Material Master Screen Configurations and Screen Sequence Determination in SAP MM

Main ideas / concepts covered

• Material Master screen framework in SAP MM

  • When creating/updating a material (e.g., via MM01), SAP presents multiple tabs/views.
  • These are organized as:
    • Main screens (logical screens): the large tabs/sections shown during material maintenance.
    • Subscreens: blocks inside each main screen tab.
    • Screen sequence: the configured order in which main and secondary screens/tabs appear.

• Screen sequence and how screens move during maintenance

  • Users select views based on:
    • the material type chosen in MM01, and
    • the configured view-to-screen logic.
  • After entering data and pressing Enter, SAP navigates through the next logical screens as defined by the screen sequence.

• Main vs additional (secondary) screens

  • Main data tabs appear under main screen type (screen type 1).
  • Additional data tabs appear under secondary/additional screen type (screen type 2).
  • Which tabs appear is controlled by screen configuration and how additional screens are assigned into the screen sequence.

• Configuration structures in SAP Reference IMG

  • In configuration, SAP defines:
    • Screen sequences
    • Data screens (logical tabs) within a screen sequence
    • Subscreens within each data screen
  • Example noted: Screen sequence 21 is the “standard” sequence used in typical setups (industry-related).

• Maintenance status drives transactional availability

  • Material maintenance statuses (by department/function) determine whether transactions can be performed.
  • Examples:
    • If purchasing maintenance status isn’t maintained → you can’t create purchase orders.
    • If accounting maintenance status isn’t maintained → you can’t do accounting activities.
    • If storage maintenance status isn’t maintained → you can’t perform goods movements (goods receipt/issue).
  • Each main tab/screen maps to a specific maintenance status.
  • Important note: to make a subscreen appear in a different tab, it’s not enough to place it there—its maintenance status must also be assigned.

• Placeholders in configuration

  • Some subscreen entries act as placeholders (e.g., blank subscreen programs/numbers).
  • You can replace a placeholder with a real subscreen program/number to “activate” that content on the tab.

• How to determine where a field belongs (technical approach)

  • For a field on MM01:
    • Press F1 → choose technical information
    • identify the subscreen screen number and program name
  • Then use configuration mapping:
    • field → subscreen (screen number + program)
    • subscreen → main screen (container main screen number)
    • main screen → screen sequence tab position

• Reordering screens (main and additional)

  • Configuration allows changing the order of:
    • main and additional screens in a screen sequence.
  • Additional screens can be:
    • added to the screen sequence
    • sorted via order numbers

• Screen sequence triggering factors

  • The chosen screen sequence depends on a combination of four configuration factors:
    • Transaction code (e.g., MM01)
    • User
    • Material type
    • Industry sector
  • If a factor reference isn’t specified, SAP uses an asterisk (*) meaning “all”.

• Creating a custom screen sequence (Z1) for purchasing/inventory

  • The walkthrough describes creating a Z1 sequence containing only screens relevant to purchasing and inventory management.
  • Outcomes described:
    • Only selected main tabs remain (basic data + purchasing + storage + accounting—per the presenter’s selection).
    • Only selected additional tabs remain (e.g., descriptions and unit of measurement).
    • Subscreens and main/additional screens are customized and ordered.

• Extending with custom subscreens

  • For truly new subscreens, SAP requires:
    • creating a custom screen program and screen(s) using ABAP
    • then placing that custom screen/subscreen into the required main screen in the screen sequence.

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Methodology / steps and instructions (as presented)

A) Observe how MM01 builds screen tabs and subscreens

1. Go to Tcode: MM01.
2. Select:
   • Industry
   • Material type
3. Press Enter to see multiple views.
4. Select example views:
   • Basic data 1
   • Purchasing
   • Accounting 1
   • Storage 1
5. Press Enter again and provide required organizational data (example):
   • Plant
   • Storage location
6. Identify:
   • Main tabs (logical screens): each tab corresponds to a logical screen
   • Subscreens: blocks within each logical screen (e.g., general data block, authorization group block, etc.)
7. Press Enter repeatedly to confirm SAP navigates according to the screen sequence order.

B) Inspect standard configuration for screen sequence 21

1. Use SPRO → SAP Reference IMG →
   • Logistics → General → Material Master → (link) Configuring the Material Master
2. Navigate to the screen sequence configuration area.
3. Locate Screen sequence key = 21.
4. Review:
   • data screens (main logical screens for the sequence)
   • configured subscreens under each data screen
5. Note:
   • screen type
     • 1 = main
     • 2 = secondary/additional

C) Map fields to their subscreens (technical inspection)

1. In MM01, focus on a field.
2. Press F1 → choose technical information.
3. Read the screen number and program name.
4. In configuration, find the matching subscreen screen number under the proper data screen/subscreen list.
5. Determine which main screen container the subscreen belongs to using the configuration hierarchy.

D) Move/insert a subscreen into a different main tab

1. Determine the subscreen screen number (via F1 technical info).
2. In configuration:
   • select the target data screen (e.g., purchasing main tab)
   • insert the subscreen number into a placeholder position
3. Critical requirement:
   • assign the correct maintenance status to the subscreen so the tab becomes authorized/visible for the material workflow.

E) Assign maintenance status to make tabs/subscreens effective

1. In MS2:
   • check material type maintenance status assignments (departments).
2. Apply configuration knowledge:
   • each tab corresponds to a maintenance status
3. Ensure the added subscreen/tab is assigned the correct maintenance status.
4. Example described:
   • adding maintenance status “K” so the authorization group appears under the purchasing tab.

F) Configure and reorder additional (secondary) screens

1. Use configuration for assign secondary screens (assigned to the screen sequence).
2. Steps (as described):
   • find the screen sequence (e.g., 21)
   • add an additional screen (button/operation described)
   • save
3. In “maintain order of main and additional screens”:
   • set desired ordering numbers
   • run sorting/reordering
4. Verify in MM01:
   • the added additional tab appears under Additional data
   • its position matches the configured order

G) Determine screen sequence using configuration factors

1. Use configuration for “Assign screen sequences to user/material type/transaction/industry sector”.
2. For each combination:
   • provide references for:
     • transaction
     • user (or leave as *)
     • material type
     • industry sector
3. SAP selects the correct screen sequence when the material is created in MM01.

H) Build a custom screen sequence (Z1) for purchasing/inventory

1. Create a copy of standard:
   • select 21 → copy
   • create new screen sequence Z1 (custom key)
2. Modify main data / data screens:
   • add a subscreen (example: subscreen screen number 2002) into basic data 1 by replacing a placeholder
   • remove unwanted subscreens (example: competitor section—identified by screen number like 2005)
   • remove unwanted main tabs from the screen sequence:
     • keep only the main tabs needed (basic data + purchasing + storage + accounting as described)
3. Modify additional (secondary) screens:
   • keep only required additional tabs (examples: descriptions, unit of measurement)
   • remove other additional screens from Z1
4. Adjust ordering if needed:
   • maintain order of main and additional screens so added additional tabs appear where desired
5. Assign the custom screen sequence to the material type:
   • go to configuration “assign screen sequences …”
   • map the custom material type to Z1 (example described using material type “Y” → mapping to “Z1”)

I) Creating custom subscreens via ABAP (high-level)

1. Use the configuration link for “create program for customize subscreens”.
2. Conceptual steps:
   • ABAP creates:
     • a new screen program
     • a custom screen/subscreen
   • Configure the custom program and screen number inside the required main screen/subscreen placement.

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Sources / speakers identified

• Speaker: An unnamed presenter (“Hey everyone, welcome back to my channel…”; no name provided).
• Source system / tools referenced: SAP ERP / SAP MM configuration, including:
  • MM01, MS2, SPRO (SAP Reference IMG)
  • ABAP screen creation (no specific ABAP transaction named)