I discuss two types of business activities: master data preparation and transactional processes.

Master Data Preparation

In this section, I introduce the main master data objects that are relevant and necessary to the sales department to post sales transactions for configurable products.

Create a Reference Characteristic

With this step, you create the reference characteristic that the system can use to pass the variant’s condition values to sales documents. To display a characteristic, execute transaction code CT04 or follow menu path Cross-Application Components > Classification System > Master Data > Characteristics. In the initial screen that appears, click the create icon . In the Addnl data tab of the screen shown in Figure 1, populate the following fields:

• Table Name: SDCOM (the technical name of the table that is used for communication between SD and variant configuration)
• Field Name: VKOND (variant condition)

In the Procedure for Value Assignment section of Figure 1, you select the Not Ready for Input indicator (as this characteristic is a reference characteristic). You also select the No Display indicator (this means that the values of this characteristic will not be visible to the end users). After you press Enter, the system sends a message that the format data was taken from the ABAP dictionary and all fields in Figure 2 are populated automatically. After you click the save icon to save your data, the system displays a message like the one shown in Figure 2. Note that in the Descriptions tab, you can enter a different description of the characteristic based on the language key, while in the Addnl data and Restrictions tabs, you can specify additional restrictions and validations, such as table field and class validation.

Create a Variant Class

In this step, you create the variant class that is used to group the relevant configurable product’s characteristics. To create a variant class, execute transaction code CL02 or follow menu path Cross-Application Components > Classification System > Master Data > Classes. In the screen that appears (not shown), click the create icon. In the Basic Data tab of the screen shown in Figure 3, populate the following fields:

• Description: Enter a description of the class.
• Status: The status of the class should be Released; otherwise, it cannot be used.
• Class group: The class group is used for reporting purposes. Select an option (e.g., T-01) from the drop-down list.
• Organizational area: Enter a letter for the organizational area to which the class belongs.
• Valid From: Enter a validity period for the class.

This class must contain not only the configurable product’s characteristics but also the reference characteristic (T_VKOND_01) that you created in the previous step that I explained in the “Create a Variant Characteristic” section. Click the save icon to save your data. The system then displays a message like the one shown in Figure 4.  

Create a Variant Product

  In this step, you create a configurable product. To complete this step, execute transaction code MM01 or follow menu path Logistics > Materials Management > Material Master > Material > Create > Immediately. In the Basic data 2 tab of the screen that appears, note that the product is defined as configurable if the Material is configurable indicator is selected (Figure 5). Now click the Classification tab. In the Classification tab you can classify the product by entering 300 in the Class Type field and T_VPC01 in the Class column (Figure 6). These are the values that you created in the previous step that I describe in the “Create a Variant Class” section. Click the save icon to save your entries.

Define a Variant Condition Key

The variant condition key is used to manage the variant condition. In my example, the variant condition keys are price conditions based on the variants MW01, TW01, and 1GB01. The sales department should be responsible for creating the variant condition key. To create a variant condition key, execute transaction code VK30 or follow menu path SAP Menu > Logistics > Central Functions > Variant Configuration > Environment > Pricing > Define Key. In the screen that appears, enter the variants’ names for the condition and add descriptions as shown in Figure 7. Click the save icon to save your data.  

Define a Variant Condition

  The sales department should be responsible for creating a variant condition. In my example, I use variant conditions that are based on 1GB01, for which each gigabyte (GB) of hard disk is priced at 10.00 euro. I also use the variant MT01, for which each minitower is priced at 80.00 euro, and the variant TW01, for which each tower is priced at 120.00 euro. To define a variant condition, execute transaction code VK11 or follow menu path SAP Menu > Logistics > Central Functions > Variant Configuration > Environment > Pricing > Create Condition. In the initial screen (not shown), enter a name in the Condition type field (e.g., VA00) and press Enter. This action displays a pop-up screen (not shown) in which you choose Key combination from the list of options and specify the option variants. Click the save icon to save your data. In the next screen, populate the Sales Organization, Distribution Channel, and Material fields and enter the variants’ names along with the amounts and validity periods as shown in Figure 8. Click the save icon.

Define the Configuration Profile

The next step is to define the configuration profile to be assigned to the configurable product. The configuration profile links the configurable object, in this case the configurable product, to the characteristics of the class for configuration. The configuration profile is used to:

• Affect the display options and the scope of characteristics on the value assignment screen
• Define an interface design to group characteristics together and define a sequence on the value assignment screen
• Assign dependencies to a configurable object
• Determine the status of the configurable object

To define a configuration profile, execute transaction code CU42 or follow menu path SAP Menu > Logistics > Central Functions > Variant Configuration > Configuration Profile > Change. In the initial screen (not shown), select the value material as the configurable object and then enter the configurable product material code T-VPC01 in the Material field and press Enter. In the next screen, specify a configurable profile name in the Profile name field (e.g., PROFILE_PP0) and click the Dependencies button (Figure 9). This action opens the screen shown in Figure 10 in which you assign the type of dependencies. In my example, to demonstrate the effects of the dependency, I create one dependency as type Dep. Net. (dependency net) and two dependencies as type Procedure (Figure 10). Procedures are always used for pricing, whereas the dependency net is allocated to a configurable material in the configuration profile. The dependency type Procedure can be maintained directly by executing transaction code CU42. In the screen that appears, double-click each line item to edit the dependency. For my example, define the dependency T_PROC_DEFAULT_01 to automatically populate the characteristics T_COL_00 and T_GLO_00, respectively, with the values yellow and gloss if the value of the case characteristic is MT. Click the check icon  to check the consistency of the instructions and then click the save icon to save the data. The system displays a message like the one shown in Figure 11. The dependency procedure T_PROC_PRICE_01 has been created for transferring the condition record to sales. In particular, it transfers an absolute surcharge called 1GB01 for the price condition VA00 of 10.00 EUR (euros) for each GB of the hard disk. Then this condition record is multiplied by the size of the hard disk. In other words, the condition record can vary depending on the size of the disk. Note that the condition record should be copied to the reference characteristic T_VKOND_01 that refers to the SDCOM-VKOND field in variant class (300) T_VPC00. Then click the check icon and check the dependency, release the dependency, and save the data. The system provides a message as shown in Figure 12. The dependency Net T_CN_VPC01 has been created to populate automatically all three allowed values of the characteristic for extras in case the value of the CPU characteristic is Fast. In order to do so, execute transaction code CU21 or follow menu path SAP Menu > Logistics > Central Functions > Variant Configuration > Dependency > Dependency Net > Create. In the initial screen (not shown), enter the value T_CN_VPC01 as the dependency net, and then choose the option Basic data and enter the Description Net for T-VPC01, Dependency Group T-01, and Dependency Type Constraint and edit the constraint. Click the check icon to check the consistency of the instructions and click the save icon to save your data. The system displays a message like the one shown in Figure 13.

Link Condition Records to Characteristic Values

In this step, you link the characteristic values of the casing to the corresponding condition records. You create this link using the input help on the value assignment screen of the configuration simulation. To do so, execute transaction code CU50 or follow menu path SAP Menu > Logistics > Central Functions > Variant Configuration > Environment > Configuration Simulation. Enter the configurable product’s material code in the Material field (e.g., T-VPC-01), enter your plant code in the Plant field, and press F8. Press the input help F4 on the characteristic value PC Casing, and in the PC Casing pop-up screen, select MT (Minitower) and click the assign variant condition icon (this icon is the one circled at the bottom of Figure 14). In the pop-up screen that appears, enter MT01 in the Variant field and click the save icon. At this stage, the variant condition MT01 has been assigned successfully to the characteristic’s value minitower.

Transactional Processes

In the following steps, you can test the complete purchasing cycle for your configurable products and verify the correlations between the relevant master data and preceding documents.

Create a Sales Quotation

In this step, the sales organization creates a customer’s quotation for the configurable products (PC). To create a quotation for your configurable material, execute transaction code VA21 or follow menu path SAP Menu > Logistics > Sales and Distribution > Sales > Quotation > Create. In the initial screen that appears (not shown), specify the document type (i.e., QT) and the organizational data (i.e., the Sales Organization, Distribution Channel, and Division fields). After you press Enter, the screen shown in the Figure 15 appears. Specify the product details and define the price conditions and configurable details as shown in Figure 15. Select the line item and click the configurable icon  (shown in Figure 15). The system then displays the Characteristic Value screen as shown in Figure 16. In the General tab of Figure 16, enter PC Casing as the value MT. Note that when you select the characteristic value MT in the Char. Value column, the system shows its description (Minitower). Note how the values for the characteristics Color and Gloss are populated automatically; this is based on the effect of the dependency procedure T_PROC_PRICE_01 (Figure 11). Enter CPU for PC as the value Fast and note how the values for the characteristic Extras for PC are populated automatically; this is based on the effect of Net Dependency T_CS_VPC01 (Figure 13). Then specify the Hard disk (GB) and Multimedia package characteristic’s values. Now go back to the Quotation Overview screen (Figure 15), select the line item, and click the condition icon , as highlighted in Figure 15. The system shows the price conditions as shown in Figure 17. Note the effect of the dependency procedure T_PROC_PRICE_01 for the condition type VA00 and variant 1GB01 (defined in Figures 8 and 12). The value for the condition type VA00 and variant MT01 has been defined by the settings done in Figure 8. Go back to the Quotation Overview screen (Figure 15). Check the consistency of the data and click the save icon to save the document. The system then displays the quotation document number as shown in Figure 18.

Create a Sales Order

In this step, the sales organization converts the quotation into a sales order. To create a sales order for your configurable material, execute transaction code VA01 or follow menu path Logistics > Sales and Distribution > Sales > Order > Create. In the screen that opens (the back of Figure 19), enter the sales Order Type and the organizational data (the Sales Organization, Distribution Channel, and Division fields). Click the Create with Reference button. In the Quot. (quotation) field of the pop-up screen that appears, enter the number of the quotation document that you created in the previous step (Figure 19). Click the Item Selection button. The system then displays the details as shown in Figure 20. In Figure 20, select the line item (i.e., click the box under the S column), verify the sales quantity, and then click the Copy button. The system then displays the details shown in Figure 21. Select the line item shown in Figure 21 and click the configurable icon. The system then displays the details shown in Figure 22. Verify the characteristic’s values copied from the quotation document. Then go back to the sales order item overview screen (Figure 21), select the line item, and click the condition icon. Note the variant price conditions retrieved from the quotation document in Figure 23. Check the consistency of the document and click the save icon. The system displays an information message with the sales order document number.

Create an Outbound Delivery

In this step, the warehouse organization creates an outbound delivery for the configurable products. To complete this step, execute transaction code VL01N or follow menu path Logistics > Logistics Execution > Outbound Process > Goods Issue for Outbound Delivery > Post Goods Issue > Outbound Delivery > Create > Single Document (Figure 24).

Post the Goods Issue

In this step, the warehouse organization performs a goods issue of configurable products. The goods issue can be done with reference to the outbound delivery by executing transaction code VL02N or following menu path Logistics > Logistics Execution > Outbound Process > Goods Issue for Outbound Delivery > Post Goods Issue > Outbound Delivery Single Document. Enter the Outbound deliv. (outbound delivery) document and press Enter (Figure 25). Press the option Post Goods Issue. The system displays a message like the one shown in Figure 25.

Post the Billing

In this step, the accounts receivable organization performs the billing posting in the sales and distribution module considering the outbound delivery processed for the configurable product. The posting can be done by executing transaction code VF01 or following menu path Logistics > Sales and Distribution > Billing > Billing Document > Create. After entering the outbound delivery document created for a configurable product, press Enter. The system then displays the screen shown in Figure 26. In Figure 26, select the line item and click the condition icon. The sytem then displays the details shown in Figure 27. Note the condition’s components retrieved from the sales order and then click the save icon to post the document. The system provides the billing document number as specified in Figure 27.

Display the Sales Document History

This step is optional and it is reported just to show that the complete sales cycle has been performed successfully, apart from the final customer’s payment. To display the sales document history created for your configurable products, execute transaction code VA03 or follow menu path Logistics > Sales and Distribution > Sales > Order > Display. In the initial screen that appears (not shown), enter the sales order document number and click the display document flow icon . The system then displays the details shown in Figure 28.

Customizing

The default customizing available in the standard system can be used to manage the procurement of the configurable product as it is without making relevant changes. I apply the IMG changes that I describe in the “Variant Function Group” and “Dependency Group” sections to have more flexibility to quickly find objects created for a specific purpose.

Variant Function Group

The variant function group is used to group together variant functions. It is a three-digit number that can be used as search criteria for finding a variant. To create a new entry, follow menu path SAP Customizing Implementation Guide > Logistics – General > Variant Configuration > Variant Functions (Figure 29).

Dependency Group

The dependency group is used to group together similar dependencies, or the dependencies that belong to one knowledgebase. It is a three-digit number that can be used as a search criterion for finding dependencies. To create a new entry, follow menu path SAP Customizing Implementation Guide > Logistics – General > Variant Configuration > Dependencies > Define Groups (Figure 30).

Display the Material Type (Configurable Flag)

In the standard system, the material type defined for configurable materials is KMAT, but it is also possible to use any material type as configurable material as long as the Material is configurable indicator has been selected. In my example, I have used a Halb material type (semifinished goods). Note that if this indicator is set, it is possible to assign a variant class to the material. This indicator can be set either manually in the master record or in customizing for the material master in the activity define attributes of material types. In this last case, the indicator is set automatically whenever you create a material of the corresponding material type. Then it is not possible to cancel the indicator manually in the material master record. To define or display this flag in customzing, you execute transaction code OMS2 or follow the menu path SAP Customizing Implementation Guide > Logistics – General > Material Master > Basic Settings > Material Types > Define Attributes of Material Types. In the initial screen (not shown), select the material type KMAT and click the Details button or double-click the line item. The system displays the details shown in Figure 31.

Display Condition Type (Variants)

In the standard system, the condition types used to manage the variants of the configurable products are VA00 and VA01, used respectively to define the quantity and percentage values. You can define or display a purchasing price condition by following IMG menu path SAP Customizing Implementation Guide > Materials Management > Purchasing > Conditions > Define Price Determination Process > Define Condition Types (option: Define Condition Type). Select VA00 and double-click it. The system then displays the screen shown in Figure 32. Note the classification of this condition type in the Control data 1 and Control data 2 sections. If you need ad hoc behaviors for this condition type, you can copy it into a new condition (e.g., ZA00) and apply the changes (e.g., avoid manual entries).