Using workflows to deal with price discrepancies

[Nicolás_Abeille]

Hello,

I'm trying to understand how I can use the workflows to handle the price discrepancies.

Let us assume that I have a PO for 10*100 = 1 000 € (one single item to keep it simple) with a good receipt for the full quantity.

I receive an invoice for 1 100 €. I have a price discrepancy above my PP tolerance.

Scenario #1

I choose to post such invoices. SAP will set a price blocking reason on my invoice item and the invoice itself is blocked.

I have activated the workflow "Release blocked invoices". Therefore a workflow is triggered to the cost centre responsible.

If the recipient approves, the invoice is released and that's the end of it.

If the recipient rejects, he is supposed to ask for a credit note. When the latter is received, posted the "release automatically" option of the tile "Release blocked invoices" will do the job.

Now then, I have set up some advanced workflow on my purchase requests. Depending on the amount of the PO, I will ask the validation of Mr. Smith or Mss. Johnson.

I would like to define the PO creator as the recipient of my workflow (I assume I can do this with a BAdi), and I want him to update the price on the PO. The PO will be subjected to a workflow approval, involving the persons I want. But if I do so, my PO creator can just "approve" the workflow and the invoice is released. And this is not what I want.

Did I miss something?

Scenario #2

I choose to "Save as completed". (With the SSCUI "Customer-Specific Message Categories". I can prevent the posting of an invoice in case of a price discrepancy over the tolerance")

I have activated the workflow "Release complete invoice". Therefore a workflow is triggered to the PO creator.

Let's assume the PO creator updates the PO price and approves the workflow.

In the end, when the PO is released with its new price the invoice can be posted as the discrepancy has disapeared.

But how will the AP clerk know that the PO has been updated and released ? He just know that the workflow has been approved. That means that the PO creator has very likely updated the PO; it doesn't mean it has been released?

Many thanks in advance for your comments,

Nicolás

[Thomas_Jürgense]

Hi Nicolas,

For your scenario 1: indeed you understood the process correctly. Of course if you do not want the release of the purchaser to be the final step in releasing the invoice, no one hinders you from adding a step afterwards where someone else has to approve additionally after the PO creator has approved.

For your scenario 2: Correct, if the PO is updated, then the price deviation can be eliminated by this. But that is then okay from my perspective - PO price x GR quantity matching invoice total net amount is obviously matching. If you have issues with someone "just" updating the PO price, then that would be something you would have to monitor for. Anyway, it might easily be the case that the ordering price was indeed incorrect.

You could scrutinise PO checking BADI and stop any changes on the PO price, or you could use inforecord prioce history to determine that PO price was adapted, or you could also simply add to the workflow an additional step, then it is not enough that the PO creator approves the supplier invoice (based on his change). The AP accountant would be able to check changes on PO if he gets access to seee PO's via the advanced PO app.

Regards THomas