SAP SD – Document Flow

Document Flow

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Introduction

Each document is either created on its own or created with reference to another document. For example, a sales order can be created with reference to the quotation, whereas the quotation itself can be created on its own. The following diagram illustrates all the possible document flows in SAP.

Transaction Codes Tip: The transaction codes can for the respective document flow configuration transactions can be easily identified by visualizing the picture below. If ‘A’ stands for Sales documents , ‘L’ stands for Deliveries and ‘F’ stands for Billing documents, then the transaction for configuring the Sales document to the delivery document is VTLA. So it is VTXY with X as the target document and Y as the source document.

Let’s see some examples of different types of document flow using examples of standard commonly used sales scenarios.

Sales-to-Sales Document Flow : For example you can create a Sales Order from a Contract or a Quotation.

Sales-to-Delivery Document Flow : For example you can create a standard or a rush delivery from an order. Similarly you can create a consignment delivery from a consignment.

Delivery-to-Billing Document Flow : A standard invoice is created with reference to a delivery.

Billing-to-Billing Document Flow : Invoice cancellations are typically done with respect to the original invoice.

Billing-to-Sales Document Flow : In case of debit memo requests or credit memo requests, the original invoice is used as a reference document.

Without going further, let’s dig a little deeper into the concept of “Reference”. Whenever we mean a document is referencing another document, this means that information is copied over from the previous document into the subsequent document. What is the need for information to be copied over..? There are many reasons for this. For example, this reduces burden on the person entering the subsequent document. Also, this ensures that information is accurately copied over without mistakes.

Let’s take an example. A customer has called us and asked for a quotation. Our sales force has responded with a quotation.

The quotation could contain a bunch of data like who the customer is, his/her internal number with us, date of the quotation, date valid until, prices, discounts, surcharges, taxes, materials, quantity etc.

The customer then places an order referring to the prices in the quote.

During the process of creating the order referring to the quotation a bunch of date needs to be copied. Example data could include prices, customer data, materials and quantity, discounts given etc. In order to do these efficiently copy control routines are used. Copy control configuration is also part of the document flow.

Configuration:

Let’s look at the configuration for a Quotation to a sales order. The rest of the configuration ( Order to delivery , delivery to billing etc ) are very similar.

Menu Path is SPRO -> IMG -> Sales and Distribution -> Sales -> Maintain Copy Control for Sales Documents

Double click on Sales to Sales copy controls.

Select the row corresponding to QT ( Quotation ) as the source document and OR ( Standard Order ) as the target document.

You will be presented with a screen that contains a bunch of numbers. These are either data transfer routines or copy requirements.

Data Transfer Routines : These routines are pieces of code that are either standard or custom written where the logic to transfer the data from the previous to the subsequent documents is placed. For example, Data transfer routine 101 is used to transfer Business Data of the document header from the source to the target document.

Copying Requirements : Copying requirements is again a piece of code that evaluates whether the copy of the data should happen or not. If the conditions in the code re not met, then the document flow is stopped. An example is checking for the same customer – Meaning the order should be placed for the same customer as the quotation has been created for.

Copy Item Number : This copies the line item numbers in the source document to the target document. So, line number 20 in the quotation will exactly be line number 20 in the sales document

DEMO

Let’s create a quotation and create an order with respect to the quotation to see how this works.

Step 1 : Creation Quotation for customer 1400 and with material M-01

Step 2 : Create a sales order referring this quotation No. 20000035. Enter the transaction [VA01] and click on the “Create with Reference” to enter the quotation with reference to which we wish to create the sales order.

Step 3 : Enter the Quotation Number in Quotation field of the pop-up. As you can see from the pop-up screen, you can create orders with reference to an inquiry, contract, scheduling agreement, a billing document etc.

Step 4 : After creating the quotation, if you want to track back and see with respect to which document the current order has been created, click on the document flow button.

Step 5 : The document flow will be displayed. If deliveries were created with respect to the order, they will also be shown.