Variant Configuration Simple Method Step by Step

[kraghavanbindhu]

Intro.

Hope every body is aware about the Variant configuration with different methods. (class item in BOM, class characters assigned to the header and child materials)

But here I am sharing my insights about the the variant configuration without class characters assignment to child materials.

Master Data Prerequisites.

1. Characteristics CT04

2. Class CL02

3. Materials and its components MM01 

4. Super BOM and Super Routing CS01/CA01

5. Object Dependencies CU01

6. Configuration Profile for top level material CU41

Note : To check the configuration use CU50

Master data structure.

Let me explain the scenario with one example.

I have a finished material Boxer, in which I have different variants (Premium, Red and Black Boxer).

For making it I am using cloth, thread, and others as components. Below is the drilldown of my product structure (tcode - CS11).

I am using the special procurement types 50 - Phantom Assembly , 52 - Direct production. Use the Hyperlink to know more.

I took reference from online retail app where we will have this below option to choose/Order our desired product.

Like wise here in sap we can have the options to choose our variants before starting the production or creating the sales order if we configure it accordingly.

Output in SAP.

Here is the output of production orders, if I choose the characteristic Red color.

Main Part
Master data.

At first I created the materials as shown above in CS11 screen.

Description of materials will give you clear idea about the material.

For example CLOTH THREAD - Configurable 50 - Phantom. i.e. this material is configurable and has special procurement type 50 in MRP 2 view.

Make the material as configurable (which have variants) by creating the material with material type KMAT or using the check box configurable in basic data 2 view of material. 

Make the material as phantom by assigning the special procurement type 50 to MRP2 view of material master

Class and class characteristics

Created class and characteristics. I created only one class and assigned all the characters to same class which are all required for the whole BOM from top to bottom. Not required to create & assign multiple class characteristics to respective sub components, if you are not having materials with 72 strategy type.

CL02 - Created Class

CT04 - Created characteristics with values and assigned all of it to one class.

Then created the super BOM, super Routing and production version.

Super BOM (CS01). Its normal BOM, but will have all variant materials components assigned to a single header material. Here based on the OD/character selection the item will be considered / exploded for production.

In CLOTH COLOR - I have added all the possible materials combination that are needed (cloth red, cloth black). Here all materials will not be required all the time, but either one of the materials will be chosen based on the character selection from the header level material BOXER. 

Similarly SUPER ROUTING also.

Single variant material will have the combination of operations necessary for all variant and will be chosen based on the OD.

Production version is straight forward i.e. one per material, as we have single Super BOM and Routing 

object dependencies created - CU01 

Click on Dependency editor to write the code.

To know more about the type of object dependencies use this Link.

Note: Selection conditions can be assigned to BOM, Routing & Config Profile. Preconditions can be assigned to Characteristics/ config Profile & not to BOM & Routing.

Assigned the OD to the BOM items and Operation items.

NOTE: If you are creating the BOM for configurable material you will have additional class tab.

I have assigned the Object dependencies to respective Components in BOM.

I am using CLOTH COLOR as phantom assembly. Inside that I have CLOTH RED & BLACK. For choosing the components I am assigning both OD to CLOTH COLOR and respective OD to components.

Below are the object dependencies assigned to the BOM components.

CLOTH COLOR, CLOTH RED          - $ROOT.TC_4589_00_8120300 = '0010'. (Red)

                                                          Syntax. Characteristic name = 'Characteristic Value'.

Logic: I assigned the OD 'red' to BOM item CLOTH RED to consider this item for explosion, if I choose the characteristics value '0010' from config profile while creating Sales / production order.

CLOTH COLOR, CLOTH BLACK     - $ROOT.TC_4589_00_8120300 = '0020'. (Black)

PREMIUM FABRIC                         - $ROOT.TC_4589_00_8120300 = '0030'. (Premium)

At material CLOTH level the component CLOTH COLOR will be selected, even If I select any one of the characteristic value 'red / black'.

Also at the same time the component FABRIC PREMIUM will only be selected if I choose the characteristic value 'premium'.

But at CLOTH COLOR level only one Component (CLOTH RED or CLOTH BLACK) will be selected based up on characteristic value.

Similarly created/assigned OD to routing.

Configuration Profile - CU41

We have to assign the Class with all characteristic to our top level BOM Header material. It will pass on the characters to the bottom level of the BOM to choose the components based on the OD maintained in BOM.

Assigned the class only to top level header material via Config profile.

Now create one profile inside it, assign the class type and assign the class.

Double click on the Profile name to assign the class and OD like procedures and preconditions.

Some time on choosing the respective characters we need to choose respective operations. So in such case we can assign the procedures in configuration profile itself. Also pricing procedures can be assigned via this procedures.

Saved the config profile at last.

Now we can check the configuration via CU50. 

Scenario 1: Red Boxer

Using the material and clicking the configuration button.

Here I am choosing the character 'red' and chosen the tab Others.

Here the first character is already chosen based on the procedure which I have assigned in config profile and its for choosing the operations.

Here you can see that the CLOTH COLOR is exploded from material CLOTH levels and CLOTH RED is exploded from material CLOTH COLOR level. At the same time the material FABRIC PREMIUM is not selected.

Scenario 2: Premium one

Here you can see that the FABRIC PREMIUM is selected but the CLOTH COLOR is not selected.

Grouping of characteristics can be done by using the field Interface design in CU41 configuration profile.

Mostly Sales order costing is used in such type of industry.

Conclusion: Here the thing is that the class T_MAIN_BOXER contains all the characters required to choose the components till the lowest BOM level is only assigned to configurable header material via configuration profile.

We have assigned the class only at Top level BOM material via the config profile. But it will explode the components till the lowest BOM level based on the characteristics value which we have given while creating the sale/production order. Its not required to assign the class to materials at each BOM level.