Topic overview
The Cockpit: Distribution orders application is used primarily to query distribution orders for basic information, such as the distribution order type and number. The application provides you with an overview of the distribution orders entered. You can also carry out further actions for one or more vouchers from the application, such as setting and removing the deletion marker for reorganization or outputting delivery orders.
For a general description of cockpit applications, which includes, among other things, the usual handling of a query and work pane, see the Cockpits article. Information on customizing functions, business entities, and authorizations can be found in the Distribution orders article, which describes the voucher application. The topics that apply specifically to the Cockpit: Distribution orders application are covered below.
Application description
You can use the query application Cockpit: Distribution orders to get an overview of all or selected distribution orders. In addition, further processing options are available, as the application allows you to:
- Display the voucher references chain for a single voucher
- Go to the Distribution orders application using a voucher number to further process the voucher
- Set and remove a deletion marker for reorganization
- Execute application-related actions
The application consists of a query pane and a work pane.
Query pane
Query fields are stored in the query pane. As a rule, the most important query fields are already available. However, the number of query fields and their placement can vary.
The query pane is saved per view. You can determine which query fields are displayed. To do this, select the desired query fields from the list of fields. The description of the query fields can usually be found in the What’s this help.
For a general description of query fields, see the Cockpits article.
For information on the meaning of the fields, please refer to the explanations in the Distribution orders article.
Detail searches
Furthermore, a detail search can be used in addition to the main search with query fields in the query pane. Detail searches can be combined with the main search so that both the search criteria from the query pane and the search criteria of the detail search can be analyzed as AND link. To combine them, a checkbox is available in the grouping line of the detail search. In order to display corresponding results in the work pane, as well, a button is available carrying the name of the detail search. If this button is activated, another heading line will appear in the work pane, including relevant detailed information.
The following detail searches are available:
- Basic line items
- Sub-items
As a rule, the most important query fields are already available. You can determine which query fields you want to be displayed. To do so, choose the desired query fields from a set of fields. Usually you can find a full description of the query fields in the What’s this help. If required, use the value assistant for the query field.
Work pane
A table is available in the work pane in which the queried distribution orders are displayed. You can determine yourself which information is displayed for an order. To view an order in different ways with different information, several views can be created.
If you have also activated the detail search buttons, the table contains additional heading lines and detailed information.
For a general description of the work pane, see the Cockpits article.
For information on the meaning of individual columns, refer to the explanations in the Distribution orders article.
Application-related actions
The following application-related actions are available in the Cockpit: Distribution orders application:
- [Release distribution orders…]
- [Block distribution orders…]
- [Generate and output pro forma invoices…]
- [Generate delivery orders with order reference…]
- [Generate inter-company billing…]
The actions are described in the Distribution orders: Actions article. You can also refer to the article Actions: Release, block, and complete voucher or line items for information on how to release or block vouchers.
The special features for the cockpit application can be found below in these chapters:
Generating delivery orders with order reference
For distribution orders belonging to the Delivery category with released order line items, one or more delivery orders can be generated using the action [Generate delivery orders with order reference…].
At any one time, only one delivery order can be processed for each order line item, even for partial deliveries. The delivery order for an order line item must first be completed and delivered in full before the order line item receives the status No delivery order in process before another delivery order can be created for this order line item.
For more information about the action, see the Distribution orders: Actions article. In contrast to the Distribution orders application, the following parameters are also available for this action in the Cockpit: Distribution orders application’s dialog window that opens after you have clicked on the action:
- Generate multiple batch jobs – this function is available to you due to the large amounts of data that may need to be processed. In order to speed up processing, you can decide whether the system should generate multiple batch jobs for the selected distribution orders and the delivery orders to be created for them.
- Generate – allows you to specify whether a separate delivery order should be created for each order. Available options include:
- per order – the delivery order will only contain line items from a single order
- of collective deliveries – the delivery order will contain all line items with the same delivery characteristics from all orders
- Automatically confirm warnings – this function allows you to determine how the system should handle warnings that occur during the execution of the action. If you activate this function, warnings will be automatically confirmed. If the function is deactivated, warnings will cause the action to be aborted.
Generating an inter-company billing
This action is used to clear the quantities of the products ordered in the distribution order. The inter-company billing includes the generation of the customer and supplier invoices. In addition, the customer invoice generated is output as a voucher document.
For more information about the action, see the Distribution orders: Actions article. In contrast to the Distribution orders application, the following parameters are also available for this action in the Cockpit: Distribution orders application’s dialog window that opens after you have clicked on the action:
- Summary level – allows you to define whether a separate clearing should be performed for each order. Available options include:
- Individual invoicing – the customer invoice will only contain line items from one order
- Collective invoice – the customer invoice will contain all line items with the same invoice characteristics across all orders. The following are examples of invoice characteristics:
- Invoice recipient
- Invoicing party
- Payment terms
- Collective invoice code
If the Summarize orders from multiple ordering parties function is activated in the Customizing application, Sales function, Invoice generation sub-function, then orders with different ordering parties but otherwise the same invoice characteristics are also summarized in a collective invoice.