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Purchasing info records

Purchasing info records form the basis for transparent, efficient procurement processes in SAP. They link materials with suppliers and provide all relevant purchasing data – from prices to offer history – at a glance.

What are purchasing info records?

A purchasing info record (info record) serves as the central source of information for purchasing in the SAP system. It links a material with a supplier and contains all the relevant purchasing data, such as prices, delivery times, and material-related supplier information. The info record contains the current supplier price, among other things.

This connection enables the purchasing department to determine the following at any time:

  • Which materials a specific supplier has already offered or delivered.
  • Which suppliers have already offered or delivered a specific material.

As such, purchasing info records support the entire procurement process, provide transparency, and automate the transfer of the most important purchasing data into purchase orders and price comparisons.

How do purchasing info records work?

Purchasing info records in the SAP system serve as links between material and supplier. They control which purchasing-relevant data is automatically transferred to purchase orders, purchase requisitions, and price comparisons.

What are the advantages of using purchasing info records?

  • Automatic data transfer
  • Uniform, up-to-date pricing basis
  • Transparency over suppliers and materials
  • Support for material requirements planning
  • History management
  • Less maintenance effort required in material and supplier masters

What are the disadvantages of using purchasing info records?

  • Maintenance effort and data quality
  • Redundant data/duplicate maintenance
  • Complexity of many suppliers and materials
  • Limited flexibility when special conditions are involved
  • Incorrect decisions due to incorrect info record data
  • Dependency on people responsible for maintenance
  • “Overdimensioned” in places in SAP S/4HANA

What are the essentials of purchasing info records?

  • The data quality is decisive
  • Define clear responsibilities for maintenance
  • Define uniform maintenance processes
  • Observe delimitation with other master data
  • Verify validity periods
  • Relevance for MRP and planning
  • Keep an eye on numbers and overview

What is the difference between purchasing info records and purchasing contracts/outline agreements?

A purchasing info record is a material master record that links material and supplier and contains fundamental information such as price, delivery time, and minimum quantity, but is not legally binding.

In contrast, a purchasing contract or outline agreement is a binding agreement with fixed prices and defined quantities or values, that must be referenced in purchase orders.

Info record = information base
Contract = binding purchasing agreement

Is using purchasing info records recommended?

Yes, purchasing info records are highly recommended in standard SAP purchasing, because they automate processes, provide transparency, and structure master data cleanly.
You should only deliberately avoid them in exceptional cases, such as with pure project-related procurement or one-time purchases.

What is the right way to use purchasing info records?

To use purchasing info records correctly, you must create them cleanly, update them regularly, use them automatically in purchase orders, and differentiate them from contracts.
They work best when your data is up to date, complete, and maintained uniquely.

Is the switch to purchasing info records recommended?

The switch to purchasing info records is clearly recommended for normal purchasing operations, because they automate processes, stabilize them, and increase transparency significantly. They also improve data quality and simplify everyday purchasing, especially if you have hardly worked with info records before. Their use is only limited when it comes to one-time requirements or pure project-related procurement.

How do purchasing info records help in my everyday work?

Purchasing info records simplify your everyday work by providing information from a central source, filling purchase orders with the correct data automatically, and providing more transparency in purchasing.

Who can support me with purchasing info records?

The gicom team will deliver both the relevant expertise with master data and knowledge of the dependent purchasing processes.

What tips can you provide for purchasing info records?

  • Clean maintenance is the basic rule
  • Define clear responsibilities
  • Use price scales sensibly
  • Enter supplier material numbers
  • Verify validity periods regularly
  • Don’t maintain everything in duplicate
  • Maintain an overview
  • Use info records specifically for price comparisons