Mass Maintenance

Use
The planning and optimization of supply chain processes in the SAP Advanced Planner and Optimizer
(SAP APO) at strategic, tactical, and operative levels is characterized by the following features:
Configurable products are involved
There is a large volume of data
There is a heterogeneous system landscape
These factors often necessitate the reprocessing of very large volumes of master data in the form of mass
maintenance. What is primarily involved here is thus master data that (a) cannot be transferred (or cannot
be transferred completely) from external systems to the SAP APO system and (b) exists in large
quantities. Since selections of several thousand entries are not uncommon in the case of certain master
data, a special mass maintenance tool is essential to minimize the amount of time required to process
such data.
Mass maintenance involves the mass changing of individual attributes of master data, the creation of new
data records, the assignment of existing objects, and mass deletion.
A tool is available for the mass maintenance of master data in SAP APO which can be used in all projects
having large volumes of such data. This tool facilitates the efficient changing and supplementation of
master data.
Features
You can use the mass maintenance tool to process the following SAP APO master data:
External procurement relationships
Locations
Production process models (PPMs)
Products
Quota arrangements
Resources
Transportation lanes
You can only make simultaneous mass changes for one of the above types of master data in each case.
It is not possible to make mass changes for several types at the same time.

The mass maintenance tool enables you to change a large number of objects
simultaneously The changes directly impact all selected objects. This tool should
therefore only be used by experienced users exercising due care.


Using the Mass Maintenance Tool
Use
The tool for the mass maintenance of SAP APO master data is basically the same tool with which the
mass maintenance of master data can also be carried out in SAP R/3. In addition to technical
enhancements and improvements, the SAP APO version of the tool features a redesigned user interface
and greater user-friendliness.
The new design has the following main advantages:
All activities on a single screen
You perform all necessary activities for mass maintenance on one screen (single-screen
transaction). You thus dont have to navigate between different screens or screen sequences.
You have a permanent overview of the chosen selection criteria, the change methods, and the
selected data.
Predefinable display restriction
You can set the maximum number of data records selected and displayed without a warning
message. To do so, choose Settings Display Restriction.
Changing without displaying the data in the case of numerous hits
In order to be able to change large volumes of data despite given runtime restrictions, you have
the option of changing data without displaying it. This allows you do dispense with both the data
selection process and the on-screen display of the data.
Suppression of warning messages after they have been displayed once
You can permanently deactivate the display of warning messages after they have appeared once.
The display of warning messages can later be reactivated for the less-experienced user via
Settings Display Warnings Again.
Hiding of selection area
When you have finished selecting the master data to be maintained, you can hide the selection
area in order to obtain more space to display and actually maintain the data.
Cumulative effect of formulas
Formulas are always applied to the values that are currently visible in the data table. This results
in a cumulative effect if formulas are applied successively.
Comprehensive online help
Choose Goto Help to access additional information when working with the tool. The
information available includes tips on selection, making systematic changes for all objects, table
maintenance for individual objects, and how to use variants.
If you want to carry out the mass maintenance of master data in SAP APO using the redesigned tool, use
the transaction code MASSD. If you prefer to carry out the mass maintenance of master data in SAP APO
using the same interface as in SAP R/3, use transaction code MASS.
Note the functional differences between the two transactions.

For information on the functional differences between the transactions MASS and
MASSD, see Functional Differences MASSD <-> MASS.

Features
Selection of Data in Selection Area
You choose the data that is to be maintained in the selection area on the left-hand side of the screen.
Selection is carried out according to object type, component, and attribute.
When the selection process has been completed, you can hide this area.
Maintenance of Data in Manipulation Area
In upper part of the manipulation area on the right-hand side of the screen, you specify the change
methods by which the values of the attributes are to be changed. Below this, the attributes are displayed
with their associated values in the data table.
Types of Mass Maintenance
In mass maintenance, you can change data in two different ways:
Systematic Changes
Tabular Maintenance
Systematic Changes
In the case of systematic changes, you enter a change method with which the change in an attribute is
specified. This change is carried out for all objects. You can choose whether the changes are to be
carried out immediately or in the background. It is also possible to save systematic changes as variants.
Tabular Maintenance
In tabular maintenance, you can change individual objects with different values. Once you have activated
tabular maintenance, it is not then possible to make changes in the background. Neither is it possible to
save a tabular change as a variant.
Activities
Basic Process of Mass Maintenance
In the mass maintenance of master data, you always proceed according to the following schema:
You first choose an object type (such as a location) in the selection area. Using the selection criteria, you
then choose the component (header data, for example) containing the attribute to be changed (the
location type, for example).
In the next step, you specify the attribute you wish to maintain. The selection made here determines the
attribute to which the change methods are to be applied.
The result of the selection appears in a data table in the manipulation area on the right-hand side of the
screen. In the process, the attributes for each selected component are listed on a separate tab page.
Prior to the mass maintenance operation, the data table shows you the values read by the database.
After the first change, you see the changed values that are subsequently affected by all further changes.
Invoking Mass Maintenance Function with New Interactive Design
To call up the redesigned mass maintenance tool, choose Master Data Mass Maintenance (transaction
code MASSD) from within SAP APO Easy Access.
Invoking Mass Maintenance Function with Conventional Interactive Design
If you prefer to use the same interface as in SAP R/3 to carry out the mass maintenance of SAP APO
master data, you can call up the tool with the transaction code MASS.
See also:
SAP Library Cross-Application Components General Application Functions Cross-Application
Mass-Maintenance (CA-GTF-MS)
Functional Differences MASSD <-> MASS
Use
The following table lists the functional differences between the mass maintenance transactions MASSD
and MASS.
Function MASSD MASS
Navigation All activities on one screen;
there are warnings, e.g. of
loss of data.
Several consecutive screens
before data maintenance
possible; no warnings.
Changes via ABAP-FORMs Function not available. Function available.
Changes via formulas Simplified formula
application: only addition
to/subtraction from absolute
and percentage values
possible.
Any formulas possible.
Processing of variants The following restrictions
apply to variants saved in the
transactions MASSD or
MASS:
- No ABAP-FORMs
- Only simplified formulas
All variants possible.
Use of formulas Formulas are always applied
to the values that are
currently visible in the data
table. This results in a
Formulas are always applied
to the values that were
originally read from the
database, i.e. no successive
cumulative effect if formulas
are applied successively.
data changing is possible.
Removal of individual lines
from the data table
Individual selected items in
the data table can be
excluded from the change
process. The removal of the
item relates only to the
display and has no effect on
the database.
Function not available.
Table maintenance Display of the data table must
be explicitly opened for input.
Data table is continuously
ready to accept input.
Selection of fields Multiple selection possible. Just one field at a time is
adopted by mouse-click.
Calling up variants Object type can be changed
in variant loading dialog.
Not possible to change object
type.
Column selection in data
tables
Function not possible. When the Execute Changes
function is performed, the
system checks whether a
column has been changed;
only selected columns are
processed.