Working with Tool Items

Since release 2025, tool items are now supported in service transactions with item-based accounting active.

Tool items specifically refer to the tools that a technician needs to have on hand to complete the service.

These could be anything from a specialized tool to common hand tools. These are planned to be billed to the customer based on its usage and to determine and allocate internal costs.

When item-based accounting is active, each service order item creates its own account assignment object.

Via the configuration menu path SAP Customizing Implementation Guide→Integration with Other SAP Components→Customer Relationship Management→Settings for Service Processing→Controlling Integration→Determine Cost Center and Activity Type for Tool you need to maintain the activity type for tool items.

Using transaction KP26, you need to maintain the cost rate for the activity type used.

Using the configuration option SAP Customizing Implementation Guide→Logistics General→Material Master→Basic Settings→Material Types→Define Attributes of Material Types, you need to enable the user department Sales for material type FHMI.

Using the configuration option SAP Customizing Implementation Guide→Logistics General→Material Master→Configuring the Material Master→Define Structure or Data Screen for Each Screen Sequence you need to maintain program SAPLCRMS4_PRUDUCT_SUBSCREEN for screen sequence 21 (Std ind.(short) tab pages) and data screen 17 (Production Resources/Tools).

Using the configuration option SAP Customizing Implementation Guide→Logistics General→Material Master→Field Selection→Assign Fields to Field Selection Groups you need to maintain the (field) Maint. Status as VF for the fields MARA-SRV_DURA (Duration of Work) and MARA-SRV_DURA_UOM (Unit for Duration of Work ).

Using the configuration option SAP Customizing Implementation Guide→Logistics General→Material Master→Field Selection→Assign Fields to Field Selection Groups choose a new unused field selection group for the two fields MARA-SRV_ESCAL (Response Profile) and MARA-SRV_SERWI (Service Profile).

Since these two fields (MARA-SRV_ESCAL and MARA-SRV_SERWI) are not relevant for tool items, you can hide them for the field reference that is assigned to material type FHMI. If, for example, the field reference assigned to material type FHMI is HALB, then for the field reference group that contains the above two fields the field selection can be set to Hide.

The costs and the revenue are posted to the account assignment object of the tool item.

Event-based revenue recognition is supported for tool items. Currently only for time and material (T&M) scenario. To enable this, a revenue recognition key must be assigned to the item category.

The revenue is recognized depending on the chosen method. If status TECO is set, the full costs and revenue are recognized, independent of the method (EBRR accounts cleared). For example: completed follow-up processes, billing processes, and cost postings.

Supported revenue recognition methods are Completed Contract and Cost Based Percentage of Completion.

• Since release 2025, tool items are now supported in service transactions with item-based accounting active.
• You need to maintain the activity type for tool items and a cost rate for this activity type.
• Various other configuration settings are required like the enablement of the user department Sales for material type FHMI.
• Event-based revenue recognition is supported for tool items. Currently only for time and material (T&M) scenario.