Developing customizing product configurator(VC) in ECC

[Former Member]

Hi all,

1> As per the business requirement "product configurator" needs to be customized in ECC system using ABAP code.

2> Configurator has to be user friendly with drop down menu with characteristics values by considering all preconditions, dependencies and variant tables.

3> Right now I have developed screen and functionality for a product from corresponding variant class(300) with allowed characteristics and with all values, but not able to restrict values from dependencies, value based preconditions and variant tables.

4> I need a solution by considering the value based preconditions and variant tables, if there is any Function modules or API's that can be used for the above queries.

Looking for answer.

Regards,

Bharathkumar.MG.

[Former Member]

Hi Bharath,

Your Question is not clear, please explain more.

Regards,

Ankit.

[Former Member]

Hi Ankit,

Thanks in advance.

For example: Product no : A101. For this product we assigned a class with two characteristics - CHAR1 and CHAR2.

CHAR1 having 3 values like R1,R2,R3 and CHAR2 having 5 values like X1,X2,X3,X4,X5. These all values i got it from respective characteristics master and given in drop down.

My requirement is,

     1.If i select CHAR1 = R1 then CHAR2 should show only X1,X2 and X3.

     2.If i select CHAR1 = R2 then CHAR2 should show only X4 and X5.

These we have maintained in Variant table and assigned this to material configurable profile. In standard configurator it is working fine. But in my customized configurator i cannot able to make this condition.

Variant table name: ZVARIANT

R1     X1

R1     X2

R1     X3

R2     X4

R2     X5

This table assigned to dependency net and this assigned to material configurable profile in CU43.

Hope i explained my query in details. Let me know if you have any query.

Thanks and Regards,

Bharathkumar.MG

[Former Member]

Hi Bharat,

please find here the explanation how to handle variant tables from object dependency

http://help.sap.com/saphelp_erp60_sp/helpdata/en/92/58d455417011d189ec0000e81ddfac/frameset.htm

Kind Regards

Robert

[Former Member]

Hi Bharath,

Sorry but have not worked on  such requirement and cannot help.

BR,

Ankit.

[Former Member]

Hi Robert,

The above link you given is not meeting my requirement. Its having more functional point of view but am looking for solution on technical point of view.

Thanks and Regards,
Bharathkumar.MG

[Former Member]

Hi Bharat,

in this documentation is everything well described. Check the chapter vcariant tables and you can find how it work, how to create variant tables including how the object dependency sytax should Looks like to work with variant table.

please check the online help and you will find answers.

Kind Regards

Robert

[thomas_machts]

Hi Bharat,

From your statement above: "These we have maintained in Variant table and assigned this to material configurable profile. In standard configurator it is working fine. But in my customized configurator i cannot able to make this condition."   I conclude that the issue is related to your customized configurator.

In order to be able to help you we would need to know more about the kind of customization that you have done. Is your customized configurator still the SAP Variant Configurator? If, yes, what exactly is the type of customization that you have done?

Best regards,

Thomas Machts

[Former Member]

Hi Thomas,

As per the Variant configuration setup, Standard configurator(CU50) is working perfectly. The thing is when creating sales order in VA01, client feels it navigates into so many screens to book a single order (eg., item screen, configurator screen, conditions screen for seeing price, status screen and text screen) like this user have to navigate so many screens.

To overcome this we started to develop new customized screen with user friendly configurator like drop down menu for each characteristics. While developing this we stuck in-between while reading preconditions, variant table and pricing from Variant configuration.

The above screen is which we have developed for configuring a product. From the above if CHAR1 and CHAR2 is dependent characteristics. If CHAR1 is "X" then CHAR2 should be "Y". This we have maintained in Variant table and Object dependencies.

My Queries:

1. How to bring the above dependencies into configurator?

2. How to bring the price for each characteristics which maintained under one variant conditions with different variant keys based on characteristics values? 

Hope this will clarify your doubts. Let me know your valuable feedback.

Regards,

Bharathkumar.MG

[thomas_machts]

Hi Bharat,

Thanks for the clarification.

In the SAP configuration the variant table is only a part of a so called dependency. Variant tables can be used in different types of dependencies.

If I understand correctly you would like to transform the SAP dependency syntax into an executable algorithm in the programming language (ABAP?) of your own configurator.

Configurators are usually complex engines. The development of those engines easily goes up into thousands of person days. Having developed the configuration engine, you would need to integrate it into the SAP Sales Transactions, which is a project itself.

Why don't you want to reuse the existing SAP configuration engines and just build your UI on top of them or modify their standard UI's?

I would propose you alternatives (in the order of recommendation level and effort):

1. Have a look at the possible use of the IPC configurator within the SAP ECC sales transactions VA0X and VA2X. The IPC comes with a "one screen" UI for the configuration. The IPC UI is JSP and struts based and can be customized.

2. Have a look at the Webdynpro UI of the SAP Variant Configurator.

3. Think of developing your own UI on top of the SAP "Lean Order API" which enables you to pass characteristics and values to the SAP VC.

Best regards,

Thomas Machts

[thomas_machts]

Hi Bharat,

As you stated on the phone, the goal is not to develop your own configurator but to build your own

dynpro UI on top of the Variant Configurator.

In order to do this I would recommend you to have a look at the following API'S:

1. The ERP_SALES_LORD_RFC package contains the function modules like ERP_LORD_GET_VCFG_ALL that allow you to communicate with the SAP VC.

2. The service provider interface VC2HL (transaction mdb)

3. The IPC API's (function modules of package COM_CFG_API)

You also might have a look at the tool SAP Screen Personas which you could use in order to customize your dynpro UI.

A lot of additional information is available in the following community:

http://www.configuration-workgroup.com/

Best regards,

Thomas

[Former Member]

Hi Thomas,

The link you given in above reply for community workgroup is not working still. It is showing below problem.

Could you able to get into above link?

Regards,

Bharathkumar.MG

[thomas_machts]

Hi Bharat,

I also get this error.

This is the first time I have issues with the configuration workgroup portal in years.

I am confident that the site will come on again soon.

Please note that the site is not run by SAP, but the configuration-workgroup.

Regards,

Thomas

[Former Member]

Hi Thomas,

We have checked the configuration group which given in previous thread by you. But we cannot find any documents over there in that related to technical details for UI related or API's.

Regards,

Bharathkumar.MG

[JUNG]

Hello,

Within the lean order process you have a Web Dynpro Application LO_OIF_VCFG_APPL, componant LO_OIF_VCFG_COMP Component for LORD-Object VCFG, who could be used in VC to handle sales order item configuration (sytem is ERP 6 EHP4).

Rgds

Gilles