Definition
An outline purchase agreement is a longer-term agreement between a purchasing organization and a vendor regarding the supply of materials or the performance of services within a certain period according to predefined terms and conditions. (Outside SAP, such agreements may be referred to by a number of terms, including "blanket", "master", "framework" or "umbrella" agreements)
In the SAP System, such agreements are subdivided into:
Structure
Structure of an Outline Agreement
As in the case of other purchasing documents, an outline agreement consists of the following elements:
一、Contract
Definition
In the MM Purchasing component, a contract is a type of outline purchase agreement against which release orders (releases) can be issued for agreed materials or services as and when required during a certain overall time-frame. (In the literature and in practice, similar concepts may also be referred to by a number of other terms, such as "systems contract", "blanket order agreement", "blanket contract", and "period contract".)
Contract并没有包括具体的交货时间和交货数量，这些信息需要在后续订单中(Release Order)体现。
Structure
1.Type of Contract
Contracts can take the following forms:(in document header)
- Quantity contracts(MK)
Use this type of contract if the total quantity to be ordered during the validity period of the contract is known in advance. The contract is regarded as fulfilled when release orders totaling a given quantity have been issued.
（定义Vendor在指定时间内必须提供某种物料或服务的数量总值）
- Value contracts(WK)
Use this type of contract if the total value of all release orders issued against the contract is not to exceed a certain predefined value. The contract is regarded as fulfilled when release orders totaling a given value have been issued.
（定义Vendor在指定时间内必须提供某种物料或服务的金额总值）
2. Centrally Agreed Contract / Plant Contracts
2.1 Define:
Centrally Agreed Contract: The plant is not specified until a contract release order is created.
Plant Contracts: The plant is specified when a contract is created.
2.2 Plant Condition in Centrally Agreed Contract
Vendors may assume different roles (partner roles) in the procurement process. You can maintain the different partners either in the vendor master record or individually in the contract. If the partners have been maintained in the vendor master, they are suggested in the contract.
（对于Central agreed contract，供应商可以是整个法人团体，每个工厂可以向该团体的不同公司采购，运用合作伙伴功能实现。这样，就能为每一个工厂定义不同的条件(conditions)，如：运费。）
当然，在实现这些之前，准备工作室少不了的：
XK01
3.Item category M and W:
3.1 Define：
M：:material unknown
W：material group
3.2 Item category M is recommended for similar materials with the same price but different material numbers. When you create the contract item, you enter the short text, material group, quantity and unit of measure, but no material number. This is not specified until a release order for such a material is created against the contract.
3.3 Item category W is recommended for materials belonging to the same material group but with different prices. When you create the contract item, you enter the short text and the material group, but no price. This and the material number are not entered until a release order is created against the contract.
Item category W can be used only in value contracts.
3.4 You can enter a material number in the contract release order. The corresponding material master record must be assigned to the same material group as the contract item that is referenced. If the contract release order does not contain a material number, it must have a valid account assignment (such as a cost center).
The item categories M and W are not allowed in contract release orders and must be cancelled if a release order referencing such a contract item is created.
(对于M和W，在后续订单中输入的物料编码必须输入合同中输入的物料组，如果物料没有在主数据中维护，则需要指明分配帐户(如：成本中心)。在后续订单(Release Order)中，订单类型不能再是M或W，从合同拷贝过来的话，必须手工删除)
在合同中可以使用特殊项目种类M和W。
二、Schedule agreement
Definition
A form of outline purchase agreement under which materials are procured on predetermined dates within a certain time period.
Purpose
Working with scheduling agreements can shorten processing times and reduce the amount of paperwork you are faced with. One delivery schedule can replace a large number of discrete purchase orders or contract release orders.
Inventories can be reduced to a minimum. You can carry out your manufacturing operations on the Just-in-Time (JIT) principle.
Your vendors require shorter lead times. Smaller deliveries are required, which can be spaced out over a longer period. Delivery scheduling enables vendors to plan and allocate their resources more efficiently.
In repetitive manufacturing involving large quantities, it is desirable for releases to be generated against a scheduling agreement automatically. In the ERP System, you can use the application component PP
(简单来说就是省了PO了，直接用SA交货，更加简单方便）
Structure
1. 计划协议可以有或者没有后续的计划行发布(Scheduling agreement releases)
a> 没用发布计划(LP)
标准的计划协议类型是LP。在计划协议生成之时就把计划协议传递给了供应商。没有后续的发布计划行了。
b>有发布计划(LPA)
标准的计划协议类型是LPA。只有计划协议做了计划行发布之后，才会把交货计划以文件形式传递给供应商。这种类型的优势是可以在一段期间内用户能监控这个计划行的发布情况。计划行发布有2种形式：
1）预测交货计划(FRC)：一种长期的采购计划，一般以月或者周为单位
2）及时交货计划(JIT)：近期对某物资比较精确的数量需求，一般以日或者小时为单位。一般用于密集型的生产企业。
2. Automatic Generation of Schedule Line?
3. Control Data for Forecast Delivery Schedules
3.1 Mat. Master --> Purchasing View --> JIT Indicator = 1
3.2 Vendor Master(这个选项在Alternative Data中的Purchasing View中）
3.3 如果前两项没设置，需要手动在SA中key in （T-Code: ME38)
三、Operation
Contract:
- ME31K/ME31 - Create
- ME34K - Maintain Supplement
- ME3N - Display By Agreement Number
SA:
- ME31L/ME31 -- Create
- ME38 --维护交货计划（Maintain SA Schedule）
- ME39
Example for Scheduling agreement：
Scenario: 公司近期由于某大宗订单，急需在1周时间生产一批产品，考虑到工厂的产能和目前的库存，需每天采购一万公斤钢材。
采购Mat：ROH-NA-14 共10000pcs，每天100pcs
1. Create SA using ME31L
2. IMG->Material Management->Purchasing->Scheduling agreement-> Maint. Rel. Creation Profile for Sched. Agmt. w. Rel. Docu.
这里给每个工厂定义Creation profile, creation profile决定了发布计划行的生成规则
General parameters: Changed or next date
Creation periodicity: Daily
Aggregation With Release Creation Profile
3. 给计划协议分配creation profile: ME32L
Menu->Item->More functions->Additional data
在Output Control输入Creation profile和JIT indicator
4. 也可以直接设置到Vendor上，由系统自动带过来，步骤如下：
5 维护计划行交货计划：ME38
![clip_image015[1]](http://images.cnblogs.com/cnblogs_com/long2006sky/201108/201108041337448694.png "clip_image015[1]")
![clip_image016[1]](http://images.cnblogs.com/cnblogs_com/long2006sky/201108/20110804133755689.png "clip_image016[1]")
6. 定义Message output: MN10
Output Type: LPJ1 (SchAgRel-JITDelvSche)
7. 发布JIT计划行（Create Release： ME84）
这样就正式向供应商发布的采购交货计划，供应商到货之后就能用MIGO对该计划协议收货了。
8. 可以用ME39查看计划协议的发布和交货情况。
附加：一道MM面试题。
What is the difference between a contract and a scheduling agreement?
With regard to Contract :
1. You can create the centrally contract (cross-plant) where you can maintain different pricing conditions for each and every plant
2. You have to create the Release Order with reference to Contract
3. No detailed delivery schedule can be made in the Release Order.
4. No Release documentation is created.
5. Only time-dependent conditions can be created.
6. Some Item Category 'M' and 'W' can be used.
With regard to Scheduling Agreement:
1. The Plant Location must be entered in the Scheduling Agreement.
2. We do not have to create any other purchasing document except for delivery schedule line via Transaction ME38 or MRP running (with the appropriate setting of Source List).
3. Delivery Schedule line items are created subject to your specific requirement.
4. Can create both Scheduling Agreement with and without Release Documentation (subject to the Document Type LP or LPA) with the selection of either FRC or JIT delivery schedule.
5. Either time-dependent or time-independent conditions can be created subject to the customizing in the Document Type of the Scheduling Agreement.
6. Item Category 'M' and 'W' can not be used.
What is release order? What is the difference between the release order and Purchase order?
A release order is a purchase order that references a contract. Contracts are outline agreements. They do not contain details of the delivery dates for each of the items. To inform vendors of which quantities you need for which date, you enter contract release orders for a contract.
What is distributed contract and Centralized Contract
Distributed contracts are centrally agreed contracts that are created in one R/3 system and made available to other R/3 systems for the issue of release orders. They are distinguished from normal contracts by the use of a separate agreement type.
Items of a Centralized contract do not relate to just one specific receiving plant.
What is M and W in contracts?
Can M and W can be used in Purchase orders and Scheduling Agreements
NO
参考资料：http://help.sap.com/erp2005_ehp_05/helpdata/EN/96/df293581dc1f79e10000009b38f889/frameset.htm