Messages for Scheduling Agreement Releases
Use
The system can generate a separate message for each release (i.e. special form of delivery schedule for transmission to a vendor) created for a scheduling agreement item. That is to say, the vendor receives one document per scheduling agreement release. This enables you to output individual SA releases or re-output an already transmitted release. (Message determination at release level.)
It is also possible to create just one message per scheduling agreement. This message transmitted to the vendor then includes all releases relating to all scheduling agreement items (i.e. the vendor receives just one document per scheduling agreement). (Message determination at header level.)
Prerequisites
For SA releases to be transmitted as messages to the vendor, the following settings must be made in Customizing for Purchasing:
In order for a separate message to be generated for each SA release (i.e. per scheduling agreement item and release type), you must set the Release message indicator in Customizing for Purchasing under Define Message Schemas for SA Release/Expediter ® Assign Schema: SA Release/Expediter.
If you do not select the Release message indicator, the messages will be generated at header level. You can then view the messages under Header ® Messages.
If you select the Release message indicator, the messages will be generated at item level. The messages generated are listed in the release documentation.
If you have initially not selected the indicator, messages will be generated at header level. If you select the Release message indicator at a later point in time, you will find the newly generated messages in the release documentation. You will still find the already generated messages under Header ® Messages.
You must designate just one message type as the "main message type" for each SA release type (FRC or JIT delivery schedule) in Customizing for Purchasing, and set the indicator A (update print-dependent data) for this message type.
This means that when an SA release with the "main message type" is outputted, the print-dependent data is updated in the SA item, the SA releases, and the delivery schedule lines. Only if an SA release is outputted with the main message type is it taken into account in the current stock/requirements list, for example.
You set this indicator using the fine-tuned control facility for the message type.
In the case of scheduling agreements with release documentation (document type LPA), the message types LPH1 and LPJ1 are used for forecast delivery schedules and JIT delivery schedules respectively in the standard system.
In the case of scheduling agreements without release documentation (document type LP), the message type LPET is used in the standard system. In this case, no release is created. Instead, the message is generated as soon as the scheduling agreement delivery schedule (specifying the scheduled quantity) is created or changed.
All releases must always be created with the main message type because the system will otherwise not update the print-dependent data. This is particularly important if you are working with different message types.
You send SA releases to the vendor with the main message type LPH1. You provide the forwarder or carrier with a copy (message type LPH2) and create a printout for your own files (message type LPH3).
If you send SA releases to the majority of your vendors as printouts (i.e. in hardcopy form) and have an EDI arrangement with just a few of them, you can create message records for the main message type:
Do not set the change indicator in the message overview. A set indicator has no effect in the case of scheduling agreement releases. As a general rule, the system outputs all releases that have not yet been transmitted.
Further information is available in the Implementation Guide (IMG) for Purchasing (under Messages) and in the section
Messages.Activities
You display the individual messages for the SA releases as follows (if the message determination facility has been defined at release level in Customizing).
You can issue reminders and expediters in respect of scheduling agreement delivery schedule lines. In the standard system, message type LPMA is used for both SA release types. You will still find the messages generated under Header ® Messages.
In the case of scheduling agreements with release documentation, the dates from the last-transmitted SA release are taken as a basis, not the delivery dates shown in the current overall delivery schedule stored in the system (i.e. the reminder or expediter relates to the SA release).
Expediting takes place at item/schedule line level for the following scheduling agreements:
The number or reminders/expediters issued is shown in the schedule line overview.
For more information, refer to the section Reminders and Urging Letters (Expediters).