Updating Purchase Order

[Former Member]

Hello everyone,

I have a business requirement to add a new custom field, at item level, in the Purchase Order transaction (ME21N/ME22N/ME23N). It is a char10 field.

I have already created this new field, which is correctly updating the EKPO table.

But now the business want to update this field for all Purchase Orders created in the past. I think that I will be able to update it by using a BAPI, however what I really want to know is if there is any problem in doing this since some POs were created more than 3 years ago and for which there are goods and invoice receipts.

Will this create any inconsistency in the subsequent documents (Goods receipts, invoices) generated after the PO was created?

Thanks for the help.

Best regards,

Tabrez

[Former Member]

Tabrez, I think this is an appropriate question to your functional as anyone would need to know the functionality of this field and understand the business process before we can comment. Suggest you to talk to your business/functional counter part.

Thanks,

Vikram.M

[Former Member]

Hi Vikram,

This field is used only to add some more detail to the PO item. Since this detail does not depend on the material number, I believe the best way is to create a new field in the PO.

This field will then be used in some custom reports.

If you need more information just ask.

Thanks,

Tabrez

[raymond_giuseppi]

I agree with vikram, we don't have enough information, even not a small hint on usage of this field, so which answer do you expect (The quality of an answer depends ...) This analysis must be executed on your system...

From a technical point of view, the BAPI_PO_CHANGE has EXTENSIONIN table parameter, fill it using structure BAPI_TE_MEPOITEM[X] alreading containing CI_EKPODB (*) and CI_EKPODBX (**)

Regards,
Raymond

(*) I guess you have used this include
(**) I guess you forgot this one (same field names but data element always BAPIUPDATE)

[Former Member]

Hi Raymond,

You are rigth, I should have made myself more clear.

The fact is that the field is not used to determine anything. It is just a text field only to give some more detail to PO items. It will not make any other fields mandatory, it will not change any other field's content, it will not be used to determine princing conditions. It is like a dummy field.

My only concern is that, even if it is like a dummy field, since it will be necessary to update a lot of old POs, this will not create inconsistencies in subsequent documents already created and posted.

Thanks,

Tabrez

[Former Member]

Since this field only details more info on the PO and if you are absolutely sure that it has no other functionality and IF THIS FIELD IS NOT EXTENDED TO ANY OTHER SUBSEQUENT DOC, then I do not see an issue.

[Former Member]

I agree,

there is no issue in this type of update.

regards,

Edgar

[Former Member]

Hi Tabrez,

If the field is a text and is not used to determine other document's conditions like pricing, etc., and it is not relevant for standard statistical purposes, you can update all purchase orders if you like.

Again, if it's a text not relevant to any process.

regards,

Edgar

[Former Member]

Yes, the field is only relevant for the PO. No subsequent document will use it.

Thank you all for your input.

BR,

Tabrez

[Former Member]

Cool. If you have the answer you are looking for, kindly close the thread.

Vikram.M