Defining Knowledge Base and Runtime Version

The following video gives you an overview of the knowledge base.

This figure explains the existing satellites of SAP Variant Configuration.

Purpose:

• This component is a core Business Solutions component in the way that it is implemented to provide support for sales processes with interactive product configuration, for example. The components in particular suitable for applications that focus on interaction in the configuration process.

• The Configuration Engine is sometimes also referred to as the Internet Pricing and Configurator (IPC) or as the Sales Configuration Engine (SCE).

Prerequisites:

The application must be able to provide runtime versions of knowledge-base objects. The Configuration Engine is part of the application platform that is based on SAP NetWeaver.

Integration:

As a component of solutions such as SAP E-Commerce for SAP R/3, the Configuration Engine can be used for all applications that have the appropriate interfaces. The following overview shows the Configuration Engine embedded between the knowledge base and the application or user interface for interactive configuration.

Interfaces:

Like other components, the Configuration Engine has a series of interfaces. To ensure that the Configuration Engine can function as intended, knowledge and correct usage of the following interfaces is required:

Runtime Versions of Knowledge Base Objects:

The Configuration Engine is essentially based on runtime versions of knowledge base objects. The knowledge base, collected in knowledge base objects, results from models that are created to describe configurable objects, their properties, and their interdependencies. Master data maintenance is responsible for creating and updating these models. The master data is maintained as part of the application in which the Configuration Engine functions.

External Configuration:

You start the Configuration Engine by calling an application. You want to create a new configuration for a specific object type. For example, you want to configure a computer in a sales order. The Configuration Engine receives this request with the specific object type; it searches the knowledge base and compiles an active configuration (on the basis of all the information and rules this contains).

The application can request a copy of the active configuration, usually at the end when all the features have been defined for the computer. This copy, or external configuration, can also be saved by the application. In comparison, the active configuration is volatile, that is, the Configuration Engine does not save any results. An existing external configuration can also form the starting point of a configuration, if, for example, the order is to be changed at the customer's request.

Pricing Engine:

The knowledge base (the basis for the configuration) can contain keys that represent price-relevant information with regard to the specification of a characteristic. These keys are called variant condition keys.

Use:

SAP Solution Sales Configuration (on-premise edition) is a system that helps customers to configure and sell solutions made of complex product combinations. In addition to selling their own products, many businesses also sell solutions that include products, services, and parts from other manufacturers.

For example, many technology companies sell solutions that include combinations of highly complex hardware, software, and services, and each of these can have options or features that must be specified by a customer during the ordering process. From a modeling perspective, each individual product can be split into many different instances, and there are many possible relationships and dependencies between the product instances.

SAP Solution Sales Configuration (on-premise edition) provides a flexible modeling environment, which in turn simplifies the ordering and configuration process for the customer. SAP Solution Sales Configuration (on-premise edition) includes a configuration engine that provides the ability to perform bottom-up configuration as well as the normal top-down approach. The system offers innovations that make it easier to maintain configuration model data. The system is designed to provide efficient configuration execution performance and advanced integration capabilities.

Integration:

SAP Solution Sales Configuration (on-premise edition) is integrated with the following systems:

• SAP Customer Relationship Management (SAP CRM) 7.0 EhP 4

• SAP ERP Central Component 6.0 EhP 8

• Hybris Commerce Suite

For information about supported versions, see SAP Note 2227752, information published on the SAP site (Supported Combinations of SAP Commerce Platform and SAP Solution Sales Configuration).

Features:

Solution Modeling Environment

The system provides a modeling environment for creating complex solution models. The solution modeling environment is based on the Eclipse Rich Client Platform (RCP) and can be integrated with SAP CRM and SAP ERP for exchanging configuration master data. Within the modeling environment, you define model elements such as classes and characteristics, and then you define dependencies between your model elements.

The solution modeling environment can also be integrated with a Source Code Management System to support collaborative modeling and allow several modelers to work on the same model simultaneously. The solution modeling environment includes a test user interface and a configuration engine, which allow you to test and optimize your model before transporting it to the target sales system. For more information, see Solution Modeling Environment.

Solution Configuration Environment

The application provides a configuration engine and a configuration user interface that fully integrates with the ordering process in the SAP CRM and SAP ERP systems. You can enter an advanced mode product (a solution) as an item in a sales document, and then choose to configure it. The system opens the enhanced configuration user interface, where you can enter the solution components and configure their options. When you save the configuration, you are returned to the sales document. For more information, see Solution Configuration Environment.

Integration with non-SAP Sales Systems

SAP Solution Sales Configuration (on-premise edition) can also be integrated with non-SAP sales systems. For more information, see Integration with Other Sales Systems.

Solution Configuration Analytics

SAP Solution Sales Configuration (on-premise edition) provides a set of Data Sources for extracting solution configuration data from the SAP CRM system to a data warehouse.

For more information, see Solution Configuration Analytics.

Introduction:

SAP Variant Configuration and Pricing can be used to build applications that enable sales teams, customers, and channel partners to configure and price products and services accurately and efficiently. This solution provides functionality to replicate configuration models and pricing data of SAP ERP or SAP S/4HANA, in the SAP Cloud Platform. That data can be used by micro services for product configuration and pricing.

Security

SAP Variant Configuration and Pricing relies on the platform security provided by SAP Cloud Platform. The customers' data is strictly isolated via dedicated SAP Cloud Platform, SAP HANA service instances. Custom-coding, for example, for variant functions or pricing user-exits, is not allowed.

System Requirement

• Before starting, make sure that you have all required versions of the software you are integrating. For that, please refer to SAP Note 2711932 Information published on the SAP site. To exchange data between cloud solution SAP Variant Configuration and Pricing and the licensee’s local on-premise SAP ERP backend, SAP Variant Configuration and Pricing also comprises the SDI Data Provisioning Agent, which is part of SAP HANA smart data integration.

• The SDI Data Provisioning Agent is an on-premise application that is to be installed and operated locally in the customer’s on-premise landscape. For data exchange with SAP back-end systems, using a third-party runtime database obtained from SAP, such as Microsoft SQL Server or Oracle, certain restrictions apply according to the applicable on-premise license agreements for the third-party runtime databases. One such restriction is that the licensee may not access these databases directly via systems or technologies that have not been licensed specifically for use with such runtime database.

• Therefore, the corresponding SDI Data Provisioning Agent LogReader Adapters provided with SAP Variant Configuration and Pricing may not be used to directly access, or replicate data from, such third-party runtime databases licensed from SAP. For third-party database licenses not obtained from SAP, please refer to the respective license agreements on the available options for data exchange via direct database accesses.

For more information about interoperability and maintenance rules for the Data Provisioning Agent, see SAP Note 2546811, information published on the SAP site.

The following figure explains the process steps from Modeling to Knowledge Base and Runtime Version.