First, Reference handling:
T-code: OMSR can control the settings of reference handling for different fields.
-‘Propose field cont.’ define when aritcles / records are initially created, should the field value populated according to the reference.
- ‘Copy field content’ define when the very field of reference changes, should this field for the record change accordingly.
The reference happens for the followngs relations:
- Generic Article –> Variants
- Reference Aritcle / MC ref article –> Generic Article / Single Article
- Reference Site –> Sites
- Client level config –> lower org level config
As per my understanding, deviation is somehow related to the reference handling.
If set as ‘copy field content’, the field will change according the that field of the reference whenever the reference is changed.
For example, a MARC field for site 1101 and article 127 is referencing to the MARC field of record for ref site RF01 and article 127.
Thus whenever MARC field for RF01 x 127 is changed, the very field for 1101 x 127 record will change to the same.
However when 1101 x 127 is maintianed individually for once, the copy referencing linkage is broken and from this moment on, no matter how RF01 x 127 is changed, the 1101 x 127 does not change correspondingly.
–> This is when we say a deviation is generated. So we must carefully set the reference (ref site / ref article…) and consider carefully if the ‘Copy field content’ should be set, to avoid unnessary deviations.