Reasonability Check at Customer Order Line Entry

Follow these steps

Defining reasonability values

Reasonability values can be defined using any of these methods:

• Method 1 - Ordered quantity checked against specified maximum and minimum quantities.

  This alternative makes sure the quantity ordered by the customer is within the limits for the item.

• Method 2 - Ordered quantity checked against customer average for the item.

  This alternative compares the ordered quantity with an average of the last three purchases for a specific customer.

• Method 3 - Ordered quantity checked against general average for the item.

  This alternative compares the ordered quantity with the general average of the last three purchases of an item.

At order line entry a check is performed to verify whether ordering customer and entered item match an entry for the same combination in 'Customer. Connect Item' (OIS005). If these match, and if the reasonability check is enabled on the CO type (OIS010/H), the ordered quantity is checked according to the reasonability check method selected in (OIS005/E). A warning is displayed if the order is abnormal compared to defined values. The user can then decide whether the customer should be allowed to order the quantity.

Method 1 - Check against specified quantities

Use method 1 if a message should be issued if ordered quantity is outside the range of defined minimum and maximum quantities entered in 'Customer. Connect Item' (OIS005/E).

Method 2 - Check against Customer average

Use method 2 if a message should be issued if ordered quantity deviates from the customer's normal buying pattern for the item. The normal buying pattern is calculated as the average of the last three purchases. The ordered quantity cannot deviate from the average more than a specified percentage, defined in a reasonability table.

Reasonability table

A unique reasonability table is entered for the combination of customer and item. The reasonability table is defined in 'Customer Item. Connect Reasonability Tab' (OIS220), which is started from 'Customer. Connect Item' (OIS005), using option 11.

The table consists of a range of quantities and allowed deviation in percent; see the following example.

A reasonability table is defined as:

Quantity	Deviation
10	500%
100	200%
500	30%

The customer's last three orders are: 200, 150 and 175. The buying pattern therefore shows an average of 175.

The customer orders 300 items. The order falls in the range of 100 to 500 in the table, for which the difference can be up to 200%. The order differs from the average by 71.43% (300/175=1.7143). Therefore, this order lies within the reasonable limits specified.

If the order were for 750 items, the percentage difference would be 329% (750/175 = 4.285), and therefore well outside the specified limit.

Method 3 - Check against general average

Use method 3 if a message should be issued if ordered quantity is outside the boundaries entered generally for an item, regardless of ordering customer.

To handle this, an item must be entered in combination with a blank customer number in 'Customer. Connect Item' (OIS005). This means that the item and customer-unique entry refer to quantity limits entered for the combination of item and blank customer.

Configuration Set up

Reasonability checks are enabled in 'CO Type. Open' (OIS010/H), and the reasonability check method is selected in 'Customer. Connect Item' (OIS005/E).

If reasonability check method 2 is used, this setup is required:

• The 'Update buying pattern' field must be enabled in 'CO Type. Open' (OIS010/F).
• A buying pattern must be connected to the customer in 'Customer. Connect Buying Pattern' (OIS161).
• Alternative 1-3 must be specified in the 'Buying pattern type' field in 'Customer. Open' (CRS610/F). Also check the entry in the 'Buying pattern exception' field in CRS610/F.
• The 'Update buying pattern' field must be enabled in 'Item. Open' (MMS001/F).