How to Create an LIS Info Structure

How to Create an LIS info structure - Purchasing LIS (Logistic Information Systems) for Purchasing: Information Systems are tools for analyzing and gathering specific data in different areas like purchasing, inventory etc. Concept of Info Structure: The info tables will start with S, followed by 3 digit integer. Example for standard info structures are S012, S013, S031, S032, S033 etc. The same can be used for ZReports also. Apart from standard info structures, user can define user defined info structures too. The user defined info structures should start with S followed by a three digit number. From S000 to S500 are reserved for standard. In case of user defined info structures, once the info structure is created with required updating, it will be updated along with standard tables during every relevant transaction. The same info tables can be used for other reporting purposes like zReports etc. Analysis of Standard Info Structures: Transaction: MCDG (Path: SAP Easy Access – Information Systems – Logistics – Purchasing – Tools – Flexible analysis – Evaluations – MCDG (Execute) Enter the standard evaluation structure and evaluation method.

System will propose the standard characteristics. Execute.

Output:

Apart from standard info structure, we can define user defined info structure based on business requirement. For example, we can define an LIS table to update full purchasing cycle - from PO to Invoice. Creation of user defined Info Structure:

Step1: Create Field Catalog – Characteristic catalog. A field catalog defines a group of relevant fields from the application. You can thus use a mixture of fields from any document hierarchies. Here, you can define the key fields required in the table.

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Transaction Code: MC18 Enter name for field catalog. Select Application from F4 List.

Application 02 for purchasing.

Press ENTER.

Click on “Characteristics”:

Now, select the required field and click on “Copy”, or double click on the field.

The selected Items will be visible with tick mark:

The fields can be selected from multiple tables. Once all the fields required are selected, click on “Copy+Close Now, click on “ Copy”

Save the characteristics field catalog. Step 2: Create Key Figures. Key figures are values with particular relevance to business. These will be output of the report / analysis. Eg: Invoiced amount, net order value, number of deliveries Transaction Code: MC18

Enter the field catalog name, description and select the application. Press ENTER.

Click on “Key Figures” Select the required fields as explained in the previous step and click on “Copy+close”

Save the key figures. Step 3: Create Info Structure

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The area in which data is collected in the Logistics Information System. An information structure defines a group of fields and is used for collecting and reducing data from an operative application such as sales or purchasing. It forms the basis for analyses and evaluation and includes: A period unit, giving the structure a time reference Characteristics, information with reference to which other information is cumulated (In short, it is the selection screen – Selection Parameters) Key figures, information that is accumulated with reference to characteristics (This is the output fields) Transaction Code: MC21 Enter info structure name – A four digit key between S501 and S999 (up to S500, is reserved for standard) Info Structure description. Application – Press F4 and select the Application. 02 stand for purchasing. The Applications available are listed below:

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Select the info-structure type. The following are the examples: - Standard type ( ‘ ‘) - Rebate Processing (B) - Type 'Transfer to SAP BW' (T) Please Note that the info structure type cant be changed once its created.

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Planning Possible Indicator: Indicator that determines if an information structure is relevant in flexible planning. If an information structure is created with this indicator, it can be supplied with planning data (standard). It is not possible to change the planning characteristic after creating the information structure. Enter the details and press ENTER.

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Click on characteristics. Here, you can select the fields to be displayed in the selection screen of the report.

Double click on the characteristics field catalog created in the first step. Double click on the fields to be selected to the selection screen. The fields can be selected from any field catalog. You can select maximum of 9 field characteristics.

Once required fields are selected, click on “Copy + Close” Now, click on “Copy”

Now, Select the Key figures (Output fields) Double click on the key figures created in the first step:

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Double click on the fields to be selected to the selection screen. You can select the fields from any key figures. Click on Copy + Close.Click on “Copy” Generate the info structure: Now, click on “Generate” as shown below:

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System will ask the package name. Enter the package name and click on “save button” If it’s a test system and you don’t want to transport, you can save it as local object. Table Generate Log will be displayed:

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If there is no error, the table will be generated.

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Go back to the previous screen and save .

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You may check the table created (here, S973) in SE16.

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Check the number of entries:

Step 4:Create updating:

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By defining the update process, you define the flow of statistical data from the application to the information system. Means you can define when the data to be updated in the info table created in the previous step. The definition of the update rules depends on the information structure and update group. Update rules consist, for example, of the source field, the event which triggers the update, requirements and formulas. Once you have defined the update rules, the corresponding update programs are automatically generated. Transaction Code: MC24 Enter the info structure created in the previous step. Select the update group: (standard update group: PURCH - Purchase Order header Update Group)

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Press ENTER. Now, you can define the update rules: Click on the “Rules for Key Fig”

Select the required fields from F4 list manually or click on “Suggest Rules”

Click on next key figure as shown below:

Repeat the same process for all key figures and click on "Copy":

Now define the update rules for characteristics for each key figure: Select the first key figure and click on "Rules for characteristics"

Repeat the Rules for the characteristics for each key figure. Click on “Generate” as shown below:

Generation Log will be displayed:

Go back and click on “Activate Updating”

Place the cursor on the info structure created and go to details:

Maintain the update rules as shown below:

Note: In the update rules, you could find the following options: 1. Period split: Here, you can define the period for which the report / info table to be analyzed. If you select "day", you can analyze based on date, if you select week, you can analyze based on week and so on. The corresponding period only will be updated in the table.

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2. Updating: Here, you can define the time / sequence when the info table to be updated. The following options are available. No Updating: The info table wont be updated. Synchronous Updating (V1 update): The info table will be updated simultaneously along with standard tables after every relevant transaction. In this case, the document update will be terminated in case there is any error in the info table update, as in case of standard tables. Asynchronous Updating (2) (V2 update) : Here, the info table is updated after actual document update, that is the document update and the statistics update take place in different tasks. In case any error occurs in info table update, it doesnt have any effect on actual document update. However, It doesnt require any scheduled job for update. Asynchronous Updating (3) (V3 update) : Here, the document update and info table update are carried out separately. The difference between V2 update and V3 update is that in V3, the update can be carried out at a later time. In short, it is a collective update with a separate (scheduled) job. Here, I choose the period as "Month" in order to analyze the report on monthly basis and the update as "Synchronous Update" in order to update the table simultaneously along with standard tables.

Save the update:

Now, the configuration part is over: Testing: Complete a purchasing cycle and check whether the table is updated correctly: (Create PO – GR – Invoice) and check the table in SE16

To Analyze the report: Transaction Code:: MCSJ (Path: Easy Access - SAP Menu - Information Systems - Logistics - Purchasing - Tools - MCSJ_User Defined Analysis ( for purchase - MCSJ, for Sales - MCSI ) Select the info structure.

Enter the selection parameters and execute:

Click on “Switch drill down” for further analysis.

You may select any other analysis criteria for analysis. You may change the output layout as below: Go to MCSJ and select the info structure: and click on “User Settings” Click on Key figures for setting the output layout. Note: 1. You may follow the same logic for creation of info structure for other areas like inventory, LIV, sales etc. 2. For more details about LIS transporting, refer the documentation in the path: SPRO- Logistics General --> Logistics Information System (LIS) --> Logistics Data Warehouse - "Technical information about the transport of LIS objects" Also, refer the notes: 37845 - Technical Information: Transporting Info Structures and 50237 - Techn. info.: transport of update, field catalog 3. For further FAQ, please refer the following notes: 552152 - FAQ: General questions for LIS 552503 - FAQ: Questions for updating and reporting in LIS