SD has more organisational units than most modules, which makes it daunting at first. Knowing what each exists for makes the design intent visible.
Three dimensions
| Unit | Represents | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Sales organisation | The unit responsible for selling, and legally accountable | Domestic sales, export sales |
| Distribution channel | The route by which goods reach the customer | Direct, dealer, e-commerce, wholesale |
| Division | A broad product grouping | Industrial equipment, household goods, consumables |
A sales organisation is assigned to exactly one company code, so choosing it determines whose books the revenue lands in.
The sales area
The combination of the three is a sales area, the central unit in SD; nearly every setting is held at this level.
The reason for combining three dimensions is that the same customer often needs different terms in different contexts.
| Setting | Why it might differ |
|---|---|
| Price | Dealers buy below the direct price |
| Payment terms | Export prepaid, domestic on month-end terms |
| Shipping conditions | E-commerce by parcel, wholesale by truck |
| Credit limit | Separate limits per channel |
Shipping-side units
| Unit | Role | Belongs to |
|---|---|---|
| Plant | A location that holds stock | Company code |
| Storage location | Where stock sits within a plant | Plant |
| Shipping point | Where shipping work is performed | Plant |
| Loading point | A loading bay within a shipping point | Shipping point |
The shipping point is the unit deliveries are created for. Separating parcel and truck shipping points within one plant separates the work. It is determined automatically from shipping conditions, loading group and plant.
Assignments between units
- Sales organisation โ company code (one to one; determines where revenue is booked)
- Distribution channel โ sales organisation (many to many)
- Division โ sales organisation (many to many)
- Plant โ sales organisation and distribution channel (what may be sold from where, through which route)
- Shipping point โ plant (many to many)
Sales districts and offices
Separately, there are units for managing the sales force: sales district for geographic analysis, and sales office and sales group for the field organisation. These are recorded on documents and used for reporting rather than affecting processing.