Topic overview

The following article contains information on the Suppliers view of the Items application. The view makes it possible to define purchasing data related to a supplier. Detailed information on the Items application may be found in the article Items.

Procedures related to the handling of the Suppliers view, e.g. instructions on how to create or edit supplier-related item data, can be found in the article Procedures: Items, Suppliers view.

Definition of terms

• Alias items – virtual items used to sell the same item with different prices or descriptions. Such items are neither produced, stored, nor ordered.
• Alternative item – an item that can be used as an alternative if the item wanted is not available (having the same or similar attributes). Each item may be assigned several alternative items.
• Batches – item identifiers. An expiration date is always assigned to a batch. Warehouse inventory management is carried out at the item and batch level.
• EAN number – a unique item identification number
• Reference item – an item that is directly associated with variant items, but is not subject to purchasing and sales processes. It serves as an information carrier for associated variant items and as their template.
• Serial numbers – item identifiers. Every unit of an item is given a serial number that identifies it uniquely throughout the system. In contrast to batches and lots, a serial number applies to exactly one base unit of the item.
• Storage unit – it is a general term for all the storage and packaging materials used during storage, transport, and shipping of an item
• Substitute item – it is an item used as a successor for a replaced item. It is used if the actual item is no longer included in the inventory because it cannot be purchased or produced.
• Variant items – it is connected with the extension of the identification of a reference item or it is created as a variant item with its own identification, which is different from the reference item

Application description

Application header

The application header allows the user to display the settings of a given item in the Suppliers view. The application header is represented identically for all views of the Items application; however, in the Suppliers view, it additionally displays the Supplier field (required).

Detailed information on the header of the Items application may be found in the article Items.

Work pane

The Supplier view is composed of the following tabs:

• General
• File attachments/texts
• Other fields

General tab

The tab displays master data and can be used to define an item’s utilization status. Fields available on the tab include:

• EAN – it allows entering a unique item identification number
• Alternative item – it allows selecting an item that can be used as an alternative if the item wanted is not available
• Use in orders – this parameter determines whether a given item is to be used in orders
• Blocked until – if the utilization status is set to Blocked, this field can be used to indicate the date until which a given item will be blocked in the system
• Identifier category – it determines an item’s identifier category
• Alias item – it makes it possible to select a virtual item used for selling the same item with different prices or descriptions

Delivery data section

This section makes it possible to enter and edit item delivery data.

• Supplier item number – it determines the supplier’s item number. A number entered in this field can be used for entering the item in a purchase order or supplier invoice, if relevant settings have been configured in Customizing.
• Supplier’s item description – it enables entering an additional description to be included in purchasing document printouts
• Standard warehouse – it allows defining a default warehouse
• ABC classification – it allows determining a purchasing priority. The following priorities can be selected:
  • A – the highest priority
  • B – medium priority
  • C – the lowest priority
• Completion tolerance – it is used to determine the quantity entered for a purchase order line item
• EAN – an item’s unique identification number
• Replenishment lead time – it makes it possible to enter a replenishment lead time in calendar days for purchasing recommendations
• Purchasing lot size – only a multiple of the quantity entered in this field can be ordered from a given supplier with regard to a given item. It is used for determining the quantity to be purchased in the Calculate purchasing recommendations and Material requirements planning applications.

Billing data section

This section makes it possible to define and edit item billing data.

• Cost center – a cost center assigned in this field is used in supplier quotations and purchase orders
• Cost unit – a cost unit assigned in this field is used by default in supplier quotations and purchase orders
• Price dimension – it defines the number of quantity units to which a price applies. Dimensions are expressed in powers of ten, so that a price may be for: 1, 10, 100 up to 100 000 units.
• Price classification – it defines pricing conditions for an item. An item is included in a given price classification by assigning it to a price. The field is mandatory if the No multi-item discounts parameter has been selected. More information may be found in the article Introduction: Purchase prices and Purchase price determination.
• Procurement costs (in %) – it is a procurement cost expressed in %. Procurement costs are variable costs that arise for the procurement of a definite quantity of an item and are related to the total line item quantity in an order.

• Procurement costs – it is the amount of procurement costs in a default currency defined in Customizing.

• Do not apply any order value discounts (parameter)
• Do not apply packaging size discounts (parameter)
• Do not apply multi-item discounts (parameter)
• Apply no line item discounts or base discounts (parameter)
• Do not apply credit note method (parameter)
• Bonus classification – it allows assigning items to a bonus group. This classification may be used in the Bonus agreements application to exclude or include items in bonus calculation.
• Minimum order quantity – in this field, it is necessary to enter the minimum quantity of an order. The system shows a warning if the quantity is less than the minimum order quantity when a purchase order is created.
• Minimum order value – in this field, it is necessary to enter the minimum value of an order. The system shows a warning if the value is less than the minimum order value when a purchase order is created.

File attachments/texts tab

This tab allows the user to add supplier-related attachments and additional descriptions for an item. They are used in document printouts concerning item supplier data.

Other fields tab

The Other fields tab allows the user to enter additional fields, e.g. if such user-defined fields are required to provide additional information. User-defined fields are associated with a business object; therefore, they must be defined independently in all views.

Automatic data acceptance in a multi-site environment

Item data relevant for a supplier can be used instead of purchasing data. If supplier data has not been created for an item and selected organization, data defined for a parent organization is used.

At the higher levels of the purchasing hierarchy, based on the initially selected organization, data search in the system is conducted until the following conditions are met:

• Valid supplier-relevant item data without a deletion marker are found
• The highest node, that is the active OLTP client, is reached in the purchasing hierarchy and there is no valid supplier-relevant item data there

• The same organization responsible for editing as in the selected organization cannot be entered for all relevant business entities in the Organizations application for the parent organization to be checked

The business entities relevant for this test are:

• Purchasing item classification 1 to 5
• Purchasing item price classification

Customizing

The Items article provides information about settings in the Customizing application that are associated with relevant views of the Items application.

Business entities

The following business entity is relevant for the Items application’s Suppliers view. It is used, for example, to perform the following:

• Assigining authorizations
• Providing activity definitions
• Importing or exporting data

Purchasing item:

com.cisag.app.purchasing.obj.PurchaseItem

The business entity is part of the following business entity group:

com.cisag.app.purchasing.MasterData

Authorizations

Authorizations can be assigned by means of authorization roles, as well as by assigning an organization. More information may be found in the Authorizations article.

Organizational assignments

To ensure that a person can use the Items application’s Suppliers view, the user must be assigned to an organization that is connected to at least one of the following organization structures:

• Purchasing