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Document Info structures in Sales and Distribution
Summary
This document captures the basic process flow of how an info-structure can be configured and used in
sales and distribution.
Author: Ramya
Created On: 16th October, 2014
Author Bio: Ramya is a Consultant at Infosys & has over 2 years of professional work experience in SAP
Sales and Distribution module. She is engineering graduate from Anna University & Post Graduate
Diploma in Management from Birla Institute of Management Technology, Greater Noida.
Introduction
This document describes how Info-structures can be configured and maintained for the purpose of
sales/forecasting in Sales and Distribution. Some orders have been created to see how the data is
updated in the info structure. Also, the concept of conditions and requirement routines that place
restrictions on the infostructure update has been captured.
What are Info Structures?
An information structure is a set of data that contains information (as a resultant of an operation) which is
subsequently used for reporting and analysis.The standard SAP system has info structures from S001 to
S500. Customizing of info structures can also be done. Number ranges for customizing info structure is
from S500 to S999
Steps Involved in creating Info Structures:
The various steps involved in creation of an Info Structure are
The Field Catalog is a set of fields that can be used in creating an info structure for determining the key
figures and characteristics
Structure
An information structure comprises of
i. Characteristics
ii. Key Figures
iii. Period unit (time reference)
Characteristics
Characteristics are the fields that are used in aggregation for the info structure (For example Plant,
Material, Sales Organization etc). The characteristics can be chosen by the Choose Characteristics
option in the info structure. A pop up appears as shown below.
On clicking Copy + close, the chosen characteristics are displayed. Again copy must be clicked on. The
characteristics will be reflected in the info structure.The number of Characteristics that can be assigned is
limited to nine
Key Figures
Key figures are the fields that store the values that are updated during an operation and are used for
analysis. For example Order quantity (Updated when an order is created for a particular material from a
plant and sales organization), delivery quantity(delivery is created for the order) etc..The key figure that
needs to be updated when the operation is carried out is chosen and copied. On copying, the data
reflects in the info structure as shown below.
o Here the Unit refers to the Key of the unit in which the key figure is updated. For example, base
unit or sales unit of measure, etc.
o SID indicator specifies whether or not the key figure values can be meaningfully cumulated.
o FID indicator is used to fix the values of this key figure in the planning table of Flexible Planning.
Period unit (time reference) Explained under Step 4(Create Update Rules)
Every info structure has a period unit. Depending on the period unit, the key figure values are updated at
regular intervals. The periods can be daily, weekly, monthly or any posting period of your choice.
Generate Icon needs to be clicked in order to proceed.
Update group must be created for the statistics updating. This can be done in the path below
Determination of the Update Group in Sales Order Header and Item level
The update group is determined at sales order header and item level through the settings made for the
same.
If this condition is satisfied then the details will be updated in the sales order header. The sales order header is
updated as per the combination maintained
The sales order item level is updated as per the combination maintained
The update rules determine how the key figures/characteristics in the info structure needs to be updated.
Update type refers to the Type of updating used for key figure. For example if the value needs to
be cumulative or overwritten every time a transaction happens. Cumulative updating is selected
in this case
Unit is the Key of the unit in which the key figure is updated. For example, base unit or sales unit
of measure, etc.
Source table and field refer to the table and field from which the info structure must be updated.
Date field for period determination refer to the date that must be considered for aggregating the
data according to the periodicity.
Extended update rules comprises of
Formula refers to the arithmetic formula for the statistics update.
Req refers to the requirement for statistics updating. Here conditions for the updating of these
fields can be controlled via a requirement routine. This requirement can be maintained as below.
Program Name and Form Routine are used in case additional customization is required for the
same. An user exit is created in such a case.
Hierarchy is the Key that identifies the hierarchical level from the source document. During the
update process, it determines the document levels from which information is required for the
statistics.
Period Unit
After creating rules for all your key figures, go to Environment in the menu bar and choose activate
updating.
Here the period split and updating for the info structures can be seen. On Double clicking the info
structure, the period split and the updating (whether no updating is required or if the statistics update is
made synchronously with the document update or if the statistics update is asynchronous) can be
modified.
The info structure needs to be activated in the LIS environment through the transaction code LBW0
After this you can see the status of the info structure as active in MC23.
PATH : SBIW ->Setting for applications specific data source logistics Managing transfer
information structure setup of statistical data applications specific setup of statistical data
perform statistical setup sales. And distribution.
Choose activity, enter the info structure (S898), give name of the run, date of termination, time of
termination, No. of tolerated faulty documents. Then execute.
Material 10076393 for the month of October is checked.Currently, there is no data for the material.
Standard Order is created with Quantity 10 for the material. Delivery date in the order is 03.10.2014
The order and the cumulative order quantity gets updated for the month of October as shown below
Delivery created for the same
Now the delivery is PGIed. The quantity now reflects in the Actual delivery quantity
Scenario: Order not updated in the info structure due to Requirement set for update rules in the info
structure.
There is a requirement set in the update rules for the delivery quantity and actual delivery quantity
The condition is
If material div = 6A
If material group = COM
If delivery type = LF
UPDATE.
If delivery type = ZNL or NL
If supplying plant = NL02 AND (receiving plant = NL03 OR NLYP)
UPDATE.
Actual Delivery Quantity Requirement Routine 961
Quantity gets updated if Good Movement Status = C. All the other conditions are as mentioned above for
delivery qty. Now a material with material division 6A is taken for the testing.
An existing STO is picked up and the quantity is updated from 155 to 200 (Difference 45).
For this STO, the supplying plant is NL01. Hence as expected it is not getting reflected in the info
structure.
There is a standard report that can be used as an analysis tool for custom defined info structures.