SAP ABAP IMG Activity OKCM_KCA5 (Edit Characteristics)

Hierarchy

☛ BBPCRM (Software Component) BBPCRM
   ⤷ CRM (Application Component) Customer Relationship Management
     ⤷ CRM_APPLICATION (Package) All CRM Components Without Special Structure Packages
       ⤷ KC (Package) Cost Accounting Controlling EIS

IMG Activity

ID	OKCM_KCA5	Edit Characteristics
Transaction Code	S_ALR_87000391	IMG Activity: OKCM_KCA5
Created on	19981222
Customizing Attributes	OKCM_KCA5	Edit Characteristics
Customizing Activity	OKCM_KCA5	Edit Characteristics

Document

Document Class	SIMG	Hypertext: Object Class - Class to which a document belongs.
Document Name	OKCM_KCA5

Create characteristics

You can create characteristics in the field catalog and import them into your aspect later, or you can create them as you maintain the aspect. In either case the fields are held in the field catalog and can be used for other aspects.

Each characteristic is uniquely identified by its field name. Meaning, type, and length are properties of characteristics that you can enter directly or define by assigning a data element or domain.

Data elements and domains are ABAP Dictionary objects that act as a central store of table field properties. A data element defines the meaning of a field in business terms with texts and a reference to a domain. A domain describes the technical properties of the field and defines permissible values for the characteristic if either of the following conditions is met:

• There is a list defining fixed values
• There is a reference to a check table

Normally data element and domain assignments are used to refer to check tables (for example, Domain BUKRS refers to T001, which is the check table for company codes). You can, however, create a characteristic without any validation or texts by assigning a standard domain (for example CHAR07, NUM12).

Ways to create a characteristic:

1. Assigning a data element
   Specify the field name and assign a data element. The domain assignment is made by assigning the data element.
2. Assigning a domain
   Specify the field name and meaning, and assign a domain. By assigning a domain you define the type and length of the characteristic, and possibly you refer to fixed values or a check table.
3. Referencing a characteristic
   Specify the field name and meaning, and set a reference to another characteristic. This has the effect of assigning the domain of the referenced characteristic.
4. Creating a characteristic with a new data element and check table
   Specify the field name, meaning, type (character, numeric, date, time), and length (1-32). The system generates a new check table for the characteristic.
5. Creating a characteristic without a check table (using a standard domain)
   Specify the field name, meaning, type (character, numeric, date, time), and length (1-32). The system does not generate a check table.
6. Copying table fields
   Copy a characteristic or several characteristics from any ABAP Dictionary table. The data element assignment for the table field is imported too.

You can subsequently select any of the characteristics in the field catalog as characteristics for your aspect.

Caution: Assigning data elements or domains, or copying fields from tables, does not itself ensure that validation, reading characteristic value texts, and Possible Entries Help will work as expected. The domain must have a check table or fixed values, and there must be a text table with a texts referenced to the check table (or the texts must be in the check table itself). These conditions are always fulfilled by fields in the standard field catalog and by fields that are imported from the sender structure of a standard data retrieval program.

Compound characteristics

Some characteristics are dependent on other characteristics; that is, the characteristic value is meaningless in the absence of values for other characteristics. They are called compound characteristics in EC-EIS.

Example: The Region characteristic (check table T005S) forms a compound characteristic with the Country characteristic, because a region can be maintained or interpreted only if a country is specified. Compound characteristics are implemented technically as multilevel check table keys.

In the Detail Screen, you define any other characteristic with which the characteristic you are maintaining forms a compound characteristic. Compounds of characteristics with EIS-generated tables are freely definable. Compounding of characteristics with data elements or domains assigned is controlled by the applicable check table. In the Detail Screen for the Region characteristic, you would see compound sequence "Country - Region".

Note: You do not use compound characteristics to create regular assignments between fields (Salesperson H is active only in Area S). A compound characteristic describes the structural dependency of one field on another (Storage Location 1000 in Plant A is not the same storage location as Storage Location 1000 in Plant B).

Other properties of characteristics

You can define more, optional, properties:

• "Conversion routine" assigns ALPHA conversion to the characteristic.
• "Time dimension" identifies the characteristic as being a time (for example Posting day, Calendar week).
• A Constant value can be assigned to a characteristic, so it always has this same value in every record. It is then not needed in reports. Constant value characteristics occur only in compound characteristics and only in data entry, where they are used to validate multilevel check tables.
• You can set Display options, for example key with text, text only, key only.
• For characteristics without a generated check table, you can enter a text table, a text field of the Character type, and a text length. You can also specify a view name, usually a view of the check table and text table.
• If the system fails to determine the transaction codes automatically for displaying and changing the master data, you can specify them.

Characteristic attributes

As well as properties, you can assign characteristic attributes to your characteristics.

Once you have created your characteristics in the field catalog and saved them, you need to activate them.

Then you can assign them to one or more Field groups as you wish.

Generation of master data modules

For the characteristics you have created you need master data modules in order to transfer master data, read characteristic value texts, and maintain characteristic values in views. These modules are generated by the system when you activate the characteristics.

Change characteristics

You can use this transaction to find and change any or all characteristics. The characteristics selected are displayed in a list. You can enter changeable characteristics in this screen or in a detail screen. You can also change the texts of EIS-generated characteristics.

Delete characteristics

You can delete fields that are not used in any aspect. Choose "Characteristic -> Delete". When you delete a field from the field catalog, the system deletes all associated subobjects such as generated data elements, domains, check tables, views, characteristic values and remarks.

Example

Requirements

Standard settings

Recommendation

Activities

1. Create characteristics
2. If required, define compound characteristics
3. If required, create attributes for your characteristics
4. Save the characteristics and activate them
   The system generates the master data modules.
5. Assign your characteristics to Field groups if required.
6. Assign your characteristics to aspects (see Edit aspect).

Further notes

You can only change those properties of a saved characteristic that refer to a report. A characteristic can be deleted from the field catalog only if it is not used in an aspect.

Business Attributes

ASAP Roadmap ID	203	Establish Master Data
Mandatory / Optional	1	Mandatory activity
Critical / Non-Critical	1	Critical
Country-Dependency	A	Valid for all countries

Assigned Application Components

Documentation Object Class	Documentation Object Name	Current line number	Application Component	Application Component Name
SIMG	OKCM_KCA5	0	HLA0009490	Executive Information System

Maintenance Objects

Maintenance object type

C

Customizing Object

Assigned objects
Customizing Object	Object Type	Transaction Code	Sub-object	Do not Summarize	Skip Subset Dialog Box	Description for multiple selections
DWBDUMMY	D - Dummy object	KCA5	1	☑	☐	Edit characteristics

History

Last changed by/on	SAP	19981222
SAP Release Created in