Introduction

Based on a new thread discussed here (Number of gallons/Litres) may be there is the need to discuss "deeper" EHS-BD/EHS-PS/EHS-GLM/EHS-DG and some challenges in WWI. The main challenge in context if the thread is the "correct" use of "UoM"s in EHS. The use of UoM is a "science" (for some people) in SAP at all(

I believe If I would start in inquiry in the SAP SD/MM etc. world I would get quite interesting feedback about the use of "UoM") and especially in context of EHS there are a lof of challenges to handle the proper use of "UoM"s.

Quite interesting is the use of "UoM" in context of SAP services (e.g. check SAP EH&S Regulatory Content and SAP Unit of Measures (UoM) are definied different ).

What are the challenges in context of "UoM" in EHS-BD and what are the effect on processes and IT design?

Based on the above mentione thread: the main intention of EHS-BD (Basic Data and Tools (EHS-BD) - SAP Library) is:

Enter data
Use output variants to check data
Use Rulesets etc. to enhance data
Use e.g. OCC to upload data
and to use CG02/CG02BD as "inquiry" tools for product safety etc. information
etc.

But the data entered should be used in many subsequent processes as well. Examples are:

Generate e.g SDS/MSDS (or other WWI reports)
Support Dangerous Goods topics
Support Hazardous Substance topics
Support labeling topics
Support SVT
etc.

Especially for companies acting "international" the tool should be useful with many languages (e.g. either as "log on languages" or langugages which are supported in context of phrases/identifiers etc. as well as WWI reports etc.)

Some kind of information maintained in EHS-BD contains a relation to a "UoM" (Unit of Measurement). Sometimes this relation is underestimated.

Data maintenance in EHS-BD

Data having a relation to a "UoM" is maintained in:

properties/value assignment types which do have a SAP EHS Class assigned (Value Assignment Category Property - Basic Data and Tools (EHS-BD) - SAP Library)
properties/value assignment types which dare of Type "C" (Composition) (Value Assignment Category Composition - Basic Data and Tools (EHS-BD) - SAP Library)

EHS-BD contains some nice mechanism to deal especially with characteristic having a "UoM" relation. This is explained here: Conversion of Units of Measurement - Specification Management (EHS-BD-SPE) - SAP Library

Especially the use of the "right" UoMs can be a challenge in context to "composition" e.g. to support cascading, execution of rulesets etc.

As well during an "inquiry" for a characteristic data having "UoM" relation the "UoM" topic is supported in SAP EHS. That means you can enter a temperature e.g. 20 °C and the system will generate any hit list using this input and internally doing the conversion (that means: if there is a data record havin value e.g. 293 K (20°C = 293 K) you will get a hit as well)). As well the same mechanism is used internally if you execute e.g. rule sets.

Use of data in EHS-DG

Data maintained in EHS-BD should be used as well for Dangerous Goods perspectives. Quite nice mechanisms are delivered by SAP to generate the data in EHS-DG; there is only one "but" in most cases the data is retrieved "as is" with out a conversion. As e.g. flash point, denisity etc. are part of Dangerous Goods Master you may ask yourself: in which "UoM" should be the value to be used? E.g. may by after some inquiry you might have the feeling e.g for US regulation it might be better to use "Fahrenheit". Now you have two options. Option 1 is the "easist" one. Just prepare use ful data record in EHS-BD using "Fahrenheit". But this would lead to the question of "maintenance" rules. Therefore sometimes only data in "°C" is available. Sometimes you would like to avoid to maintain a second data record in "Fahrenheit" in parallel to "°C" value. Now you can "easily" enhance DG filling process to consider this. But may be the users need to be trained more (as in EHS-BD you might find "°C" and in corresponding EHS-DG you might find "Fahrenheit" and sometimes it is not easy to explain why.

Use of UOM related data in WWI

For WWI reports the story is nearly the same. In most cases: what you maintain you will get in WWI report. But as with DG topic. Sometimes you would like to maintain "simple" but print "Fahrenheit". Here you have no other chance as to generate a customer symbol (or to manipulate SAP symbol). So that the value is retrived from data base and if needed converted to "Fahrenheit" to be printed

Conclusion

EHS is quite flexible in using "UoM" but sometimes you need either "maintenance guidelines" (leading to more data in database) sometimes you are willing to "extend/enhance" SAP EHS functionality to show the "UoM" in WWI reports as wished (which lead to add on IT efforts). A very special topic is the handling of "UoM" in compostions. As there is no thread which I know in this FORUM discussing "UoM" handling in context Composition I will not explain the topics which might come up (if you do not use it properly).