Listing Procedures

Objective

After completing this lesson, you will be able to analyze the different listing procedures and describe their options

Basic Listing Procedures

Listing Procedures help the users in rule-based listing (automatic listing) to identify the suitable assortments for an article. For example frozen food articles should only be listed in sites with a freezer.

Three basic listing procedures are available in the SAP Retail System:

  • B1: Basic procedure: mdse cat. / assortment grade check

  • B2: Basic procedure: classification check

  • B3: Basic procedure: layout check

The basic procedure layout check checks:

  • Whether the article is assigned to a layout module

  • Whether the assortment or site is linked to a layout

  • Whether the layout module of the article is a layout area in the site’s or assortment's layout

Note

Listing procedure B3 can only be used for the above concept, where a layout is assigned either to an assortment or to a store. The next lesson explains the more recent concept using layout modules and assortments with listing from the layout workbench.

Only under these conditions the article will be listed for the assortment in question.

This procedure checks whether the classifying parameters of the article (characteristics and values) correspond to those of the assortment.

Only then the article will be listed for this assortment.

The basic procedure 'profile check' examines whether the article's merchandise category has been assigned to the assortment. Only then the article will be listed for this assortment.

Anyhow, the merchandise category check alone may be too "rough". For example both a small and a large store of the same store chain carry dairy products (created in the dairy merchandise category). But the small stores should only offer some basic dairy articles, whereas the large store should offer a wider range of these articles. So an additional check for assortment grades can be used with the basic procedure B1:

The basic procedure profile check with assortment grades checks

  • Whether the merchandise category, to which the article belongs, has been assigned to the assortment

  • Whether the article’s assortment grade is contained in the result grade of the merchandise category in the assortment

  • Whether the listing algorithm, which contains the assortment grade, has been maintained in the listing procedure

Only then will the article be listed for this assortment.

Note

If the multiple assignment is not active, that is when general assortments are not used for site listings, but only the local assortments, then the assortment grade can be assigned to the merchandise category in the site master.

If multiple assignment is active, you can use transaction WSOA7 - Assign Material Groups to assign merchandise categories and assortment grades to both local and general assortments.

A listing algorithm describes how the assortment grades are combined in the assortment grade rules. Assortment grade rules describe the relationship between the various assortment grades within a listing algorithm.

It is possible to create several listing algorithms with their specifically defined assortment grade rules. The listing algorithm that is to be used, must then be entered in the listing procedure.

In order to use the assortment grade check, you have to maintain assortment grades in customizing (IMG→Logistics-General→Assortment→Assortment→Assortment Grades), and at least one listing algorithm, and then you define the assortment grade rules for this listing algorithm.

Currently, a maximum of 20 assortment grades can be contained in an assortment grade rule.

Assortment grades can be assigned in the article master with the Material Change transaction (MM42) and in the assortment with the General Assortment Change transaction (WSOA2).

Display Assortment Grade Rules

Show and explain the customizing views.

Steps

  1. IMG:→Logistics-General→Assortment→Assortment→...

    a) Assortment Grades

    b) Listing Algorithm

    c) Assortment Grade Rules

  2. Then briefly show, where the assortment grades can be assigned in the article master: Retailing:→Master Data→Material→Material Change

    R1TA1100, Listing View

    Leave the transaction, don’t make any changes.

  3. .. and in the assortment:

    Retailing:→Master Data→Assortment/Listing→Assortment→General Assortment→Change:

    RS00100, Material Group View

    Leave the transaction, don’t make any changes.

    At this stage, also show the mass maintenance transaction in the same menu path:

    ...→Assign Material Groups.

    Here, you can assign merchandise categories and assortment grades to both general and local assortments.

    Please note: This demo covers Exercise — Analyze Listing Procedures,

    Task — Customizing Settings for the Listing Procedures, Steps 1 and 2

Customizing Settings for the Listing Procedures

Assortment listing procedure:


If this indicator is set, the listing procedure defined in the assortment must be used. Otherwise, the procedure entered in the dialog is used.

External procedure:

This listing procedure can be used in assortment management transactions, where a listing procedure can be entered by the user (dialog).

Multiple listing:


If an article has already been listed in an assortment module, it can only be listed in other modules too if you set this indicator. This is the standard case (for example regular and promotion listing).

Process control: Sequence and Link rule:

You can use this control to set up various combinations of basic procedures, and to determine if all selected procedures have to be fulfilled, or just one of them (and/or).

Rules:


The type of check is determined by the settings in the Process control. Each of the selected basic procedures must be linked with the relevant function module. The rules are implemented via user exits, and you can replace them with your own rules.

Display Listing Procedures

From Exercise — Analyze Listing Procedures, demo

Task — Customizing Settings for Listing Procedures, Steps 3 to 6

Task — Listing Procedure Defined in an Assortment, Steps 1 and 2

What happens in listing?

From a technical point of view, listing updates several database tables. The listing conditions for articles in assortments are stored in table WLK1. Among other things, listing conditions contain the validity periods and the module numbers. The sales period defined in the listing view (structure MWLI) is also available in the POS view of the article master (there, in table WLK2).

Data is also added to MVKE, the table in which the sales data for the article is stored. For example, the distribution chain and the sales unit of measure, and also the sales period).

Furthermore, data is stored in table MARC, which is part of the logistics DC and store views. It contains site-specific article data, such as RP type, planning cycle, planning calendar, and so on.

Data records are also created by the listing process in tables MARD, MBEW and MAW1, among others.

The contents of the tables can be checked in transaction SE16N.

In that way, the listing process creates the necessary article segments for the listed sites, so they can be used in logistics processes. For example: A purchase order can only be created, when the article is listed in the ordering site for the purchase order delivery date. The system also checks for a valid listing condition during goods receipt, and a valid listing condition is a prerequisite for the download of the article data to a store’s point-of-sale (POS) system, so the article can be scanned and sold at the store.

What happens in listing?

Show and explain the effects of listing: Not only the listing conditions are created, but also several article-specific database tables are filled.

Steps

  1. From Exercise — Analyze Listing Procedures, demo

    Task — Listing Procedure defined in an Assortment, Steps 3 and 4

    From Exercise — Analyze Listing Procedures, the participants perform

    Task — Customizing Settings for Listing Procedures

    Task — Listing Procedure Defined in an Assortment

Analyze Listing Procedures

Business Example

You have to decide which checks should be carried out in future to determine which articles are to be listed in the stores. For that purpose you have to know the settings for the listing procedures.

Task 1: Customizing Settings for Listing Procedures

You are now going to look at the listing procedures in more detail. The basic procedure for the merchandise category/assortment grade check uses a listing algorithm. So first take a look at the relevant customizing settings.

Steps

  1. What does a listing algorithm describe? Use the F1 help in the listing algorithm customizing view.

    _________________________________________________________

    1. IMG:→Logistics - General→Assortment→Assortment→Listing Algorithm 


      A listing algorithm describes the combination of assortment grades by means of assortment grade rules. These define which assortment grades are combined in a specific result assortment grade.

  2. Look at the setup of a listing algorithm in more detail. Which assortment grades does the assortment grade rule 3 — Extended assortment contain for the listing algorithm 01?

    _________________________________________________________

    _________________________________________________________

    1. IMG:→Logistics - General→Assortment→Assortment→Assortment Grade Rules

      Select assortment grade 01/3, and choose Details.

      In listing algorithm 01, the result assortment grade 3 contains the assortment grades 1, 2 and 3.

  3. To date, the listing of articles in your assortments is done via the merchandise category check. In Customizing, display the settings for the relevant basic listing procedure B1 — Basic procedure: mdse cat. / assortment grade.

    What are the two relevant settings for the merchandise category check?

    ______________________________________________________________

    ______________________________________________________________

    1. IMG:→Logistics - General→Assortment→Assortment→Listing Procedures 


      Switch to the display mode (button: Change —> Display), and select listing procedure B1.

      The relevant settings are sequence P, along with the corresponding function module (user exit) in the Exit lstg. AstGd field.

  4. Which setting is required for the additional assortment grade check in listing procedure B1, and what’s the impact of the indicator No astmt grade?

    _________________________________________________________

    _________________________________________________________

    1. Check the subscreen Rules:

      A listing algorithm has to be assigned to have the system perform the additional assortment grade check. The flag No astmt grade indicates whether an assignment should be accepted if the article and/or the merchandise category in an assortment don’t have an assortment grade assigned (value blank). If the indicator is set, listing takes place even when no assortment grade is maintained.

  5. How would you ensure that, in addition to the merchandise category, the layout assignments of the article and the assortment were to be checked, too? And how could you determine, that not necessarily both, but either the merchandise category or the layout has to match? (Don’t make any changes to the B1 listing procedure!)

    _________________________________________________________

    _________________________________________________________

    1. In the process control, you’d set link rule | (or), and L layout comparison procedure with the relevant function module in theExit lstg lay field. (Don’t make these changes to the B1 listing procedure!)

  6. Now take look at the Parameters view. What’s the meaning of the flag Assortm.ListPro? Use the F1 help. Is it active for listing procedure B1?

    _________________________________________________________

    _________________________________________________________

    1. If the indicator is set in a listing procedure, then the general listing procedure of an assortment overrules this one when it is used in rule-based listing. Yes, it is active for B1.

      Exit without making any changes.

Task 2: Listing Procedure Defined in an Assortment

You can define a general listing procedure in the assortment. As determined in the task before, the flag Assortm.ListPro in the customizing settings of a listing procedure indicates that the general listing procedure defined in the assortment overrules this listing procedure, which was maintained in the dialog of rule-based listing. The indicator is set for listing procedure B1. Now, you want to test the impact of it.

Steps

  1. In your new assortment FOOD-L##, set K1 (never list) as the general listing procedure.

    1. Retailing:→Master Data→Assortment/Listing→Assortment→General Assortment→Change

      Field name or data type

      		Values
      Assortment

      FOOD-L##

      Basic Data: 
      Listing procedureK1 Never list
      Save your settings.

  2. You want to test this new setting with article R1TA60 of merchandise category RS12310 (Chicken).

    To do so, again use the mass maintenance listing transaction Setup Based on Article.

    Field name or data type

    		Values
    AssortmentFOOD-L##
    MaterialR1TA60
    Material GroupRS12310
    Listing procedureB1
    New ListingX
    Also List Supplying PlantX
    Issue LogX
    List Local Assortment Also<blank>

    Execute. Would the articles be listed again?

    ___________________________________________________

    1. Retailing:→Master Data→Assortment/Listing→Material Mass Maintenance→Assortment→Setup Based on Article.

      Make your settings as specified in the task.

      The articles would not be listed again, as K1 (never list) overrules B1. The following message is issued:

      Rules Do Not Allow Listing

      However, the original listing conditions still remain active.

  3. (optional): What happens in listing? When listing is executed, not only listing conditions, but many other article table entries are created. For example, the system creates all the logistics views for the selected assortment users.

    First check the listing conditions for article R1TA60. Which listing conditions exist?

    1. Retailing: Master Data→Material Data→Material→Display

      Select the listing view, and choose Assorts.

      There are listing conditions for the FOOD-L## assortments, and the supplying sites R7## and R8##.

  4. Now access the MARC table to see if all relevant entries were created for R1TA60 and your FOOD-L## assortment users, as well as for your supplying sites R7## and R8##.

    1. In the command field, enter transaction code SE16N.

      Enter table MARC and press Enter.

      In the Selection Criteria, select Article R1TA60, and Execute.

      The MARC table contains entries for all the assortment users of the FOOD-L## assortments, as well as for the supplying sites. Furthermore, there are entries for the global and distribution-chain specific reference sites.

Learning

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