Introduction
Material Master In SAP MM, is the central repository for all information regarding materials used within an organization. It stores key data across various functions, such as procurement, sales, production, accounting, and inventory management. The data is divided into different views that are tailored to specific business processes, making it easier for users from different departments to access and maintain relevant material information.
The segmentation of material information into views ensures data accuracy, consistency, and efficiency. In this blog post, we will explore the concept of Material Master Views, covering both basic and advanced functionalities, and discuss the importance of each view in SAP MM.
Table of Contents
- What is the Material Master in SAP MM?
- Why is the Material Master Divided into Views?
- Key Views in the Material Master
- Basic Data
- Purchasing
- Sales
- Accounting
- Work Scheduling
- Costing
- Plant/Storage Data
1. What is the Material Master in SAP MM?
The Material Master in SAP MM is the central source of information about materials and serves as a foundation for procurement, inventory management, sales, production, and financial processes. It contains critical details such as material types, descriptions, units of measure, valuation, storage conditions, and more. This data is used across multiple SAP modules to ensure efficient business operations.
Since material data is relevant across several functional areas, SAP divides the Material Master into different views. This segmentation allows users to focus on data specific to their tasks, improving the organization of material information and enhancing the efficiency of business processes.
2. Why is the Material Master Divided into Views?
The Material Master is divided into multiple views to facilitate ease of use and to align with various business functions. Each view corresponds to a specific organizational unit or functional area, such as procurement, sales, or accounting. This structure ensures that the relevant data is readily available to the corresponding users, helping to avoid data overload and ensuring data integrity.
Key Benefits of Dividing Material Master into Views:
- User-Specific Access: Different departments can access only the information they need, improving data security and streamlining workflows.
- Ease of Maintenance: Updates can be made on a view-specific basis, minimizing the risk of errors in unrelated data.
- Cross-Module Integration: Different views help ensure smooth integration between SAP MM, SAP SD, SAP PP, SAP FI, and other modules.
3. Key Views in the Material Master
The Material Master is divided into several views, each representing different functional areas. Below is a detailed breakdown of the essential views, ranging from basic information to advanced configuration settings.
| View | Purpose | Key Fields | Organizational Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic Data | Contains fundamental information applicable across all organizational levels. | Material description, base unit of measure, material group, and division. | Client level |
| Classification | Allows materials to be classified into groups based on shared characteristics. | Material type, industry sector, and classification data. | Client level |
| Sales | Manages data relevant to sales activities. | Sales organization, distribution channel, and sales unit. | Sales organization and distribution channel |
| Purchasing | Handles procurement-related information. | Purchasing group, order unit, and plant-specific data. | Purchasing organization and plant |
| Accounting | Manages valuation and accounting data. | Valuation class, price control, and standard price. | Plant |
| Plant Data / Storage | Contains plant-specific data, including storage and handling information. | Storage location, shelf life, and warehouse management data. | Plant and storage location |
| Work Scheduling | Manages data relevant to production planning. | Production scheduler, work center, and production version. | Plant |
| Quality Management | Defines quality inspection settings for materials. | Inspection type, quality management view, and control key. | Plant |
| Costing | Manages costing data for materials. | Costing lot size, standard cost, and cost component split. | Plant |
| Forecasting | Supports demand planning and forecasting activities. | Forecast profile, planning strategy, and planning time fence. | Plant |
| Foreign Trade | Manages data related to international trade. | Country of origin, export license, and customs tariff number. | Client level |
| Purchase Order Text | Contains text information relevant to purchase orders. | Purchase order text and language key. | Purchasing organization |
1. Basic Data
The Basic Data view contains essential material information that is universally applicable, such as the material description, unit of measure, and material group. It serves as the foundation for all other views.
2. Purchasing
The Purchasing view contains procurement-specific information, such as the purchasing group, order unit, and the details of the plant’s procurement strategy. This view is essential for ensuring smooth purchase order creation and material procurement processes.
3. Sales
The Sales view holds data related to the sales of materials, including sales unit, sales organization, and distribution channel. It plays a vital role in ensuring accurate sales order processing.
4. Accounting
The Accounting view contains valuation-related data, such as price control, valuation class, and cost elements. This view links to Financial Accounting (FI) and Controlling (CO) modules, ensuring accurate material costing and financial reporting.
5. Work Scheduling
This view contains information on work scheduling, such as production version and work center, enabling effective production planning and scheduling in the Production Planning (PP) module.
4. Technical Configuration and Maintenance of Material Master Views
The configuration of Material Master Views is done through the SAP customizing transaction OMS2. This transaction allows system administrators to define which views are available for each material type. Proper configuration ensures that the material master is aligned with business requirements.
Key Configuration Steps:
- Defining Material Types: The material type determines which views are available. For example, a raw material may have different views than a finished product.
- Assigning Views: Specific views are assigned to materials based on organizational needs, ensuring that only relevant data is accessed by each department.
- Customizing Organizational Levels: The system administrator configures the views based on organizational levels, such as plants, purchasing organizations, and sales areas.
5. Advanced Concepts in Material Master Views
While the basic configuration of Material Master views is essential, more advanced concepts focus on optimizing these views for complex business requirements. Advanced features include:
- Batch Management: For materials with batch-specific properties, SAP allows for the inclusion of batch management information within the material master.
- Warehouse Management Integration: Advanced warehouse functionality can be integrated with the Material Master to enhance inventory management, especially when working with large volumes of stock across multiple locations.
- Material Status: This feature allows users to block a material for specific processes, such as purchasing or sales, to ensure compliance with business rules.
Conclusion
The division of the Material Master into views in SAP MM is a crucial design feature that enhances the management and accessibility of material-related data. By structuring data according to functional areas, SAP ensures that each department can work with only the relevant material information, improving operational efficiency and data accuracy. The views also enable advanced configurations and integrations, making SAP MM a flexible and powerful tool for managing materials across the supply chain.