Knowledge Management

Question:
This request is coming from my client. He wants to see the current PO validations applied to the requisition document. In other words, he doesn't want the users creating the requisition and processing the document through the release strategies and approvals, only to have the document present a new or different problem during the conversion to purchase order or framework order.
Is anyone aware of anything within SAP that would allow the order level validations to take place during the requisition process?
Thanks!
Answer:
Hi,
He wants to see the current PO validations applied to the requisition document.
It is not quite clear on what kind of PO validation for your PR that you would like to put in place. If you would have some sort of agreement with your certain vendor and it is, therefore, not required to generate PO for your requirements from PR, then what I would recommend you is to look at the creation of Scheduling Agreement. With further setting in Source List record, once MRP is run, all reservations for that item will be converted into SA Delivery Schedule Line Items against which GR can be posted.
Cheers,
HT
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Answer:
To explain what the client has encountered, here's a scenario that's occurred:
The user has created a requisition, it's been approved (released) and converted to a purchase order. The material is received, but when the invoice is processed, it's discovered that the general ledger account chosen wasn't valid for the purchase (a non-material g/l was chosen).
One of the major drawbacks to this implementation is the lack of the use of material masters (which, of course, would eliminate a lot of the problem). We are in the process of re-implementing material masters.
However, some of their purchases are service related and will not have material masters associated with them even after the reimplementation. The client would like to know if there's a way for SAP to perform validations at the requisition level and catch these issues before they get all the way through the system.
Is there any resource that speaks to what data are typically validated on the PR and PO documents?
Answer:
Hi,
As far as the inventorized items of which the master record existed is concerned, I think that you don't have to worry about the wrong accounting data being automatically defaulted for your Purchasing document since this will be set in Transaction OBYC for the respective valuation class you have chosen for your stock item. In regard to non-stock item (including services), it is true to say that the account assignment category shall be used which will enable you to make the automatic account assignment determination (the setting was made via the entry in the 'account modification' field of the respective account assignment category in Transaction OME9). Therefore, what you should do are as follows:
1) Go to Transaction OME9 and select the account assignment category that you are using for your services ('K', for instance). Make sure that you will enter the appropriate value in the 'Account Modification' field (VBR, for instance). If you would like to prevent end user from changing the automatically assigned account, then in this Transaction set the G/L account field as 'Display'.
2) Go to Transaction OBYC and maintain the respective G/L account for the Transaction/Event Key GBB/VBR.
Once PR is created for your service items with this account assignment category, then the system will automatically find the proper G/L account given the aforesaid settings and then pop up the correct one and no end users can be able to change it. Once this PR is converted into PO, then the same accounting data will be copied. Let me know how it goes.
Cheers,
HT
Answer:
Hi,
Sorry, I should have been posting my reply with my log-in name.
Cheers,
HT
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Answer:
The connections you mention are all in place - both for the old and the new valuation classes - and we've tested them when using our old and new material master processes during requisition creation. The G/L accounts are fine there.
The problem is with the general ledger account application (or lack of it) when a material master isn't used.
In my test case, based on your input, I can create a requisition using my 'S' account assignment category, which has VBR account modification. Checking those entries, the accounts are all correct.
My concern is, without a material master, there's no way to establish the valuation class which is what controls the application of the general ledger account. I don't know of a way to control the G/L account without a valuation class. As it stands now, at ME51N requisition creation, the G/L account field is blank if no material number is entered, but only text and a material group.
The ideal scenario would be to control that through the material group, which is something the client has defined well.
That's the kind of validation they're looking for.
Answer:
Hi,
without a material master, there's no way to establish the valuation class which is what controls the application of the general ledger account. I don't know of a way to control the G/L account without a valuation class.
There have been two options that you could flexibly choose for your particular case -
1) Either maintain the linkage between Material Group and Valuation Class via Transaction OMQW and based on this setting, the appropriate G/L account assignment determination will be made during PR creation; or
2) In your Transaction OBYC, make sure that you will create one specific record for your GBB/VBR Transaction/Event Key where the Valuation Class will be left 'Blank'. By doing that, it is true to say for all material groups which were not mapped with the particular valuation class, this G/L account will be defaulted. Of course, the only disadvantage was that with this setting, the same G/L Account will be applied for all material groups with which no valuation class is mapped in Transaction OMQW.
Let me know again if this can meet your specific requirement.
Cheers,
HT
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Answer:
Ha,
Thanks so much (my client wants to send you a case of beer, he's so happy!). I haven't seen this table before and couldn't find it in the IMG, but such is life.
Another validation question: a user will create a requisition for a cost center purchase (account assignment K) but will select a general ledger account that requires an internal order. The failure of this process isn't brought to light until the goods receipt (way past the point of requisition creation) when the g/r fails due to the missing internal order reference.
Is there any possibility for checking this disconnect at the time of requisition processing? The client was unable to find anything, but we missed this material group/G/L account table, so we're open to suggestions!
Thanks again!
Answer:
Hi,
Don't worry. What you should do is to ask your client to send me the air ticket and I will be visiting you there to have a cup of beer.
In regard to your inquiry, am I correct to say that it is acceptable for your client to set the G/L account field as display field and use automatic account assignment determination to default the correct account? If this is the case, then it is true that the end user will be no longer able to enter manually the G/L account he prefers. Besides, is it also true to say that the end users were restricted to use only a particular set of G/L accounts?.
Cheers,
HT
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