What is the purpose of variant configuration?

Variant configuration is used when a material is made to order with variety of configurations

Check this tree structure
 
  CAR                           <---------called as class
  |
  |----- Engine                 <---------called as characteristics
  |        |----------250 cc     <---------called as values
  |        |----------350 cc
  |
  |----- Style
           |--------- Ac
           |----------Non AC
 
Suppose you want to create a material maruti 800 (m-800) with variant characteristics of engine and style also the pricing should be different for different characteristics.
 
Proceed as follows:

1. Create characteristics first t.code [ct04]
In characteristics put engine and click on create button
  _| basic data tab |_
  Description : engine config
  Datatype: char
  Number of char: say 10
  value assigned radio button: select multiple values
  
_| values tab |_
 
250cc          250 cc engine    activate the check box  enter
350cc          350 cc engine    activate the check box  enter
 
_| Restriction tab |_
 
class type | description
300           | variant           <------------this is the normal routine for variant
 
Save and do the same thing for style.
 
2. Create class [cl02]
 
class: car
class type: 300
description: explaination of variant for car
 
_| characteristics tab |_
engine  (enter)
style    (enter)
save
 
3. Create material in [mm01 or mm02]
 
material: m-800
industry sector: 1 retail
material type : KMAT  (ie the material is configurable as per demand)
                                 (this will change the item category group to 0002)
in the select views make surew to select CLASSIFICATION VIEW alsong with other req views
 
_| classification tab |_
 
Car (enter)
also enter other details of the material and save the material record
 
4. Create configuration profile for material [cu41]
 
material: m-800
in the table
 
priority | profile name | class
 
10         maruti            300
 
Save
 
5. Goto [cu50]
material: m-800
plant: (say) plpl
 hit F8
 
In characteristic description you will find the tree structure with engine and style.

select engine (double click)
deactivate the check boxes of 250cc and 350cc
not activate the check box of 250cc only     click on assign variant button (ctrl + F1)
variant: 250cc <-----this has to be remembered in the same order as written
save
deactivate 250 cc and activate 350 cc
do the same step 350cc
perform the same step for style
variant are  ac and nonac respectively.
 
6. In the pricing procedure where you define the prices for the material include this condition type as well in the table
 
ctype: va00
mandatory: (no value)
manual:      (no value)
stat:           (no value)
p:          x
actky:   erl
 
save:
 
7. Maintain condition records in [vk11] for the ctype va00
 
8. When you create sales order in [va01] and enter the material m-800 you will get options for engine and style.

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