Define Attributes of Material Types

Whenever you create a material master record, you must assign it to a material type. This requires you to first define the attributes of each material type. You do this in this IMG activity.

The following options are available here:
•    Customizing the existing material types in the R/3 System if necessary
You do this by selecting the material type and choosing Details.
•    Creating new material types

You do this by copying an existing material type. In each case, define the attributes of each material type as required.

For each material type, you can allow movements in quantity to be updated in all valuation areas, in some valuation areas, or in none. Likewise, you can allow value flows to be updated in all valuation areas, in some valuation areas, or in none.

Choose the material type for which the attributes are to be defined:

The attributes of the material type are defined in the following screen. The significance of the fields are detailed later.

Field reference for material master

When material master records are maintained, the field reference determines for each field selection group if the field selection group is set to Hide, Display, Required entry, or Optional entry. See the section “Field Selection” for configurations related to this.

Default value for material item category group

The system determines the item category on the basis of the item category group, to which the material is assigned, and the transaction-specific data, that is defined in a table. It then proposes this item category in the document concerned. In the material master this value is defaulted for the materials of this type.

Screen reference depending on the material type

Grouping of material types that determines what screens are displayed depending on the material type when you maintain material master records. It also determines the order in which the screens appear.

Material Is Costed with Quantity Structure
This indicator determines whether the material is costed using costing with or without a quantity structure.

Manufacturer Part
Identifies materials of this material type as manufacturer parts.

Price Control Indicator
Indicates the price control used to valuate the stock of a material. You have the following options:
Standard price
Moving average price
External purchase orders allowed
Allows external purchase orders, that is, external procurement of the material – option 2.

Account category reference

Group of valuation classes that the system uses to check whether the valuation class you have entered is allowed when you maintain accounting data in a material master record. All the permitted valuation classes for the material type are assigned thru this Account Category Reference.

Price Control Mandatory

Determines whether the price control indicator defined for the material type appears as a default value (indicator not set) or a fixed value (indicator set) when material master records are created or changed.

Update Movements in Quantity /Value Flows  in All Valuation Areas

Defines whether movements in quantity are updated identically in all/some/no existing valuation areas.

If it is for some valuation areas, by double-clicking Quantity/value updating, you can select or deselect the valuation areas in which value flows are to be updated. If value flows are not updated identically in all valuation areas, the By valuation area indicator is set automatically.

User Departments

Select which views are to be made to appear while maintaining material master data for this material type.