SAP Supplier Relationship Management (SAP SRM) is a comprehensive solution that facilitates the procurement of goods and services in an organization. A core component of this system is the management of shopping carts and purchase orders (POs). Proper configuration of these elements ensures efficient procurement processes, enhanced compliance, and seamless supplier collaboration.
This article delves into how purchase orders and shopping carts are configured in SAP SRM, highlighting key settings, customization options, and integration aspects.
A shopping cart in SAP SRM represents the initial procurement request created by a requester (end user). It is the first step in the procurement cycle and includes details such as material/service, quantity, price, and delivery information.
A purchase order is a formal document issued to a supplier to procure goods or services. In SAP SRM, it can be generated automatically or manually from an approved shopping cart or sourcing event.
In SAP SRM, both shopping carts and purchase orders have document types that determine their behavior.
Unique number ranges need to be assigned for different document types:
Ensure consistency and avoid overlap with backend systems (e.g., ECC or S/4HANA).
Product categories (linked with UNSPSC codes) are crucial for item classification in shopping carts and determining sourcing rules.
These influence approval workflows, sourcing strategy, and supplier assignment.
Options include:
You can configure catalogs via SAP Enterprise Buyer Professional UI or SAP NetWeaver Portal.
Both shopping carts and POs require workflow configuration to manage approval processes.
Tools:
This governs how documents are routed, escalated, and approved.
Purchase orders can be created either in SRM or directly in the ERP backend (Classic Scenario).
Scenarios:
Set up output for POs (email, print, EDI, XML):
SAP SRM provides Business Add-Ins (BAdIs) for adding custom logic:
BBP_DOC_CHANGE_BADI – for modifying shopping carts or POsBBP_CREATE_PO_BACK – for backend PO creationBBP_WF_LIST – to influence workflow stepsUse Enhancement Framework to add custom fields and validation rules.
Use Transaction BBP_PD to monitor document status and workflow history. For analytics, integrate with SAP BW or use SRM Analytics dashboards.
Effective configuration of shopping carts and purchase orders in SAP SRM ensures streamlined procurement, better compliance, and enhanced supplier collaboration. With flexible workflow management, integration capabilities, and extensibility, SAP SRM empowers organizations to transform procurement into a strategic function.