Contents

Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 2
Configuration Steps ....................................................................................................................................... 2
Create characteristics ............................................................................................................................... 2
Define class ............................................................................................................................................... 5
Add custom characteristic class to customer master ............................................................................... 6
Technical details ............................................................................................................................................ 9



Introduction
SAP has provided standard set of fields in the customer master to be used for various purposes. Some
fields are pre-defined for certain purposes with an attached functionality behind. In order to provide
maximum flexibility for SAP users, there are some fields which are not pre-defined, but can be used for
custom purposes such as; Customer Group 1 to 5. But those fields are depending on the sales area of
the customer. If you want to define a value which is independent of the sales area, you can define your
own classification for customers. This classification can be attached to customer master with different
characteristic values. Since this is not sales area depended, you can define it as a global value for the
customer master.
Configuration Steps
Please note this is not a normal customizing task. Therefore you need to do same steps in all clients
(development / Quality and production clients)
Create characteristics
To store customer values, you can define such characteristics.
Easy Access Menu path:

Double click on the node or call the transaction CT04
Enter characteristic name, valid from date and click on the button

Maintain a proper description under the field " Description"
Make sure the status is set to "Released"
Based on the value you want to store, set the "Data Type" field. For example, if you want to
store a date, and then select the data type as "Date Format" for character values, select the
"Data Type" as "Character Format". Maximum length can be defined in the field "No of Chars"

By selecting the field "Single value" or "Multiple Value" you can define whether multiple values can be
assigned to this characteristic or not.
If you're working with multiple languages, please maintain language specific descriptions under
tab "Descriptions"

If you have predefined set of values, that has to be used with the characteristic, then define
them under the tab "Values"

Save your characteristic
For testing purpose I will create 2 characteristics as "ZAW_CONTRACT_NO" and
"ZAW_CONTRACT_DATE"

Define class
Easy Access Menu Path:

Enter your Class name and class type. For customer you have to select the class type as "011 -
Customer class".

Press the button
Under Basic Data tab, enter the Description of your class; Make sure the status is set to
"Released". Maintain valid from date, if desired.

Under "Char" tab add your characteristics for this class

Save your class
Add custom characteristic class to customer master
Transaction: XD02
Now you can add the defined characteristic class to your customer master
Go in to your customer master using above transaction
Since characteristics are global, you do not have to go to sales area tabs
Select below menu option to add the new class to your customer master

Add the class under "Assignments" table

When you press enter key, you can see your characteristics in the table "General"

You can maintain you own values now for this customer.

Same manner you can define any number of own fields for the customer master.
Technical details

Below technical details will be useful to extract data stored in classifications.
Characteristic Descriptions are stored in the table - CABNT
o Language - SPRAS
o Characteristic description - ATBEZ

Characteristic Values are stored in the table - AUSP
o Customer number is stored in the field - OBJEK
o Class Type - KLART
o Characteristic value is stored in the field - ATWRT
o Date values is stored in the field - ATFLV



Author: Anupa Wijesinghe
E-Mail: anupaw@gmail.com / anupaw@learnsaptips.com
Website: www.learnsaptips.com
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