Settings for Release of Planned Purchase Order

Abstract

Purchase order consolidation groups are used in the release function for planned purchase orders and can be defined as a way of determining how planned purchase orders are consolidated into one or more discrete purchase orders.

Records are created and maintained in'PO Consolidation Group. Open' (PPS019), where it is possible to select a list of objects and fields to consolidate by. The records can then be connected to the supplier in 'Supplier. Define Purchase Financial' (CRS624/E) and/or 'Purchase Order Type. Open' (PPS095/H), whereas the latter will override the PO consolidation group of the supplier (CRS624).

The file containing the planned purchase order will create a sorting order based on the PO consolidation group that will be used in the release flow. If no PO consolidation group is created, the function will use a default sorting order. The key for the default sorting order contains the company number, facility, supplier, PO consolidation group, order type, and currency code.

Limitations

The autojob (MMS940) can generate a different result depending on the waiting time of the job. This could happen when function program PPS914 (Create PO from planned orders) has handled all records that have been released from (MMS940) before the function is ready for release of planned purchase orders. This can lead to a new purchase order being created, even if the record has the same consolidation value as the record that was handled prior to this one.

Outcome

• A purchase order consolidation group is created.
• A purchase order consolidation group is entered for a supplier and an order type.

Before you start

The basic settings for the supplier must be entered according to Settings for Supplier and Items.

The basic settings for a purchase order type must be entered according to Settings for Purchase Order.

Flowchart

Workflow

Example of planned purchase order release

This table shows an example of 10 released planned purchase orders with different consolidation characteristics:

The table is sorted in the same order as each record consolidation key. This is how the records are handled:

• Record 1: Is a planned PO with the supplier 'Supplier A' as the first record. Therefore, the first PO is created: PO001.
• Record 2: Contains a new supplier, which will then be compared to the previous record to see if the record matches. This is not the case, why PO PO002 is created.
• Record 3: Contains the same fields as the previous record, why it will be added to the same PO: PO002.
• Record 4: Contains the same fields as the previous record, why it will be added to the same PO: PO002.
• Record 5: This record contains the same supplier as the previous record, but this record has been manually changed to contain a new consolidation key. This means that the record does not match the previous record, why a new PO is created: PO003.
• Records 6 and 7: Contain a new supplier and will also create a new PO, PO004, where both lines will be added.
• Record 8: Contains the same supplier as the previous one, but this record contains a new order type that is set up with consolidation key 002. This order type consolidation key will override the supplier’s consolidation key, why PO PO005 is created.
• Record 9: Contains the same supplier, order type, and consolidation key, but the value for the delivery method is changed to 'Train' for this record. Therefore it does not match the previous record and PO PO006 is created.
• Record 10: The last record in this batch run contains a new order type that contains a new consolidation key, which then creates PO PO007.

  It is important that the consolidation keys create the sorting key and decide how the released planned PO will be sorted and then handled in function program PPS914 (Create PO from order proposals). As you see in the table above, the work file is sorted in the same order as the sorting key, in the index table.

  Records with the same key field (supplier etc.) and also the same sorting key will then be consolidated.

  Note: The sorting key can contain different values from the planned PO, as displayed in the illustration above for PO PO006 and PO007. They have the same value in the 'Key' field, but the delivery method is 'Truck' in one planned PO and ‘Train’ in the other planned PO. This scenario will then separate the planned POs into two different POs.

Follow these steps

At least one PO consolidation group must exist to enable a control of how the planned purchase orders are to be consolidated. If no group is created, the system will automatically create a default group with a default key setup.

1. Open 'PO Consolidation Group. Open' (PPS019) and define a record on the B panel. The PO consolidation group is used to create the sorting key that will be created for all planned purchase records in 'Planned Purchase Order. Open' (PPS170) and 'Planned Purchase Order. Open' (PPS171).

2. On the E panel, select which objects and fields to consolidate by.

3. Open 'Supplier. Define Purchase Financial' (CRS624) for your selected supplier, go to panel E, and attach your PO consolidation group.

4. Open 'Purchase Order Type. Open' (PPS095) and attach your PO consolidation group on the H panel.