自动化采购练习

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Automated Procurement Practice (10 questions)

#practice #自动化采购

📌Key Patterns (click to reveal)
Keyword Answer
Manual Reorder Point MRP type VB — planning triggered when stock falls below reorder point
MD04 vs MD05 MD04 = Stock/Requirements List (dynamic, real-time); MD05 = MRP List (static snapshot from last MRP run)
Source List Indicators Blank = source exists, 1 = fixed vendor, 2 = blocked, M = MRP-relevant
ME59N Automatic PO creation from approved purchase requisitions
ERS Evaluated Receipt Settlement — automatic invoice settlement at GR without vendor invoice

Question 1 - Manual Reorder Point Planning [recall]

What MRP type is used for manual reorder point planning?

📌Show Answer
MRP Type: VB (Manual Reorder Point Planning)

Key characteristics:

  • The reorder point is manually entered in the material master (MRP 1 view)
  • When stock falls below the reorder point, MRP generates a procurement proposal
  • The system does NOT automatically calculate the reorder point (unlike automatic reorder point planning, MRP type VR)
  • The lot size determines the procurement quantity when triggered
  • Suitable for materials with relatively stable, predictable consumption patterns
  • The reorder point should cover expected demand during the procurement lead time plus safety stock

Question 2 - MD04 vs MD05 [recall]

What is the difference between transactions MD04 and MD05?

📌Show Answer
MD04 — Stock/Requirements List:
  • Displays a dynamic, real-time view of the current stock and requirements situation
  • Updated continuously as changes occur (goods movements, new orders, etc.)
  • Shows the current actual stock and requirements at any point in time
  • Used for day-to-day monitoring and interactive planning
  • Changes are reflected immediately

MD05 — MRP List:

  • Displays a static snapshot of the stock/requirements situation from the last MRP run
  • Only updated when MRP is executed again
  • Shows the planning situation at the time of the last MRP run
  • Useful for comparing planning results over time
  • Used to review what MRP planned and verify the results

Key difference: MD04 is live/dynamic; MD05 is a frozen snapshot from the last planning run.

Question 3 - Reorder Point Planning Calculation [application]

A material has a manually set reorder point of 100 units. Current stock is 80 units. MRP runs with a fixed lot size (FX) of 200 units. What purchase requisition quantity is generated?

📌Show Answer
A purchase requisition for 200 units is generated.

Reasoning:

  1. Reorder point check: Current stock (80) < Reorder point (100) → Material is below reorder point
  2. MRP triggers a procurement proposal because stock has fallen below the reorder point
  3. Lot size FX (Fixed Order Quantity) = 200 units
  4. The system generates a PR for exactly 200 units (the fixed lot size), regardless of the shortfall amount

Note: With fixed lot size, the PR quantity is always the defined fixed quantity (200). The system does NOT calculate the exact shortage (100 - 80 = 20 units). The lot size procedure determines the order quantity, not the reorder point logic.

Question 4 - MRP List vs Stock/Requirements List Comparison [analysis]

Compare the MRP list (MD05) and the stock/requirements list (MD04). When would you use each, and what are the advantages and limitations?

📌Show Answer
Comparison:
Aspect MD04 (Stock/Requirements List) MD05 (MRP List)
Data currency Real-time, dynamic Static snapshot from last MRP run
Update mechanism Continuously updated with every transaction Only updated when MRP runs
Purpose Day-to-day monitoring, interactive decisions Review and audit of MRP planning results
Planning capability Can manually create/convert planning proposals Display-only of MRP results
Comparison ability No historical comparison Can compare current vs previous MRP runs

When to use MD04 (Stock/Requirements List):

  • Daily operations: Monitor current stock levels and open requirements
  • Interactive planning: Convert planned orders to purchase requisitions manually
  • Exception handling: Respond to urgent requirements or sudden changes
  • Real-time decisions: When you need the most current information
  • Post-MRP adjustments: After MRP has run, to see the impact of manual changes

When to use MD05 (MRP List):

  • Audit trail: Document what MRP planned at a specific point in time
  • Planning review: Compare MRP results across multiple runs to identify trends
  • Validation: Verify that MRP produced expected results
  • Reporting: Generate consistent reports based on a fixed data snapshot
  • Troubleshooting: Investigate why MRP generated certain proposals

Key insight: MD05 provides traceability and auditability of the planning process, while MD04 provides operational agility for real-time decision-making.

Question 5 - Source List Indicators [recall]

What are the source list indicators and what do they mean?

📌Show Answer
Source List Indicators:
Indicator Meaning Description
(blank) Source exists The vendor/outline agreement is a valid source of supply, but has no special status
1 Fixed vendor This vendor is the preferred/fixed source for the material within the validity period
2 Blocked This vendor is blocked as a source for the material; system will not propose this source
M MRP-relevant MRP will consider this source when generating procurement proposals (auto source determination)

Important combinations:

  • 1 + M: Fixed vendor AND MRP-relevant — MRP automatically assigns this vendor
  • Blank + M: MRP-relevant but not fixed — MRP selects from available sources
  • 2: Blocked — excluded from source determination
  • Source list entries have validity periods (start and end dates)

Question 6 - Contract and Source List with MRP [application]

A contract exists for material X with vendor A. The source list for material X has vendor A with indicator M (MRP-relevant). What happens when MRP runs for material X?

📌Show Answer
MRP Process with Contract and Source List:

  1. MRP detects a requirement for material X (e.g., stock below reorder point or dependent requirement from BOM)

  2. MRP generates a purchase requisition with the required quantity

  3. Source determination occurs automatically because:

    • The source list has vendor A with indicator M (MRP-relevant)
    • A valid contract exists for material X with vendor A
    • The system assigns vendor A and the contract to the PR as the source of supply

  4. PR details:

    • Vendor: A (from source determination)
    • Contract: Referenced in the PR
    • Source of supply: Contract with vendor A
    • The PR is a schedule line against the contract (not a standalone PR)

  5. Next step: The PR can be converted to a PO or, if configured for automatic PO creation (ME59N), the system can create the PO automatically referencing the contract

Key point: The combination of a contract and an MRP-relevant source list entry enables fully automated source assignment during MRP, streamlining the procurement process.

Question 7 - Prerequisites for Automatic PO Creation [recall]

What are the prerequisites for automatic PO creation using transaction ME59N?

📌Show Answer
Prerequisites for ME59N (Automatic PO Creation):

Material master settings:

  • The material must have a valid source of supply (vendor or contract)
  • The purchasing view must be maintained
  • Source list must be maintained with MRP-relevant indicator (M)

Purchase requisition settings:

  • PR must be released/approved (status must allow conversion)
  • PR must have a valid source of supply assigned (vendor or outline agreement)
  • PR must have proper account assignment (if consumable)

Vendor master settings:

  • Valid vendor master record must exist
  • Purchasing organization data must be maintained

Customizing settings:

  • Document types must be configured for automatic PO creation
  • The PR document type must be allowed for automatic conversion
  • Tolerance limits must be configured (if applicable)

Additional conditions:

  • Delivery dates must be in the future (or current)
  • No blocking indicators on the PR
  • The quota arrangement (if used) must be properly maintained

Question 8 - Evaluated Receipt Settlement (ERS) [recall]

What is ERS (Evaluated Receipt Settlement) and how does it work?

📌Show Answer
ERS (Evaluated Receipt Settlement) is a process that automatically creates an invoice document at the time of goods receipt, eliminating the need for the vendor to submit a physical invoice.

How ERS works:

  1. Goods Receipt is posted (MIGO) — material document and accounting document are created
  2. ERS is executed (transaction MRRL) — the system automatically generates an invoice document based on:
    • The GR quantity
    • The agreed prices from the PO (or contract)
    • The terms of payment from the PO
  3. Invoice document is created automatically — debiting the vendor and clearing the GR/IR account
  4. Payment is processed based on the automatically created invoice

Prerequisites for ERS:

  • The ERS indicator must be set in the vendor master record (purchasing view)
  • The PO must be flagged for ERS
  • Valid prices must exist in the PO (no estimated prices)
  • Tax information must be properly maintained

Benefits:

  • Eliminates physical invoice processing
  • Reduces invoice verification workload
  • Faster payment processing
  • Reduces errors from manual invoice entry

Question 9 - Normal Invoice Verification vs ERS Comparison [analysis]

Compare normal invoice verification with Evaluated Receipt Settlement (ERS). What are the prerequisites, process steps, and documents created for each method?

📌Show Answer
Comparison:
Aspect Normal Invoice Verification ERS (Evaluated Receipt Settlement)
Vendor invoice required Yes — physical/electronic invoice from vendor No — system generates invoice automatically
Transaction MIRO (Invoice Verification) MRRL (ERS Settlement)
Prerequisites Valid PO, GR posted, vendor invoice received Valid PO, GR posted, ERS indicator in vendor master, ERS flag in PO
Trigger Vendor submits invoice Goods receipt is posted and ERS is executed
Price source Vendor invoice (may differ from PO) PO price (always used)
Price variances Possible — checked against PO/GR Not possible — uses PO prices
Process steps 1. Receive invoice → 2. Enter in MIRO → 3. Verify against PO/GR → 4. Post 1. Post GR → 2. Execute MRRL → 3. Auto invoice posted
Documents created Invoice document + Accounting document Invoice document + Accounting document (same as normal)
Tax handling From vendor invoice From PO/conditions
Blocking Can be blocked for various reasons Less prone to blocking (uses known PO prices)
Flexibility Higher — can adjust for price differences Lower — strictly follows PO terms

When to use ERS:

  • High-volume, repetitive procurement with trusted vendors
  • Fixed-price contracts where invoice amounts are predictable
  • When reducing AP processing costs is a priority

When to use normal invoice verification:

  • Variable pricing or complex pricing arrangements
  • New vendor relationships where verification is important
  • Situations where vendor invoices may differ from PO prices
  • When tax or charge handling requires manual review

Question 10 - Full Automation Prerequisites [application]

A company wants to implement fully automated procurement: MRP generates PR → Automatic PO creation → GR → ERS. List all prerequisites at each step of the automation chain.

📌Show Answer
Full Automation Prerequisites by Step:

Step 1: MRP generates Purchase Requisition

  • Material master: MRP type, lot size, reorder point (or BOM for dependent requirements)
  • Material master: Purchasing view maintained with purchasing group
  • Source list: Valid entries with indicator M (MRP-relevant) for automatic source determination
  • Contract or quota arrangement: Must exist for automatic source assignment
  • MRP must be configured to generate PRs (not planned orders) or planned orders set to auto-convert
  • Planning file entry must exist for the material

Step 2: Automatic PO Creation (ME59N)

  • PR must have a valid source of supply (vendor or outline agreement assigned by MRP)
  • PR must be automatically releasable (no manual approval required, or auto-release configured)
  • Vendor master: Complete purchasing data maintained
  • Customizing: PR document type must allow automatic PO conversion
  • Source determination must have assigned a specific vendor
  • Proper pricing conditions maintained (info record or contract prices)

Step 3: Goods Receipt (can be simplified but typically manual)

  • PO must be valid and approved
  • Delivery must be expected (PO output sent to vendor)
  • Material master: Storage location and warehouse management data (if applicable)
  • For automatic GR: Can use BAPI or scheduled job for expected deliveries

Step 4: ERS (Evaluated Receipt Settlement)

  • Vendor master: ERS indicator checked in the purchasing view
  • Purchase Order: ERS indicator must be set
  • PO prices: Must be definitive (no estimated or temporary prices)
  • Tax data: Must be maintained in the PO or vendor master
  • Terms of payment: Must be defined in the PO
  • GR must be posted before ERS can run
  • MRRL transaction scheduled as a background job

Cross-cutting prerequisites:

  • Consistent master data across all objects
  • Proper organizational structure (plant, purchasing org, company code)
  • Background jobs configured for ME59N and MRRL
  • Monitoring and exception handling processes in place
  • Vendor agreement to participate in ERS (no physical invoices)
📌Pattern Summary (click to reveal)
Keyword Answer
MRP Type VB Manual reorder point planning — reorder point set manually
MD04 Stock/Requirements List — real-time, dynamic view
MD05 MRP List — static snapshot from last MRP run
Fixed Lot Size (FX) Generates procurement for the defined fixed quantity
Source List Indicator M MRP-relevant — MRP uses this source automatically
Source List Indicator 1 Fixed vendor for the material
Source List Indicator 2 Blocked vendor — excluded from sourcing
ME59N Automatic PO creation from PRs with assigned sources
ERS (MRRL) Auto invoice at GR — no vendor invoice needed
ERS prerequisites Vendor ERS flag + PO ERS flag + definitive PO prices
Full automation chain MRP → source determination → auto PO → GR → ERS