Article
Document Info structures in Sales and Distribution
Summary
This document captures the basic process flow of how an info-structure can be configured and used in sales and distribution.
Author: Ramya
Created On: 16th October, 2014
Author Bio: Ramya is a Consultant at Infosys & has over 2 years of professional work experience in SAP Sales and Distribution module. She is engineering graduate from Anna University & Post Graduate Diploma in Management from Birla Institute of Management Technology, Greater Noida.
Introduction
This document describes how Info-structures can be configured and maintained for the purpose of sales/ forecasting in Sales and Distribution. Some orders have been created to see how the data is updated in the info structure. Also, the concept of conditions and requirement routines that place restrictions on the infostructure update has been captured.
What are Info Structures?
3. Creating Update Groups 4. CreatingUpdate Rules 5. Set up LIS environment
6. Set up statistical data for infostructure(this is to update old data)
Creating Field Catalogue
PATH : IMG->Logistrics general->Logistics Information System (LIS)-> Logistics Data Warehouse-> DataBasis->Field Catalog->Maintain self-defined field catalogs.Tcode : MC18
The Field Catalog is a set of fields that can be used in creating an info structure for determining the key figures and characteristics
The settings that needs to be maintained are
• Application that is used is selected as Sales and distribution
• Infostructure type : Standard.
Structure
An information structure comprises of 1. Characteristics
2. Key Figures
3. Period unit (time reference)
Characteristics
Characteristics are the fields that are used in aggregation for the info structure (For example Plant, Material, Sales Organization etc...). The characteristics can be chosen by the Choose Characteristics option in the info structure. A pop up appears as shown below.
On clicking Copy + close, the chosen characteristics are displayed. Again copy must be clicked on. The characteristics will be reflected in the info structure.The number of Characteristics that can be assigned is limited to nine
Key Figures
Key figures are the fields that store the values that are updated during an operation and are used for analysis. For example Order quantity (Updated when an order is created for a particular material from a plant and sales organization), delivery quantity(delivery is created for the order) etc..The key figure that needs to be updated when the operation is carried out is chosen and copied. On copying, the data reflects in the info structure as shown below.
• Here the Unit refers to the Key of the unit in which the key figure is updated. For example, base unit or sales unit of measure, etc.
• SID indicator specifies whether or not the key figure values can be meaningfully cumulated.
• FID indicator is used to fix the values of this key figure in the planning table of Flexible Planning.
Period unit (time reference) – Explained under Step 4(Create
Update Rules)
Every info structure has a period unit. Depending on the period unit, the key figure values are updated at regular intervals. The periods can be daily, weekly, monthly or any posting period of your choice. Generate Icon needs to be clicked in order to proceed.
Creating Update Groups
Update group must be created for the statistics updating. This can be done in the path below
PATH : IMG->Logistics-general->Logistics Information System (LIS)->Updating->Updating Definition->Generate Definition using Update Groups->Maintain Update Groups
Determination of the Update Group in Sales Order Header and
Item level
The update group is determined at sales order header and item level through the settings made for the same.
PATH : IMG-Logistics General-Logistics Information System- Updating-Updating Definition- General Definition using Update Groups
Assign Update Group at Header Level
The update group is customized for the following combination
• • Sales area (Sales Org, Distribution channel, Division)
• Customer statistics group
• Statistics group - sales document type PFB a combination maintained for ZS610 update group.
If this condition is satisfied then the details will be updated in the sales order header. The sales order header is updated as per the combination maintained
Assign Update Group at Item Level
The update group is customized for the following combination
• • Sales area (Sales Org, Distribution channel, Division)
• Customer statistics group
• Statistics group - sales document type
• Material statistics group
• Statistics group for the item category
•
PFB a combination maintained for ZS601 update group.
The sales order item level is updated as per the combination maintained
Creating Update Rules
The update rules determine how the key figures/characteristics in the info structure needs to be updated. PATH : IMG->Logistrics general->Logistics Information System (LIS)->Updating->Updating Definition-> Specific definition using Update Rules->Maintain Update Rules.TCode : MC24.
• Event refers to an event for which the updating must happen. It could be order billing,delivery etc.. In this case, for order and cumulative order quantity, the Event is Sales Order and for delivery quantity, the event is delivery.
• Update type refers to the Type of updating used for key figure. For example if the value needs to be cumulative or overwritten every time a transaction happens. Cumulative updating is selected in this case
• Unit is the Key of the unit in which the key figure is updated. For example, base unit or sales unit of measure, etc.
• Source table and field refer to the table and field from which the info structure must be updated.
• Date field for period determination refer to the date that must be considered for aggregating the data according to the periodicity.
• Extended update rules comprises of
• Formula refers to the arithmetic formula for the statistics update.
• Req refers to the requirement for statistics updating. Here conditions for the updating of these fields can be controlled via a requirement routine. This requirement can be maintained as below.
• Program Name and Form Routine are used in case additional customization is required for the same. An user exit is created in such a case.
Period Unit
After creating rules for all your key figures, go to Environment in the menu bar and choose activate updating.
Here the period split and updating for the info structures can be seen. On Double clicking the info structure, the period split and the updating (whether no updating is required or if the statistics update is made synchronously with the document update or if the statistics update is asynchronous) can be modified.
Set up LIS environment(Tcode : LBW0)
After this you can see the status of the info structure as active in MC23.
Set up statistical data for info structure(this is to update
old data)
PATH : SBIW ->Setting for applications specific data source – logistics – Managing transfer information structure – setup of statistical data – applications specific setup of statistical data –perform statistical setup – sales. And distribution.
Choose activity, enter the info structure (S898), give name of the run, date of termination, time of termination, No. of tolerated faulty documents. Then execute.
Sample Order Process
Normal Order
Material 10076393 for the month of October is checked.Currently, there is no data for the material. Standard Order is created with Quantity 10 for the material. Delivery date in the order is 03.10.2014
The same is getting reflected in the system under delivery quantity
Now the delivery is PGIed. The quantity now reflects in the Actual delivery quantity
Scenario: Order not updated in the info structure due to
Requirement set for update rules in the info structure.
If material group = 'COM' If delivery type = 'LF' UPDATE.
If delivery type = 'ZNL' or 'NL'
If supplying plant = 'NL02' AND (receiving plant = 'NL03' OR 'NLYP') UPDATE.
Actual Delivery Quantity– Requirement Routine 961
Quantity gets updated if Good Movement Status = C. All the other conditions are as mentioned above for delivery qty. Now a material with material division ‘6A’ is taken for the testing.
An existing STO is picked up and the quantity is updated from 155 to 200 (Difference 45).
Standard Report for customized Info structure
There is a standard report that can be used as an analysis tool for custom defined info structures.
PATH : Easy Access-Information
Systems-Logistics-Sales and Distribution-Tools-User
Defined analysis. Tcode : MCSI
All the info-structures under the category gets populated.
