Purpose
In 3.0B, you need to enter external hierarchy characteristics in theInfoObject maintenance.
These are characteristics which appear in hierarchies but which are notthe basic characteristics for which the characteristic was created.(Hierarchy tab title -> External Characteristics in Hierarchies (Up to3.0A patch 5, the button was called 'Characteristics in PSAHierarchies')).
Why?
1. These InfoObjects must be stored for new 3.0 hierarchy DataSources(flexible hierarchies) as these InfoObjects serve as templates for thecommunication structure. Unlike with the old DataSources, theInfoObject name is not transferred from the OLTP system. For thisreason, the corresponding field must be mapped to an InfoObject, as isthe case with transaction and master data.
2. Several BW programs need to know which InfoObjects appear inhierarchies. The setting provides this information without affectingsystem performance.
3. In the hierarchy maintenance, you can only transfer thoseInfoObjects that are to be used with a hierarchy.
All external characteristics that appear in a hierarchy must bespecified in the InfoObject maintenance for the hierarchy basischaracteristic. You do not need to enter the hierarchy basischaracteristic itself nor the InfoObject for the text node(0HIER_NODE).
For example: You need to enter the InfoObjects 0COUNTRY and 0REGION asexternal characteristics for the InfoObject 0CUSTOMER, for a customerhierarchy for the hierarchy basis characteristic 0CUSTOMER (0COUNTRY)and region (0REGION). (InfoObject maintenance for 0CUSTOMER ->Hierarchy tabstrip -> Button 'External characteristics in hierarchies'(Up to patch 5, the button was called 'Characteristics in PSAHierarchies') -> Transfer 0REGION and 0COUNTRY).
When upgrading to 3.0B, this XPRA runs and trims the hierarchy tablesof external characteristics, entering these in the InfoObject. However,a customer receives an error message when he or she transfers acharacteristic for the first time and uses a hierarchy DataSource thatuses external characteristics which have not been entered into theInfoObject. This error message describes where he or she is to enterthese InfoObjects.
This XPRA is not executed in an SAP Content development system, sincethis would mean all external InfoObjects that appear in hierarchieswould be entered in the InfoObject. This would mean all InfoObjectsthat appear in the hierarchy for test purposes or via a flatfile uploadare incorrectly entered in the InfoObject.