IES BUSINESS: CP and ASO Profile Control

Purpose

The purpose of this Document is to explain the use of the CP and ASO Profile, and how it impacts on the processing of these Order types.

CP = Central Purchasing

ASO = Automated Stock Orders

Introduction

The ASO and CP Order types originate from ASO and CP Proformas respectively, i.e. once these Proformas are authorized then they are Purchase Orders.

ASO Proformas are generated by the Auto Replenishment system in Inventory, but are otherwise the same as CP Proformas, i.e. after creation of the Proformas, they are controlled and processed the same way, and both are part of the Central Purchasing stream.

The CP and ASO Profile

Menu profiles facilitate User Access to Purchase Order screens and menu options, i.e. to navigate to the options, but once a User interacts with Purchase Order processing screens, then the appropriate ASO / CP Profile is the instrument that controls the User Privileges, i.e. what the User is able to do or not do on such screens.

New Orders Auth Limit: A value of zero would prevent a User from authorizing a CP Proforma to become an Order. Any value above zero constitutes the upper limit of the total Order value that may be approved by the User. (Step D)

Limit for Supplements: After a Proforma has been authorized, a User with a Value above Zero for Supplements, and with access to the Order Processing screen for CP Orders, may process Supplements on such an Order. This means that the User can actually add new Items onto the Order without further Authorization being required, up to the limit indicated for Supplements. A value of zero will preclude the User from doing Supplements. (Step E)

Limit on Over Deliveries: More often than not, this is disallowed by stating zero. Any value above zero will allow the User, when processing Goods Received steps, to accept greater quantities than what was ordered, up to the value limit specified. (Step E)

%Lim Ord Price Variance: For all Stock Items, the system keeps a history of what prices the Items are Ordered at. When an Item is ordered again, the system will check that the new Order price is within the boundaries stated, i.e. a 5% tolerance would allow Order Price creep of 5% between one Order and the next time the same Item is ordered. Note that the system manages separate history for each Item for Local Currency Orders and for Forex Orders, i.e. the system will not check the prior Forex Order price when ordering in Local Currency, and vice versa. While the User creates the Proforma, the system will be performing these checks on Order Prices as captured. (Step B)

%Lim Inv Price Variance: When the Invoice processing steps are performed, then the system will check that the Invoice price is not higher than the Ordered (approved) price, and will allow tolerance as indicated. Zero will allow no tolerance, and 100 or above will allow any tolerance. (Step E)

Max no of Price Adjustments: After the Proforma has been authorized, the system will still allow the User to change prices for some Items (without requiring further authorization to do so), up to the limit specified here. Please state zero to disallow Item price changes after authorization of the Order. The stated limit is per Order, not per Item. (Step E)

Note: In order to create a CP Proforma, the User only has to have access to the menu option for ‘New CP Proformas’, and this menu option is normally restricted to Buyers only. To create ASO Proformas, the User needs access to the Auto Stock Replenishment options in Inventory, and these options are usually restricted to Users with Inventory Management duties.

Accept Reduced Invoice Price: While Suppliers are not generally likely to charge less, it can happen, but the main purpose of this control is to reduce errors in Invoice Processing. Be that as it may, if ‘y’ is stated here, then the User is allowed to process a reduced Price at the Invoice step. (Step E)

Capture Deliveries: This privilege allows the User to process Goods Received steps on an Order processing screen. (Step E)

Auto GRV: This privilege allows the User to process Goods Received of all outstanding Order Items on an Order in 1 step. (Step E)

Perform Cancellations: This privilege allows a User to cancel Line Items on an Order, 1 by 1 only. (Step E)

Capture Invoices: This privilege is required for the User to be able to process Invoice steps. If not allowed, then the User may not process the Invoice steps. (Step E)

Auto Invoice: Like auto GRV, this privilege allows processing of all Invoice Items in 1 step. (Step E)

Capture Goods Returns: This privilege gives the User access to Goods Return steps. (Step E)

Capture Credit Notes: Without this privilege, the User is unable to process Credit Notes on a CP/ASO Order. (Step E)

File Non-Stock Items: This privilege is required to include Direct Items (as opposed to Stock Items) on a CP/ASO Proforma. (Step B)

Authorize Own Orders: Not the norm, but sometimes allowed for night-shift Operators in order to get an urgent Order out for early delivery of critical Items. (Step D)

Perform PA/WS Actions: This privilege has little to do with Purchase Order processing as such, but refers rather to the Purchase Advice / Worksheet sub system that is accessed from the Stock Code enquiry screens, i.e. when using Purchase Advices to request authority from User Departments in order to replenish an Item, and the subsequent Worksheet used by the Buyer. As such, these are pre-Proforma steps. (Before Step B)

Post Landed Costs: This privilege provides access to NEW LANDED COST processing steps, but absence of the privilege does not disturb automatic Landed Cost processing (if in place), and the User may still use the Query and Report options. (Step E)

Reverse Landed Costs: This privilege is required before Reversal steps for Landed Costs can be executed. (Step E)

Reset PO: This privilege allows a User to Cancel an entire Order in 1 step, and should be restricted to Supervisor level at least. (Step E)

Glean Stock Order: This privilege allows a User to use the ‘Glean Stock Order’ function when preparing a Proforma. It allows selection of any prior Order and automatically populates the current Proforma with all Stock Items ordered on the prior Order. A new Proform may be populated from multiple prior Orders, and of course this is a rather useful tool to bypass tedious capturing. After population of the Proforma, unwanted lines may be deleted, and prices changed as required, etc. (Step B)

Note: The system closes Purchase Orders automatically when it senses that all Line Items are Received and Invoiced. However, if subsequent Credit Note or Landed Cost processing is required, then the Order has to be manually opened in order to do so. The Profile does not include options for access to manual OPENING and CLOSING of Purchase Orders, but there are functions on the PO screens for this. In order to use those functions, a User must have access to the appropriate processes on his / her menu, rather than the CP/ASO Profile. (Hint: The Menu Process Keys are ‘porder-open’ and ‘porder-close’.)

CP/ASO Order steps regulated by the Profile:

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