Buying Patterns per Customer

Description - Buying Patterns

A buying pattern is used to separate demand statistics into different periods. It is updated per customer and item.

Buying patterns can be user-defined to analyze demand during different periods. For example, demand for perishables may need to be analyzed each day of the week, while other goods need be analyzed each week. User-defined buying patterns can be updated only when the Period exceptions field is activated in 'Customer. Open' (CRS610).

Customers can be connected to either predefined buying patterns or user-defined ones. This is done in 'Customer. Connect Buying Pattern' (OIS161). The validity period for the buying pattern must also be specified.

To update buying patterns, the update must be activated for:

• The customer order type in 'CO Type. Open' (OIS010/F)
• The item in 'Item. Open' (MMS001)
• The customer in 'Customer. Open' (CRS610/F).

Buying patterns are used for reasonability checks during customer order entry. These determine whether a customer's order is reasonable in relation to normal purchasing. If the customer's order differs significantly from the buying pattern, a warning is issued.

Buying patterns can also be displayed during full-screen entry to determine reasonability. For this, sales support integration must be activated in program 'CO Type. Open' (OIS010/F).

Before you start

To start this procedure, the following prerequisites must be met:

• Items that update the buying pattern have the Update buying pattern field activated in program 'Item. Open' (MMS001/H).
• The customer has the Update buying pattern field activated in program 'Customer. Open' (CRS610/F).
• The customer is connected to at least one assortment which include the items that update the buying pattern. The normal assortment for the customer should be specified in the customer file. See program 'Customer. Open' (CRS610/F).
• The customer order type must have the Update buying pattern field activated. The order type used for normal customer order entry should also have full-screen processing with sorting order 9. This is regulated in program 'CO Type. Open' (OIS010/G).
• A reasonability table is defined, if a reasonability check is made against the buying pattern during customer order line entry.

Follow these steps

1. Connecting a Customer to a Buying Pattern

   Customers are connected to a buying pattern in program 'Customer. Connect Buying Pattern' (OIS161). The validity period for the buying pattern is also defined at the same time.

2. Using a Buying Pattern

   Buying patterns can be defined by the user. This allows the analysis of different periods for specific reasons, such as for sales during major holidays from year to year or during special campaigns. To update user-defined buying patterns, the 'Buying pattern exception' field must be selected in 'Customer. Open' (CRS610/F).

   Buying patterns are used to form a basis for the reasonability check during customer order entry. Reasonability checks determine whether a customer's order is reasonable in relation to the normal buying behavior of that customer.

   When a reasonability check is made against a buying pattern a reasonability table must be defined per item, or per combination of item and customer. See also program 'Customer Item. Connect Reasonability Tab' (OIS220), started via option 11 in 'Customer. Connect Item' (OIS005). In addition, 'Reasonability check' field must be selected on 'CO Type. Open' (OIS010/H).

   Buying patterns can also be displayed during full-screen entry so the user can determine whether an order is reasonable. This is done by activating the 'Sales support integration' field in 'CO Type. Open' (OIS010/F).