Customer Master Data: Structure and Maintenance in SAP SD

Customer Master Data is a critical part of the SAP SD (Sales and Distribution) module. It contains all the necessary information related to customers, which is used throughout the sales cycle for processing orders, deliveries, and billing. In this tutorial, we will explore the structure of customer master data and guide you through the process of maintaining it in SAP SD using real-world examples.

What is Customer Master Data in SAP SD?

Customer Master Data in SAP SD consists of all the essential details about customers that are required for performing various transactions in the sales process. These details include customer contact information, address, payment terms, delivery instructions, etc. The data is stored in different views depending on the type of information required by different departments like sales, accounting, or shipping.

Structure of Customer Master Data

Customer Master Data in SAP SD is organized into several views. Each view contains different types of information:

  • General Data: Includes basic information such as the customer’s name, address, and contact details. This data is valid across the entire company.
  • Company Code Data: Contains information specific to accounting, such as payment terms, bank details, and reconciliation accounts. This data is relevant to financial transactions.
  • Sales Area Data: Includes information specific to the sales process, such as sales organization, distribution channel, division, and pricing conditions.
  • Contact Person Data: Stores information about people associated with the customer (e.g., the customer’s contact persons or account managers).

Step-by-Step Process of Maintaining Customer Master Data

Let’s now go through the process of creating and maintaining customer master data in SAP SD, using a real-world example.

Exercise 1: Create Customer Master Data

We will create a new customer master record for a customer named "TechElectronics" that sells electronics. The customer will have the following details:

  • Customer Name: TechElectronics
  • Address: 123 Tech Lane, Silicon Valley, CA
  • Sales Organization: SA01 (Retail)
  • Distribution Channel: 01 (Retail)
  • Division: 01 (Electronics)
  • Payment Terms: 30 Days
  • Bank Details: Bank XYZ

Steps to Create Customer Master Data:

  1. Enter Transaction Code: To create customer master data, use transaction code "XD01" for creating customer centrally.
  2. Enter Customer Type: You will be asked to select the customer type. Choose "1" for a regular customer.
  3. Enter Customer Information: Enter the customer’s name ("TechElectronics") and address ("123 Tech Lane, Silicon Valley, CA"). Click "Enter" to continue.
  4. Enter Company Code Data: Now enter the company-specific data, such as payment terms and reconciliation account. Select the relevant company code (e.g., "1000") and enter "30 Days" for payment terms.
  5. Enter Sales Area Data: Now enter the sales data. Select the sales organization (e.g., "SA01"), distribution channel (e.g., "01"), and division (e.g., "01"). Set pricing conditions and other relevant information.
  6. Save Customer Master Data: After entering all the necessary details, click "Save" to create the customer master record.

Exercise 2: Change Customer Master Data

In this exercise, we will update the customer master data for "TechElectronics" to include a new phone number for customer contact and update the bank details to "Bank ABC."

Steps to Change Customer Master Data:

  1. Enter Transaction Code: To change the customer master data, use transaction code "XD02" to modify the existing customer record.
  2. Enter Customer Number: Enter the customer number for "TechElectronics" (e.g., "100001").
  3. Modify Customer Information: In the General Data view, change the contact phone number to the updated number. In the Company Code Data, update the bank details to "Bank ABC."
  4. Save Changes: After making the necessary changes, click "Save" to update the customer master record.

Exercise 3: Display Customer Master Data

Now, let’s display the customer master data for "TechElectronics" to verify the details entered during the creation process.

Steps to Display Customer Master Data:

  1. Enter Transaction Code: To display customer master data, use transaction code "XD03."
  2. Enter Customer Number: Enter the customer number for "TechElectronics" (e.g., "100001").
  3. Display the Customer Data: The system will show all the details related to the customer, including general data, company code data, sales area data, and contact person data.

Exercise 4: Deleting Customer Master Data

If a customer’s master data needs to be removed due to reasons like termination of the business relationship, it can be deleted. In this exercise, we will delete the "TechElectronics" customer record.

Steps to Delete Customer Master Data:

  1. Enter Transaction Code: To delete the customer master data, use transaction code "XD06."
  2. Enter Customer Number: Enter the customer number of "TechElectronics" (e.g., "100001").
  3. Delete Customer: Click on the delete button to remove the customer record from the system.
  4. Confirm Deletion: Confirm that the customer’s master data should be deleted, and click "Save" to remove it.

Important Considerations in Maintaining Customer Master Data

Maintaining customer master data requires attention to detail and understanding of how the information will be used across different business processes. Here are some important points to keep in mind:

  • Data Consistency: Ensure that the customer data entered is consistent and accurate to avoid issues in sales, billing, and shipping processes.
  • Segregation of Views: Customer master data should be segregated by different views, such as General Data, Company Code Data, and Sales Area Data, so that only relevant departments have access to the data they need.
  • Security and Authorization: Proper authorization is required for maintaining, changing, and deleting customer master data to prevent unauthorized changes.
  • Data Updates: Regular updates to customer data, such as changes in contact information or payment terms, should be carefully handled to ensure up-to-date records.

Conclusion

Customer master data is a vital component of SAP SD. It serves as the foundation for many business processes, including sales order processing, shipping, billing, and accounting. By following the steps outlined in this tutorial, you can effectively create, modify, display, and delete customer master records in SAP SD.

Maintaining accurate and up-to-date customer master data is essential for ensuring smooth sales operations and improving customer satisfaction. Always ensure that your customer master data is consistent and up-to-date to avoid any disruptions in your sales and distribution processes.




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