A material change can trigger a variety of consequences within a company, extending beyond just the material master record to affect bills of material, routings, and documents. In SAP systems, these elements are managed collectively through engineering change management (ECM).
Suppose, for example, you need to modify a shaft. The material master record for the shaft is used in a bill of material, and it’s linked to a document info record via an object link. Product changes can be executed using either a change master record or a change record.
Watch the following video for a high-level introduction to ECM.
ECM offers the following features.
Grouping Changes: This tool allows you to group related changes for different SAP objects impacted by a single change.
Central Logistical Function: Engineering change management serves as a central logistical function for modifying master data. These changes are meticulously monitored and documented to meet regulatory requirements for supporting documentation.
Historical Tracking: It enables storage of specific SAP objects (such as BOMs and routings) multiple times, preserving a history of all change states.
Defining Validity: Changes take effect based on the validity defined in the change master record or change record. For example, validity might be specified as a particular point in time.
Automated Changes: By setting the release key for the specific area, changes are automatically implemented in various parts of the logistics process chain (e.g., sales orders, MRP, shop floor, and production control).
Change Master Record: Structure
To effectively use a change master record, follow these steps:
- Enter header information:
- Provide a short description of the change.
- Specify the valid-from date.
- Set the status of the change.
- Identify changeable objects: Choose the object types that the change master record will affect. This decision dictates which objects can be modified.
- Use object management records: Enable detailed change logs for specific objects, such as the Bill of Material or the document.
- Control valid-from dates with alternative dates: Use alternative dates to set more precise valid-from dates for individual objects.
- Assign accompanying documents: Attach relevant documents to the change master record to provide additional context or information.
- Search using classification: Use classification features to search for specific change master records efficiently.
By following these steps, you can manage changes systematically and keep records organized within your SAP system.
Documents in Change Management
Previously, you may have edited and released documents without using engineering change management, with the "valid-from" date defaulting to the current date. When a new version was released, the previous version was assigned a "valid-to" date.
Now, with engineering change management:
- Creating Change Numbers: You can create multiple change numbers, such as N-2, N-3, and N-4, and link them to a document. Previously, only reservations were created.
- Change Document Transaction: On opening the Change Document transaction, you’ll notice that, unlike other SAP objects, you can’t enter a change number directly on the initial screen. Upon confirming the data, change numbers appear as reservations, which you can then copy into the document.
- Direct Entry of Change Numbers: If no document exist as an object management record in the change number but the change number is released for use in document management, you can enter the change number directly. In either scenario, the change number becomes grayed out after saving the document. Any further changes must be made within this change number.
- Releasing the Document: The "valid-from" date is set to the date of the change number. If appropriately customized, you can also create a revision level.
- Future Versions: To release further versions of the document, you must use a change number, a process known as a history requirement.
By following these guidelines, you can effectively manage document changes and maintain accurate records within your SAP system, ensuring smooth operations and adherence to regulatory standards.