Understanding Matrix and Parent Items
In the Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) industry, products often have a number of variations though they share the same basic properties. For example, the inventory might contain a beverage such as bottled water. However, customers demand a number of variations in the attributes of bottled water, including flavored water, plain water, carbonated water, plastic bottles of water, and glass bottles of water. Bottled water is available in six packs, 12 packs, and cases. Additionally, differently sized bottles are available. However, the bottled water remains the same in its basic properties, such as requirements for storage conditions, shipping, and pricing.
When you define segments in the Template Master program (P410014), you can specify the segment values to use when generating children for the matrix and how the child items appear in the matrix.
You must enter a parent item in the Item Master program (P4101) to create all of the variations (child items) of the parent item. You enter a parent item just as you would any other item in the inventory, except that you specify a template and indicate that the item is matrix-controlled or not matrix-controlled. The system uses this information to display forms that enable you to add all variations of the parent item. Select values for each segment that you defined in the template to define the attributes for the child items. The combined values that you select identify all of the variations of the parent item. As you continue the item entry process, the system displays all variations of the parent item so that you can review all of the child items to be created and remove those child items that you do not want the system to create when you run the Item Branch Duplication - Batch Selection program (R41826).
Run the R41826 program to create the child items and optionally populate the matrix with all of the variations of the parent item that you have created and chosen. If you run the R41826 program, you from having to enter individual items for each separate combination of attributes. You can also set the processing options appropriately, the system can also copy item cost, item price, and unit of measure conversion information to selected branch/plants.
See Duplicating Individual Items for Multiple Branch/plants.