Contract Grouping

8/12/2019 Contract Grouping

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Contract GroupingImplementation ConsiderationsContract grouping enables you to link several contracts as lower level contracts to one master

contract so that consistency of data is guaranteed. When you link a contract to a master

contract, data is copied from the master contract into the lower level contract. Changes to the

master contract can be copied directly into the lower level contract.

Note:

The lower level contracts must be assigned to the same sales area as the master

contract.

You can only group contracts under master contracts on one level. Further

hierarchical relationships are not possible.

PrerequisitesBefore you can use the contract grouping function, you must define the referencing

requirements in Customizing for Sales and Distribution. Choose Sales Sales Documents

Contracts Master Contract Define Referencing Requirements and then perform thefollowing activities:

Specify the reference sales document typesHere you define which sales document types can refer to which master contract types.

Define referencing procedureIn the referencing procedure you specify:Identical fieldsThese fields must have exactly the same values in the master contract and the lower leveldocument for the reference to be valid.Copy fieldsThe values in these fields are always copied from the master contract into the lower leveldocument.Proposal fieldsThe values in these fields are copied from the master contract into the lower leveldocument, if the fields had the same values in both documents before the change wasmade.

You then assign a referencing procedure to each sales document type which is to use the

contract grouping function.

Process FlowFirst of all, you create a master contract in which you enter the data which is to apply for all

lower level contracts.

You can use the master contract type GK which is delivered with the standard SAPSystem. If you require additional master contract types, define them in theCustomizing activity Define Sales Document Types.You then create the contracts and link them to the master contract. You create thelink by entering the number of the master contract in the header of each contract.You can search for suitable master contracts using a matchcode. Matchcode Eenables you to search by partner.
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In Customizing, yoiu can control that the system informs you during contractcreation whether master contracts already exist for the customer. You can branchfrom the message dialog box directly into the list of existing master contracts andselect a suitable master contract.

When you link a contract to the master contract, the system ensures the reference is valid bychecking the following:

The lower level contract document type is allowed to refer to the master contractdocument type

The identical fields in the master contract and the lower level contract matchIf the system determines that the reference is valid, it then copies the data in the copy and

proposal fields in the master contract into the lower level contract header on the basis of the

referencing procedure.

The system determines whether data which is copied into the lower level contractheader should also be copied into the lower level contract items using the standard

application logic. For example, changes to business header data are only copiedinto the items if the header and item fields had the same value before the changeswere made.

If the system determines that the reference is not valid because the document types cannot be

linked, it issues an error message. If the identical fields do not match, the system deletes the

reference.

All contracts which refer to a master contract are listed on the overview screen of the master

contract.

Changes to the Low er Level Contract

If you change an identical field in the lower level contract, the system deletes the reference to

the master contract.

If you change a copy field in the lower level contract, the system overwrites the new value withthe value in the master contract.

You can change proposal fields as required.

Changes to t he Master Contract

In Customizing for Sales and Distribution, under the Define Sales Document Typesactivity, you

control whether the system copies changes in the master contract into all the dependent lower

level contracts automatically.

If the update function is activated, a workflow scenario is initiated when the mastercontract is changed. The system accesses each dependent lower level contract anddetermines on the basis of the referencing procedure whether changes should be copied.

If the update function is not activated, the workflow scenario is initiated when you call a

lower level contract for processing. In this case, the system only updates the contractwhich you call for processing.In both cases, the system proceeds as follows:

If you change an identical or copy field, the system copies the change automaticallyinto the lower level contract.

If you change a proposal field, the system only copies the change into the lower levelcontract if the fields in both contracts had the same value before the master contract waschanged.


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You can configure the referencing procedure so that the system issues a messagein the lower level contract informing you of the changes which it will copy into thelower level contract from the master contract.

When errors occur, the user who changes the master contract receives a work item. When he or

she carries out the work item, two sessions are opened. One session contains a list of all thechanged data and a description of the errors. The lower level contract to be changed is

displayed in change mode in the second session. When the lower level contract is blocked by

another user, the system makes several attempts to access the contract. The work item is not

initiated until the document is accessed.

See also:

Creating Master Contracts

Linking a Contract to a Master Contract
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