Batch determination in quotations or quantity contracts allows you to reserve batches for a customer at a very early stage. This is because requirements are transmitted in a quotation or a quantity contract ensuring that the corresponding batches can be reserved. However, you must first make sure you have chosen the type of quotation or quantity contract to be used for transmitting requirements (this is controlled using the schedule line category). You make the settings required for this in Basic Functions Customizing. When you create the sales order, the system makes a cross-reference between the quotation or quantity contract, and the quotation requirements or quantity contract requirements are calculated according to the order requirements.

Determining batches at an early stage ensures that the material is available when the customer requires it. However it can entail capital lockup over a relatively long period.

You can define whether batches that you have already determined in quotation or quantity contract should be fixed or unmodifiable. You use the message system to control this. If you choose the setting Error message (E), the batches are fixed. If you choose either No message () or Warning message (W), you can still change the batches in the order. You make these settings in Customizing for Sales and Distribution.