In the SAP ecosystem, Material Master data is crucial for the smooth execution of various business processes, including procurement, production, inventory management, and sales. The Material Master serves as a central repository that houses all the information related to the materials a company uses. This blog post explores the key SAP tables associated with Material Master data, detailing their structure and functionality.
Key SAP Material Master Tables
SAP Material Master data is distributed across several tables, each designed to store specific types of information relevant to different aspects of material management. Here are the most important tables:
- MARA (General Material Data)
Purpose: Stores general data about materials that are applicable across all organisational levels.
Some Key Fields:
– MATNR: Material Number
– MTART: Material Type
– MEINS: Base Unit of Measure
Usage: The MARA table is fundamental as it holds essential attributes of materials, such as their identification numbers and types, ensuring consistency across all business processes.
- MARC (Plant Data for Material)
Purpose: Contains data related to materials specific to individual plants.
Some Key Fields:
– MATNR: Material Number
– WERKS: Plant
– DISMM: MRP Type
Usage: MARC is critical for managing material requirements planning (MRP) and inventory management at the plant level, enabling tailored control over material flow and availability.
- MAKT (Material Descriptions)
Purpose: Stores material descriptions in various languages.
Some Key Fields:
– MATNR: Material Number
– SPRAS: Language Key
– MAKTX: Material Description
Usage: MAKT ensures that material descriptions are accessible in multiple languages, supporting global operations and enhancing clarity in communications.
- MBEW (Material Valuation)
Purpose: Contains valuation data for materials.
Some Key Fields:
– MATNR: Material Number
– BWKEY: Valuation Area
– BWTAR: Valuation Type
Usage: MBEW plays a vital role in financial accounting by maintaining material valuation information, which is crucial for cost accounting and financial reporting.
- MVKE (Sales Data for Materials)
Purpose: Stores sales-specific data for materials.
Some Key Fields:
– MATNR: Material Number
– VKORG: Sales Organisation
– VTWEG: Distribution Channel
Usage: MVKE is essential for sales and distribution processes, providing necessary data to manage pricing, sales, and distribution channels effectively.
- MARD (Storage Location Data for Material)
Purpose: Contains data related to materials specific to storage locations.
Some Key Fields:
– MATNR: Material Number
– WERKS: Plant
– LGORT: Storage Location
– Usage: MARD is critical for warehouse management, helping to track and manage inventory at specific storage locations within a plant.
- MDMA (MRP Area Data)
Purpose: Stores data specific to MRP areas for materials. (Not relevant if MRP data managed on Plant Level – MARC)
Some Key Fields:
– MATNR: Material Number
– WERKS: Plant
– MRP_AREA: MRP Area
– DISMM: MRP Type
Usage: MDMA is essential for managing material planning at a more granular level. By defining MRP areas, businesses can segment planning responsibilities within a plant, apply different MRP settings, and improve inventory management accuracy.
Practical Use and Integration
The integration of these Material Master tables ensures that various business processes have access to the necessary data. Here’s how these tables work together:
- Creating a New Material: When a new material is created, the general data is entered into the MARA table. This includes the material number, type, and base unit of measure.
- Plant-Specific Information: Next, plant-specific details are added to the MARC table. This might include MRP settings and storage data relevant to the particular plant.
- Descriptions and Valuation: Material descriptions in different languages are stored in the MAKT table, while valuation details are recorded in the MBEW table to ensure accurate financial tracking.
- Sales and Distribution: For materials that will be sold, sales data is added to the MVKE table, detailing the sales organisation and distribution channel information.
- Storage Locations: Finally, storage location-specific data is entered into the MARD table to facilitate precise inventory management.
- MRP Area Specifics: The MDMA table is used to manage MRP-specific data, allowing businesses to define and control material planning at a more detailed level within plants.
By maintaining accurate and consistent material data across these interconnected tables, organisations can ensure seamless business operations, efficient resource management, and informed decision-making.
Understanding the structure and function of SAP Material Master tables is essential for effective data management and system integration. These tables form the backbone of material management in SAP, supporting a wide range of business processes from procurement and production to sales and inventory management.
