DIEN Material Type in SAP: Complete Service Guide

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Learn about the DIEN material type in SAP used for services. Understand its features, usage, differences from NLAG, and how it supports service procurement.

✅ Definition:

DIEN stands for “Dienstleistung” in German, which translates to “Service” in English. In SAP, the DIEN material type is used to represent services rather than physical goods. Unlike stock materials, DIEN items are not managed in inventory and are typically used in service procurement processes.

🧾 Key Characteristics:

Feature	Description
Material Type	DIEN (Service Material)
Inventory Management	❌ Not managed in stock or inventory
Valuation	✅ Valuated at the time of procurement (posted to expense accounts)
Used For	External services like maintenance, consulting, cleaning, IT support
Procurement Type	External procurement (Service PO, Service Entry Sheet)
MRP Views	Usually not used (not stock-related)
Service Entry	Required to confirm service delivery (`ML81N`)

🧰 Typical Use Cases:

Facility maintenance services
Equipment repair or servicing
Software development or consulting services
Security or cleaning contracts

🔧 Common SAP Transactions:

Purpose	Transaction Code
Create Material (Service)	`MM01` (Material type = DIEN)
Create Purchase Order	`ME21N`
Service Entry Sheet	`ML81N`
Display Purchase Order	`ME23N`

🔄 Difference Between DIEN and NLAG:

Feature	DIEN (Service)	NLAG (Non-stock item)
Stock managed?	❌ No	❌ No
Physical material?	❌ No (intangible)	✅ Yes (consumable)
Needs service entry?	✅ Yes (`ML81N`)	❌ No
Used for	Services	Consumable goods