ALE Change Pointers set up for Material Master Characteristics/Class synchronization between S4HANA and MDG

Background/ Business Use Case

Many customers use SAP Master Data Governance (MDG) for managing Master Data and distribute the data created in MDG to downstream ERP Applications including S4HANA. SAP MDG acts as single source of Master Data allowing governance control for higher business efficiency and refined process control.

However, there are data elements like Material classes and characteristics that are created and maintained in the target S4 system and need to be sent to the MDG system to have the data available for material master data maintenance processes.

This blog covers the steps needed to support Characteristics and Classes transmission/ synchronization from S4HANA to MDG by activating IDOC Change Pointers.

Steps include: –

• Set Up RFC Connection using SM59.

• Maintain distribution model in S4HANA (Outbound) for the distribution of Characteristics and Classes using transaction code BD64.
  1. In change mode, create a new model. Choose the Create Model View. Enter a short text and a technical name for the distribution model and choose Continue. The system will display a new entry in the list of model views.
  2. Choose Add Message Type for the newly created model.

In the Model View, add message types

CHRMAS – Class System: Characteristics Master

CLSMAS – Class System: Classes Master

• Transaction code BD82 – Generate Partner Profile for the Model View created above.

• Transaction code WE20

Maintain partner profiles in source and target systems.

In the source system, maintain the following 2 message types in the outbound section for partner type LS:

CHRMAS

CLSMAS

Select Packet Size and Output Mode- Pass IDOC Immediately.

In the target system, maintain the following 2 message types in the inbound section for partner type LS:

CHRMAS

CLSMAS

Inbound Options – Select Processing by Function Module – Trigger Immediately.

• Transaction BD61 – Activate Change Pointers

• Transaction BD50 – Activate Change Pointers for the Message Types CHRMAS and CLSMAS.

• The table for material Classification in SAP are as follows:

KLAH – Class Detail

CABN – Characteristic Detail

AUSP – Characteristic Values

CAWN – Characteristic Values

CAWNT – Characteristic Value Texts

KSML – Characteristic Allocation to Class

KSSK – Material Allocation to Class

• Transaction BD52 – Assign Change Pointers for the Message Types CHRMAS and CLSMAS.

Change pointers should be activated for the table/fields for Objects KLASSE and CLASSIFY.

• CHRMAS IDOC message needs to be sent before CLSMAS IDOC message.

This sequencing can be achieved by either defining job steps in transaction SM37 for RBDMIDOC.

• There may be a business need to only synchronize selected class types from S4HANA to MDG.

This can be achieved by IDOC filtering i.e., add a filter group for the Class Type in the distribution model for the Message Type- CLSMAS.

• Distribution of Bank Master Data

ALE Change Pointers do NOT support Message Types for Distribution of Bank Master Data.

For this you need to define Consolidation System for Bank Data Distribution.

IMG> Cross Application Components> Bank Directory> Distribution of Banks> Make Settings for Distribution of Master data.

Select “Define Consolidation System for Bank Data Distribution” and maintain the Target System as the Consolidation System.

Conclusion: –

Above process steps should help the customers take advantage of the Master Data Governance (MDG) usage for data governance/ distribution and at the same time keep data like Characteristics & Classes and Bank Master Data generated in S4HANA to be synchronized with MDG in a seamless manner.