One of the reason we maintain classification is for batch management where characteristics like shelf life expiry date is being attached to a class and that class is maintained in material master so whenever transactions takes place it will read from the characteristics value.
The other purpose is with variant configuration. For a configurable material, there will be more than one characteristics for example: in a car it comes with a/c - non a/c, metallic - nonmetallic, normal steering - power steering all these are maintained as characteristics and assigned to a class and we use that class in classification for materials.
There is many more advantages and ways of using classification
in material master.
What is the purpose of class in material classification in SAP?
- Classes allow you to classify materials with the same characteristics.
- A material can be assigned to one or more classes.
- Classification data is valid for the whole company.
How can you assign a material to a class?
You can assign a material to a class in one of the following ways:
This can be done from the Classification screen in the material master (MM01 / MM02):
- When you create classification data, the system asks you to choose a class type in a dialog box. If necessary, you can change the class type on the following screen, where you assign the material to one or more classes. Entries are made in the Description, Status, and Icon fields automatically on the basis of the classes you have chosen. If you have assigned the material to more than one class, you can flag one of the classes as the standard class. You can then assign values to the characteristics. For example, if the characteristic is color, you can assign it the value blue.
- By including the Characteristics sub-screen on a data screen in the material master
On this subscreen, you can maintain the characteristics
of a class as additional fields. In the standard R/3 System, this subscreen
remains hidden until you assign it to a material master data screen of
your choice. You do this in Customizing for the Material Master in Define
Structure of Data Screens for Each Screen Sequence.
( Logistics - General -> Material
Master -> Configuring the Material Master -> Define Structure of Data Screens
for Each Screen Sequence )
The characteristics (that is, fields) that appear on
the subscreen depend on the class assigned to the material
type. You can assign a class to a material type in Customizing for
the Material Master in Define Attributes of Material Types, where this
subscreen and the procedure necessary to implement it are described in
detail in the documentation for the field Class.
- By using a separate function in the classification system
What are the material classification table used?
The table for material Classification in SAP are as follows:
KLAH - Class Detail
CABN - Characteristic Detail
AUSP - Characteristic Values
CAWN - Characteristic Values
CAWNT - Characteristic Value Texts
KSML - Characteristic Allocation to Class
KSSK - Material Allocation to Class
