Screen Level Security for the Material Master

Question

We need to create security for the material master by screen views. The Purchasing group needs to be able to change the Purchasing and MRP screens but none of the other screens. How would we accomplish this with SAP security?
Thanks!

Answer 1

Janet,
It is hard for us to know how your authorization profiles or roles are constructed.  You really should consult your local authorization expert.
The Authorization object you are looking for is M_MATE_STA.  It is probably contained in at least one of your Roles or Profiles that are currently assigned to your MM maintenance people. At a minimum, it should exist in standard SAP profile M_MATE_ALL in your system.  You can review all of these types of authorization info in the User Information System (transaction SUIM).
You would have to create roles or profiles that narrowly define the "User department" fields for M_MATE_STA object.  You would also have to search for existing roles/profiles that contain "*" in this field, and determine if these entries are still appropriate in your new authorization business process you want to begin.
Below is the SAP help about this authorization object
M_MATE_STA
Definition
Maintenance status authorization for material master records
The data contained in a material master record is divided into user departments or views (Purchasing, MRP, and so on). The maintenance status is a single-character key for the relevant user department or view.
This object determines which user departments or views a user is authorized to process; that is, which data he or she may process from this view.
                                                                                Note                                                                      
To use material master functions, a user needs the authorization for at least one user department.
Defined Fields
Fields               Possible values      Meaning
ACTVT                01                   User may create data.
                     02                   User may change data.
                     03                   User may display data.
                     06                   User may flag data for deletion.                       
                     08                   User may display change documents. 
STATM                                     Here, you specify the maintenance status for which the user is authorized.         
The maintenance statuses possible are as follows:
User department                Maintenance status
Work scheduling                   A
Accounting                        B
Classification                    C
MRP                               D
Purchasing                        E
Production resources/tools        F
Costing                           G
Basic data                        K
Storage                           L
Forecasting                       P
Quality management                Q
Warehouse management              S
Sales                             V
Plant stocks                      X
Storage location stocks           Z
Notes
This authorization object also determines:
o   Whether a user may flag a material master record for deletion. In this case, 06 must be entered in field ACTVT; the maintenance status is irrelevant here.
o   Whether a user may change the material type. In this case, 02 must be entered in field ACTVT; the maintenance status is irrelevant here.
o   Whether a user may process an MRP profile or forecast profile. In this case, the following values must be entered in field ACTVT:
-   01 to create
-   02 to change or delete
-   03 to display
The maintenance status must be D for the MRP profile or P for the forecast profile.
o   Whether a user may create an overview of all extendable materials. In this case, 01 must be entered in field ACTVT; the maintenance status is irrelevant here.
o   Whether a user may call up the materials list. In this case, 03 must be entered in field ACTVT; the maintenance status is irrelevant here.
o   Whether a user may create or change production versions from task lists. In this case, 02 must be entered in field ACTVT, and A in field STATM.
Rgds,
DB49