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Author's profile photo Paul Gendreau
Paul Gendreau
December 4, 2014 6 minute read

Create Generic and Variants Using LSMW

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Edit: 6/5/2021

For the S/4HANA version of this blog, see:  ​​Load Generic/Variant Articles in S/4HANA with LSMW

This new blog (June 2021) explains the most common mistake made when attempting to create Generic/Variant Articles in data migration. It’s all about understanding the functional use of ARTMAS IDoc segments.

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Article Master – LSMW – Generic/Variants – ARTMAS05

This subject raised a few questions in an SCN thread with the title of Error while trying to create Generic Articles with variants using LSMW (ARTMAS05).

A document that I wrote in response to that question is requested frequently. This post replaces the document named md_article_generic_lsmw.pdf

Creating a generic article master with variant articles is accomplished via processing of one ARTMAS05 IDoc.

There is important prerequisite master data, which is detailed in steps below that were executed to create an example.

PROCESS STEP PROCESS STEP IMAGE

CT04 – Create Characteristic

Create HN_COLOURS

 01-CT04-CREATE_CHAR.jpg

CT04 – Create Characteristic

Maintain values for HN_COLOURS

 02-CT04-CREATE_CHAR.jpg

CLWE – Create Characteristic Profile

Create HN001

 03-CLWE-CREATE_CHAR_PROFILE.jpg

CLWE – Create Characteristic Profile

Assign Characteristic and make relevant for the creation of Variants.

 04-CLWE-CREATE_CHAR_PROFILE.jpg

WG21 – Create Merchandise Category

Create S14

 04-WG21-CREATE_MC.jpg

WG22 – Change Merchandise Category

Change S14

Assign Characteristic Profile HN001

 05-WG22-CHANGE_MC.jpg

WG22 – Change Merchandise Category

Change S14

Create reference article.

 06-WG22-CHANGE_MC.jpg

WG22– Change Merchandise Category

This takes you to MM41 / MM42 to create or change the reference article.

Create reference article A11000011.

Maintain all views except Purchasing.

 07-WG22-CHANGE_MC.jpg

LSMW – Process ARTMAS05

See IDoc detail at end of document.

 08-LSMW.jpg

LSMW – Process ARTMAS05

See IDoc detail at end of document.

 09-LSMW.jpg

LSMW – Process ARTMAS05

See IDoc detail at end of document.

 10-LSMW.jpg

LSMW – Process ARTMAS05

See IDoc detail at end of document.

 11-LSMW.jpg

MM43 – Display Article

Click the Variants button to display the Variants.

 12-MM43_DISPLAY_ARTICLE.jpg
MM43 – Display Article 13-MM43_DISPLAY_ARTICLE.jpg

Here is the IDoc that created the example Article Master

Observe the usage of segments and fields.

 

SEGMENT FIELD NAME SHORT
DESCRIPTION		 VALUE
E1BPE1MATHEAD FUNCTION Function 009
E1BPE1MATHEAD MATERIAL Article Number A11000010
E1BPE1MATHEAD MATL_TYPE Article Type HAWA
E1BPE1MATHEAD MATL_GROUP Merchandise Category S14
E1BPE1MATHEAD MATL_CAT Article Category 01
E1BPE1MATHEAD CHAR_PROF Characteristic
profile		 HN001
E1BPE1MATHEAD REF_MATL Reference article A11000011
E1BPE1MATHEAD BASIC_VIEW Include Basic Data View X
E1BPE1MATHEAD LIST_VIEW Indicator: Consider
Listing view		 X
E1BPE1VARKEY FUNCTION Function 009
E1BPE1VARKEY MATERIAL Article Number A11000010
E1BPE1VARKEY VARIANT Variant number A11000010001
E1BPE1VARKEY FUNCTION Function 009
E1BPE1VARKEY MATERIAL Article Number A11000010
E1BPE1VARKEY VARIANT Variant number A11000010002
E1BPE1AUSPRT FUNCTION Function 009
E1BPE1AUSPRT MATERIAL Article Number A11000010001
E1BPE1AUSPRT CHAR_NAME Characteristic Name HN_COLOURS
E1BPE1AUSPRT CHAR_VALUE Characteristic Value 10
E1BPE1AUSPRT FUNCTION Function 009
E1BPE1AUSPRT MATERIAL Article Number A11000010002
E1BPE1AUSPRT CHAR_NAME Characteristic Name HN_COLOURS
E1BPE1AUSPRT CHAR_VALUE Characteristic Value 20
E1BPE1AUSPRTX FUNCTION Function 009
E1BPE1AUSPRTX MATERIAL Article Number A11000010001
E1BPE1AUSPRTX CHAR_NAME Characteristic Name HN_COLOURS
E1BPE1AUSPRTX CHAR_VALUE Updated information
in related user data field		 X
E1BPE1AUSPRTX FUNCTION Function 009
E1BPE1AUSPRTX MATERIAL Article Number A11000010002
E1BPE1AUSPRTX CHAR_NAME Characteristic Name HN_COLOURS
E1BPE1AUSPRTX CHAR_VALUE Updated information
in related user data field		 X
E1BPE1MARART FUNCTION Function 009
E1BPE1MARART MATERIAL Article Number A11000010
E1BPE1MARART OLD_MAT_NO Old article number 9999MAT
E1BPE1MARART BASE_UOM Base Unit of Measure EA
E1BPE1MARART TRANS_GRP Transportation Group 0001
E1BPE1MARART DIVISION Division 10
E1BPE1MARART TAX_CLASS Tax classification of
the article		 1
E1BPE1MARART1 BRAND_ID Brand 0001
E1BPE1MARARTX FUNCTION Function 009
E1BPE1MARARTX MATERIAL Article Number A11000010
E1BPE1MARARTX OLD_MAT_NO Updated information
in related user data field		 X
E1BPE1MARARTX BASE_UOM Updated information
in related user data field		 X
E1BPE1MARARTX TRANS_GRP Updated information
in related user data field		 X
E1BPE1MARARTX DIVISION Updated information
in related user data field		 X
E1BPE1MARARTX TAX_CLASS Updated information
in related user data field		 X
E1BPE1MARARTX BRAND_ID Updated information
in related user data field		 X
E1BPE1MAW1RT FUNCTION Function 009
E1BPE1MAW1RT MATERIAL Article Number A11000010
E1BPE1MAW1RT REPL_LIST Assortment List Type 1
E1BPE1MAW1RT ABC_ID ABC Indicator A
E1BPE1MAW1RT PUR_GROUP Purchasing Group 100
E1BPE1MAW1RT COUNTRYORI Country of origin of
the article		 AU
E1BPE1MAW1RT LOADINGGRP Loading Group 0001
E1BPE1MAW1RT ASSORT_LEV Assortment grade 1
E1BPE1MAW1RT LI_PROC_ST Listing procedure for
store or other assortment categories		 B1
E1BPE1MAW1RT LIST_ST_FR Date from which
listed in the store		 20130401
E1BPE1MAW1RT LIST_ST_TO Date to which listed
in the store		 99991231
E1BPE1MAW1RT SELL_ST_FR Date from which sold
in the store		 20130401
E1BPE1MAW1RT SELL_ST_TO Date to which sold in
the store		 99991231
E1BPE1MAW1RT VAL_CLASS Valuation Class 3100
E1BPE1MAW1RTX FUNCTION Function 009
E1BPE1MAW1RTX MATERIAL Article Number A11000010
E1BPE1MAW1RTX REPL_LIST Updated information
in related user data field		 X
E1BPE1MAW1RTX ABC_ID Updated information
in related user data field		 X
E1BPE1MAW1RTX PUR_GROUP Updated information
in related user data field		 X
E1BPE1MAW1RTX COUNTRYORI Updated information
in related user data field		 X
E1BPE1MAW1RTX LOADINGGRP Updated information
in related user data field		 X
E1BPE1MAW1RTX ASSORT_LEV Updated information
in related user data field		 X
E1BPE1MAW1RTX LI_PROC_ST Updated information
in related user data field		 X
E1BPE1MAW1RTX LIST_ST_FR Updated information
in related user data field		 X
E1BPE1MAW1RTX LIST_ST_TO Updated information
in related user data field		 X
E1BPE1MAW1RTX SELL_ST_FR Updated information
in related user data field		 X
E1BPE1MAW1RTX SELL_ST_TO Updated information
in related user data field		 X
E1BPE1MAW1RTX VAL_CLASS Updated information
in related user data field		 X
E1BPE1MAKTRT FUNCTION Function 009
E1BPE1MAKTRT MATERIAL Article Number A11000010
E1BPE1MAKTRT LANGU Language Key E
E1BPE1MAKTRT MATL_DESC Article Description
(Short Text)		 QUEEN BED
E1BPE1MARMRT FUNCTION Function 009
E1BPE1MARMRT MATERIAL Article Number A11000010
E1BPE1MARMRT ALT_UNIT Alternative Unit of
Measure for Stockkeeping Unit		 KG
E1BPE1MARMRT NUMERATOR Numerator for
Conversion to Base Units of Measure		 1
E1BPE1MARMRT DENOMINATR Denominator for
conversion to base units of measure		 1
E1BPE1MARMRT LENGTH Length 10
E1BPE1MARMRT WIDTH Width 12
E1BPE1MARMRT HEIGHT Height 15
E1BPE1MARMRT UNIT_DIM Unit of Dimension for
Length/Width/Height		 M
E1BPE1MARMRT VOLUMEUNIT Volume unit CCM
E1BPE1MARMRT GROSS_WT Gross Weight 1
E1BPE1MARMRT UNIT_OF_WT Weight Unit KG
E1BPE1MARMRTX FUNCTION Function 009
E1BPE1MARMRTX MATERIAL Article Number A11000010
E1BPE1MARMRTX ALT_UNIT Alternative Unit of
Measure for Stockkeeping Unit		 KG
E1BPE1MARMRTX NUMERATOR Updated information
in related user data field		 X
E1BPE1MARMRTX DENOMINATR Updated information
in related user data field		 X
E1BPE1MARMRTX LENGTH Updated information
in related user data field		 X
E1BPE1MARMRTX WIDTH Updated information
in related user data field		 X
E1BPE1MARMRTX HEIGHT Updated information
in related user data field		 X
E1BPE1MARMRTX UNIT_DIM Updated information
in related user data field		 X
E1BPE1MARMRTX VOLUMEUNIT Updated information
in related user data field		 X
E1BPE1MARMRTX GROSS_WT Updated information
in related user data field		 X
E1BPE1MARMRTX UNIT_OF_WT Updated information
in related user data field		 X
E1BPE1MLTXRT FUNCTION Function 009
E1BPE1MLTXRT APPLOBJECT Texts: Application
Object		 MATERIAL
E1BPE1MLTXRT TEXT_NAME Name A11000010
E1BPE1MLTXRT TEXT_ID Text ID BEST
E1BPE1MLTXRT LANGU Language key E
E1BPE1MLTXRT TEXT_LINE Text Line POS 2nd line
description
E1BPE1MLTXRT MATERIAL Article Number A11000010
E1BPE1MLTXRT MATERIAL_EXTERNAL Long Article Number
for MATERIAL Field
E1BPE1MLTXRT MATERIAL_GUID External GUID for
MATERIAL Field
E1BPE1MLTXRT MATERIAL_VERSION Version Number for
MATERIAL Field

— end of document —

Assigned Tags

      6 Comments
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      Author's profile photo R K
      R K

      Thanks Paul for the informative LSMW for Article Master upload.

      Regards,

      SRK

      Author's profile photo Former Member
      Former Member

      Hello Paul,

      Thank you for your information.

      I cannot create generic/variants with idoc ARTMAS because i use transaction WRFCHVAL to define characteristic values of my characteristic.

      Same steps as your but :

      - when I create my characteristic I indicate function module "WRF_CHECK_CHAR_VAL" in value tab.

      - Then, I indicate characteristic values in transaction WRFCHVAL instead of CT04.

      When I try to create materials with this characteristic through doc I always have the same message "No characteristics could be determined for the generic material"



      For information, when I create a material through transaction MM41 with this characteristic, everything is OK.

      Do you have any idea?

      Thank you in advance for your feedback.

      Romain Ledu

      Author's profile photo Paul Gendreau
      Paul Gendreau
      Blog Post Author

      Hello Romain:

      You are using New Characteristic Value Storage.  I have not tested that case, but I don't believe that the ARTMAS should be populated any differently.

      Take a look at your failed IDoc, paying attention to:

      E1BPE1AUSPRT-CHAR_NAME

      E1BPE1AUSPRT-CHAR_VALUE

      E1BPE1AUSPRTX-CHAR_NAME

      E1BPE1AUSPRTX-CHAR_VALUE

      Are those four fields filled correctly?

      - Paul

      ----------------------------------

      Paul R. Gendreau, Jr.

      SAP Retail

      Author's profile photo Ramakrishna Nuthalapati
      Ramakrishna Nuthalapati

      Hello Paul and Romain,

      I am also facing the issue. Used new char value storage.

      Getting message ,, No Characteristics could be determined for generic material.

      Idoc processed successfully. Error comes while opening Generic article in MM43.

      Let me know if you have solution.

      Thanks,

      Krish

      Author's profile photo Former Member
      Former Member

      Hello Paul

      I followed your manual and it works perfectly. But I have an issue.

      When I enter to MM42/MM43 with my generic article I can see that my variants are created BUT their characteriscs are not "checked" when I click on "Values".

      I don't know if this is the normal behavior because yo do not mentioned this anywhere.

      If it is not normal, can you please help me? I need the relevant characteristics of my variants as checked.

      Best regards.

      Author's profile photo Sudhanva Joshi
      Sudhanva Joshi

      Hello Paul,

      I have a requirement of creation of similar article master by LSMW+IDOC method for Single, Generic and Variant articles.

      To start with, I have started creating a single article and I have filled all the fields but getting an error 'No entry in key field of table MARM'.

      I haven't maintained data in AUSP segment since this is single article.

      Need help on this.

      Thanks & Regards,

      Sudhanva Joshi