Explanation Of Purchasing Info Record

What is a Purchasing Info Record?

A Purchasing Info Record (PIR) serves as a crucial source of information for procuring specific materials from specific vendors. It contains essential procurement-related details that help streamline purchasing processes and ensure consistency in transactions.

Key Components of a Purchasing Info Record

A Purchasing Info Record includes:
  • Pricing Conditions – Stores pricing details relevant to a Purchasing Organization or Plant.
  • Reminders – Provides notifications for upcoming procurement actions.
  • Last Purchase Order Number – Records the number of the last purchase order placed for reference.
  • Planned Delivery Time – Specifies the lead time required by the vendor for material delivery.
  • Tolerance Limits – Defines acceptable over-delivery and under-delivery margins.
  • Availability Period – Indicates the timeframe during which the vendor can supply the material.

How to Create a Purchasing Info Record?

A Purchasing Info Record can be created in two ways:

1. Manual Creation

If you create an info record manually and then place a purchase order (PO) manually, the price will be sourced from the info record.

2. Automatic Creation

  • If no Purchasing Info Record exists and you manually create a PO with the info record update indicator set, an info record will be automatically created (without updating the price).
  • The last PO number will be updated in the info record.
  • If another PO is created for the same material, the price will be sourced from the last PO recorded in the info record.

Auto PO and Info Record Requirements

To create an Auto Purchase Order (Auto PO):
  • You must first create the info record manually.
  • Maintain the Source List to define approved vendors.
  • Without an info record, an Auto PO cannot be generated.

Tracking Purchase Order History in Info Record

If the info update indicator is selected in a PO:
  • The order price history is updated in the info record under the Environment tab (T-code: ME13).
  • However, the pricing conditions in the condition record are not updated.
To check the order price history, navigate to: Environment → Order Price History in T-code ME13.

Logging & Tracking: Who Created a Purchasing Info Record?

To identify who created a Purchasing Info Record:
  1. Open Transaction ME13.
  2. Navigate to Extras → Administrative Data.
  3. View details such as creator name and creation date.

Sending Purchasing Info Records to Other Systems

Transaction ME18 allows you to send Purchasing Info Records to other systems using ALE-EDI IDocs. This helps maintain consistency in procurement data across multiple systems in an enterprise setup.

FAQs on Purchasing Info Records

1. What is the purpose of a Purchasing Info Record?

A Purchasing Info Record stores procurement-related data such as pricing, delivery time, and last PO details to streamline vendor transactions and purchasing decisions.

2. How is a Purchasing Info Record different from a Source List?

A Purchasing Info Record stores vendor-specific procurement details, whereas a Source List defines which vendor should supply a material within a given period.

3. Can I create an Auto PO without a Purchasing Info Record?

No, an Auto PO requires a Purchasing Info Record and a maintained Source List to function.

4. How can I track past order prices in an info record?

You can track past order prices by navigating to: T-code ME13 → Environment → Order Price History.

5. How do I update a Purchasing Info Record automatically?

Enable the info update indicator in a PO to update the info record automatically with the latest order details, except for pricing conditions.

6. What is the function of ME18 in Purchasing Info Records?

ME18 is used to send Purchasing Info Records to other systems via ALE-EDI IDocs, ensuring procurement data consistency across platforms.

Conclusion

This guide provides a detailed overview of Purchasing Info Records, their components, creation process, tracking, and data transfer. Implementing PIR effectively enhances procurement efficiency, reduces manual effort, and ensures accurate vendor interactions.

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