Purchase Order Processing  

Use

As a purchaser, you can create and process local purchase orders in SAP Enterprise Buyer. You can supplement information to incomplete requirements and change complete documents that have already been ordered. Then you can resend them to the vendors.

As long as the Sourcing application has not been activated (see the Integration section), the purchaser’s worklist receives each incomplete purchase order from the approved shopping cart belonging to an employee for which the purchaser’s purchasing group is responsible. A purchase order is incomplete if, for example, no vendor has been entered

Integration

SAP Enterprise Buyer generates local purchase orders in the following way:

·        From shopping cart items

If these are incomplete, separate purchase orders are the result. Using a Business Add-In, you can combine incomplete items in one purchase order.

For more information, see the Supplier Relationship Management Implementation Guide (IMG): SRM Server ® Business Add-Ins for Enterprise Buyer (BAdIs) ® Define Grouping Criteria for Local Purchase Orders

·        Via bid invitations

For more information, see SAP Bidding Engine

·        Via external systems, for example, planning systems.

For more information, see Procurement of External Requirements and Direct Procurement

·        Via manual creation in the purchase order

If you have activated the extended classic scenario in Customizing, the system creates an additional backend purchase order as a copy of the Enterprise Buyer purchase order in the backend system. Later on the goods receipt, provision of services and the invoice are entered with reference to this purchase order.

See the path in the IMG:

¡        SRM Server  ®  Cross-Application Basic Settings   ®  Activate Extended Classic Scenario

¡        SRM Server  ® Business Add-Ins for Enterprise Buyer (BAdIs)  ®  Control Extended Classic Scenario

Customer fields

You can integrate your own optional fields at header and item level. Enterprise Buyer displays these on the basic data tab below the standard fields.

For more information see SAP Note 45859. See also the path in the IMG: SRM Server  ® Cross-Application Basic Settings ® Create Customer Fields

Approval

You can incorporate an approval workflow for changes to purchase orders already created. This refers to manual purchase orders and those purchase orders arising from preceding documents.

For more information, see Approval Workflows for Documents.

Sourcing

In the standard, Enterprise Buyer does not transfer requirement items to the purchaser’s Sourcing application. If you activate sourcing for product categories, Enterprise Buyer does not immediately create local purchase orders from shopping cart items. Using the functions of the purchaser’s sourcing application, you can process items from different shopping carts and you can combine these in purchase contracts, purchase orders, or bid invitations.

See the path in the IMG: SRM Server ® Sourcing ® Define Interactive Sourcing for Product Categories

When you process sources, you can incorporate a vendor list.

Data in the Backend System

If the purchase order is created in SAP Enterprise Buyer, the backend FI system in the Controlling component sets up a corresponding commitment. An exception here is direct material purchase orders.

Posting of the invoice for the purchase order in Enterprise Buyer has the following effects in the backend system:

·        A controlling document is created in the Controlling component

·        An accounting document is created in Financial Accounting

·        The commitment is reduced in the Controlling component

For more information on invoice receipt, see Invoice and Credit Memo.

You can use a Business Add-In in order to change data that you transfer into the logistic backend.

See the path in the IMG: SRM Server  ® Business Add-Ins for Enterprise Buyer (BAdIs)  ®  Transfer Purchase Order Data to Logistics Backend

Data in the Enterprise Buyer System

·        Enterprise Buyer replicates purchase order information (with data identical to the purchase order) via XML in a backend system. The data is used for information purposes and not for further processing.

·        Enterprise Buyer forwards shipping notification data automatically to the executing system.

·        It takes data from a purchase order confirmation into the purchase order. See also Invoice Entry and Credit Memo Entry.

Prerequisites

For the prerequisites in the backend and Enterprise Buyer systems, see Prerequisites for Purchase Order Processing.

If, in the standard, you wish to generate backend purchase orders from all local purchase orders, you must have activated the extended classic scenario.

See the path in the IMG: SRM Server  ® Business Add-Ins for Enterprise Buyer (BAdIs)  ®  Activated Extended Classic Scenario

Features

Worklist

On the overview screen, you (the purchaser) see the worklist containing all purchase orders of the relevant purchasing group that are to be processed (for example, incomplete purchase orders from external requirements), and also all held purchase orders. From here, you can go directly to the item details and header data.

Search, Display

You can use numerous search criteria with the simple search or the extended search, for example, you can use the 40-character field Requirement Number to search for backend requirements. The search results are sorted in the standard in descending order of document number and they also display the document status.

Create Manually

You can manually create purchase orders without reference to a preceding document (for example, without an underlying shopping cart). Here the purchase order transfers the details such as the purchaser’s organizational data from the user attributes.

Change

Certain data can only be changed at header level (for example, the follow-on document control) and other data only at item level. Other data, for example, documents, can be created and changed at both header and item level.

Hold

You can save your changes temporarily and then carry out the purchase order later on.

If you have ordered an item within the Extended Classic Scenario or as Direct Material, then you can no longer change the product.

Check

You can check documents and see in the message list displayed on the lower part of the screen what needs to be changed or added to.

Transfer Purchase Orders, Documents to Vendors

You can only transfer complete purchase orders.

·        In order to issue completed purchase orders that are no longer in your worklist, you start the application Issue Purchase Order. For more information, see Purchasing Document Output

·        To issue the current document, you have the following options:

¡        You choose Order.

The system generates an output action containing all relevant purchase order data. On the Output tab, you can carry out the action using the function Log. In the document output overview, you can monitor the status and start the output of actions.

The purchase order is sent to the vendor using the communication data specified in the vendor master record (or that changed in the output screen). If you choose XML as the send medium, the standard communication protocol determines how the system is to send the data.

¡        You choose Order and output immediately on the output tab.

The system generates an output action, processes it automatically, and transfers the purchase order directly to the vendor.

If you have defined and activated your own form for the selected output medium, Enterprise Buyer uses this instead of the standard form.

Documents

At header and item level, you can create or process documents such as vendor texts and internal notes and also load attachments from your PC. At header level you can enter vendor comments. When outputting the purchase order (for example, printing or sending via e-mail), the system transfers only the vendor texts.

The system displays documents of a Collaboration if a connected SAP Bidding Engine has created the document.

Header Data

You have the following possibilities

·        Basic Data

For example, to display the total value and the tax value, and to change data such as the purchasing group, currency or partner data.

¡        Partner overview

§         For example, to adopt a preferred vendor suggested by the requester of a shopping cart.

§         You can communicate quickly and easily with your partners from within the Partner Overview. You choose a symbol, for example, to send an e-mail or establish a telephone conversation (provided you have SAP Connect installed).

¡        Change documents

Display changes Enterprise Buyer groups available information, including purchasing information (for example, indicator for non-valuated goods receipt), account assignment, business partner, organizational data, status, attachments

·        Manage documents (see section on documents)

·        Payment

Change the payment conditions proposed by the vendor master for the specific purchase order (for example, select an individual payment condition that is not used in the backend). They can also display and change information on procurement cards.

·        Output

You can choose a medium other than the vendor’s default output medium if you need to (provided the relevant fax, e-mail and XML data exists in the vendor master record. You can change the data for fax and e-mail on the detail screen and, if necessary, can set a different printer. Using the Preview, you can display the purchase order once again, before output. Using Log, you start the processing of actions for purchase order output. If you choose Order and output immediately, the purchase order output starts immediately (depending on the current Customizing settings).

See the path in the IMG: SRM Server ® Cross-Application Basic Settings ® Set Output Actions and Output Format ® Define Actions for Purchase Order Output

·        Follow-On Documents

Display a history of the documents already generated (for example, shopping cart, purchase order, confirmation) and also control the follow-on documents. You can define which documents you are expecting and which procedures are to follow:

¡        A confirmation of goods receipt or performance of service is expected. (In this case the employee receives a corresponding entry in the application Confirm Goods Receipt).

¡        Invoice expected

¡        Confirmation-based invoice verification

¡        Evaluated Receipt Settlement (ERS procedure)

The following indicators serve information purposes for the vendor:

¡        Purchase order confirmation

¡        Shipping notification

·        Approval

A preview displays the name of the approver

·        Budget

If you are authorized to view the budget, you can use a link to branch to the budget overview. This shows, for each selected account assignment object, the available and applied budget. By choosing Action, you can access a SAP BW evaluation with further details on the account assignment object (for example, CO internal order).

·        Status

Displays the standard status (for example, created, held, andordered) and additional user statuses.

See the path in the IMG:

¡        SRM Server  ® Cross-Application Basic Settings ® Define Status Profile for User Status

·        Versions

For more information, see Versions of Purchasing Documents

Item Data

In the Item Overview you can create and process material, service and limit items and also process hierarchy items with reference to a bid invitation or an external requirement. For hierarchy items, you can add an attachment, for example, but you cannot create a new item.

You have the following options:

·        You can change the description, the quantity, the quantity unit, the price, and the account assignment for the item. The description and unit of measure can, however, only be changed if the item does not contain a product master record. You can only change the quantity unit for existing items to a unit of the same dimension, for example, from a kilogram to a gram.

·        You can display the total value and the tax value of all items

·        Add new limits

¡        You can process the total limit (maximum purchase order value, that goods/services must not exceed) and the expected value (estimated value of the purchaser, either under or the same as the total limit).

¡        You can spread the total limit over partial limits (contract limits and remaining limits) or establish an undefined total limit. The sum of the contract limits created may be greater than the total limit. The system checks and ensures that the value of the ordered items is not greater than the total limit.

¡        You can assign the relevant product category and define the period in which the goods should be delivered or the service performed.

The expected value serves to update the commitments in Controlling. If a budget exists, it is reduced by this amount.

If you do not specify a total limit or a remaining limit, Enterprise Buyer designates the remaining limit in the standard as unlimited.

·        Propose Sources of Supply

You can have the system determine and assign sources of supply, for example, contracts and vendor-specific prices (see Product Linkage). From the source of supply proposal, you can branch to a vendor assessment that is based on a SAP Business Information Warehouse (SAP BW) evaluation. For more information, see Assigning Existing Sources of Supply and also Processing Contracts.

·        Delete and add items from the purchase order

·        You can control the display and properties of fields using screen variants.

Item Details

You can display and process the following data:

·        Basic Data

You can the net value and tax amount, and change basic data such as product, quantity, unit of measure, vendor product number, delivery date, and tax code. Using the selection help for the product category, you can use all the product categories that have been replicated to Enterprise Buyer.

·        You can enter partners, for example:

¡        Goods Recipient

¡        Requester

¡        Location

As soon as it is assigned, the system takes contracts with this location into account during sourcing (and also contracts with no location reference). In the extended classic scenario case, the system derives the plant in the backend system from the location.

¡        Service provider

¡        Delivery point

You can combine requirements that contain different partners in one purchase order. You can enter valid partners for all items at header level.

·        Prices

Create conditions See Price Data Processing in the Purchase Order

·        Manage documents (see section on documents)

·        Account assignment

You can make single account assignment or multiple percentage account assignment (for example, where you need to assign an item to a cost center and order). A clipboard function has been introduced as support during mass processing. See also Clipboard for Account Assignment Data. For more information, see Account Assignment.

·        Statistics

You can display the value of the goods received/services rendered to date and also display the value of the invoices received to date.

·        Delivery Information

Displays available delivery information Once an order has been created, the vendor system sends data back, for example, purchase order confirmations or shipping notifications. For more information, see Tracking Information for Local Purchase Orders.

Purchaser Activities

...

...

       1.      Choose Process Purchase Orders.

       2.      To create purchase orders manually (without a preceding document), choose Create.

                            a.      The system opens a new document in the change mode.

                            b.      You add any missing entries at header and item level.

       3.      To process an existing purchase order, you have the following options:

¡        In the worklist, choose the number of the purchase order you wish to look at.

¡        Use the search and choose the document from the search results.

       4.      In order to process header and item data, choose Change.

For example, you can use  in the partner overview to transfer the preferred vendor to the purchase order.

       5.      Choose Check to determine whether entries still have to be made or changed in the purchase order.

A list shows any missing or incorrect entries.

       6.      In order to transfer the document to the vendor, choose Order.

                            a.      The system generates an output action.

                            b.      The system processes the output action and sends the document using a scheduled output report.

Wenn Sie mit der Bearbeitung fertig sind, können Sie die Bestellung vorübergehend merken oder sofort bestellen.

See also

·        Sourcing of Requirements

·        For a role description, see Purchaser

·        For evaluations, see Reports.