![\"SAP\"](\"http:\/\/oprsteny.cz\/wp-content\/uploads\/SAP.jpg\")
SAP Classification system can be very powerful tool to provide additional information to your master data. It can be used for classifying and subsequent searching objects based on given set of characteristics describing the object.<\/p>\nSAP Classification system can be very powerful tool to provide additional information to your master data. It can be used for classifying and subsequent searching objects based on given set of characteristics describing the object.<\/p>\n
Also with using classification system you can extend your master data without modifying the master data tables!<\/p>\n
On the top of Classification structure hierarchy there is a Class Type<\/em> (sometimes also called Object Type)<\/em>. This represents an object type, e.g. Material, Batch, Vendor, …<\/p>\n For each Class Type<\/em> there can be 0..N Classes <\/em>created. Classes are used to group similar properties\/attributes<\/em> of an object, e.g. color, dimensions, quality certificate, …<\/p>\n In Classification system, these properties<\/em> are called Characteristics<\/em>. This means that each Class<\/em> can contain 0..N Characteristics<\/em>. Actually a Class<\/em> containing no Characteristic<\/em> is quite useless so it makes sense to always have at least one Characteristic<\/em> in a Class<\/em>.<\/p>\n Each Class<\/em> must always be assigned to a Class Type<\/em>. It can also define its “super\/parent class” <\/em>(you can also do it vice versa – you define “child classes” <\/em>of a “parent class”<\/em>) – this gives possibility of building an inheritance tree where all “parent class’s”<\/em> characteristics are inherited in each of its “child classes”<\/em>. The “child class”<\/em> can be further extended with another extra characteristics… so you can create quite flexible data structure.<\/p>\n Characteristic<\/em> describes a common property of an object, e.g. COLOR<\/em> or TEMPERATURE_CONDITIONS<\/em> of a material, NUMBER_OF_EMPLOYEES<\/em> of a vendor, INSPECTIONS<\/em> performed on a batch…<\/p>\n Characteristics<\/em> can be created, modified and deleted using TCode CT04 <\/em>(SAP Menu \u2192 Cross-Application Components \u2192 Classification System \u2192 Master Data \u2192 Characteristics<\/em>).<\/p>\n Note that if a characteristic is already assigned in a class and such class is assigned to an object, it is not easy to delete this characteristic.<\/p>\n Each characteristic must have a client-wide unique name and is defined with the following Basic data<\/em>:<\/p>\n Values for a characteristic can either be non-restricted (user can enter anything he wants) or restricted using one of the four following options (can be selected by clicking on the Other Value Check<\/em> button)<\/p>\n Restricted list of allowed values can also offer the default value. The Restrictions Tab<\/em> purpose is to specify the Class Types where this Characteristic can be used, e.g. 001 means that this characteristic can only be used in Characteristic Classes created for Class Type 001 – Material classes. You might want some characteristic be defined as dependent on another characteristic within a class. This dependency is based on a user-defined condition. This is useful when you want to ensure that correct classification is applied and no incompatible values are entered for characteristics.<\/p>\n E.g. you have characteristic COLOR<\/em> with allowed values RED<\/em>, GREEN<\/em>, BLUE<\/em> and characteristic COLOR_FINISHING<\/em> with values MATTE<\/em>, GLOSS<\/em> and METALLIC<\/em>. In this special case you’d like to define characteristic COLOR_FINISHING<\/em> to be dependent on characteristic COLOR<\/em> because entering only the value for characteristic FINISHING<\/em> would make no sense – using dependency you force the user to enter both or none.<\/p>\n To create a dependency you must have the characteristic<\/em> already created and assigned to a class<\/em>. You will not change the characteristic<\/em> directly in CT04<\/em>, but you have to go via CL02<\/em> (classification classes), select the desired class<\/em>, go into change mode, select desired characteristic<\/em> and NOW – you can go to change mode for this characteristic<\/em>. In change mode navigate in the Top Menu \u2192<\/em> Extras \u2192<\/em> Object Dependencies \u2192<\/em> Editor<\/p>\n Here you can select After you make the selection, the dependency editor is opened and you can enter your required dependency conditions.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n As already mentioned a class<\/em> contains several logicaly connected (e.g. COLOR and COLOR_FINISHING) characteristics<\/em> that are grouped together in the class.<\/em><\/p>\n After you have prepared all required characteristics<\/em>, you can group them in a new class<\/em> or add them into an existing class<\/em>. The class<\/em> can be created and edited using TCode CL02<\/em> or SAP Menu \u2192 Cross-Application Components \u2192 Classification System \u2192 Master Data \u2192 Classes<\/em><\/p>\n During class<\/em> creation you’ll be asked for a Class Type <\/em>which limits the class’s use for a specific object types in the system, e.g. material, vendor, …<\/p>\n In the Basic data <\/em>section of the Basic Data <\/em>tab you enter the class description and set its status to ‘Released’. Assignment of characteristics<\/em> to the class<\/em> is done in tab ‘Char.<\/em>‘ where you just enter the name of the characteristic<\/em> to be included in the list.<\/p>\n SAP Classification system allows you to clease a hierarchy within the class structure where a sub-class<\/em> (child) can inherit characteristics from none or more super-classes<\/em> (parents). This can be done in TCode CL24N or SAP Menu \u2192 Cross-Application Components \u2192 Classification System \u2192 Assignment \u2192 Assign Objects\/Classes to Class<\/em><\/p>\n Sub-Class Definition: Class Inheritance – class MAT_01 is the parent, MAT_01_A is the child class. After you have created the hierarchy, you can view its structure using TCode CL6C<\/em> (SAP Menu \u2192 Cross-Application Components \u2192 Classification System \u2192 Environment \u2192 Reporting \u2192 Class Hierarchy<\/em>)<\/p>\n Characteristic inheritance<\/em> means that if you define a characteristic<\/em> in a parent class<\/em> which is inherited by a child class<\/em> – you don’t have to repeat the characteristic<\/em> again in the child classes<\/em>.<\/p>\n Later when you assign an Object<\/em> to the child class<\/em> (but not to both child and parent), you’ll be offered to enter values for characteristics<\/em> from both the child class<\/em> and the parent class<\/em>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Class type<\/em> is a way to link object types<\/em> and classes<\/em>\u00a0\u2192 a class<\/em> must always be linked to a single class type<\/em>. With another words – Class type<\/em> represents the object type<\/em> for which the class<\/em> is being created for.<\/p>\n E.g. Class type 001<\/em> (predefined by SAP) is linked to material, 002<\/em> is equipment, 023<\/em> are batches, … So when you create a class<\/em> for class type 001<\/em>, then characteristis<\/em> included in that class<\/em> will be used to describe a material<\/em>.<\/p>\n There are many class types<\/em> already predefined in SAP standard, but you are allowed to create your own types in IMG \u2192 Cross-Application Components \u2192 Classification System \u2192 Classes \u2192 Maintain Object Types and Material Types<\/em>. You just have to select the desired object type<\/em> (or add the object type if it’s not already listed) when creating new Class Type<\/em>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n![\"Classification](\"http:\/\/oprsteny.cz\/wp-content\/uploads\/Classification_001.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\nCharacteristic<\/h1>\n
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\nYou can create your own status using\u00a0IMG \u2192 Cross-Application Components \u2192 Classification System \u2192 Characteristics \u2192 Define Characteristic Statuses<\/em>
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\nBy selecting template you can specify the format of characteristic’s value allowed to be entered
\nTemplates can be defined using IMG \u2192 Cross-Application Components \u2192 Classification System \u2192 Characteristics \u2192 Define Templates<\/em>
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\nSymbols\/Characters used to define the templates are defined in IMG \u2192 Cross-Application Components \u2192 Classification System \u2192 Characteristics \u2192 Define Template Characters<\/em>
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\nObject’s characteristic can be assigned with a single value or with a range\/list of values. These values can be predefined (hard coded), defined dynamically (e.g. by ABAP function module) or any value can be accepted.<\/li>\n
\nIf a class containing a characteristic is assigned to an object, than the characteristic MUST be filled with a value in case this flag is set<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nCharacteristic Values<\/h2>\n
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\n<\/a><\/p>\nCharacteristic dependency<\/h2>\n
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<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\nClass Hierarchy<\/h2>\n
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\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\nClass\/Characteristic Inheritance<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nClass Type<\/h1>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\nTransactions and IMG paths used in Classification System<\/h1>\n
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