How to work with Classifications and Characteristics

Background and Challenge:

When recording a transaction that involves classification or characteristic maintenance using Process Runner (SHDB, LSMW or any other recording technology), the screen progression will look somewhat different.  If the user has not worked with these screens before, they may not know how to enter characteristic values.  In this document we show step by step how to work with Classification and Characteristic values.

Example of Work center classification screen as you see in normal SAP GUI

Fig. 1 - Transaction CR02 in normal SAP GUI

Example of Work Center classification screen as you see during recording in SAP GUI

Fig. 2 - Transaction CR02 during recording.

Fig. 3 - Transaction CR02 during recording.

Shown below in fig.4 is the screen displayed during recording.  As you can see, it looks different from normal screen.  User may be unfamiliar with how to maintain values.  If user attempts to maintain values as they would normally do, SAP may throw an error message similar to screenshot below.

Fig. 4 - Error entering characteristic value during recording of transaction CR02

Technical Background:

SAP batch input recorder offers a different screen than what you normally see. This is a special batch input screen that is presented by SAP recorder for mass maintenance of characteristics value which works for value assignment interdependent of your SAP logon language.

If you try to enter value normally, it will not accept entry.  SAP maintains internal characteristic ID and value ID for each of the characteristics maintained. Note, the screen in fig. 4 is designed to capture internal characteristic ID and values IDs.

Solution:

You need to enter these internal Characteristic ID and value ID in order to maintain characteristics.

Fig. 5 - Shows how to capture Characteristic ID and Value ID.

How to relate normal classification maintenance screen to the screen displayed during recording:

Fig. 6 - Shows how to input characteristic values during recording.

As you can see, left column is for characteristic (ID) and right column is it’s for value (ID). You can maintain multiple characteristics and values in this screen. If you record as described in this document and run, it should work fine.

Alternative solutions:

There are few alternatives to above mentioned solution.

1.You can record a transaction by disabling Batch Input mode during recording. If you do so, recording screens will be similar to SAP screen. However, if you have complex screen and if you need to perform scrolling or page up/down, these steps may not be recorded or played back correctly in Transaction (TX) technology or in SHDB, LSMW, SM35 or any other recording technology.

2.You can use Process Runner GUI Scripting (GS) or BAPI (BA) technology to maintain characteristics as well. BAPI solution particularly has performance advantages while GUI Scripting technology could allow you to maintain characteristics in normal mode (however, recording via GUI Scripting could be challenging for a complex screen with lot of input data variation).

Summary and Recommendation:

Process Runner can easily handle Classification and Characteristics creation and maintenance. It supports the automation and mass updates same was as standard designed and used by internal SAP technology like LSMW, SHDB, SM35.

Our recommendation is to record using Transaction (TX) technology as described in this document. If you have very large number of records to be maintained or your data format is challenging, consider Process Runner BAPI (BA) technology.

Finally, do not forget to check Innowera cloud sample stores where you would find many ready to run samples for classification / characteristics maintenance.

If you need further help, feel free to contact us at support@innowera.com

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