SRM Local Purchase Order with both a standard line item and limit item...

[Former Member]

In SRM is it standard that you can create a local purchase order from the sourcing cockpit that contains a mix of limit items and standard items?

I know this can be done in R/3.

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Paul,

I am a functional/business person, and we are running SRM550 in extended classic, linking to ERP backed.

From our business point of view it makes little sense to mix a limit item with one or more standard catalog item. SAP standard SRM 550 actually stops our users from doing this.

For those who are not aware of the differences I will elaborate.

A standard item is either from a Free Text entry process with the process being completed by a professional purchaser or a catalog item either internal to SRM, or maybe from an external website.

Limit orders are value based and are mostly used for the payment of Utility bills, or for services. We don't use services at all.

In our business we use limit orders for an Electricity Bill for example.

When the user confirms a limit order the quantity should always be 1 and the user enters the value of the item.

The Invoice entry team then needs to match the Invoice to the GR line. It's at this point that if you have Limit items and standard items mixed our invoice entry team could run into problems.

We are aware that it is not recommended practice for Limit orders to have GR and if you can avoid this step then you should. Unfortunately our operating model insist on everything being confirmed and in the case of limit orders this can cause us invoice blocking issues.

Limit orders are normally set up to run for a full FY so the addition of standard catalog items to a limit order makes little or no business sense.

If a user added two limit items to a shopping cart for the same supplier our system would produce two PO's for the supplier to use.

We actually avoid transmitting Limit order details to our suppliers as this would indicate the maxiumum value they could invoice us for, businesses just don't do that. We just send them the PO number and description of the item. This provides them with a PO Ref number to puton their invoices.

As we are still running SRM 550 maybe someone with SRM 7 knowledge would care to expand on this analysis?

Hope this helps?

Allen

PS We don't use the Sourcing Cockpit, just read your earlier response

Edited by: Allen Brooks on Mar 3, 2010 3:22 PM

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Allen,

Thanks for the the information. Just so you know this is a business requirement because when our business buys a Server for example they also get a service agreement with that server. The service agreement lasts for only so long. We use the limit item for the expiration date. We need botht he limit item and standard item sent to the vendor.

Anyhow I really just need to know if there are any problems with having one limit item with multiple standard items on an extended classic po. So far I have not seen any errors from the standard SRM system that would prevent this. If anyone has information on this please let me know.

Regards,

-Paul

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hello Paul,

Note 1380879 - FAQ: Split criteria in the Sourcing Cockpit provides details on SOCO/PO split criteria.

Something i found strange in this note is that if you want 2 limit items to be combined you will need to use hierarchies. But in the end it also states: Hierarchies are split into different PO's.

In addition it contains all the different default split criteria, difference = split.

I think that your requirement would be definetly possible. If your requirement isn't already covered by default functionality you could atleast cover your requirement by implementing grouping functionality.

I've tested your requirement in my system (without grouping) and if you fullfill the splitting requirements it will create 1 Purchase Order from a SC with two items: limit and free-text. (SRM 7.0 system though).

Have you tested the scenario yourself? What was the result? If the result was 'fail': Did you meet the splitting criteria requirements provided in above note?

Kind regards,

Tim

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hi Tim,

Thanks for your reply. I have looked at note 1380879 before I started this post, I should of probably mentioned that, anyhow I find the note very confusing. In regards to Hierarchies I think those are only for Services in any case it does not apply to us.

The note is very clear only one Limit item per PO but not so clear on if you can have other standard items on the PO alone with the one limit item. I tried grouping as well as sourcing from the cockpit. It appears if I have ONE limit item and ONE standard item on the SAME shopping cart then it will combine those two. BUT, if I have TWO standard items and ONE limit item it seems to split the limit item into a separate purchase order.

I was wondering if the fact that the system is creating one PO for one limit item and one standard item, if that is in fact a bug and sap does not support this.

Can you try the scenario where you have 2 or more regular items and one limit item and see if the system combines them using grouping or the sourcing cockpit?

Thanks!

-Paul

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hello Paul,

This would mean that this is a bug: one or more free-text shouldn't mather this isn't a critirium.

I've ran the scenario you requested (1 limit + 2 free-text) in our system and it creates solely 1 Purchase Order (SRM 7.0 SP05 system).

What srm_server and SP are you on? If all splitting criteria didn't apply where the split was made i think that you have got an issue up your hand: SAP Note / SAP Customer Msg.

Kind regards,

Tim

[former_member183819 · Accepted solution]

oh i see

one PO 5400001. item like below ..

01 - free text item

02 - item category b limit - item

03 - free text item

muthu

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Tim,

Thanks for checking this for me. Your answer is exactly what I wanted to know. We are on SRM 7.0 SP05.

Just to be clear you are using the extended classic scenario right? We are using extneded classic.

I will put a message out to sap and see what they say and get back to this forum.

Thanks!

-Paul

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Yes sir: extended classic scenario.

If you're on exactly the same system version i don't understand how there can be different behaviour.. When i order 1 limit + 2 free text (exactly the same items except for: item numbering and 1 item being limit) it creates one Purchase Order including all three items.

Could you provide more details on your scenario? Are the split criteria really not applicable, delivery adress is the same for all items aswell?

Kind regards,

Tim

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Tim,

I will get the scenarios and post them, but first a quick question. When you say it creates a single PO are you creating a "Draft PO" from the sourcing cockpit and/or are you running the "grouping" job which groups the requirements together and the system creates one PO.

Also, is your scenerio where you have the limit item and multiple items on the same shopping cart or do you get the same results if yuou have a limit item on one cart and standard items on other carts and in that case can you combine them on one PO using the "draft PO" feature in the sourcing cockpit and/or the "grouping" job?

Regards,

-Paul

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

We do not use 'grouping'. The scenario I ran is 1 SC with 3 items > 1 PO with 3 items. If it splits because of that you should really investigate Notes/Customer Msg. I havn't seen anything note-wise on this yet. We havn;t implemented any note on this either.

I'm not sure any more what it is you're doing or trying to find out: Your first question was is it possible to create 1 PO from a 1 limit & 2 free text items, answer: Yes it is by default (no grouping necessary) and yes it should be possible and working like this.

I suggest getting to the bottom of your issue, find out what is exactly causing your issue: Testing. If you know and give more exact details maybe we can help but my guess is that this will either end up in: User mistake (split criteria did apply) or Customer Message/SAP Note (to solve via this route you also need to know to exact cause of your issue).

Kind regards,

Tim

I forgot to tell you: we use the default scenario, no grouping, thus utilize the 'draft' functionality within the SOCO.

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Tim,

Thanks for the information you have been very helpful.

Yes I agree that you can test this with the "Draft PO" functionality...we have tried both that functionality and the Grouping..they seem to be consistent.

It appears that you were correct. When we try a scenario where we have a shopping cart with multipl line items..for example 1 limit item and 3 standard items it creates one purchase order. Not sure where we were going wrong but this is exactly what we wanted.

Just to be clear are you usiing the extended classic scenario? Also were you able to successfully create a backend PO in the ERP system, assuming you are using extended claasic in the scenario where you have 1 limit item and 2 or more regular items? We get an error regarding our user defined fields when the sytem attempts to create the backend PO. This very well could be our problem so if you can tell me that you can create the backend PO that would be helpful and I will close this forum question and grant you 10 points..:)

Thanks again!

-Paul

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hi Paul,

Yes we have the extended classic scenario.

"Yes sir: extended classic scenario."

Our PO (uncluding the following 3 items: 2 free text + 1 limit item) replicates and has been replicated correctly to our back-end R/3 system.

Kind regards and best of luck with your customer field definitions,

Tim

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Tim,

Your answers have been very helpful, thanks! I can come to the conclusion that SAP DOES support having 1 or more regular items mixed with ONE limit item when usuing the extended classic scenario. This fulfills the business requirement.

Regards,

-Paul

[former_member183819]

Hi

is limit item comes to cokpit too.

normally buyer have this access. so always PO will be created whatever vendor they entered right.

i dont use this functionalit for some time . i gorgotten.

some one correct me.

OH I SEE

Note 1435295 - Unable to order Limit Shopping Carts from Sourcing Cockpit

so if the purchaser dont enter the vendor in the limit cart , it goes to cockpit? CURIOS BUYER DOES NOT KNOw the vendor . again same buyer only assign the vendor right. bit confusion.

what situation limit sc goes to cockpit....

how purchaser doesnot know the vendor? it is not his product category which he is not responsible paul?

muthu

[Former Member]

Paul,

an SRM Limit order should only ever contain one line.

Allen

[Former Member]

Allen,

I have found two OSS consulting notes that says you can't have more then one limit line item on a Extended Classic PO. The question is now can I have one limit line item and one more more than one regular line item?

For some reason in our SRM 7.0 system if you source from the sourcing cockpit and create a draft PO for one standard line item and one limit line from the same shopping cart item it puts it on the same PO which is what we want. If we select any other combination like more than one regular line item it splits it into two different PO's.

We also noticed that if you create a PO directly you can have a mix of one line item and one or more regular line items. This all seems so inconsistent.

Do you think our system has a bug or if I limit to one limit item can i have other line items on the PO?

This is important functionality to our business.

Regards,

-Paul

[former_member183819]

Yes PaulThat is standard srm behavior one PO for one item on limit side.

Why limit SC comes to cockpit - Are you highly influencing sourcing config..

are purchaser not assigning vendor ??

curios to know. question might be silly .. but i wanted to know the fact.

Muthu

[former_member183819]

Paul. plz answer . i may not require u r poi n .. ts...

thanks...

muthu

[Former Member]

Murthu,

It seems that the SRM system is sending the limit item to the sourcing cockpit because it is not sourced. We wanted it to be this way because we want to be able to combine this limit item with other standard items on the shopping cart.

I still do not understand why the system won't allow one line item on the puchaser order and other "standard" items. The SAP consulting notes simply says you can have more than one limit, it doesn't mention mixing it with standard items. Does ANYONE know what problems there would be if we did mix it with standard items?

This is a very important requirement for our business.

Regards,

-Paul