Manage Items in the Item Data Interface

Outcome

You can receive, process, and import items in M3 BE through the item data interface.

You can also perform changes and log changes for already imported items in the item import function.

The item data interface provides a solution in which item data can be exchanged and enriched between M3 BE and other applications or third-party products.

For further details, refer to the programs 'MI Repository. Open' (MRS001), 'MI Transaction. Open' (MRS002), and 'MI Transaction Layout. Open' (MRS003).

Solution

Receive large amounts of structured or unstructured item-related data to interface

An interface item master record is created by the API transaction MHS001MI.AddIntItmMst ('Add Interface Item Master'). The transaction contains all existing fields in table MHIMAS. Other 'Add' transactions are

• MHS002MI.AddIntItmWhs ('Add Interface Item/Warehouse')
• MHS003MI.AddIntItmFac ('Add Interface Item/Facility')
• MHS005MI.AddIntItmCus ('Add Interface Item/Customer')
• MHS040MI.AddIntItmSup ('Add Interface Item/Supplier')
• MHS015MI.AddIntItmAUM ('Add Interface Item/Alt U/M')
• MHS025MI.AddIntItmAli ('Add Interface Item/Alias')

The function program MHIMPITM imports the interface items and creates M3 BE items.

The item type is either entered manually or retrieved as the standard item type defined for the partner used. Mandatory fields are:

• Company
• Partner
• Interface item number
• Item type (if no standard item type exists)

All other attributes can be added through manual enrichment or through additions using the 'Add' or 'Chg' API transactions.

Level of Processing

By using a process flag in the API transactions, you can control whether interface item data is added only, whether it is added and validated, or whether it is added, validated, and imported into M3 BE. The valid process flags are as follows:

• blank - Data is only added. Validation and import to M3 BE is done manually.
• *VAL - Data is added and validated. Import to M3 BE is done manually.
• *IMP - Data is validated and, if there are no validation errors, imported to M3 BE.
• *AUT – Same as *IMP, but the processing is done through an auto start job, MHS250 (Interface Item Import), instead of interactively.

Work with item data manually in the item interface

'Interface Item. Open toolbox' (MHS200) is the program from which all functions in the interface can be accessed.

Interface items and all related data can be searched and displayed.

The following options are available on the (MHS200/B) panel.

• Option 11 starts 'Interface Item. Open' (MHS001).
• Option 12 starts 'Interface Item. Connect Warehouse' (MHS002).
• Option 13 starts 'Interface Item. Connect Facility' (MHS003).
• Option 14 starts 'Interface Item. Connect Customer' (MHS005).
• Option 15 starts 'Interface Item. Connect Supplier' (MHS040).
• Option 16 starts 'Interface Item. Connect Alternate U/M' (MHS015).
• Option 17 starts 'Interface Item. Connect Alias Number' (MHS025).
• Option 20 starts 'Interface Item Change Log. Open' (MHS210).
• Option 21='Import' imports an interface item to M3 BE through the function program MHIMPITE.
• Option 22 starts 'Interface SKU. Connect Style' (MHS220).
• Option 25='Validate', lets you validate the record in all MHS programs (MHS001/002 etc). You can also validate the record in each MHS program. See Statuses in the item interface.
• Option 30 starts 'Item. Open' (MMS001).
• Function F14 starts 'Item. Open Toolbox' (MMS200).
• Function F16 starts 'Settings –Item Import' (MHS262).
• Function F17 starts a selection program where you can select records based on the different fields.
• Function F18 imports the currently selected interface items to M3 BE through the function program MHIMPITE.

All the interface item programs have normal detail panels where the data can be changed or enriched after being received from the external system. The following fields are added for the item import interface function:

All MHS programs have the following:

• Partner and Message type in the header.
• The 'Interface Item number' is the ID of an interface item. This number is received from the external system.
• 'Interface status', see Statuses in the item interface.
• 'Exists in BE' indicates whether the record has been successfully imported.

On (MHS001/E), 'External message number' indicates the sender's message number. This number can be used for traceability. 'Item number' indicates the number the item has in M3 BE if it is imported. Before the import, you can also manually enter the M3 BE item number here. 'Message ID' indicates an error message received when validating or importing items.

For more information about 'Lowest status', see Statuses in the item interface.

Import interface item data to M3 BE

Item data can be imported to M3 BE in three different ways:

• One by one in (MHS200), option 21=Import
• A selection of items using an auto start job, (MHS200), Function F18='Import selected'
• Through a transaction in MHS200MI (process flag *IMP or *AUT)

  For all three alternatives, the following is valid: If the item has lowest status < 40 then a validation is done before the import. If the validation is successful (lowest status = 40) then the item is imported. If the validation is not successful, the item is not imported.

• Statuses in the item interface

  All of the eight MHS programs have an 'Interface status' field (STAI) with the status for the record in the current program. In addition to the interface status, the lowest status of the child tables is displayed in (MHS001), in the 'Lowest status' field (STOT). See the valid statuses in this table.

  Status	Comment
  20	Added or modified (valid status in all MHS programs)
  21	Validation error in (MHS001) – Interface item
  22	Validation error in (MHS002) – Interface item/warehouse
  23	Validation error in (MHS003) – Interface item/facility
  24	Validation error in (MHS005) – Interface item/customer
  25	Validation error in (MHS015) – Interface item/alternate U/M
  26	Validation error in (MHS025) – Interface item/alias
  27	Validation error in (MHS040) – Interface item/supplier
  28	Validation error in (MHS220) – Interface SKU
  40	Validation successful (valid status in all MHS programs)
  41	Import error in (MHS001) – Interface item
  42	Import error in (MHS002) – Interface item/warehouse
  43	Import error in (MHS003) – Interface item/facility
  44	Import error in (MHS005) – Interface item/customer
  45	Import error in (MHS015) – Interface item/alternate U/M
  46	Import error in (MHS025) – Interface item/alias
  47	Import error in (MHS040) – Interface item/supplier
  48	Import error in (MHS220) – Interface SKU/style
  60	Import successful (valid status in all MHS programs below)

• Tracking errors in validation or import

  A message ID and message in full text are displayed at the bottom of the (MHS001/E) panel if there is a validation error.

  If there are several validation errors, only the first error is displayed. When you correct the error and validate it again, the next is displayed, and so on.

• Rules for item numbering

  The creations of item numbers in the table MITMAS (MMS001) depend on the following parameters.

  Interface item number exists (mandatory)	Item number specified in MHIMAS	Item numbering rule exists on item type	Manual override allowed on item type	Item number in MITMAS created according to...
  X	X	X	X	Item number in MHIMAS
  X	X	X		Numbering rule
  X		X	X	Numbering rule
  X		X		Numbering rule
  X	X			Item number in MHIMAS
  X				Interface item number

  Note: 

  • Items marked with X set the item number in MITMAS.
  • 'Interface item' is the number received from the external system.
  • 'Item number specified in MHIMAS' is the item number field in (MHS001). The first time the item is received this field is open and empty. When the interface item has been imported, this field is entered with the M3 BE item number and cannot be modified.
  • 'Item numbering rule exists on item type' indicates how to create a numbering rule and how to create items with templates on item type. Refer to these documents in the Related topics section:

    - Create an Item Numbering Rule and Connect It to an Item Type

    - Creating Items in Different Ways

  • 'Manual override allowed on item type' – The 'Override with manual entered item number' field is activated on the (CRS040/E) panel.
• Rules when importing items

  For each interface item, one normal M3 BE item can be created. The same applies for the related data. For example, one (MHS040) record is used to create one (PPS040) record.

  Item/warehouse and item/facility can be created by using separate selections of warehouses together with one generic (MHS002) record or one generic (MHS003) record in order to create several records in M3 BE.

  All item-related data can be created automatically from template items the same way as for regular items, assuming a template item exists. For more information about how to create items, see Creating Items in Different Ways.

  Any value provided from the item interface overrides the template value.

  Item import control is available, which defines how the value zero (blank) should be managed in different fields when you import an item that has already been imported.

  Generic interface records are allowed.

• Rules when importing item/warehouse

  The item types used must be correctly set up in 'Settings – Item Import' (MHS262).

  Also, it is important to check parameter 'Lim itm/whs crt' (LMWH) for these items.

  For alternative 'Lim itm/whs crt' (LMWH) = 0:

  • 'Interface Item. Open toolbox' (MHS200) + Ctrl31. Only the specified warehouse will be imported.
  • 'Interface Item. Open toolbox' (MHS200) + Ctrl21 (Sorting order based in MHIBAL, importing per warehouse). Only the selected warehouse will be imported.
  • 'Interface Item. Open toolbox' (MHS200) + Ctrl21 (Sorting order based in MHIMAS, importing per interface item). All warehouses
    • with a record in 'Interface Item. Connect Warehouse' (MHS002)
    • listed in 'Item type. Connect Warehouses' (MWS042) and existing in 'Item. Connect Warehouse' (MMS002) for the template item
    will be imported.
  • MHS200MI.AddIntItmWhs. All warehouses
    • with a record in 'Interface Item. Connect Warehouse' (MHS002)
    • defined in 'Item type. Connect Warehouses' (MWS042) and existing in 'Item. Connect Warehouse' (MMS002) for the template item
    will be imported. The system does not take the specified warehouse in the API for the alternative LMWH=0 into account.
• For alternative 'Lim itm/whs crt' (LMWH) = 1:
  • 'Interface Item. Open toolbox' (MHS200) + Ctrl31. Only the specified warehouse will be imported.
  • 'Interface Item. Open toolbox' (MHS200) + Ctrl21 (Sorting order based in MHIBAL, importing per warehouse). Only the selected warehouse will be imported.
  • 'Interface Item. Open toolbox' (MHS200) + Ctrl21 (Sorting order based in MHIMAS, importing per interface item). All warehouses where a record in'Interface Item. Connect Warehouse' (MHS002) exists will be imported.
  • MHS200MI.AddIntItmWhs. All warehouses where a record in 'Interface Item. Connect Warehouse' (MHS002) exists will be imported. The system does not take the specified warehouse in the API for the alternative LMWH=0 into account.
• For alternative 'Lim itm/whs crt' (LMWH) = 2:
  • 'Interface Item. Open toolbox' (MHS200) + Ctrl31. Only the specified warehouse will be imported.
  • 'Interface Item. Open toolbox' (MHS200) + Ctrl21 (Sorting order based in MHIBAL, importing per warehouse). Only the selected warehouse will be imported.
  • 'Interface Item. Open toolbox' (MHS200) + Ctrl21 (Sorting order based in MHIMAS, importing per interface item). Warehouses included in the warehouse table in 'Interface Item. Open' (MHS001) or 'Settings – Item Import' (MHS262) will be imported if they exist in 'Interface Item. Connect Warehouse' (MHS002).
  • MHS200MI.AddIntItmWhs. Only the selected warehouse in the field WHLO will be imported.
  Note: Alternative '2' is the only way to import items from a selected warehouse, using an API transaction (MHS200MI.AddIntItmWhs). (It is a simulation of the related option Ctrl+31 in (MHS200)).
• Warehouse selection table – Principles

  The warehouse selection table works as a filter in these cases:

  • A template item/warehouse exists – create only if warehouse is OK according to the item type and the selection table if 'Limit item/whs creation' = 2.
  • An interface item/warehouse record exists – create only if warehouse is OK according to selection table and if 'Limit item/whs creation' = 2.

  The warehouse selection table works as a selection when a generic interface item/warehouse record exists (warehouse is blank) – create item/warehouse for all the selected warehouses in table.

Perform changes through the interface

An interface item can be changed manually through the MHS programs or through the API transactions. When an interface item record is changed, the status of that record is lowered to 20. To make the changes take effect in M3 BE, the interface item needs to be validated and imported again.

A change log function is available. You can select the fields to be logged for changes. Any change to these fields made through the API will be stored in the change log instead of taking effect immediately.

Using the change log

1. Start 'Interface Item Change Log. Open' (MHS210). On the B panel, the interface item and the tables that are affected by the change are displayed.

   Keys 1, 2, and 3 display the value for the table. For example, if the table is MHIBAL, key 1 is a warehouse.

   'Field' is the field you have set for logging in (MHS264).

2. Display the E panel to check the changed values. The From value field indicates the value before the change. The To value field displays the new value.
3. Display the B panel again. To approve the change, select option 12='Approve'. To reject the value, select option 11='Reject'.

   You can also approve or reject all records for one interface item by using function F15='Reject all', and F16='Approve all'.

4. The Change log status can be one of the following:
   • 10 = A change log exists. The change log contains a record.
   • 15 = Rejected. The record will remain in (MHS210) for the number of days defined in (MHS262) before it is deleted.
   • 20 = Approved. The change takes effect. The record is updated in the interface program (in this example the purchase price is updated in (MHS001)) and can be imported to M3 BE. The record will remain in (MHS210) for the number of days defined in (MHS262) before it is deleted.
   Note: You can manage receiving fashion item data through the item import interface.

   • Receive styles into the interface
   • Import style to M3 BE
   • Ensure the features/options are in place and connected to the style in M3 BE (done automatically if created from style template)
   • Create interface SKUs
   • Send SKU/style relations to the interface (which style and which features/options combination is one SKU)
   • Import SKUs and all SKU-related data in M3 BE is created (no difference to BE-created SKUs)
   • Season functionality is supported from the interface

   For details about creating settings for templates, refer to these documents in the Related topics section:

   • Create Style and Stock Keeping Units
   • Settings for Style and Stock Keeping Unit
5. The style is added in (MHS001) or API MHS001MI as a regular interface item but always with configuration code 6 on the (MHS001/F) panel.
6. The style is imported to M3 BE in the same way as a regular interface item. The style is created in (MMS001) or using API MHS001MI and (MMS016).

   Features are automatically copied to (MMS017) if template data exists. If there is a need to add features and options from the external system, the APIs MMS017MI, PDS056MI, and PDS050MI should be used.

The SKUs

The SKUs are added in (MHS001) or using API MHS001MI as a regular interface item but always with configuration code 7 on the (MHS001/F) panel.

The style and SKU connection

A style/SKU relation must be created in order to specify the options of the features that apply for this SKU.

1. Start 'Interface SKU. Connect Style' (MHS220). Select the partner and enter an interface item (the SKU). Open the E panel.
2. The interface style number indicates the interface style that should be connected.
3. If working in (MHS220), you can press F14 to retrieve the features of the imported interface style.
4. Specify the options for the feature.
5. The 'Style' field at the bottom of the E panel indicates whether the style has been imported to M3 BE before. The first time the style is received, this field is open and empty. When the interface style has been successfully imported, this field is entered with the M3 style number and is not editable.
6. Open the (MHS220/B) panel again.

The season definition per style or SKU

1. Select option 11='Style/season' on the (MHS220/B) panel. 'Interface Style. Connect Season' (MHS221) is started.
2. Specify an interface style number or an interface SKU. Season can be specified at either level.
   Note: Season control must be selected on (MHS001/F)
3. Specify a season. Seasons are defined in (CRS912).
4. Select 'Create' and click Next until the B panel is displayed again. Alias records with alias category 88 will now only be created for the connected season in (MMS025).