Product Master
Unit Overview
Unit Objectives
After completing this unit, you will be able to: • Explain the concept of the CRM product master • Explain product hierarchies and categories • Explain set types and attributes
• Enhance the product master using set types and attributes
Unit Contents
Lesson: Basic Features of the Product Master ...108 Lesson: Set Types, Attributes, Categories, and Hierarchies ... 114 Exercise 8: Product Maintenance and Enhancement – Sales ...121 Exercise 9: Product Maintenance and Enhancement – Service
(Optional) ...135 For internal u s e by C S C only For internal u s e by C S C only
Lesson: Basic Features of the Product Master
Lesson Overview
This lesson explains the basic features and concept of the CRM product master.
Lesson Objectives
After completing this lesson, you will be able to: • Explain the concept of the CRM product master
Business Example
Your company wants to open new distribution channels and to conduct the sale of its products with the CRM system. You want to create product master data according to the CRM product master concept.
Figure 46: Product Types
Products are goods which are the object of a company's business activities. Products can be tangible, such as a PC, or intangible, such as services like PC maintenance.
The product master provides you with all information on the products that your company purchases and sells. It is the central source from which product-specific data can be retrieved. Product information is used in marketing, sales, and service processes. For internal u s e by C S C only For internal u s e by C S C only
The product master functionality is integrated into various business roles and therefore provides all functionality you require for working with products within the relevant business context.
The CRM system recognizes up to six different product types. The product types IP, Financing andFinancing are industry specific.
Product types are predefined in the system.
The term Product is usually used instead of Material in the CRM WebClient UI application.
ERP material master data can be transferred to the CRM system.
An ERP material master comprises various data and views, some of which cannot be processed in the CRM system (for example, accounting data). It is usually only general/basic data and sales-specific data that can be transferred to the CRM system.
Figure 47: Examples of Products
The figure shows some of the products that might exist in standard CRM IDES systems and training systems.
Product/material HT-1010: This is a material that is loaded from the ERP system. It is salable and kept in stock.
Service SRV1_4: This is a service that was created in the CRM system. It can be used in service orders, for example.
Service SER_022: This is a service that was created in the CRM system. It contains information that is relevant for service contract processing.
For internal u s e by C S C only For internal u s e by C S C only
Warranty WP_001: This is a (master) warranty that was created in the CRM system. It can be assigned installation components (for example, installation component 3305) and (individual) objects. Warranties are used in service processes.
Figure 48: Maintaining Products
Product maintenance in the CRM system takes place in the CRM WebClient UI. The user role determines which product types can be maintained.
If the material master data of a connected ERP system is transferred to the CRM system, only limited changes can be made to the corresponding products. Exceptions to this rule can be specified in Customizing:
SAP Customizing Implementation Guide → Customer Relationship Management → Master Data → Products → Business Add-Ins → BAdI: Allow Changes to Product Data Figure 49: Relationships For internal u s e by C S C only For internal u s e by C S C only
The Accessories relationship can be used in the context of product proposals (CRM marketing). Product proposals can be made for customers who order products on the Internet and employees in the Interaction Center.
Selection of other relationship types:
• Customers (here, for example, a customer material number can be assigned) • Vendors (here, for example, a vendor material number can be assigned) • Components (a structured product is mapped with this)
• Services (default products for the service order processing) • Service parts (default products for the service order processing) • Warranties (used in the product registration)
• The relationship Customer/Distribution Chain (Middleware adapter object CUST_MAT_INFO) is used to download the ERP customer material number to SAP CRM.
• In order to maintain relationships in the product master, explicit assignments must have been made for them in category processing.
• A separate assignment block is displayed for each relationship in the CRM WebClient UI.
• Customer-specific relationship types can be defined with the Easy
Enhancement Workbench. Some extra steps then make these visible in the CRM WebClient UI. See SAP Note 1139562 for more information.
Figure 50: Competitor Products
The competitor products function allows you to enter information about competitor products that are in direct competition with your products. From a technical point of view, competitor products are products with product type Material and are created using the competitor products function.
For internal u s e by C S C only For internal u s e by C S C only
Competitor products can be included within functions such as Activity Management and Opportunity Management.
Figure 51: Download of Material Master Data
Material master data is replicated from the ERP system to the CRM system by the CRM Middleware. The adapter object in question is called MATERIAL. An initial download must be made first to download the required materials and to display them as products in SAP CRM. For information about how to do this, see the application help.
Subsequent changes and new materials in ERP are then transferred by a delta download.
If you set up new systems with product master data, or if you want to create or change the connection between existing systems, you must read SAP Note 418886 (and related notes). These notes contain important information about how to avoid database inconsistencies.
You can allow or disallow uploads of each product in Customizing: SAP
Implementation Guide → Customer Relationship Management → Master Data → Products → Settings for Product Type → Allow Upload for a Product Type. CRM product data is not uploaded automatically in standard systems. It must be carried out manually and individually for each product.
For internal u s e by C S C only For internal u s e by C S C only
Lesson Summary
You should now be able to:
• Explain the concept of the CRM product master
For internal u s e by C S C only For internal u s e by C S C only
Lesson: Set Types, Attributes, Categories, and
Hierarchies
Lesson Overview
This lesson explains how the product master can be enhanced using set types and attributes to better describe products.
Lesson Objectives
After completing this lesson, you will be able to: • Explain product hierarchies and categories • Explain set types and attributes
• Enhance the product master using set types and attributes
Business Example
You would like to understand the set up of CRM product masters. It will allow you to model/extend product master data according to your needs. You specifically will understand how to extend a product master with additional CRM attributes.
Figure 52: Structure of the CRM Product Master
From a technical point of view, the CRM product master is a collection or arrangement of various set types that contain specific data.
For internal u s e by C S C only For internal u s e by C S C only
Set types are delivered with the SAP CRM system which contain the necessary business information for the business processes.
Customers can define their own set types for additional product information.
Figure 53: Base Hierarchies
The main base hierarchy generally replicated from SAP ERP is the base hierarchy for Material/Service R3PRODSTYP. This hierarchy is assigned to the application
Product.
Base hierarchies for the product types Intellectual Property, Warranty or
Service are created in SAP CRM.
If you are creating service products in SAP CRM and not replicating them from SAP ERP, do not use the hierarchy R3PRODSTYP as the base hierarchy for services, but create a new hierarchy in SAP CRM.
The report CRM_PR_FIN_CREATE_HIERARCHY is used to create a base hierarchy for the product type Financing
The adapter object for transferring the base hierarchies is DNL_CUST_PROD1. R3PRODSTYP is the default base hierarchy. Products that are loaded to the CRM system from the ERP system must belong to at least this base hierarchy. Assignments to other hierarchies are optional.
If SAP CRM is implemented without an ERP back end system, preparatory steps are necessary before product master data can be created in the CRM system. These preparatory steps are documented in Customizing: SAP Implementation Guide → Customer Relationship Management → Master Data → Products → CRM Standalone For internal u s e by C S C only For internal u s e by C S C only
Figure 54: Setting Up Product Master Maintenance
To create the products of a particular product type, product categories and set type assignments that correspond to each product type must have been made.
See the IMG documentation for information about using service products: SAP Implementation Guide → Customer Relationship Management → Master Data → Products → Special Settings for Service Processes → Define Service Products. See the IMG documentation for information about using warranty products: SAP Implementation Guide → Customer Relationship Management → Master Data → Products → Special Settings for Service Warranties → Define Warranties.
Figure 55: Set Types and Attributes
For internal u s e by C S C only For internal u s e by C S C only
An attribute is defined by its attribute type (for example, integer, character string or date), its attribute length and (optionally) its value range (for example, single values or intervals), or by a value table.
Attributes help to describe products or individual objects. They are grouped into set types and saved there. A set is a specific instance of a set type. Set types are stored in the system as database tables. Set types enable you to perform detailed modeling of products and objects in the system.
Particular set types (SAP standard set types) are predefined in standard systems. If they are not sufficient for your needs, you can define additional set types of your own and assign attributes to them. The attributes can be those predefined in the standard system and also attributes (including value ranges) that you have defined yourself.
If a set type is already assigned to a product category, it is only possible to change the set type description and, if necessary, add other attributes.
Only those set types that are not (or no longer) assigned to a category can be deleted.
The integration of customer-specific set types into the CRM WebClient application is possible via a so-called enhancement.
You can use the template framework to maintain mini-templates, which can be reused by many product master records.
You assign mini-templates to categories in category and hierarchy maintenance. Mini-templates are therefore not assigned directly to products, but only to product categories.
Mini-templates can be inherited from higher-level categories within a hierarchy. During product maintenance, the categories for the product in question are read at runtime. If a mini-template is found, its data is read to the corresponding attributes of the product if this product does not already have its own data.
For internal u s e by C S C only For internal u s e by C S C only
Figure 56: Categories and Hierarchies
The categories that are assigned to a product determine which product data is visible and can be maintained. Categories can also serve as groupings.
Product categories are used to group products together according to various
criteria.
Categories inherit the product category and the set types of all higher-level categories. For example, the base hierarchy R3PRODSTYP contains the category MAT_. This contains various set types, such as basic product data and conversion of units of measure. The sub-category MAT_HAWA inherits the set types from MAT_ and has additional set types, for example, sales set types.
The assignment of a product can be changed or deleted. The Recategorize Products function is only available in the SAP GUI.
Example: In the above case, the general set type Set 1 (for example, administrative
information relevant for each product) was assigned to the higher-level category High Tech. These attributes/fields are inherited by all subordinate categories, which in turn may be described by separate set types. For example, Set 2 could contain information about the type of hard disk and motherboard.
Once a product has been assigned to a product category, the attributes and contents that are stored in the relevant set types are displayed.
You can maintain conditions at category level, for example, by defining cross-product surcharges or discounts.
For internal u s e by C S C only For internal u s e by C S C only
Figure 57: Enhancing the Product Master: Overview
The figure above explain the various elements necessary to enhance the product master:
• Hierarchies • Categories • Set types • Attributes
• Creation of attributes results in the creation of data elements and domains on the database.
• Creation of set types results in the creation of database tables and other ABAP Dictionary objects, as well as function groups, function modules and screens. • To display the new set type in the CRM WebClient UI, the following steps
must be performed.
SAP Menu → Master Data → Products → Assign Set Types to Overview Pages SAP Menu → Master Data → Products → Create UI Configuration for Set Type
For internal u s e by C S C only For internal u s e by C S C only
Set types can be assigned to categories. You can assign templates when assigning set types. Therefore, products that are categorized later are assigned predefined characteristics automatically.
Hint: With EhP1 for SAP CRM 7.0 new set types are delivered, for
example CRM_EXT_MAT or CRM_EXT_SRV related to products of type Material or Service.
Customers who would like to enhance products only by very few fields do not have to create their own set types. Instead the generic Application Enhancement Tool (AET) can be used to create new fields.
Please be aware that this approach applies to very simple requirements of product enhancements! For internal u s e by C S C only For internal u s e by C S C only
Exercise 8: Product Maintenance and
Enhancement – Sales
Exercise Objectives
After completing this exercise, you will be able to: • Maintain a product in CRM
• Add your own attributes to products in CRM
Business Example
At the forthcoming trade fair, you want to present new products and convert potential customers into purchasers. You therefore familiarize yourself with the product maintenance functions in CRM.
Some of these products already exist as material master data in the ERP system.
Task 1:
Create a material master record with several views in the ERP system. 1. Log on to the ERP system and call material master maintenance:
ERP SAP Menu: Logistics → Sales and Distribution → Master Data → Products → Material → Trading Goods → Create
(Do not enter a material/material number. This is done by internal number assignment.)
Enter the following data: Industry sector: Retail Choose ENTER.
Select the following views:
Basic Data 1 and 2
Sales: Sales Org. Data 1 and 2 Sales: General/Plant Data Sales Text
Choose ENTER.
Continued on next page
For internal u s e by C S C only For internal u s e by C S C only
Plant: 2200
Sales Org.: 2200
Distribution channel: 10
Choose ENTER.
View: Basic Data 1:
Material Short Text: ##Monitor
Base Unit of Measure: PC (Pieces)
Material Group: 00207 (monitors)
Note: Note that the field GenItemCatGroup has been prefilled
with the value NORM.
This field is explained in the transaction processing unit.
Under Additional Data, enter a description for the language FR then go back to the Main Data.
Note: If you leave material master maintenance without creating the
views you selected earlier, proceed as follows:
Create a new material master, but enter the material number that
has been determined by the system.
Next, choose only the views that you have not yet created. Additions to the material master are performed using the create transaction, NOT the change transaction.
Press ENTER twice.
View: Sales: Sales Org. 1
Tax Classification: 1 (for all countries)
Choose the button Conditions.
Continued on next page
For internal u s e by C S C only For internal u s e by C S C only
Scale quantity: 1 (PC)
Amount: 99 (EUR)
Choose Back (F3). Choose ENTER.
View: Sales: Sales Org. 2
Note: Note that the Item category group field has been prefilled
with the value NORM. Choose ENTER.
View: Sales: General/Plant
Transportation Group: 0001 (On palettes)
Loading Group: 0002 (Forklift)
Choose ENTER.
View: Sales text
Sales text: This is a high-value monitor.
Choose and confirm the dialog box to save the material. Material Number: ___________________ [data sheet]
2. Display the material master in the SAP CRM system and familiarize yourself with product maintenance.
Hint: Use Business Role Sales Professional
Search for your product and save your search as PR_##Mon.
Take a closer look at your product. Has your product master been created without any errors?
How many product categories is your product assigned to? Where can you find the sales price of EUR 99.00?
Where can you find the sales text that you maintained?
Create a product master relationship. Assign material R-1120 as an accessory. When might this accessory function be used?
Continued on next page
For internal u s e by C S C only For internal u s e by C S C only
Task 2:
Add new fields to your product master in the CRM system. This involves some administrative steps that are performed using transactions in the SAP GUI. 1. First, create two new attributes in the SAP GUI.
The first attribute ZDIAGONAL## (Description: size of the monitor ##) is of the type Integer (2 digits) with the value range 19 and 21 (inches). The second attribute ZMONITORTYPE## (Description: monitor type
##) is of the type Character String (5 characters) with the value range TFT (flat) and CRT (normal).
2. In the SAP GUI, create the set type ZMONITOR## (Monitor
characteristics ##) for Materials and assign to it the attributes you created
in the previous exercise.
3. In the CRM WebClient UI, create the product hierarchy ##HIER (Hierarchy
group ##) and two categories.
The first category ROOT (Dummy entry##) should not be assigned to a product type and it should not be possible to assign products or objects to this category.
Note: We recommend that you first define a root node so that later
you can assign several categories at the same level.
The second category ##MONITORS (monitors of group ##), should be assigned to the product type Material. It should also be possible to assign products and objects to this category.
Assign the set type created by you (ZMONITOR##) to this category. Save your entries.
4. For test purposes, call product maintenance in the SAP GUI (transaction
COMMPR01) and change your product by making another category
assignment.
After you have released the data (ENTER), the new fields become visible. Use the input help (F4) to maintain values and save the product.
Note: To make the new fields visible in the CRM WebClient UI, it is
necessary to configure the UI. This configuration is not performed in this exercise.
Continued on next page
For internal u s e by C S C only For internal u s e by C S C only
Task 3:
Templates in the product master (optional)
1. Display the set type ZTMONITOR in the SAP GUI. Apart from the assigned attributes, what is different about this set type from the one you created in the previous exercise?
2. Go to Customizing and call mini-template maintenance (for products).
Note: SAP Customizing Implementation Guide →
Cross-Application Components → SAP Product → Templates → Maintain Mini-Templates
Display the product mini template with the ID/description ZTMONITOR. You should see two attributes containing default values (Speaker-out and Maximum Contrast).
3. Display the category 00010 of the product hierarchy PCSHOP_01 in the CRM WebClient UI. Apart from the assigned set types, what else can you see?
4. For test purposes, call product maintenance in the SAP GUI (transaction
COMMPR01) and change your product by making another category