How to create a vendor master record

Excerpt from the second edition of First Steps in the SAP Production Processes (PP) by Björn Weber.

In the SAP system, you need a vendor master record in order to assign business transactions to an account. The vendor master record can be temporary; this is useful if you expect only one business transaction for the vendor, for example.

In this case, you create a one-time vendor. This enables you to reduce the number of vendor master records in the system. If you expect multiple business transactions for a vendor, you can set up a permanent vendor master record.

The vendor master record consists of the following parts:

• A purchasing part (created with transaction MK01): contains all of the data required to set up a purchase order
• An accounting part (created with transaction FK01): contains all of the data required to process the payment

The purchasing view is generally created by the procurement department in order to place the purchase order with a new vendor. The accounting view is usually created by the accounting department as soon as the vendor invoice with the required data is available. One of the reasons for this is segregation of duties (SoD); it is also required to satisfy audit requirements.

Keep reading! 

For manufacturing companies, effective and efficient production planning processes are crucial to success. In this book, you will learn the basics of production planning in SAP ERP. Review the details surrounding Material Requirements Planning (MRP II) and the principles of Engineer-to-Order, Make-to-Order, Assemble-to-Order, and Make-to-Stock scenarios. The book is illustrated with numerous SAP screenshots and provides a detailed example of an effective make-to-stock strategy. Identify which master data is involved in the planning processes and how it is structured. Trace material requirements planning and its process flow using detailed examples from the field. Gain an understanding of the importance of production orders for lot-related production and which functions they perform. Explore sales and operation planning including planned sales, plan with multiple hierarchy levels, determine the resources required, and compare planning to the resources available. Finally, learn how to implement capacity sequencing using capacity leveling in SAP ERP.

– Compact handbook for discrete production in SAP
– Processes in SAP PP explained clearly and understandably
– Comprehensive case study example with numerous screenshots
– Master data, resource planning and production orders in context

Author Björn Weber is the Head of Production Planning Systems in the IT group at Unternehmensgruppe Theo Müller, and is responsible for the SAP PP and PP-PI modules. He has extensive technical knowledge in the areas of process analysis, lean management, and production and capacity requirements planning. In his current role, he sup-ports departments across Europe in the implementation of projects for setting up and optimizing new and existing business processes.

Björn was previously employed as a production planner at Röhm GmbH, one of the leading global manufacturers of clamping technology. As a project manager there, he was responsible for further development of organization and process planning in connection with SAP ERP and the detailed planning software wayRTS.

As an author, it is particularly important to Björn to convey his expertise as practically as possible, in a way that is easy to understand. He aims to attract readers with the possibilities offered for further in-company development by using SAP, for example, particularly in times of changing markets.

In his private life, Björn enjoys political and contemporary literature and his favorite hobby is photography. Björn has recently started a blog: www.production-planning.blog, in which he publishes short articles on the basic principles of production planning, with the aim of passing on his knowledge to anyone starting out in this area. The blog also contains contributions on current trends in this field.