Product substitution in Rules Based- Master Data Maintainance

Hi Experts,

   We are implementing Product substitution & location substitution and I have few queries on the master data maintenance aspect of the same.

   Requirement:

  1.  A-->B-->C

       If for product A stock is not there , then substitute with product B and then for C

     First all these products need to be checked at plant P1 and then at plant P2.  

   Solution 1 :

  1. Use Rules Based:

      Trigger Rules using Plant & Material .i.e. Condition table will have plant and material.

      Maintain Rule e.g. R1

      Maintain Product Substitution procedure :  A-->B-->C

      Maintain Location substitution procedure:   P1-->P2

      Assign the product substitution procedure and location substitution procedure to rule R1.

     For All other materials we don't want any substitute product . But we want location substitution.

      Trigger Rules using Plant .i.e. Condition table will have Plant.

      Maintain Rule e.g. R2

      Maintain Location substitution procedure:   P1-->P2

      Assign the product substitution procedure and location substitution procedure to rule R2.

     Condition records:

      Query is on the ongoing maintenance aspect:

         If now I have another set of substitutions now. which says   D-->E-->F

         Then I need to create one further rule. R3.

      Maintain Product Substitution procedure :  D-->E-->F

      Maintain Location substitution procedure:   P1-->P2

      Assign the product substitution procedure and location substitution procedure to rule R3.

      Then maintain the following condition record:

         So in this case every time we add one more product substitution  , we need to add one more rule and one condition record.

         This looks like heavy master data maintenance to me. Please let me know if this is used in this way in already live projects.

         Please steer me right , if this approach is not correct.

Solution 2:

    Use product interchangeability master data . I am not detailing out this.

    But in this case we only need to add one supersession chain and attach it to the product substitution procedure.

    So master data maintenance will be less.

Regards,