Validity Periods 

Use

Condition records for prices, discounts, and surcharges always include a validity period. The validity period is defined by a beginning date and an end date. If you do not specify a validity period in a condition record, the system automatically proposes one. The proposed validity period is set in Customizing for Sales.

Condition Records With Different Validity Periods

You can create different condition records (two material prices, for example) that contain the same data, except for the validity period. For example, you can create one condition record for a material price and define the validity period as the entire current calendar year. At the same time, you can create another condition record that partially overlaps the first record. The second record can define, for example, a special sales price for a limited validity period of just one month.

Maintaining Validity Periods

Creating

You can only create new validity periods in the create screen (and only in fast entry). New validity periods cannot be created in the change screen or in the overview detail screen.

When creating, you cannot enter several validity periods at the same time. The first validity period must first be saved. Then you can go on to enter another validity period.

Changing

You have the following options for changing validity periods:

Displaying

You can display the validity periods for a condition record in the condition detail screen.

What Happens When Validity Periods Overlap?

Sometimes, when you create a new condition record or when you change the validity period of an existing record, the validity period overlaps the periods of other existing records. The system reacts differently to whole or partial overlapping:

Partial Overlapping of Validity Periods

 A condition record is created for the whole of the current year:

01.01. - 31.12.: 20 USD

At a later point, a further condition record is created, that falls within and splits the original condition record:

01.02. -15,02.: 18 USD

The following condition records are now created:

  1. 01.01. - 31.01. -20 USD
  2. 01.02. - 15.02. -18 USD
  3. 16.02. - 31.12. -20 USD

Note that condition records 1 and 3 have the same pricing information. This means that changes to the price of the first record automatically influence the third record and vice versa. 20 USD represents the basic price and 18 USD represents the promotional price.

If this system behavior is not required, then splitting of condition records should be avoided. In the example above, you would have to shorten the year price and then create two independent periods.

Complete Overlapping of Validity Periods

If the old condition record is completely contained in the new condition record, you receive a system message. The message tells you that the old condition record will be deleted if you continue (This message appears when you want to save). You can either stop what you are doing or continue by confirming.