Copying Documents

You can use an existing sales document as the basis for a subsequent document. For example, if you want to submit a quotation on the basis of an inquiry, you can create the quotation with reference to the inquiry. In this case, all data is copied from the inquiry to the quotation.

Some of the possible combinations in the standard version of the SAP System for referring to preceding documents include:

Copying from...	To...	To...
Inquiry	Quotation	Sales orders
Sales orders	Sales orders
Sales orders	Subsequent free-of-charge delivery
Sales orders	Credit memo request
Sales orders	Returns

You can define which sales document types can be used as reference documents. You can also control which data you wish to be copied. For example:

Header data
Item data
Partner data
Pricing data
Schedule line data

How the System Checks Data

Before copying data from one document to another, the system can also check that certain requirements are met. The following are examples of typical copying requirements:

The reference document and the current document must have the same customer
Rejected items will not be copied
If another document refers to the document or item, copying is not allowed
The validity period must not have expired

Your system administrator determines in Customizing for Sales and Distribution whether the system displays a warning message (further processing is possible) or an error message (further processing may not be possible) when copying requirements are not met.