Introduction to Variant Configuration

with an example model

Purpose
This guide is supposed to be a short introduction to Variant Configuration with a simple example.
With that guide one should be able to set up a first configuration model. If you need further
information about this topic please have a look at the online help of SAP, which you can find here:
http://help.sap.com.

Variant Configuration
To get an understanding of what Variant Configuration actually is let's read the description offered
by the SAP Online Help:
"Variant configuration is for manufacturing complex products. The manufacturer is always having
to offer new variants of its products. Often, new variants are created by modifying existing product
designs as you process the order. The important thing is to react quickly to customers'
requirements.
The customer determines the features of the product. A customer buying a car, for example, can
choose the features of the car and combine these features as required.
The product configurator improves information exchange between sales, engineering, and
production. Variant configuration helps the customer or salesperson to put together specifications
for the product and ensure that the product can be produced from these specifications. It also
ensures that production costs do not overstep the mark."
Now that we know what's behind these two words we can start to build an example model.

Example Model
In order to keep this guide compact this model will be quite simple. Let's assume that we want to
configure a computer. A computer consists of different components which will be chosen
accordingly to the characteristics.
Our characteristics of the computer are:

Characteristic Possible Values

VC_CHR_TYPE - Office computer
- Gaming computer
- Server
- Laptop

VC_CHR_CPU - A-CPU
- I-CPU

VC_CHR_MAIN_MEMORY - 2 GB
- 4 GB
- 8 GB
- 16 GB

VC_CHR_GRAPHIC_CARD - N-Graphic Card

 - A-Graphic Card
- Onboard

VC_CHR_OTHER_EQUIPMENT - High-End Sound Card

(multiple values) - TV Tuner Card
- Modem

Each characteristic needs exact one entry except VC_CHR_OTHER_EQUIPMENT.

Our computer is a "complex" material and consists of other materials. Therefore we need a bill of
materials. Each component has got only one characteristic:

VC_CHR_Price Numeric Value

The materials are finished products which are not configurable itself.
Bill of materials

Components
VC_MAT_A_CPU
VC_MAT_MEM_2
VC_MAT_MEM_4
VC_MAT_MEM_8
VC_MAT_MEM_16
VC_MAT_GRAPH_N
VC_MAT_GRAPH_A
VC_MAT_GRAPH_O
VC_MAT_EQU_SOUND
VC_MAT_EQU_TV
VC_MAT_EQU_MODEM
The characteristics of the computer are not independent among each other. Hence, we define
some dependencies.
Preconditions

Characteristic / Char. -
Precondition Condition
Value
VC_EX_CON1 Other Equipment VC_CHR_TYPE <> 'Server' AND VC_CHR_TYPE
<> 'Laptop'
VC_EX_CON2 8GB + 16GB; A-CPU VC_CHR_TYPE = 'Server'
VC_EX_CON3 N-Graphic Card + A- VC_CHR_TYPE = 'Gaming computer' OR
Graphic Card VC_CHR_TYPE = 'Laptop'
VC_EX_CON4 Onboard VC_CHR_TYPE = 'Server' OR VC_CHR_TYPE =
'Office computer'
Selection conditions
As it is described above the components of the computer will be chosen by means of the chosen
characteristics. To implement this functionality we need selection conditions.

Material Selection Condition

VC_MAT_A_CPU VC_CHR_CPU = 'A-CPU'
VC_MAT_I_CPU VC_CHR_CPU = 'I-CPU'
VC_MAT_MEM_2 VC_CHR_MAIN_MEMORY = 2
VC_MAT_MEM_4 VC_CHR_MAIN_MEMORY = 4
VC_MAT_MEM_8 VC_CHR_MAIN_MEMORY = 8
VC_MAT_MEM_16 C_CHR_MAIN_MEMORY = 16
VC_MAT_GRAPH_N VC_CHR_GRAPHIC_CARD = 'N-Graphic Card'
VC_MAT_GRAPH_A VC_CHR_GRAPHIC_CARD = 'A-Graphic Card'
VC_MAT_GRAPH_O VC_CHR_GRAPHIC_CARD = 'Onboard'
VC_MAT_EQU_SOUND 'High-End Sound Card' IN VC_CHR_OTHER_EQUIPMENT
VC_MAT_EQU_TV 'TV Tuner Card' IN VC_CHR_OTHER_EQUIPMENT
VC_MAT_EQU_MODEM 'Modem' IN VC_CHR_OTHER_EQUIPMENT

How to transfer the model into the SAP System?

First of all we need to define the characteristics. This can be done with the help of transaction CT04.
After you're done with that you should create a new class which contains all previously created
characteristics. You have to consider one important fact: The class should be created with a class type
which is intended for Variant Configuration (SAP Standard: Class type 300).
The corresponding transaction is: CL02

If you have done it correctly then you should have something like this:
Now you should apply the preconditions to the characteristics and its values.
Bill of materials - Materials
In order to create a bill of materials we need - of course - materials. These materials can be assigned to a
class. As described above this class has got only one characteristic: VC_CHR_PRICE. Moreover the class
doesn't have to be of type 300 because the materials are - in our case - not configurable. If you have created
this class we can create each material with transaction: MM01.Here you must specify the industry sector
and the material type of the material. In our simple example it's enough to classify the material and to set a
plant. Hence, we have to select the Classification and e.g. Purchasing View.

Specify the plant in which the material is used.

Enter the material description and the base unit of measure.

Then classify and valuate the material.

After that you can go on to the Purchasing view which is shown below:
Enter the description, the base unit of measure and a material group.Repeat this step for all components of
our computer.
Bill of Materials - The computer material
Now we created all components of the computer, but something is still missing - the computer itself. So we
have to make a new material for our computer. This is the configurable material. You should either select
"Configurable Mat" as material type in the start screen or you have to select it in the basic data in order to
sign this material as configurable.
Select the Purchasing and Classification view here as well, assign a plant, write a description and classify
the material with our computer class.
Bill of materials
Now we have all things done to create the bill of materials. The transaction CS01 supports us by this task.
Here you have to enter the name of the material which is supposed to have a BOM. Moreover the plant and
the BOM Usage fields are required.
After that you get the following screen:

After you entered all components the bill of material is nearly complete. You may have wondered about the
selection conditions we defined in our model earlier. Now it's time to apply them to each position in our bill
of material. To do so, select the component and then choose the dependency assignment or editor via menu.
If you choose to use the editor then you create only a local dependency. The assignment functionality is for
global dependencies. (see SAP Online Help - Variant Configuration for more detailed information). If you
want to use global dependencies you need to create the dependencies in transaction cu01 first.
After we assigned all dependencies the bill of materials is completed.
Now we have to create a configuration profile with the help of transaction: CU41. First you're asked to
choose the configurable object to which you want to assign the profile.

Then you have to enter the name of the - in this case - material. After that you'll get the following dialog:
In the displayed list you can add some configuration profiles, while the priority of each profile depends on
the position. (The lower the number the higher the priority). Besides the name of the profile you have to
choose the class type of this configuration. In this case we have to choose class type 300 - the SAP standard
class type for configurable classes.
With double-clicking on the profile name you'll get to the configuration screen of the profile. Besides the
basic data which are self-explanatory you can set some other properties.
For example you can choose the process which is indented for this material. Each process is explained in
the F4-help. The next option - BOM explosion - indicates how the bill of material is exploded in the sales
order. If you choose "Sing-Level" or "Multi-Level" you have to set the application of the material and you
are free to apply a filter.
Now all the settings were made and we can test the configuration.
Test of the configuration
You can simulate your configuration with the transaction CU50.
Enter the Name of the material and the plant and press F8. After that you can configure the material by
means of the characteristics.
Then you can see the result bill of materials by clicking the marked button.
As a result we receive a bill of material according to the characteristics entered.