In SAP S/4HANA Cloud Edition for 2108, the aATP team extended the functionality of Master Data for Substitutions. In this release, along with product substitutions, you can now define and maintain substitution chains for locations, which include both plants and storage locations.
The Location Substitution apps are available for use from CE-2105 and OP-2021 release onwards.
Similar to product substitution, you can define location substitutions using 5 apps. The main apps are called Manage Substitutions and Manage Exclusions.
From the Fiori Launch Pad (FLP), click on Manage Substitutions - Locations app tile and you will be navigated to the list report page of the app where you can view the multi-tab (Plant and Storage Location) landing page.
Picture#2: List Report for Location Substitution
You can use the appropriate tab to define the substitution either for plant or storage location. In the header section, a smart filter bar is available which you can use to filter the data. Adapt filters can be used to filter the list with more fields (which are not listed as default in the screen)
Clicking on the Go button results in the list page being populated with data. The table list provides the count of records available (substitution defined values).
In the table toolbar, multiple status buttons are available that can be used to change the status of the substitutes. Multiple substitutes can be selected and their status maintained by selecting the rows. The available statuses are:
Picture#3: Detailing the features in Location Substitution List Report
In some scenarios where there is a need to exclude the substitutes from the substitution process, the Manage Exclusions app can be used to maintain the exclusions. The excluded substitutes based on timestamp are denoted as:
In these situations, the exclusion status is also shown in the Substitute Exclusion Status column of the List Report page. Additionally, the exclusion status is smart-linked to the Exclusion app. Clicking on this link opens the Manage Exclusions app and displays the details of the exclusion.
Picture#4: List Report depicting the exclusion status (Partial / Fully Excluded)
Upon clicking the link, the Manage Exclusions app displays details such as exclusion status and time and date validities. You can change the details of the exclusion in this app. On clicking the back button of this app, the user is redirected back to the List Report page of the Manage Location Substitution app. You can refer picture#5.
Picture#5: Exclusion app list report - due to cross app navigation from substitution app
From the Manage Substitutions List Report page, clicking on the chevron navigates the user to the Object page where the user experiences the same screen interface like that of Manage Product Substitutions.
Picture#6: Location Substitution - Object Page
The first section is the Object Page header where the user views details such as plant, substitute plant, organizational data, status, and administrative data. Below the header is the first section of the object page which displays the following data:
In the next section, the Substitution Chain is displayed. This section displays the predecessor substitutions (substitutes that are before the chosen plant) and successor substitutions (substitutes that are after the chosen plant). The table also displays other information such as organizational data, validities, groups, and status.
Network Graph:
The Network Graph enables the user to visualize a schematic representation of the substitution chains (which are listed in a tabular format in the Object page).
The user can choose to view the visual representation by clicking on the View Graph button which is available in the header section of the Object page.
Clicking the View Graph button redirects to the Network Graph canvas page where the filter values are already preset because the user comes in with a substitution context as shown in the following screenshot:
Picture#7: Network Graph of Location Substitution
The graphical representation is also color coded to depict the starting node of the substitution chain which is colored in pink and the immediate substitute is colored in blue. The color codes are defined in the legend (marked as number 3) in the above screenshot.
The grey lines connecting each substitute represent that the substitution is active and can be used for substitution process. If the substitutes are inactive, then the grey lines are changed to grey dotted lines representing that the substitution is inactive.
In the representation:
The nodes represent the physical unit like Plant / Storage Location and the edges represent the status and attributes of connection between the two nodes and consists of details (marked as number 4) in the screenshot.
On clicking the line (edge), the user can see details like the original plant (the chosen substitute), organizational details, group to which the substitution belongs, and the validities information.
The substitution chain also has a stop indicator which is depicted in the graph when the user selects the exit indicator during defining of the substitute as discussed in the earlier part of this blog.
Note:
The Location Substitution apps are available for use from CE-2105 and OP-2021 release onwards.
Similar to product substitution, you can define location substitutions using 5 apps. The main apps are called Manage Substitutions and Manage Exclusions.
Picture#1: Business Catalog for Location Substitution
From the Fiori Launch Pad (FLP), click on Manage Substitutions - Locations app tile and you will be navigated to the list report page of the app where you can view the multi-tab (Plant and Storage Location) landing page.
Picture#2: List Report for Location Substitution
You can use the appropriate tab to define the substitution either for plant or storage location. In the header section, a smart filter bar is available which you can use to filter the data. Adapt filters can be used to filter the list with more fields (which are not listed as default in the screen)
Clicking on the Go button results in the list page being populated with data. The table list provides the count of records available (substitution defined values).
In the table toolbar, multiple status buttons are available that can be used to change the status of the substitutes. Multiple substitutes can be selected and their status maintained by selecting the rows. The available statuses are:
- Active: Indicates that the substitution is active and will be considered for the substitution process
- Inactive: Indicates the substitution is inactive and will not be considered for the substitution process
- Obsolete: Indicates the substitution is no more supported. The status can be changed to Inactive or Active as per business requirement
Picture#3: Detailing the features in Location Substitution List Report
In some scenarios where there is a need to exclude the substitutes from the substitution process, the Manage Exclusions app can be used to maintain the exclusions. The excluded substitutes based on timestamp are denoted as:
- Partially Excluded: Substitutes are excluded for a certain period based on the specified time validity duration.
- Fully Excluded: Substitutes are completely excluded from being used in substitutions.
In these situations, the exclusion status is also shown in the Substitute Exclusion Status column of the List Report page. Additionally, the exclusion status is smart-linked to the Exclusion app. Clicking on this link opens the Manage Exclusions app and displays the details of the exclusion.
Picture#4: List Report depicting the exclusion status (Partial / Fully Excluded)
Upon clicking the link, the Manage Exclusions app displays details such as exclusion status and time and date validities. You can change the details of the exclusion in this app. On clicking the back button of this app, the user is redirected back to the List Report page of the Manage Location Substitution app. You can refer picture#5.
Picture#5: Exclusion app list report - due to cross app navigation from substitution app
From the Manage Substitutions List Report page, clicking on the chevron navigates the user to the Object page where the user experiences the same screen interface like that of Manage Product Substitutions.
Picture#6: Location Substitution - Object Page
The first section is the Object Page header where the user views details such as plant, substitute plant, organizational data, status, and administrative data. Below the header is the first section of the object page which displays the following data:
- Reasons: Indicates why the substitution is taking place.
- Group: Indicates the group to which the substitution belongs.
- Exit Indicator: Indicates if the system needs to stop further traversing of the chain of substitutions.
- Lead Indicator: If there are multiple substitutions for the chosen plant, then selecting the lead indicator indicates that this plant takes precedence over other substitutes.
- Sequence: Indicates the sequence in which the substitutes are triggered for the substitution process.
- Validities: The validities (from-and-to date and time along with time zone) information for the substitution.
In the next section, the Substitution Chain is displayed. This section displays the predecessor substitutions (substitutes that are before the chosen plant) and successor substitutions (substitutes that are after the chosen plant). The table also displays other information such as organizational data, validities, groups, and status.
Network Graph:
The Network Graph enables the user to visualize a schematic representation of the substitution chains (which are listed in a tabular format in the Object page).
The user can choose to view the visual representation by clicking on the View Graph button which is available in the header section of the Object page.
Clicking the View Graph button redirects to the Network Graph canvas page where the filter values are already preset because the user comes in with a substitution context as shown in the following screenshot:
Picture#7: Network Graph of Location Substitution
The graphical representation is also color coded to depict the starting node of the substitution chain which is colored in pink and the immediate substitute is colored in blue. The color codes are defined in the legend (marked as number 3) in the above screenshot.
The grey lines connecting each substitute represent that the substitution is active and can be used for substitution process. If the substitutes are inactive, then the grey lines are changed to grey dotted lines representing that the substitution is inactive.
In the representation:
- The substitute boxes are also called as Nodes.
- The interlinking lines are called as Edges.
The nodes represent the physical unit like Plant / Storage Location and the edges represent the status and attributes of connection between the two nodes and consists of details (marked as number 4) in the screenshot.
On clicking the line (edge), the user can see details like the original plant (the chosen substitute), organizational details, group to which the substitution belongs, and the validities information.
The substitution chain also has a stop indicator which is depicted in the graph when the user selects the exit indicator during defining of the substitute as discussed in the earlier part of this blog.
Note:
- The same process is to be followed for Storage Location.
- Related apps for defining location substitutions:
- Manage Reasons app
- Manage Controls app
- Manage Groups app
- Manage Exclusions app
- SAP Managed Tags:
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