Document types in Purchasing have a control function.
SAP S/4HANA includes document types for all standard business processes. Sometimes, however, you need to create your own document types. The following are some examples of why you may need a new document type:
- If you want to assign certain order numbers exclusively for a special procurement process (such as subcontracting), you need a specific document type to which you assign the desired number range and only the corresponding item category.
- Using different document types, you can define the field selection control at header level differently.
- You can use the document type to influence the layout of the document output (e.g. the order printout).
Document types are defined by each of the following document categories:
Purchase Requisition
Request for Quotation
Purchase Order
Contract
Scheduling Agreement
You must also assign the permissible item categories for each document type.
If you want to convert purchase requisitions into purchasing documents, you must link the document types and item categories.
You must assign at least one number range to each document type.
Hint
To use partner roles for purchasing documents with a new document type, assign a partner schema to this document type. In Customizing, go to Materials Management → Purchasing → Partner Determination → Partner Settings in Purchasing Documents → Assign Partner Schemas to Document Types. The system does not copy this assignment while copying a document type.
Definition of Document Types – Overview
Step 1 – Define Document Types
Features for Purchase Requisitions, Requests for Quotation (RFQ) and Purchase Orders (PO)
You can define the following features for purchase requisitions:
- Control:
To specify that an outline agreement needs to be created as a follow-on document to the purchase requisition instead of a standard PO, use the Control column and assign indicator R to a document type for purchase requisitions. Such a document type (RV, for example) is neither relevant for material requirements planning nor for account commitments.
- Overall Release:
Use the Overall Release indicator to specify that the purchase requisitions of this document type must be released on header level, not on item level.
- Scenario based workflow:
This indicator controls the release procedure. The scenario based workflow is also called flexible workflow. The workflow is set up in the SAP Fiori Launchpad, using the app Manage Workflows for purchase requisitions.
It is free configurable and doesn’t need classification. You will find more information about this topic in the app documentation in the Fiori Apps Library.
You can define the following features for RFQs:
- Global percentage bid:
If you define an RFQ document type FOR external services as a global percentage bidding document type, the price is preset in the RFQ. You then expect the vendor to quote only percentage additions to, or deductions from, the agreed prices for each outline level.
- Time-dependent conditions:
To define a validity period as well as scales for the conditions in the quotation, set the time-dependent condition indicator for the RFQ document types.
You can define the following features for POs:
- Control:
To indicate that a document is for stock transport orders, assign indicator T in the Control column to a document type for POs.
- Stock transfer: Include supplier data:
To work with supplier master records when processing stock transport orders (provided such records are present for the supplying plants in question), select the Stock Transfer: Take Vendor Data into Account checkbox.
To make additional settings for stock transport orders, in Customizing, go to Materials Management → Purchasing → Purchase Order → Set up Stock Transport Order.
Features for Scheduling Agreements and Contracts
You can define the following features for scheduling agreements:
- Control:
To indicate that this is a document type for stock transport scheduling agreements, assign indicator T to a document type for scheduling agreements.
- Stock transfer: Include supplier data:
To work with supplier master records when processing stock transport scheduling agreements (provided such records are present for the supplying plants in question), select the Stock Transfer: Take Vendor Data into Account indicator.
- Time-dependent conditions:
To maintain a validity period and scales for the conditions, select the time-dependent condition indicator for the scheduling agreement document types.
- Release documentation:
To determine that the system stores the scheduling agreement releases in a separate file and displays the file at any time, select the Release documentation indicator for the scheduling agreement document types. This indicator determines that you must work with SA releases in addition to delivery schedules.
You can define the following features for contracts:
- Shared lock only:
Select the Shared lock only indicator to set a shared lock, instead of an exclusive lock, when the system creates a release order against a contract of this document type. This enables several users to issue release orders against the contract simultaneously (an advantage); as a result, however, the target quantity can be exceeded (a disadvantage).
- ALE-distributed contract:
Select the ALE-distributed contract indicator to identify the changes by the pointers when the system transmits the contract via ALE. You then evaluate the changes through the ALE administration facility.
Step 2 – Define Allowed Item Categories
Step 3 – Linkage of a Purchase Requisition to an External Purchasing Document
If you create an external purchasing document with reference to a purchase requisition, you must link the document types to each other. In this case, it is best to proceed on an item category basis.
For each item category of the purchase requisition document type, you must specify the type of purchasing documents (document category and document type) and items (with which item types) that can be created with reference to this purchase requisition item.
Creating a New Document Type: Example
- You create a document type NX for POs. You allow the standard and subcontracting item categories in this document type.
- You want to create documents of this document type with reference to purchase requisitions of document type NB. It is irrelevant whether the purchase requisition item has item category standard or subcontracting.
In this case, you have to define the following entries:
- Requisition items of document type NB with the item category standard may be converted into purchasing documents of document type NX with the item category standard.
- Requisition items of document type NB with the item category standard may be converted into purchasing documents of document type NX with the item category subcontracting.
- Requisition items of document type NB with the item category subcontracting may be converted into purchasing documents of document type NX with the item category standard.
- Requisition items of document type NB with the item category subcontracting may be converted into purchasing documents of document type NX with the item category subcontracting.
Linkage of Requisition Document Type – Purchasing Document Type
