Reporting: Customer Master

Find out for the report of customer master data which reports you require. You can carry out reports, for example, on export customers, dunning data or delete flags. You can find examples of reports in the Sales Information System.

Define which standard reports you can use and whether you have to change the contents or the layout.

Determine the requirement for and the contents of additional reports and see to it that they are created.

Compare the contents of the reports to the master data.

Take into account that the contact persons are part of the customer master records.

Additional information

In this context, take the functions of logistics controlling into account (see chapters "Logistics-Controlling"), for example, for the creation of customer master data sheets.

1.11.6 Vendors

Data on vendors (or creditors) is managed in master records. (The terms "vendor" and "creditor" are often used virtually synonymously in the SAP R/3 System.) The following menu options allow you to store information that is important for managing master data. This concerns technical parameters (such as the assignment of vendor numbers).

Note

If you already use the SAP components FI and MM, or if you plan to use them, you must discuss the aspects of accounting and procurement in vendor management and agree on maintenance responsibilities. SD uses vendor master records for carriers/forwarders and external sales personnel (commercial representatives).

Additional Information

You make system settings for vendor master records in Accounting.

1.11.6.1 Control

The following aspects form the basis of master data management for vendors (creditors):

o Definition of account groups

o Definition of number ranges for vendor master records o Definition of matchcodes for vendor master records

To record your master data in the system according to your requirements, you must process these aspects in the following steps.

1.11.6.1.1 Define Account Groups and Field Selection (Vendor)

In this step, you define account groups for vendors. When creating a vendor master record, you must specify an account group. You use the account group to determine

o which fields are ready to accept input and which fields require entries when master records are created and changed

o whether the account is a one-time account

o whether the data retention levels "sub-range" and/or "plant" are allowed for a vendor master record Account groups allow you to group together accounts according to the above criteria. You define the account number interval and the number assignment type using number ranges.

Note

Remember to maintain the field status. If you have not selected a status for a field group, the associated fields will be hidden.

o You use the field status to define

- which fields require the entry of data when a vendor master record is created (mandatory-entry fields).

- which fields allow the entry of data (optional-entry fields) - which fields are to be hidden by the SAP R/3 System

o Please note that a screen will not be offered during vendor master record maintenance if you have suppressed all the fields it contains.

Prerequisites

For an account group, you must have specified a number range. This in turn requires the predefinition of the number range (see Define number ranges for vendors).

Standard Settings

The SAP R/3 System comes with typical account groups already preset.

Recommendation

o If you want to introduce new account groups, you should copy the existing ones and only then make the necessary changes. This enables you to test the new account groups at this stage (e.g. with regard to partner determination) even if you have not yet specified the remaining data.

o The production system should contain only the account groups that are needed.

o If you define your own account groups, the keys should begin with the letter Z since SAP keeps these name slots free in the standard R/3 System.

Activities

1. Check to what extent you can use the account group settings contained in the standard SAP R/3 System.

2. Copy a similar account group and make the necessary changes. In particular, define the field status of the fields in the master record.

1.11.6.1.2 Define Screen Layout Specific to Purchasing Organization

In this step, you define - in dependence on the purchasing organization - which master record fields o are ready to accept input

o require an entry o are hidden

The definition you make is linked to the field status of the account group and the transaction-dependent definition. This linkage determines the status of fields on the entry screen for master data.

Note

The entry under purchasing organization "*" applies to all purchasing organizations not explicitly entered in the table. Do not delete this entry.

Standard Settings

Sample entries have been supplied for some purchasing organizations.

Recommendation

Control the field status via the account groups. Only in exceptional cases is it useful to define the field status as a function of the purchasing organization.

Activities

If you want the status of fields to differ depending on the purchasing organization, specify the purchasing organization and define the status of the fields.

1.11.6.1.3 Define Transaction-Dependent Screen Layout

In this step, you define - as a function of the transactions for vendor (creditor) master data - which master record fields

o are ready to accept input o require an entry

o are hidden

The specification you make is linked to the field status of the account group and the screen layout of the purchasing organization. This linkage determines the status of fields on the entry screen for the master data.

Standard Settings

A definition has been made for each transaction.

Recommendation

Control the field status using the account groups. Only in exceptional cases is it useful to define the field status in dependence on a transaction. This may be the case, for instance, if fields are to be filled at the time of record creation and these may not be changed when the record is processed using the "Change" transaction.

Activities

If you want the status of fields to differ depending on the transaction, define the status of the fields separately for each transaction.

1.11.6.1.4 Define Number Ranges for Vendor Master Records

In this step, you define the number intervals of the number ranges for vendor master records.

When a vendor master record is created, a unique number identifying the master record is assigned. The number comes from the number range provided for the account group.

There are two ways in which numbers can be assigned:

o Internal number assignment

Here the SAP R/3 System automatically assigns a consecutive number from the number range defined.

o External number assignment

Here you specify a number from the external number range.

Recommendation

With internal number assignment, you can start search functions for vendor master records using matchcodes.

This largely eliminates the need for mnemonic vendor numbers.

For this reason, SAP recommends that you use internal number assignment.

Activities

1. To define a number range, you must insert a new number interval:

- Specify an alphanumeric key with a maximum of two characters.

- Specify the limits of the number interval. The individual number intervals must not overlap. Each number may therefore occur only once.

- Mark the number range if it is intended for external number assignment.

2. Then store the key of the number range in the account group table (see "Define Account Groups and Field Selection for Vendors").

Note on Transport

You transport number range objects as follows:

In the initial screen, choose Interval -> Transport.

Note that all intervals for the selected number range object are deleted in the target system first. After the import, only the intervals you export are present. The number statuses are imported with their values at the time of export.

Dependent tables are not transported or converted.

1.11.6.1.5 Change Message Control for Vendor Master Data

In this activity you can set system messages to appear as you require them.

You can

o determine whether a message is issued as a note in the dialog box or in the footer o change warnings into error messages

o switch off warnings and error messages

Different specifications are possible for the online mode and for the batch input sessions processed in the background.

You can make the corresponding specifications for a client or, if required, also for the individual user.

Messages for the application area WY can be processed. When you assign a vendor, who is blocked for purchasing or flagged for deletion, to another vendor for a partner function, the following messages are activated:

o 106

o 107

o 178

o 179

Activities

1. Select the application area.

2. Select Edit -> New entries.

3. Enter the following data:

- Message number

By selecting the F4 key on the MsgNo field you can find out which messages are available.

- User name

If you enter a name here then the specifications only apply to this particular user. If you enter

"blank", then the settings apply to all users within the client.

- Message type

You can find out the permitted message type by selecting F4 on the Online or BatchI fields.

- Save your entries. The accompanying message text is inserted automatically.

1.11.6.1.6 Develop Enhancements for Vendor Master Data

The following SAP enhancement is available for the vendor master data area:

o SAPMF02K for checking the data entered before saving it Activities

1. Create your enhancement. To do this, either create a new project or use an existing one.

Modify the source code for a transaction delivered by SAP by adding the elements you need. SAP provides you with the necessary function modules with short text, interface, and documentation to be able to do this. A sample source code created by SAP may exist for user exits which can be copied (and changed) if required.

2. Activate the project.

This allows the ABAP source code to run. Enhancements will not have any effect beforehand.

Further Notes

In contrast to modifications, enhancements can generally be transferred between Releases since they are carried out within a name range reserved for the customer rather than in the SAP original.

For more information about creating enhancements, see the SAP Library BC - Changing the SAP Standard.

Every enhancement is documented. To call up the documentation, choose Utilities -> Display req.docu from the project management screen for SAP enhancements.

1.11.6.1.7 Define Industries

In this activity you define the industries you require.

You can group together your vendors by industry. The industry field is located in the general area of the vendor master record. You specify what industry a business partner belongs to by entering an industry key in its master record. You can use this information for evaluations, for example, to create a vendor list according to industry.

Activities

Enter the required industry keys and a description.

1.11.6.1.8 Maintain Matchcodes

In this step, you can revise or redefine existing matchcodes for finding vendor (creditor) master records.

Before processing the matchcodes, please read the following sections for more information.

o Matchcode concept

This section describes how matchcodes are compiled in the SAP System.

o Create matchcode

This section describes the procedure for creating a matchcode in the ABAP4 Dictionary.

o Matchcode utility

This section describes how to use the matchcode utilities. You use the matchcode utility to compile matchcodes that are physically stored.

Note

Matchcode maintenance requires technical knowledge of the ABAP4 Dictionary. Leave matchcode maintenance to your system administrator.

Note that a large number of matchcodes can negatively affect system performance. Check which matchcodes you want to use for your work area. You can deactivate matchcodes you do not want to use.

Matchcodes are not client-specific.

Standard settings

You can search for vendor (creditor) master records with the following matchcodes:

o Use the matchcode with ID "=A." to search for general vendors o Use the matchcode with ID "=C." to search for vendors by class o Use the matchcode with ID "=E." to search for Purchasing vendors o Use the matchcode with ID "=I." to search for import vendors

o Use the matchcode with ID "=K." to search for vendors by company code

Activities

1. Check whether the matchcodes in the standard system meet your requirements.

2. Supplement existing matchcode objects by further matchcode IDs, or create new matchcodes if required.

1.11.6.1.9 Define Field Groups for Vendor Master Records

In this step, you define the field groups by entering a key (one or two-digit, numeric) for the field group and a group name.

You can also set the indicator Field group not relevant for the authorization check. In this case, this group is not subjected to the authorization check when maintaining master data. If the indicator is set, the field group is then only used for selecting the fields via which the report for displaying change documents runs.

Activities

Define your field groups. If you do not need an authorization check, set the corresponding indicator.

Additional information

You can find additional information on the cross-account display of change documents for the vendor master data in the documentation for program RFKABL00.

1.11.6.1.10 Group Fields for Vendor Master Records

After you have defined the field groups, allocate the required master record fields to the field groups here.

Activities

1. Allocate the fields to the groups.

2. Then enter the corresponding field groups in program RFKABL00.

3. If it is necessary, define one or more authorizations for changing the grouped fields.

4. Enter these authorizations into the required profiles.

1.11.6.1.11 Settings for Central Address Management

Using central address management, you can maintain and manage the addresses for the different business objects conveniently in a uniform maintenance interface.

For more information, see the steps described in Customizing for Address Management.

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