Batch Managed Material Check

[Former Member]

Dear Team,

I would like to check whether the material is batch managed or not. Should I need to check MARA-XCHPF or I need to check MARC-XCHPF?

Should I need to check the above table fields based on the configuration setting in OMCE (Batch level activation)?

And also I can see the field XCHAR (Batch mgmt. indicator -internal) in MARC. But I can NOT see this field in MARA. What is the importance of this field XCHAR? With this field can I able to identify whether the material is batch managed or not?

Thanks

[tinaren]

Hello,

You can firstly check the OMCE and find in which level the batch is unique.

If the batch is unique at plant level, then the MARC-XCHAR is set as X if a material is batch managed.

If the batch is unique at material level, then the MARA-XCHAR is set as X if a material is batch managed.

[Former Member]

Hi Tina,

Thank you for the input.

Could you please let me know in which table the OMCE settings is stored?

The field XCHAR I can see only in MARC. And I could not find this field in MARA. Instead of using the field XCHAR, shall I use field MARA-XCHPF & MARC-XCHPF?

What is the difference between MARC-XCHAR and MARC-XCHPF?

Thanks

[former_member233510]

Could you please let me know in which table the OMCE settings is stored?

Please check the table TCUCH.

The field XCHAR I can see only in MARC. And I could not find this field in MARA. Instead of using the field XCHAR, shall I use field MARA-XCHPF & MARC-XCHPF?

Yes, you can use.

What is the difference between MARC-XCHAR and MARC-XCHPF?

MARC-XCHAR (batch management indicator) - Specifies that the material is managed in batches

MARC-XCHPF (batch management requirement indicator) - Specifies whether the material is handled in batches

[Former Member]

Hi Rosh,

Thank you for your input. Sorry. Still I could not able to understand the difference between MARC-XCHAR & MARC-XCHPF. Could you please explain me with some example?

Your input will be very much appreciated.

Thanks

[former_member233510]

MARC-XCHAR (Batches) is Batch Management Indicator (Internal).

MARC-XCHPF (Batch Management)  is Batch Management Requirement Indicator.

Lets create a Material with out batch management and see the entries in the table MARC,

Then activate the batch management in MM02 and see the entries in the table MARC,

You can see both the MARC-XCHAR & MARC-XCHPF get marked. The field MARC-XCHAR is an internal field and MARC-XCHPF is the field which you can access in the material master in the Purchasing / General Plant data views. Hope I clarified you.

[Former Member]

Hi Rosh,

Thank you for your detailed input.

If both fields (MARC-XCHAR & MARC-XCHPF) are getting updated automatically while activating the batch management in material master, what is the need of having two fields for same functionality?

But one point to be noted here is, we do not have the field XCHAR in MARA. And we have the field XCHPF in both tables (MARA & MARC).

Thanks

[JL23]

It depends on the batch level whether you see MARA-XCHPF (material and client level) or only MARC-XCHPF (plant level).

in both cases the field MARC-XCHAR gets filled with X too, as you can see in include MM03MI01_MARC-XCHAR which is performed in material master maintenance.

But XCHAR can also have a X if no batch management is set active, this is in the case of split valuation, because SAP needs technically batch records for each valuation type.

[tinaren]

Hi Selva,

The OMCE settings is stored in table TCUCH-KZDCH.

0 Batch unique at plant level    (MARC)

1 Batch unique at material level   (MARA)

2 Batch unique at client level       (MARA)

Since you can only select one level for batch unique, so you can either use MARA-XCHPF or MARC-XCHPF, not the two at the same time.

The difference between MARC-XCHAR and MARC-XCHPF has been explained by Jurgen.

You can check the following wiki on how to convert the batch unique level from client/material/plant.

FAQ during batch level conversion - Product Lifecycle Management - SCN Wiki

Best regards,

Tina

[Former Member]

Hi Tina,

Thank you for the clarification.

Q1: So we can conclude that referring the field MARC-XCHAR to identify whether the material is batch managed or not is NOT advisable since this field (MARC-XCHAR) will be set active in case of split valuation (irrespective of the material is batch managed or not). Is my understanding right?

Q2: Assume that I have activated the batch settings in OMCE as "1- batch unique at material level".  And I have material M1. This M1 material is being produced in all my plants namely 2000, 2001. And I have created the batch master B1 in MSC1N for the material M1 (I have not provided the plant while creating the batch master B1). According to the OMCE settings, the batch master B1 will be applicable for all my plants (2000, 2001). In this case, if refer the MARC-XCHPF for material M1 & plant 2000 / 2001, Will it be BLANK? But actually the material M1 is batch managed in both the plants.

Q3: Hence I would say always refer MARA-XCHPF to identify whether the material is batch managed or not, irrespective of OMCE settings. Is my understanding right?

Thanks

[JL23]

Q1 = yes

Q2 = The plant information will be added to the batch master if the batch is used/posted in a plant. As your batch level is material level you have to look at MARA-XCHPF

The master record of a batch MCHA and MCH1 table has no effect on MARC-XCHPF, I mean it will not set this indicator in the material master, the material master is first.

Q3 = In general yes, but I would never do this irrespective of OMCE setting, a double check is always worth to do, as it can also uncover inconsistencies before something gets worse.

[Former Member]

Hi Jurgen,

Thank you for the input.

But still I have some confusion.

According to my OMCE settings, I have table entry as TCUCH-KZDCH = 1 (batch unique at material level). If TCUCH-KZDCH = 1, you are recommending to check MARA-XCHPF to identify whether the material is batch managed or not.

Q1: But I have one doubt. After setting "batch unique at material level" in OMCE, I am creating the material master M1 & i am enabling the "Batch Management" indicator in "Work Scheduling" view (I understand "Work Scheduling View" is plant specific view) for my plant 2000. In this case will the MARA - XCHPF be updated (or) MARC-XCHPF will be updated?

Q2: And also I could not able to see the "Batch Management Indicator" in "Basic Data Views" in my system. Is any setting required to enable this field in "basic data views"?

Thanks

[JL23]

There is no separate batch management indicator based on the batch level in material master maintenance, this is only separated in tables.

The batch management indicator is in delivered screens only possible to set in plant views (you do not necessarily enter a plant to maintain the indicator), it is certainly possible to move it over to the general screen, there are a few documents in SCN explaining the steps in detail.

MARC-XCHPF automatically gets its X copied over from MARA-XCHPF if the material is extended to a plant

[tinaren]

Hi Jurgen,

Thank you for your information.

For the behavior:  XCHAR can also have a X if no batch management is set active, this is in the case of split valuation, because SAP needs technically batch records for each valuation type.

If the material has the batch management and also has the split valuation. How can we know which one is valuatiion type and which one is the real batch?   Can we distinguish it in MMBE?

[JL23]

if material is batch managed then you will not see the valuation type in MMBE, the valuation type is then just a field within the batch master. MMBE is not a financial transaction, the main focus is logistics, and the batch number has a higher priority than the valuation type.

[Former Member]

Hi Juren,

Your input is really helpful.

Your statement: There is no separate batch management indicator in material master based on batch level setting in OMCE. This is only separated in table.

My comment: Do you mean table MCH1 to be referred to read the batch master (batches- if batch management is cross-plant), if TCUCH-KZDCH = 1 or 2? And table MCHA to be referred to read the batch master, if TCUCH-KZDCH = 0. Is my understanding right?

Your statement: The batch management indicator is in delivered screens only possible to set in plant views.

My comment: I understand your statement as "Based on OMCE settings", the "Batch Management Indicator" will be delivered in the respective views of the material master (Eg: If the batch level is set as "Material Level" in OMCE, the "batch management indicator (MARA-XCHPF)" will be available in "Plant / Storage Location 1" view by default. If required, we can move / copy this "batch management indicator (MARA-XCHPF)" to "Work Scheduling View" also. No need to enter the plant in 'Work Scheduling view" to view the "batch management indicator". Is my understanding right?

If you have any SCN link on this, could you please share?

Thanks

[JL23]

I meant that the material master comes first, and if you do not have a plant view in the material master then you cannot create a batch with MSC1N at plant level. You can just create a hull of a batch.

What do you want to do with a batch indicator at general level and a batch record at general level? They are pretty useless as you can only do logistic processes in SAP at plant level.

So this question is a pure academic question.

A normal batch record that is created in a standard SAP process has always MCH1 and MCHA records. One has the information which is valid across all plants, the other only information that is valid for a single plant.

the batch management indicator is already in various views of a material master, and it is always the same indicator and field if you fill it in the purchasing view and you jump to the work scheduling view then it has already the value that you entered before.

[Former Member]

Hi Jurgen,

Thank you for your detailed info.

So shall we conclude as below?

If TCUCH-KZDCH = 0 (Batch Unique at Plant level), check for MARC-XCHPF to identify whether the material is batch managed or not for that particular plant.

If TCUCH - KZDCH = 1 / 2 (Batch unique at material level / batch unique at client level) check for  MARA-XCHPF to identify the material is batch managed or not.

Thanks

[JL23]

yes

[Former Member]

Hi Jurgen,

Could you please share SCN document links on this subject, if you have?

Thanks

[JL23]

What kind of information should such document have? I guess we have nothing so detailed and academic like in this discussion. 

[Former Member]

Hi Jurgen,

Could you please share any document which details about batch level (OMCE settings) & its impact on the batch management process.

Thanks

[JL23]

Here is the only docu Batch Management (LO-BM) - SAP Library we never had more in the past, we just needed to read and  build our experience on testing.

[tinaren]

Hi Selva,

There is also a note 891902 and it contains the FAQ for Batch level.

Best regards,

Tina