Matching Options with Purchase Orders

This section discusses:

  • Line level matching.

  • Purchase order matching defaults.

Line Level Matching

The flexibility of match rules and match rule controls enable you to use line level matching.

For example, suppose that you buy computer equipment and the services to install the equipment, and you want to generate one purchase order for both items using line level matching.

  • Line 1: Expense or inventory item; receiving required.

  • Line 2: Service item; no receiving required.

Here is the sequence of events in this example:

  1. The purchase order header sets the match control for all applicable lines.

    The match control option (for example, standard) appears by default from the supplier table, but you can override the default.

  2. At the purchase order line schedule level, you can specify whether matching is required (by using the Details for Schedule page).

    The line schedule level matching options are:

    Term Definition

    Full Match

    The system matches the line based on the purchase order header match control. (Full Match is the default.)

    No Match

    The system does not match the line.

    ERS (evaluated receipt settlement)

    The system matches the line based on the purchase order header match control.

    Note: The Voucher Build Application Engine process (AP_VCHRBLD) creates ERS vouchers from receipts.

    See Understanding SBI Processing.

  3. At the purchase order line level, you specify whether receiving is required, not required, or optional (by using the Line Details page).

    The Receiving Required option appears by default from the item definition. If you have set the match control at the purchase order header for matching, the match rules then determines whether receiving is required for the purchase order line. If receiving is not required, as in the case of service items, the Receiving Required matching rules apply to other lines; however, the particular line is still matched based on the comparison of the purchase order to the voucher. Similarly, if receiving is optional, the Receiving Required matching rules do not apply.

Purchase Order Matching Defaults

Define matching rule controls at the business unit and supplier level. You can override these matching defaults at the purchase order header level or purchase order schedule level in the Maintain Purchase Orders component (PURCHASE_ORDER).

Select the Matching link on the Purchase Order - Form page to access the PO Matching page, where you can change the type of match action and the match rules.

You can also change the Match Action field on the Details for Schedule page. You can select either a full match or no match for the schedule. The Match Action field value appears by default from the overall matching setup on the Purchase Order Header page.

You can also change the price and tolerances (upper and lower limits) for matching in the Price Tol (unit price tolerance), Ext Tol (total amount tolerance), and Pct (percentage) fields. The values for these fields appear by default from the item definition.