SAP Variant Configurator
Variant Configurator is a way to handle many Variants of the same object without
the need to duplicate it. The tools are special type of class, Characteristics and Object Dependencies. The configurator is relevant for: BOM Task list, Standard Network.
The Idea Lets look at a typical car manufacturer. This typical car has few variants that differ by the engine type (diesel or gasoline) and the transmission (Automatic or Manual).
The outcome from engineering department will be one BOM, most of it's items are fix, but few of them are dependent upon the car variant.
CAR | ------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | | | | Engine Transmiation Body Steering Suspension | | | | | --- Gasoline | --------- Automatic | Engine | | | | --- Diesel | --------- Manual Engine | | | --------- Clutch
The two branches ,at the left, are not a "real" BOM items but represent one of several options (two options in this example). When the BOM will exploded and based on characteristic values, the system will determine which "real Items" will be part of the BOM (i.e What types of Engine and Transmission).
This process enable us to avoid duplication of big amount of data and still to handle many variants of the product. Think about aircraft BOM with hundreds of thousands of parts, what is the meaning of maintaining duplicated BOM.
Terminology The BOM that handle many variants like the example called
Super BOM and the
material Header (the "Car") is
Configurable Mmaterial. Configuable Material is a material where specific values has been given to few views in the Material master. In the same way of thinking a Task list which use Variant Configuration to dynamically select operations to be copied to PM Order, is called
Super Task list.
How it can be done (In brief) 1. Creating Characteristics as base on conditions for configuration of the Object
Dependencies
2. Creating Configuable Class (In SAP Standard it is class type: '300') and link
3. The characteristic to this class
4. Creating Configuable Profile
5. Linking the Configuable profile to the Object (BOM, Standard Network etc.)
SD and Assembly Processing Consider the situation where Salesman is sitting in front of a customer who want to buy a product. The salesman needs to cope with the following missions:
1. Check whether he (the company) can supply the required product
2. Provide the customer a reliable due date for apping
3. Trigger the production and/or delivery the product
4. Keep the customer up to date with changes in the delivery date
The main SAP tool for salesman is the sales order. We need some way to link the sales order to other Sap processes so that all the above missions. The link is called
Assembly Processing, it has some variant neverthelese it can do the following tasks: Check the stock avaliabilty of a product or products Items Trigger "Assembly Order" which is stand for Production order or Network
(the right process to manufacuring the producat) Calculte the possible date for deliver the product to the customer Maintain "hot link" between Sales order to the Assembly Order so that change In the planed order date of the assembly order will reflect the delivery date in the sales order and vice versa. What all this got to do with Variant Configurator ? The added value of Assembly processing is increase when the product has many variants, When you ought to give answes to the customer whether and when you can supply red car with manusl gear or black car with automatic gear etc. The Variant Configurator serve important Process in SAP SD (Sales and Distribution) Module. The normal process of sale begin with creating
Sales Order. Now, Base of Customer's requirements (naming Characteristic values) we can, while creating Sales order, to derive the specific BOM out of the Super BOM, To check if we can meet the customer's requirement (Is the requested BOM valid ?), To check if we have all parts in stock and if not so, to create
Assembly Order (could be Production Order or network) and to notify the cust