Knowledge Management

Question:
Hi Friends,
We want to buy pens of different types ,colours and make. But we want to maintain only one material code for pen.
Is there any way as to how we can maintain different infor record for the same vendor.
or
Is there any other method by which we can tackle the above problem
Thanks in advance
RAM
Answer:
Hi RAM,
I am afraid not because the Info Record represents the relationship between Vendor Number, Material Number, Purchasing Organization and Plant Location.
Cheers,
HT
Answer:
Hi HT,
Thanks for the mail. In fact the same thing was conveyed to our users.
How do others handle this type of stationery through SAP.
We are trying to buy it through credit card, but till such time our users need some solution by which it will be easier for them to create PO. Right now they need to refer to the manual contract(outside SAP)
Do you have any idea as to how other industries handle this situation.
Thanks in advance.
RAM
Answer:
Hi RAM,
The solution that we have implemented in our companies were -
1) We will not maintain the material master but use material group upon creation of PO and the PO price will be copied from info record. Of course, the disadvantage of this option is that no historical information can be seen since no particular material number is used.
2) Some other company has implemented the option of using material master where the general material number will be used on which the PO creation is to based. Of course, to optimize our material master data, we do not create so many material IDs for each and every stationery item but rather group them all together. (for instance, we will one material ID for all kinds of pen regardless of size and color). By doing this, we can be able to easily keep track of the spending data for each and every material ID item.
Cheers,
HT
Answer:
Hi HT,
Could not get through to u yesterday. Internet was down at our end.
The first solution looks workable. I tried to create info record with the material group, but i was not able to do so.
Could you give me some additional detail on this. This will guide me in preparing the info record for the material group.
Sorry for the inconvenience caused to you.
Regards,
RAM
Answer:
Hi RAM,
Sorry to intrude. To create info record for a material group do the following:
1. Enter Vendor, Purchase org and plant if the record is plant specific. Do not enter the material number.
2. Click enter.
3. Enter the general data like short description, the material group, order unit used for the material and sort string. Sort string is just a key which allows us to distinguish several info records that belong to the material group.
4. Click enter. This takes you into the purchase org data screen.
5. Enter the planned delivery time, purchase grp, standard PO qty and net price. You can enter conditions if required and other details such as tolerances, texts.
6. Save the info record.
Hope this is useful.
Rgd
VR
Answer:
Hi RAM , HT & VR,
If I have correctly understood the scenario it is pertaining to the procurement of materials like office stationart etc.
There will be different prices of the material accordig to make, colours etc. (of the pens) where as info record will have one basic price per material group.
Hence in this case it would not good option to maintain info records.
Other options which I can think of are
Option 1 :
Create blanket PO (type FO) using material group & relevant account assignment (or even Unknown account assignment). Give description of the material & overall price "LIMIT" for line item while creating PO
GR / IR can be done in this case. But no individual materials price history is possible.
Option 2:
Create value contract (WK). User item category material group (W). Out target value for the contact . Every time material is required you can create release order (PO)
But in both cases you need not have info record & there is no individual material procurement & price history.
Hope this helps...
Regards,
Yogesh
Answer:
Hi
You can make an inidivdual material code for each colour with the material type HERS. Here only Purchasing view is selected. Then you assign this to main material number in the purchasing view.
You can maintain the info record on base colour . This you have maintain in customizing. You will have to maintain manufacturer part profile for this.
If X- Pen is the main code and XA- Pen Red, XB-Pen Blue, you can assign the later two code to the earlier material. In the stock only X material will be viwed. If you have ticked the check box for info record then it will maintain the info record for red as well as blue pen.
I hope I have solved your problem
Ajit