Question no 3818 : Use of the "Opening Period"

In SAP MM/PP MRP as at ECC6.0 EhP8, which of the following are the use of the "Opening Period" ?

(more than one answers)

A)  Calculation of the Opening Date.
B)  Create PR in the Opening Period.
C)  Create Schedule Lines in the Opening Period.
D)  Create PR in the Opening Period or Purchase Orders.
E)  Draw a Time Fence in MD04.
.

Answers: A, B, C

A) Its the period between opening date and start date of the planned order.
B, C) The Creation Indicator for PR and Schedule Line in MRP initial screen uses the Opening Period.

The "Opening Period" is found in the Scheduling Margin key (SMK) assigned in the MRP2 view of the Material Master. 

SMK is configured in IMG - Production - MRP - Plant Parameters - Carry Out Overall Maintenance of Plant Parameters (or OPPQ)

Enter a Plant

Under "Maintain Master Data" section 

click "Float"

SMK is created for a Plant, note "Opening Period" field

There are 2 main purpose of "Opening Period"

1. It is used to calculate the Opening date of a Planned Order created in a MRP run, in backward scheduling when the Start date is derived, the Opening Period is then added to derive the Opening date. The "Opening Period" here is used to mean "The time required from the Planned Order to be converted to Purchase Requisition and then to the Purchase Order released to the Vendor".
2. Another use of the "Opening Period" is to be used in conjunction of an MRP run with the field "Create PR in the Opening period" or "Create Schedule Line in the Opening Period" which can be found in MD01, MD02, MD03, this means that MRP run will be generated PR or Schedule Line within the Opening Period and Planned Orders after that.