Purchasing is supported in its everyday work by the following types of master data (in addition to vendor and material master data):

• Purchasing info record

• Source list

• Quota arrangement

• Conditions

• Vendor evaluation

Info record is short for information record. The info record contains concise information about a vendor and a material that Purchasing already procures from that vendor. An info record thus represents a material-vendor relationship.

For example, the info record indicates the units of measure in which materials are ordered from the vendor, and the applicable reminder levels. It also shows price changes affecting the material in question. This information can be useful in the process of evaluating quotations to determine the successful bidder.

Info records are created automatically when you order a material. You can also create, change, and delete info records.

A source list specifies the possible sources of supply for a material over a given period of time. It shows the time period in which a material may be ordered from a given vendor or under a certain long-term purchase agreement.

The source list supports the user in answering the question: "Which vendors or internal suppliers can supply a material at a given point in time?" It is also used in the automatic selection of vendors for a material.

A quota arrangement is a mechanism for determining the source of supply to which a material requirement is assigned. It enables you to determine which is the valid source for the procurement of the material covered by a purchase requisition at any given time. Setting quotas allows you to automatically apportion the total requirement of a material over a period among a number of different sources of supply.

These are conditions that are defined centrally, are valid for a certain period of time, and which determine the value of purchase orders. Time-dependent conditions are used as the basis for calculating the effective price.