SAP S/4 HANA Article Master – Listing Article
Part I
In this blog post, we will discuss the Listing of the article.
The listing is a special topic to discuss as it involves
- Creation of Assortments/Assortment users
- Creation of material Groups
- Creation of Layout modules
- Creation of Layout module versions
- Assignment of the created assortment to the articles
The listing operation is the creation of a link between an article and an assortment (creation of WLK1 line).
Creation of Assortments/Assortment users:
What is Assortment – SAP definition: “An assortment is an SAP Retail object to which materials are assigned (a process is known as “listing”).”
Actually, an Assortment is a group of articles assigned to a group of sites. But it is not necessarily true. Why not true? Because each plant has his own assortment also.
Types of Assortments:
- General assortment
- Local assortments
General Assortment –
General assortments are type C assortments. They can be assigned to any number of Customers, and every Customer can be assigned several general assortments. If multiple assignments parameter has been set in Customizing, users can also use assortments of this type to assign stores and distribution centers.
Local assortments-
For local assortment, two types are defined. Type A for stores and type B for distribution centers. When a user creates a site (in other words, a store or distribution center), the system automatically creates a local assortment and then assigns it to the site. This local assortment is site-specific and cannot be assigned to another site. Each site has one local assortment created directly and can only be maintained in a limited way in the Assortment Processing transaction.
Creation of assortment involves:
- Creation of standard assortments for different sites
- Assignment of assortments to assortment users
- Creation of assortment modules and assignment to assortments
An assortment user must be assigned to an assortment before it can use the articles in that assortment for its various business functions. The scope of functions available is determined by the category of assortment users.
The following categories of assortment users are available:
- Retail sites
- Stores
- Distribution centers
- Customers
The most important assortment user is the retail site.The assortments of a site consist of all the articles in which it trades.
Assortments can be grouped together in the Classification System using SAP class type 047. Listing checks use only the characteristics defined here.
Mass functions are available for assigning customers to assortments (using assortment maintenance functions and radio buttons).
The main tasks in Assortment Management for retail sites and customers are:
- Determining the articles that may be sold in a store at POS.
- Adding these articles to the article assortment that is assigned to this store’s distribution center.
- Determining the distribution centers via which articles are distributed when stores are to be supplied from the warehouse.
- Determining the stores in which articles are to be sold at the point of sale.
- Determining the articles which are to be included in the customer‘s assortments.
Steps to create Assortment:
You can create general assortments and assign merchandise categories.
- On the Create Assortment Initial Screen, enter a new assortment.
- Give the assortment a key and a name.
- Assign an assortment status.
The validity period starts with the current date and is open-ended, for example, to the year 9999.
- Enter the distribution chain in which this assortment is to be used.
- Set the flag for creating listing conditions.
- Optional: Define a listing procedure to check the results of the listing process.
- Optional: Set the flag for listing all merchandise categories even if errors occur when the listing is checked.
- Optional: Set a flag to specify that the system should only carry out listing checks on a layout assigned to the assortment.
If such a check is carried out, you merely have to specify the layout in question.
- Choose Merchandise categories and assign the merchandise categories to the assortment.
If required, you can assign each merchandise category an assortment grade and/or an internal (system-side) assortment priority.
- Save your entries.
In the PART II, we will see actual creation part of listing via different methods like
Method1
- Create an assortment module and assign materials
- Assign the module(s) to the assortment (s)
Method2
- Promotional modules, rackjobbres
Method3
- Layout
- Create layout Modules and assign Materials
- Assign Layout Modules to layout
- Assign Layout to assortments
Part II
The article listing can be done several ways as follows;
Method1
- Create an assortment module and assign materials
- Assign the module(s) to the assortment (s)
Method2
- Promotional modules, rackjobbres
Method3
- Layout
- Create layout Modules and assign Materials
- Assign Layout Modules to layout
- Assign Layout to assortments
Once creating is done – WLK1, WLK2, WLK3. Once only these tables updated.
Let us discuss Method1 – it involves 2 steps
- Create an assortment module and assign materials
- Assign the module(s) to the assortment (s)
Creation of Assortment Module:
Go to Transaction – WS01 to create an assortment module
Assortment Module Creation
and then select the Module type as below
Assortment Module type
here we have different types of modules as below:
- Standard Module – is relevant for being purchased or sold at the site
- Exclusion module – you cannot buy material at a particular site
- Rackjobber module – a functionality – vendors places at the store, it is not the property of inventory, only owes to the vendor, on a commission basis
- Value contract module – standard sales and distribution based on contract.
select Standard module and proceed’
Enter the article details in it and save.
The Module has been created as below:
Assortment Module created
We have created an assortment module and assigned the article to that module.
We can assign N-no of articles to that module.
Next step
Now let us create a General assortment:
Creation of Assortment
and then enter the assortment details:
Assortment Creation – Name
Once click Enter after giving assortment name, we must enter details such as sales org, DC, Etc as below
Assortment Creation -Details
Then you can assign merchandise groups to the assortment:
Assortment Creation – Merchandise Group
And then we must add the stores that can handle these materials in assortment user tab:
Assortment Creation – User assignment
Note: When I am adding the perticular material in these sites means that article can be bought/sell only these perticular sites.
Finally, we have successfully created an Assortment module and assortment.
The next step is both must be linked.
How?
Go to Assortment Assignment and select – Maintain
Tcode – WS05
Assortment Assignment – Maintain screen
Once you select maintain option-below screen will popup
Assortment Module Assignment to Assortment
and Now you must enter the assortment.
Assigning Assortment to the Module
and click Save.
now we have successfully linked.
We can get confirmation from WLK1 table as below:
Listed Materials – WLK1 table Display
Entries of Listed articles:
Listed Articles – WLK1 Entries
The articles are listed successfully.
Now we can check whether the listing is successful or not via sales order.
TCODE: ME21N
The purchase order is generating for the listed articles to particular sites/plants.
This is one way of creating an assortment and article Listing.
Part III
Let us Discuss on another Method – Direct creating individual article listing against the assortment.
Let us start –
Prerequisites: We must have created Assortment and Modules as shown in Part II.
Go to Transaction – WSP4 to create Individual Listing article or navigate as below:
Direct creating individual article listing against the assortment
Once you enter WSP4 – Create, you will be asked with Article and Assortment details -Please enter.
create Individual Listing article
Give the article and assortment details, listing procedure, and other details and save. Listings is created.
Then we check on WLK1 entries-
WLK1 entries
Entries found in WLK1 – means Listing of that particular Materials is done.
WLK1 – Entry Found
The articles are listed successfully.
Now we can check whether the listing is successful or not via sales order.
TCODE: ME21N
Note:the material number in above screenshot should be 100073.
The purchase order is generating for the listed articles to particular sites/plants.
Note:the material number in above screenshot should be 100073.
This is another way of creating an article Listing using the Direct method.
Part VI
Now we will discuss another method “Via Layout”
- Listing via layout provides retail companies with a new procedure for creating assortments.
- Assortment management determines the presentation of goods in the selling area.
- The presentation of goods in stores is achieved using fixtures (shelves) with articles placed in them.
- The fixtures are mapped as layout modules.
- Using the layout, several layout modules are grouped together to form a merchandise area.
we must follow a few steps via using Layouts methodology
- Assortment users –
- We must create an assortmentAssortment ID – (layout module – functional creation step in s4 using WS01)WRS1 – to check assortmentsWRSZ – assortment usersBAPI – ASSORT_MAINTAIN_DATA
- Merchandise groups / Material groups
- WRS6 – for material groups against each assortment
- BAPI – ASSORT_MAINTAIN_DATA
- Layout module along with layout modules versions
- Layout Module – TWMLBAPI – ASSORT_MAINTAIN_DATALayout Module Versions – WLMVBAPI_WRF_LAYMOD_SAVEREPLICAArticle assignment to the respective assortments – means respective layout module/versionWe consider Layout modules/versions, articlesTarget table – MALGBAPI – BAPI_WRF_LAYMOD_SAVEREPLICA
Layout Check
This procedure checks whether:
- The article is assigned to a specific layout module
- The layout module is assigned to a layout and subsequently to an assortment
Changes in the master data for an assortment (for example, when an assortment grade is changed or a merchandise category is added or deleted) or for a site or a layout mean that the relevant article listing also has to be corrected.
Layouts:
- Changes to the assignment of a layout to an assortment
- Changes to a layout module
- Changes to a layout module version
- Changes to a layout module variant
- Changes to the assignment of an article to a layout module
Automatic assortment correction takes place when the relevant background job is run:
- The subsequent listing of merchandise category/articles (Report RWSORT17)
- Automatic relisting via master data change documents
- Assortment changes: transaction WSM4A, report RWSPORT07A
- Site changes: transaction WSM4B, report RWSPORT07B
- Layout changes: transaction WSM4L, report RWSPORT07L
Listing Conditions
The assignment of the individual articles to assortments is recorded in what are called listing conditions. These listing conditions contain the following:
- The periods of time for which an article is to be assigned to an assortment
- Inclusive or exclusive assignment (that is, whether an article is to be listed or excluded from listing)
- The number of the module which caused the listing conditions to be generated
- Whether the listing is for a promotion listing
- Whether the module is assigned to a rack jobber
- Whether an article is listed as a component of a structured article
In the case of manual listing using manually created assortment modules, the system creates listing conditions based on the assignment of the assortment module to an assortment.
In the case of automatic listing, the system uses listing rules to create listing conditions.
Listing Windows
The period of time for which an article is listed for an assortment is called a listing window. The maximum time span of the window is defined by:
- Valid-from date of the article
- Deletion date of the article
Within this maximum time span, you can create smaller time frames by manually creating listings through module item maintenance, or through the automatic listing by entering the listing time frames
The listing window defines the availability of an article for certain functions in an assortment and therefore in the assortment users (such as a retail site) assigned to the assortment. In a site, the listing window defines when merchandise listed can be ordered. Purchase orders can only be generated if their planned delivery date falls within the period defined by the listing window.
If SD sales orders or deliveries are linked to the listing check function and the assortments are assigned to customers, the listing window also defines in these sales documents whether or not a customer can order an article.
Few useful steps and TCODES:
To create an assortment, use the transaction WSOA1. Trough the transaction you can assign a site to the assortment. WSOA2 – to add a site to the assortment.
To list an article, use the transaction MM42 / Listing view. For mass listing use WSM3.
WSLA / WSOA3 – Sites in the assortment
WSL10 – Listing by material group selection
WSL11 – Listing by article selection
https://blogs.sap.com/2020/07/02/s-4-hana-listing-article-part1/
https://blogs.sap.com/2020/07/02/s-4-hana-article-master-listing-article-part2/
https://blogs.sap.com/2020/07/03/s-4-hana-article-master-listing-article-part3/
https://blogs.sap.com/2020/07/05/s-4-hana-article-master-listing-article-part4/