Delivery Schedule - Purchasing
A delivery schedule specifies the time for delivery of goods or services from a supplier to a customer, and often covers a half to one-year period. The schedule is usually divided into periods with different status codes. Normally, the quantity requirements closest in time are direct orders. Following periods can be preliminary, where the customer promises to purchase material for products that are to be delivered in the delivery schedule. Other periods can contain quantities that are purely forecasted requirements.
Types of delivery schedules
The category selected for the purchase order type when the delivery schedule is created regulates the type of schedule to be used. There are three types of schedules:
Rolling
These delivery schedules are valid for an indefinite period of time and contain requirements that are updated regularly.
Time-limited
The validity period for these delivery schedules should correspond to the period stated in the purchase agreement.
Quantity-limited
Here, the total quantity on the order must not exceed the maximum quantity specified in the purchase agreement.
Blanket releases
Blanket releases for the delivery schedule are divided into three periods depending on the order level. They are processed and saved differently for different order levels.
Definite releases
Blanket releases having a delivery date within the item's planning time fence are definite. They are saved as purchase order lines.
Preliminary releases
Blanket releases within the preliminary period defined in the purchase agreement are preliminary. They are saved as planned purchase orders with status 15. This indicates that the quantity is locked but that the delivery date can be changed.
Forecast releases
Blanket releases after the preliminary period are forecasts. They are saved as planned purchase orders with status 10. This indicates that both quantity and delivery date can be changed.