1.Overview

A production line is built of processes chain, failing to cooperate with the supplier may lead to collateral damages. Thus, automation of this process is of high importance and ROI.

PO Collaboration is a simple way of communication between a buyer and supplier.

This solution gives the buyer an option to have a dialog with the vendor via emails.

PO Collaboration assures the commitment of the supplier to the quantities and delivery schedules as stated in the PO issued.

PO Collaboration’s main goal is to enable the business to computerize control on the communication process in one report.

 

PO Collaboration – Principles:

• Use email to convey data to/from vendors.
• Make the happy day scenario (common one) as simple as possible.
• Ask the vendor to fix only problematic data parts.
• Make onboarding as easy and short as possible.
• Vendors must not pay for any of this solution.

 

PO Collaboration solution includes:

• Auto send PO upon PO approval to Distribution list – multiple email addresses.
• Vendors approve the PO and confirmation will be loaded to the PO in SAP automatically.
• Vendors can split the delivery to several delivery dates.
• Any vendor changes will be loaded to SAP upon buyers approval.
• Everything is done using a simple email – No special software, registrations or licenses on the vendor side.

 

1.1.PO Collaboration Solution Scenario 

Following is the day to day scenario using PO Collaboration:

• A copy of the approved PO is sent to the vendor by email.
• In case the vendor agrees upon the terms:
  • A mail is sent to SAP and the PO confirmation tab will be set accordingly.
• In case the vendor disagrees with the terms (quantities & dates):
  • The HTML form, attached to the email should be invoked.
  • Vendor’s delegate sets changes (quantities & dates) in HTML.
  • A mail with the requested changes is sent to SAP.
  • The monitor buyer approves/rejects the request.
• Notifications, if customized, are being distributed.

 

2.Vendor’s Side – Email Updating Data 

The great simplicity of PO Collaboration is that all the communication between the two companies will be done through regular emails.

PO collaboration sends the vendor emails with the following features:

• Confirm link in the Email body
• Two Email Attachments:
  • PO Update Form
  • Purchase Order Form

 

Following is an email example

The PO Collaboration supports two vendor’s scenarios:

1. Everything is OK from the vendor’s side – a simple confirmation needs to be sent to the buyer.
2. There are some changes that need to be updated like Delivery dates, Quantities and splitting the deliveries.

 

Scenario #1. Everything is OK

In case no changes are required click on to confirm the data.

An automatic Reply email will be presented.

Just press the Send button and you are done.

 

Senario # 2. the vendor wants to update the buyer with some changes regarding the PO.

The vendor MUST download the PO Update form attached to the email to his computer and open it.

The current window will open:

 

Vendor’s options to update the buyer are as followed:

1. Request the buyer to split the delivery of a PO line into several delivery dates.

To do so the vendor should click the   button next to the relevant PO line and change quantity and dates.

2. The vendor can enter comments to each line.
3. The vendor can enter a new quantity to be delivered

 

After all changes and updates have been made the vendor must press the button.

An automatic Reply email will be presented.

Just press the Send button and you are done.

 

Important Note:

• Remember due to security issues if the vendor needs to fill the PO Update form he must download it!

 

3.Buyer’s Side 

The Buyer has the following tools to manage the system behavior:

• Purchase order transaction special header TAB.
• The Buyer’s PO Collaboration monitor transaction.
• PO Collaboration customizing.

 

3.1.Buyer’s Side – Purchase Order Controlling TAB 

A special TAB is available at the “Purchase Order” transaction (ME21N, ME22N,ME23N).

The PO Collaboration Indicator (checkbox) is automatically set:

• At the PO Collaboration customizing you can define the automatic Partner Assignment i.e. automatically manage the defaults per vendor.
• Buyer may locally overrule that decision at the purchase order level.

 

3.1.Buyer’s Side – Purchase Order Controlling TAB 

A special TAB is available at the “Purchase Order” transaction (ME21N, ME22N,ME23N).

The PO Collaboration Indicator (checkbox) is automatically set:

• At the PO Collaboration customizing you can define the automatic Partner Assignment i.e. automatically manage the defaults per vendor.
• Buyer may locally overrule that decision at the purchase order level.

 

3.2.Buyer’s Monitor

3.2.1.Insight Creator – Purchase Order Monitor 

The Monitor centers all the purchase Orders collaboration.

Enter transaction /DPS/PO_CLB_MONITOR.

The current window will open:

Enter a relevant criteria and processing state which is relevant to your search.

Click on the Execute button (F8) .

The current window will open:

By pressing the “Recipients” icon (at a row level) a popup will be displayed with all the list of the vendor’s emails.

 

The table data is displayed in colors:

• Yellow – Data from delivery schedule tab in PO.
• Pink – Data from confirmation tab in PO.
• Green – Data from vendor collaboration email.

Difference abbreviations:

• TG – Total Greater
• TL – Total Lower
• QD – Difference in Quantity and Date
• QT – Difference in Quantity
• DT – Difference in Date

 

Important Note:

• You can change quantity and date and also add a remark in vendor data by double clicking on the edit bottom.

The main menu bar includes all available actions.

• Update – this action will update the purchase order with the vendor confirmation data.
• Resend Approval Rqst – resend email to vendor.
• Send Notif. To vendor – provides an option to send a vendor an email with open text.
• Send Output to Vendor – sends a PDF file of confirmed PO data to the vendor.
• Process Error – popup the process log

3.2.2.Standard Collaborator Monitor 

The Monitor centers all the purchase Orders collaboration.

Enter transaction /DPS/PO_CLB_MONITOR.

The current window will open:

Enter a relevant criteria and processing state which is relevant to your search.

Click on the Execute button (F8) .

The current window will open:

By pressing the “Recipients” icon (at a row level) a popup will be displayed with all the list of the vendor’s emails.

 

The table data is displayed in colors:

• Yellow – Data from delivery schedule tab in PO.
• Pink – Data from confirmation tab in PO.
• Green – Data from vendor collaboration email.

Difference abbreviations:

• TG – Total Greater
• TL – Total Lower
• QD – Difference in Quantity and Date
• QT – Difference in Quantity
• DT – Difference in Date

 

Important Note:

• You can change quantity and date and also add a remark in vendor data by double clicking on the edit bottom.

The main menu bar includes all available actions.

• Update – this action will update the purchase order with the vendor confirmation data.
• Resend Approval Rqst – resend email to vendor.
• Send Notif. To vendor – provides an option to send a vendor an email with open text.
• Send Output to Vendor – sends a PDF file of confirmed PO data to the vendor.

 

4.Copyright 

© Copyright 2020 Dpro Ltd. All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or for any purpose without
the express permission of Dpro Ltd. The information contained herein may be changed without prior
notice.