Defining Buyer Item Categories

The host administrator defines item categories at the buyer (business unit) level, including preferences for matching tolerances and receiving controls. Because item categories are a way to group items together, and because item categories are determined by SetID, the attributes defined at the SetID level for an item category are the same for all buyers. Use document association rules to group items for matching when you use descriptions on the purchase orders instead of item IDs.

To define buyer item categories, use the Maintain Item Categories (EM_ITEM_CATEGORIES) and Document Association Rules (AP_ASSOCIATION) components.

This section provides an overview of item category processing for business units and discusses how to:

Pages Used to Define Buyer Item Categories

Page Name	Definition Name	Usage
Item Categories - Category Definition Page	EM_CATEGORY_TBL	Define and maintain item categories.
Document Association Rules Page	AP_ASSOCIATION	Define how the Matching Application Engine process (AP_MATCH) associates vouchers with purchase orders and receivers.
Item Categories - Category Definition 2 Page	CATEGORY_TBL2	View, define, and maintain item category matching tolerances and receiving controls used in the Matching Application Engine process (AP_MATCH). You can define matching tolerances and receiving controls for each item category at the SetID level, providing all buyers with access to the same set of values, or at the individual buyer level.
Buyer Specific Attributes Page	EM_ITM_CAT_BU	Define matching tolerances and receiving controls for item categories at the business unit level. If buyers have different tolerances and controls from those defined at the SetID level, enter values on this page.

Understanding Item Category Processing for Business Units

Using item categories is a way to group items together. PeopleSoft eSettlements processes item categories in much the same way as PeopleSoft Purchasing. However, in PeopleSoft eSettlements, you can add attributes to item categories at the buyer (business unit) level and at the SetID level. Attributes defined at the buyer item category level override those defined at the SetID level.

You can establish buyer item category attributes on the Item Categories - Buyer Specific Attributes page, but this is not required for purchase order and receipt processing. When you create a purchase order, the system verifies whether buyer item category attributes are already established for that buyer. If so, then the purchase order is automatically populated with the selected receipt required, receiving details, and matching and receiving tolerances . If no buyer item category attributes are available, the defaults are derived from the SetID item category attributes.

Fields not shown on the Item Categories - Buyer Specific Attributes page are automatically populated from the SetID level. These same attributes are used during the Matching Application Engine process (AP_MATCH).

Note:

Before you can interface purchase orders, you must set up item categories.

Item Categories - Category Definition Page

Use the Item Categories - Category Definition page (EM_CATEGORY_TBL) to define and maintain item categories.

Navigation:

eSettlements, and then Administration, and then Maintain Item Categories, and then Category Definition

This example illustrates the fields and controls on the Item Categories - Category Definition page.

Enter an effective date, status, description, short description, and account for this category.

Document Association Rules Page

Use the Document Association Rules page (AP_ASSOCIATION) to define how the Matching Application Engine process (AP_MATCH) associates vouchers with purchase orders and receivers.

Navigation:

Set Up Financials/Supply Chain, and then Product Related, and then Procurement Options, and then Vouchers, and then Document Association Rules, and then Document Association Rules

This example illustrates the fields and controls on the Document Association Rules page.

To enable receipt summarization on orders that have only an item category and a description, use the delivered Receipt document association rules. Use this configuration if you are ordering by description and are not using items on the purchase orders.

Item Categories - Category Definition 2 Page

Use the Item Categories - Category Definition 2 page (CATEGORY_TBL2) to view, define, and maintain item category matching tolerances and receiving controls used in the Matching Application Engine process (AP_MATCH).

You can define matching tolerances and receiving controls for each item category at the SetID level, providing all buyers with access to the same set of values, or at the individual buyer level.

Navigation:

eSettlements, and then Administration, and then Maintain Item Categories, and then Category Definition 2

This example illustrates the fields and controls on the Item Categories - Category Definition 2 page. You can find definitions for the fields and controls later on this page.

Matching Controls

Field or Control	Description
Tolerance Over and Tolerance Under	Specify default price tolerances for the fields in these two columns. When an item category is specified for a purchase order line, these are the default tolerance values used in the Matching process. Note: If you leave a tolerance field blank or set to 0 (zero), the system interprets it to mean zero tolerance.

Receiving Controls

Field or Control	Description
Receiving Required	Select to require receipts for purchase order lines. Selecting this option results in the Matching process performing three-way matching (voucher, purchase order, and receipt).
Inspection Required	Select to require inspections on receipts. Selecting this option results in the Matching process performing four-way matching (voucher, purchase order, receipt, and inspection).
Reject Qty Over Tolerance (reject quantity over tolerance)	Select to reject a quantity that surpasses the tolerance limits that you set in the Qty Rcvd Tolerance % (quantity received tolerance percent) field.

Buyer Specific Attributes Page

Use the Buyer Specific Attributes page (EM_ITM_CAT_BU) to define matching tolerances and receiving controls for item categories at the business unit level.

If buyers have different tolerances and controls from those defined at the SetID level, enter values on this page.

Navigation:

eSettlements, and then Administration, and then Maintain Item Categories, and then Category Definition

Click the Buyer Specific Attributes link on the Item Categories - Category Definition page.

This example illustrates the fields and controls on the Buyer Specific Attributes page. You can find definitions for the fields and controls later on this page.

Field or Control

Description

Buyer and Effective Date

Specify these if a buyer uses matching tolerances and receiving controls other than those defined at the SetID level for this purchasing business unit. If you enter a buyer (business unit) and leave the tolerance fields blank, the system assumes that the buyer accepts standard tolerances. If the buyer accepts standard tolerances, do not complete any fields on this page. Note: If this page is left blank, SetID level tolerances and receiving controls appear by default.