.1 ... SAP Business ByDesign ... 503
* 12.2 ... Product Configuration in Medium-Sized Businesses ... 504
* 12.3 ... Make to Order in SAP Business ByDesign ... 506
* 12.3.1 ... Extending the Product Concept ... 506
* 12.3.2 ... Make to Specification ... 508
* 12.3.3 ... Lightweight Product Variants ... 509
* 12.4 ... Product Configuration in SAP Business ByDesign ... 509
* 12.4.1 ... Product Model ... 510
* 12.4.2 ... Product Properties ... 511
* 12.4.3 ... Integration of a Configurator ... 512
* 12.4.4 ... Process Automation ... 513
* 12.5 ... Summary ... 514
* A ... Database Tables of Variant Configuration ... 517
* B ... APIs of Variant Configuration ... 521
* C ... User Exits of Variant Configuration ... 523
* D ... Comprehensive Examples of Variant Functions ... 525
* E ... The Authors ... 531
* ... Index ... 533

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 30.1.2010
• Reihe/Serie: SAP Press
• Verlagsort: Maryland
• Sprache: englisch
• Maße: 175 x 229 mm
• Einbandart: gebunden
• Themenwelt: Mathematik / Informatik ► Informatik ► Netzwerke
• Themenwelt: Informatik ► Weitere Themen ► SAP
• ISBN-10: 1-59229-283-6 / 1592292836
• ISBN-13: 978-1-59229-283-7 / 9781592292837
• Zustand: Neuware