Using Advanced Class Maintenance Functions

When working with advanced class management functions, you'll use the Basic data and Characteristics tabs.

The following video details these.

You can use the "same classification" check to avoid creating duplicate objects that are identical to existing ones. The image below shows an example.

The following restrictions apply to a "same classification" check:

• A classification is checked only when you have assigned values to all characteristics.

• Values of reference characteristics and inherited characteristics are not checked.

• The "same classification" check examines objects in one class only. It does not check whether objects are classified with the same values in other classes, or for identical assignments within a class hierarchy.

• If a later classification change – deletion of a characteristic, for example – makes classifications of different objects identical, an earlier check will not detect the new duplication.

• Changes made with engineering change management are not subject to a check.

Working with SAP master data usually involves three levels of authorization, shown in the following figure.

1. The first level represents the authorization for the transaction.
2. The second level is represented by authorization objects.
3. The third level is realized via authorization groups.

The following video explains the use of authorization groups inside the Classes screen.

The characteristics you assign to a class are defined in characteristics maintenance. But the central definition of characteristics is not always sufficient. For this reason, you can overwrite characteristics for a specific class. These changes apply only to characteristics used in this class. The following image shows how class-specific changes work.

You can overwrite the indicators shown on the slide. You can also change the allowed values of a characteristic for a specific class. You can link class-specific dependencies or documents to a characteristic or characteristic value.

If you change a characteristic for a class, the O indicator (overwritten) is set automatically.

When you change the values of a characteristic for a specific class, you automatically make a copy of the values of the characteristic. Any changes you make to the values of the global characteristic are no longer reflected in the class. However, you can update the values if required.

Making class-specific adjustments to a characteristic in a class affects not only the application, but also the tables used.

To identify these effects, examine the changed class for the internal numbers of the characteristics and the overwritten characteristics.

The following video provides an example.