Lesson 4 of 5
Reference scope item: Procurement of Direct Materials (J45)
9 min
SAP publishes reference processes called scope items as part of SAP Best Practices. Each scope item has an ID, a process description, a process flow diagram, a test script and the configuration it needs. For P2P the reference flow for stock material is Procurement of Direct Materials (J45). You find it in SAP Signavio Process Navigator (on SAP for Me) by searching for the ID.
Why use a reference at all? Because it gives Contoso a shared baseline. When Priya's team writes test scenarios, when Dan asks what "standard" means, and when a consultant proposes a change, everyone can compare against the same picture. Fit-to-standard workshops in SAP Activate start from exactly these scope items.
What J45 covers
SAP describes J45 as a basic process for stock materials: managing purchase requisitions, managing purchase orders, managing goods receipts, managing stock and managing supplier invoices. Requisitions come from MRP or from a requester; approval can run through a flexible workflow; purchasers convert requisitions to purchase orders manually or automatically; the warehouse posts the receipt; accounts payable posts the invoice.
- Manage purchase requisitionsMRP or a requester creates the need; optional approval
- Manage purchase ordersPurchaser converts to PO, sends output, handles changes and confirmations
- Manage goods receiptsWarehouse clerk posts the receipt against the PO
- Manage stockStock is monitored and available for production
- Manage supplier invoicesAccounts payable posts and verifies the invoice
Reading the process diagram
Scope item diagrams use swim lanes: one lane per business role. Boxes are process steps, and each step names the app or transaction used. Gateways show decisions (for example, "approval required?"). Read the diagram lane by lane first to see who does what, then follow the flow to see the hand-offs. The hand-offs are where defects hide, because each one crosses a role, an authorization and often a team.
| Lane (business role) | Steps in J45 | Contoso person or team |
|---|---|---|
| Purchaser | Process requisitions, create and manage POs, monitor deliveries | Purchasing group 001 |
| Warehouse clerk | Post goods receipt, monitor stock | Detroit receiving dock, storage location 171A |
| Accounts payable accountant | Create and verify supplier invoices, handle blocks | AP team in company code 1710 |
| Requester / approver (optional) | Create requisition, approve | Production planner, plant manager |
Mapping J45 lanes to Contoso's people. Exact role names come from the scope item's process flow.
Using J45 for testing
The delivered test script is a good skeleton but it is written for SAP's demo data and its own organizational units. Contoso adapts it: their materials, plant 1710, purchasing org 1710, Lakeside Components, their approval rules and their outputs. Then they add what the scope item does not cover, such as their own tolerance limits, their custom PO form and their interface to the supplier portal.
- Does the step exist in J45 unchanged?Yes → reuse the delivered test step with Contoso data · No → next question
- Is it a configuration variant (different values, same app)?Yes → adapt the step and record the variant · No → next question
- Is it an extension (custom field, form, interface)?Yes → write a new test and link it to the J45 step it extends · No → question whether it is needed
What would you do?
A consultant proposes that Contoso skip requisitions entirely and have planners create POs directly. How do you use J45 in the discussion?
- Scope items are SAP Best Practices reference processes with diagrams, test scripts and configuration.
- J45 Procurement of Direct Materials is the reference P2P flow for stock materials.
- Swim lanes map steps to roles; hand-offs between lanes deserve extra testing.
- Adapt the delivered test script to your data and add your extensions.
Check your understanding · not graded
Lesson check
1. What is J45?
2. Where do you find scope item process flows?
3. What does a swim lane in a scope item diagram represent?
4. How should Contoso use J45's delivered test script?