Requisition management

Configuration administrator

Configuration administrators submit purchase requisitions for items.

Best practice: Although anyone with Purchasing User permission can create a purchase requisition, we recommend that a configuration administrator submits the purchase requisition.

The requirement for the purchase requisition comes from the change management process.

For example, a support specialist might work on an incident that involves a request for new memory. Or, a change coordinator might get a request from an IT director to upgrade all laptops in the company with the latest Microsoft Windows operating system. If the item is not in inventory, the change coordinator assigns a task to the configuration administrator to submit the purchase requisition.
When the purchased item arrives, the configuration administrator receives and secures the item, reconciles line items of the purchase order with the packing list or other documents, and ensures the quality of the received item. If necessary, the configuration administrator returns items.

If the configuration administrator asks for installation assistance and BMC Change Management is installed, when the item is received, a change request is created. The change request notifies support specialists that they must install the received items.

Sometimes an item must be returned after the CI is created in the database. In this situation, the configuration administrator can change the status of the CI to Return to Vendor and create a return receipt, await reshipment, or return the item.

Contract manager or software asset manager

A contract manager or software license manager can create a requisition for software licenses.

None

Purchasing agent

The purchasing agent prices line items and routes the purchase requisition for approval. After receiving approval, the purchasing agent places the order with the vendor for items on the purchase order.

Purchasing agents might have access only to the Purchasing console, which provides access to purchase requisitions and purchase orders.

Approver

The person responsible for approving or rejecting the purchase requisition is typically a manager.

None

1

Configuration administrator

Use the configuration catalog to check inventory for current items. If the items are available, reserve them to be removed from inventory.

Using the configuration catalog

• 1a

• 1b

• Configuration administrator

• Contract manager or software asset manager

If the items are not available, create a purchase requisition to order those items. For software, a contract manager or software asset manager creates a purchase requisition for software licenses.
To add line items to the purchase requisition, use either of the following methods: — Search the configuration catalog for the items that you need. Add the items from the catalog. — Manually add the line items Provide information about billing, shipping, and accounting codes, and indicate whether installation is needed. If entering the line items manually, route the purchase requisition to purchasing for pricing. If pricing is not needed, route the purchase requisition for approval.

Creating purchase requisitions

2

Purchasing agent

Receive the purchase requisition from the configuration administrator, price the line items, and then route the requisition for approval.

Pricing purchase items

Submitting the purchase requisition for approval

3

Approver

Approve or reject the purchase requisition.
If the purchase requisition is rejected, it is routed back to the configuration administrator for any changes, and then it is resubmitted for approval. After the purchase requisition is approved, the purchase requisition generates a purchase order.

Approving the purchase requisition

Modifying rejected purchase requisitions

4

Purchasing agent

Order line items on a purchase order. For example, for a line item for a Dell monitor and a Gateway computer, the purchase requisition is split into two purchase orders. Each purchase order indicates a single supplier (Dell and Gateway). The purchasing agent modifies any cost center information or accounting information. The purchasing agent then places the order with the suppliers. You can place order using email, BMC Asset Management web services, or a manual method, such as fax. If an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) integration is present, the ERP information can be passed back to BMC Asset Management, and includes the purchase order number, invoice number, shipping information, and so on.
Software license purchases typically do not require physical shipment. Other line items on the purchase order, however, might be for the physical media.

Placing a purchase order

5

Configuration administrator

After receiving items, use the Receiving console to verify receipt of the correct line items from the supplier.

Determine whether any of the items received needs to be returned. If so, record what is being returned, the date the item will be returned, the quantity to be returned, and the reason for the return. Contact the supplier and await reshipment.
If the items are being returned and not replaced, the system updates the line item quantities on the purchase order and original purchase requisition to reflect this, and also updates the purchase order amount.
Record which items are received or partially received. The corresponding CIs are created in BMC Atrium CMDB and can be accessed in BMC Asset Management.
Fifteen days after all the items are received, the purchase order and purchase requisition are closed.

Receiving and returning purchase items