Understanding External Program References

You can use a program that is external to the software to define a calculation. You refer to an external custom business function for special calculations that are particularly complex or involved.

For R, P, and Q rules, the external business function refers to the component number, component branch, and sold-to number. For H, C, or X rules, the external business function refers to the configured item number, branch/plant, and sold-to number.

Several setups must be completed before an external business function can be called. A business function object must be created for the external program. This business function object must then be added to the Object Librarian.

The Function Use processing option value for the Assembly Inclusion Rules program (P3293) must be equal to the Object Use value on the Object Librarian for the function being called.

You must enter EXTVAR in the Derived Calculation field on the Assembly Inclusion Edit Group Revisions form. Enter the name of the external business function to be called in the External Program field.

After the system runs the external function, it places the results in EXTVAR, a 30-character variable in the inclusion rule.

The external business function can also access and use the values of previously entered segments that are sorted in cache. The system passes the B3200000 data structure to the external business function.