Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Classification
Purpose
The classification system allows you to use characteristics to describe all types of objects and to
group similar objects in classes to classify objects, in other words, so that you can find them
more easily later.
You then use the classes to help you to find objects more easily, using the characteristics
defined in them as search criteria. This ensures that you can find objects with similar or
identical characteristics as quickly as possible.
Integration
The classification system allows you to classify all types of object. First, you must define certain
settings in Customizing for the classification system.
SAP has predefined a number of object types (for example, materials, and equipment). The
settings for these object types have already been defined in Customizing, so you can start to
set up your classification system for these object types without defining further settings.
Before you can use classification functions, you need to set up your classification system.
The there are three steps to setting up a classification system:
1. Defining the Properties of Objects
You use characteristics to describe the properties of objects. You create characteristics
centrally in the SAP R/3 System.
2. Creating Classes
You need classes to classify objects. These classes must be set up. During set up you
must assign characteristics to the classes.
3. Assigning Objects
Once you have created the classes you require for classification, you can assign objects
to these classes. You use the characteristics of the class to describe the objects you
classify.
Characteristics
Purpose
In R/3 classification, characteristics describe the properties of objects. The values of a
characteristic specify these properties.
Characteristic COLOR has the values 'red', 'green', and 'blue'. When you classify an
object, you use this characteristic to specify the color of the object.
You create characteristics centrally, and then assign them to classes. When you assign a
characteristic to a class, you can adapt (overwrite) the characteristic.
When you assign objects to a class, you assign values to the characteristics.
You can use characteristics in other R/3 applications, as well as classification. Characteristics
serve different purposes in different applications.
Integration
Characteristics are used in the following application areas:
QM Quality Management:
o To transfer inspection values to batch classification. (The characteristics in classification
are referred to as "general characteristics" in mySAP PLM quality management.)
o To produce quality certificates.
Procedure
1. Access transaction by:
SAP Menu
Transaction Code
CT04
Double click on the Transaction Code CT04 and the screen shown below will appear.
On the Basic data tab page enter the most important control data for the characteristic.
Field Name
Description
R/O/C
Characteristic
description
Status of a
characteristic
Data Type
Number of
Characters
Number of
Decimal Places
Unit of
Measure
Value Assignment
In the formatting data for value assignment, you define whether a characteristic is single-value,
multiple-value, or restrictable.
Field Name
Single value
Description
Indicator that determines whether only one value can be assigned
to this characteristic.
R/O/C
R
Interval values
allowed
Negative
Values allowed
Entry Required
Maintaining Values
You can define a list of allowed values for a characteristic. You can then select one of these
values when you classify an object.
Choose the tab page Values.
Enter values in the entry fields. Enter each value in a separate field.
The values must match the format that you defined on the Basic Data screen. You can
enter up to the number of characters that you defined in the format.
If your characteristic is an alphanumeric characteristic, enter a language-dependent
value description. You can enter up to 30 characters.
You cannot enter a language-dependent description for numeric values.
Field Name
Default
values
Additional
values
Sorting
values
Description
You can define one allowed value as a default value. This value then appears
as a default in characteristic value assignment functions. You can either accept
the value or select another value.
To define a default value, select column D.
If required, you can use the allowed values you define as possible entries, but
still allow other values for your characteristic. This means that you can assign
values that are not in the allowed values in characteristic value assignment
functions. Select Additional values.
Choose the pushbutton Sort values in ascending order or Sort values in
descending order to sort the values.
Save
To change a characteristic:
1. Enter your data on the initial screen:
In the Characteristic field, enter a name for your characteristic.
To change a characteristic select the pushbutton Change in characteristics.
2.
You change the main characteristics data on the Basic data tab page.
You cannot change the value assignment indicator once you have set it. It applies wherever the
characteristic is used.
Single-value
You can enter exactly one value for the characteristic.
Multiple values
You can enter more than one value for the characteristic.
Restrictable
This indicator is only relevant to variant configuration.
When you configure an object, the allowed values of restrictable characteristics can be
restricted dynamically. This means that you can only assign a value from the restricted
allowed values to your configurable object.
Save
To display a characteristic:
1. Enter your data on the initial screen:
In the Characteristic field, enter a name for your characteristic.
To display the characteristic choose the pushbutton Display.
2. You Display the main characteristics data on the Basic data tab page.
Back
Name
Valid-From Date
Specifies the start date for the validity period of an object (such
as material, BOM, or routing
On the Basic data tab page enter the most important control data for the characteristic.
Field Name
Description
R/O/C
Characteristic Language-dependent description of characteristic.
R
description
Status of a
The characteristic status gives information on the processing status
R
characteristic of the characteristic and determines whether it can be used
elsewhere in the system.
Data Type
The data type categorizes a characteristic and shows the format for
R
entering characteristic values.
Character format (CHAR): for characteristic values that
consist of a character string.
Number of
Total number of characters that you can enter when you assign a
R
Characters
value to this characteristic.
If a characteristic has data type "character" (CHAR), you can
Value Assignment
In the formatting data for value assignment, you define whether a characteristic is single-value,
multiple-value, or restrictable.
Field Name
Single value
Description
Indicator that determines whether only one value can be assigned
to this characteristic.
Entry Required
R/O/C
R
Maintaining Values
You can define a list of allowed values for a characteristic. You can then select one of these
values when you classify an object. Choose the tab page Values.
If your characteristic is an alphanumeric characteristic, enter a language-dependent
value description. You can enter up to 30 characters.
You cannot enter a language-dependent description for numeric values.
Click on other
Value Check
Field Name
Characteristic
Value
Description
Default
values
You can define one allowed value as a default value. This value then appears
as a default in characteristic value assignment functions. You can either
accept the value or select another value. Select column D.
If required, you can use the allowed values you define as possible entries,
but still allow other values for your characteristic. This means that you can
assign values that are not in the allowed values in characteristic value
assignment functions. Select Additional values.
Additional
values
Value of a characteristic.
If the characteristic has character format (CHAR), this field contains a single
character string.
R/O/C
R
O
O
Sorting
values
Save
To change a characteristic:
1. Enter your data on the initial screen:
In the Characteristic field, enter a name for your characteristic.
To change a characteristic select the pushbutton Change in characteristics.
2. You change the main characteristics data on the Basic data tab page.
You cannot change the value assignment indicator once you have set it. It applies wherever the
characteristic is used.
Single-value
You can enter exactly one value for the characteristic.
Multiple values
You can enter more than one value for the characteristic.
Restrictable
This indicator is only relevant to variant configuration.
When you configure an object, the allowed values of restrictable characteristics can be
restricted dynamically. This means that you can only assign a value from the restricted
allowed values to your configurable object.
Save
To change a characteristic:
1. Enter your data on the initial screen:
In the Characteristic field, enter a name for your characteristic.
To display the characteristic choose the pushbutton Display.
2. You Display the main characteristics data on the Basic data tab page.
Back
Classes
A class is used to hold the characteristics that describe an object such as material.
Purpose
Classes allow you to group objects together according to criteria that you define.
You create classes for certain object types for example, material, workplace, equipment.
You use the class type to determine which object types can be classified in a class.
You can assign characteristics to your class. These describe the objects that you classify
in your class. When you assign a characteristic to a class, you can adapt (overwrite) the
characteristic.
Transaction Code
CL02
Double click on the Transaction Code CL02 and following screen appears
To create a class:
2. Enter a class name and class type.
These can also be classes that were processed with different applications.
Field Name
Class number
Description
Name used to uniquely identify a class within a class type.
R/O/C
R
Class Type
Create icon
Field Name
Class Description
Class status
Valid-From Date
Valid-to date
Check for Same
Description
Language-dependent description of a class.
This key determines:
whether a class can be maintained
whether objects can be allocated to a class
whether the class can be used for selecting objects
Date as of which objects can be allocated to a class.
Objects can be assigned to the class until this date.
If you select this indicator, you see a warning message if you try
R/O/C
R
R
R
R
R
Classification
with Warning
Entering Characteristics
On the Characteristics tab, you can enter the characteristics you want to use for classifying
objects in your class. These characteristics already exist in your system.
5. Choose the tab page Characteristics.
Enter the characteristics you want to use in your class.
Assign Characteristics
Characteristic Status
You cannot use characteristics with In preparation status in classes. However, you can
change the status of a characteristic to Released by choosing Environment @ Change
characteristic.
You cannot use a characteristic in new classes once the characteristic has Locked status.
However, if you have used a characteristic in a class, and then set Locked status for the
characteristic, this does not affect the characteristic in the class. You cannot change the
status from a class.
Characteristics Sequence
The order in which you enter characteristics is also the order in which the characteristics appear
for value assignment when you classify or find objects.
You can define the sequence of characteristics yourself:
1. To move a characteristic, select the characteristic that you want to move.
2. Place the cursor where you want the characteristic moved to.
3. Choose Move. The characteristic is inserted before the cursor.
6. You can save your class once you have entered this data.
Save
Documents
You can link documents to your class.
Standard
You can create a class to match a specific standard (for example, DIN, ISO, or ANSI).
Additional Data
You can specify that your class can be used as a BOM item for a configurable material.
To change a class:
1. Enter a class name and class type.
Change Class
Change Characteristics
Save
Display class
Back