What is the purpose of configurable material?

The purpose of configurable material is useful to have a large number of combinations of parts that go into a product. It means different permutations and combinations of the parts for same material. If it was maintained a unique material code for each combination, it requires a large number of material numbers. KMAT may be used in such a case where it maintains just one generic product code. A super BOM is maintained for such a material consisting of all possible alternatives. A routing is also maintained consisting of all possible operations that could be used. Typically configurable material is used in Made to Order (MTO) environment. However frequently ordered configurations may be planned with a material variant which needs to have a material master record. Thus Material variants may have stock and value. Depending upon characteristic values chosen at sales order entry Sales Order BOM is created. Routing operations are also chosen depending upon which BOM components are assigned to them.