Create Partner Type and Partner Alias Type

This document explains how you create a partner type and a partner alias type. This is used in Customer Delivery Scheduling (CDS), among others.

Partner types can be internal or external. Internal partner types can be division, facility and warehouse. External partner types can be customers, customer addresses, customer delivery specifications and suppliers.

Outcome

A partner type is created.
A partner alias type is created.

Partner Type

Along with the partner category, a partner type defines internal and external partners. Examples of internal partners are divisions, facilities or warehouses. Examples of external partners are customers, customer addresses or suppliers. The partner identity is used to translate itself into a partner alias identity. This is performed when an outgoing EDI message is created by using the API CRS886MI. Partner types are stored in the CPATYP table.

Partner Alias Type

A partner alias is an alternative identity to an M3 internal identity such as a division, a facility or a warehouse. A partner alias also applies to external identities. Examples of external identities are customers, customer addresses and supplier numbers. The partner alias identity is used to translate itself into a partner identity. This is performed when an incoming EDI message is received by using the API CRS886MI. Partner alias types are stored in the CPAALT table.

Follow these steps

Note: A partner type must be created before you create a partner alias type.

Create a Partner Type

Start 'Partner Type. Open' (CRS883). Fill in the partner type ID. Open the E panel.
Specify a description and name. Select a partner category.

The partner category can be internal (a division, facility or warehouse in M3) or external (a customer number, customer delivery specification, etc.).
Click Next and then exit (CRSS883).
As an alternative, you can auto-create default partner types. Press F14='Gen standard' and default partner types are created.

Create a Partner Alias Type

Start 'Partner Alias Type. Open' (CRS884). Fill in a partner alias type ID. Open the E panel.
Specify a description and name.
Select a partner type. This field opens the partner types defined in (CRS883).

If you fill in this field with a partner type, then you can only connect this partner alias type to a partner ID with this partner type defined.

If you leave this field blank, then you can connect this partner alias type to any partner ID, regardless of the partner type connected to it.

These connections are made in (CRS886).

For example, a customer has one popular number and one EAN code as two different alias types.
Specify a partner alias category. The 'Partner alias qualifier' field is not used in the current version of M3.
Specify the user-defined field(s). Depending on the second digit in the 'Partner alias category' field, you can use 1, 2 or 3 user-defined fields here. These fields will appear as headings in 'Partner Alias Repository. Connect' (CRS886).
Click Next to create partner types and partner alias types.
As an alternative, you can auto-create default partner alias types. Press F14='Gen standard' and default partner alias types are created.

Parameters to set


Program ID/Panel	Field	The field indicates …
(CRS883/B)	Partner type	… the partner type. The partner type is used to control the category of a partner ID defined in (CRS885). Along with the partner category, a partner type defines internal and external partners. Examples of internal partners are divisions, facilities or warehouses. Examples of external partners are customers, customer addresses or suppliers.
(CRS883/E)	Partner category	… the partner category. The partner category is linked to a partner type and is used to define partner ID categories. Partner IDs are defined in (CRS885). The valid alternatives are: 01 = M3 division 02 = M3 facility 03 = M3 warehouse 10 = Customer number defined as business chain 11 = Customer number 12 = Customer address 13 = Customer delivery specification 21 = Supplier.
(CRS884/B)	Partner alias type	… the partner alias type. The partner alias type is used to set parameters that control how partner aliases are managed in (CRS886). A partner alias is an alternative identity to a M3 internal identity such as a division, a facility or a warehouse. Partner aliases also apply to external identities. Examples of external identities are customers, customer addresses and suppliers.
(CRS884/E)	Partner type	See above. If you fill in this field with a partner type, you can only connect this partner alias type to a partner ID with this partner type defined. If you leave this field blank, you can connect this partner alias type to any partner ID, regardless of the partner type connected. These connections are made in (CRS886).
(CRS884/E)	Partner alias category	… the partner alias category. The partner alias category is linked to a partner alias type and is used to define the category of the partner alias. Partner aliases are defined in (CRS886). The first digit of the partner alias category indicates: 1x = Popular alias identity 2x = Unique alias identity 3x = Unique alias identity qualified by another partner ID. The second digit of the partner alias category indicates the number of partner alias IDs used. One, two or three alias IDs are allowed. If you use partner alias category 3x, then qualifying partner IDs are mandatory when managing partner aliases.
(CRS884/E)	Partner alias qualifier	… the partner alias qualifier. The field is not supported in the current version of M3.
(CRS884/E)	User-defined fields 1, 2 and 3	…a user-defined field that may be used as desired. The purpose of the field is to give the possibility to assign a user-defined heading. The definition is per partner alias type and is used in (CRS886). Depending on the second digit in the 'Partner alias category' field, you can use 1, 2 or 3 user-defined fields here.