How to Create Inquiry in SAP: VA11

By : Jessica Blake Jessica Blake
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⚡ Smart Summary

Inquiry creation in SAP, using transaction VA11, records a prospective customer’s request for product and price information. This resource explains what an inquiry is, how it differs from a quotation, and the steps to create and manage one.

  • 📩 Inquiry Meaning: An inquiry is an internal, non-binding pre-sales document that records a customer’s request for product and price details.
  • ⌨️ VA11 Transaction: Transaction VA11 creates an inquiry, and the standard inquiry document type is “IN”.
  • 📝 Data Captured: An inquiry mainly captures the material and quantity, with further details left optional.
  • ⚖️ Inquiry vs Quotation: An inquiry only requests information, while a quotation is a legally binding offer to supply.
  • 🔄 Manage Inquiries: Use VA11 to create, VA12 to change, and VA13 to display an inquiry document.
  • 🛡️ Why It Helps: Capturing inquiries reduces the effort needed to reply to customers and feeds later quotations and orders.
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Create Inquiry in SAP using VA11

What Is an Inquiry in SAP SD?

An inquiry is an internal pre-sales document in SAP Sales and Distribution that records a prospective customer’s request for information about a product. It is not a legal document; instead, it captures interest so the request can be circulated inside the company and answered efficiently. Because it sits at the very start of the sales cycle, an inquiry helps a business respond quickly without committing to anything.

The information captured is mainly the material and the quantity the customer is interested in. Further details can be added, but they are optional, which keeps the document light and fast to create. The main advantage of raising an inquiry is that it reduces the business overhead needed to prepare a reply to the customer, and it creates a record that can later be copied into a quotation or a sales order. The transaction code used to create an inquiry is VA11.

Inquiry vs Quotation in SAP

An inquiry and a quotation are both pre-sales documents, and they often appear one after the other. However, they play different roles, so it helps to know how they compare before you create one.

Basis of comparison Inquiry (VA11) Quotation (VA21)
Purpose Requests product and price information Offers to supply at agreed terms
Legally binding No Yes, within its validity period
Typical trigger Customer is exploring options Customer wants a firm offer
Data captured Material and quantity Materials, prices, validity, and conditions
Position in the cycle First pre-sales step Follows an inquiry, precedes the order

In short, an inquiry gathers interest, while a quotation turns that interest into a firm, binding offer. Many businesses create the inquiry first and then copy it into a quotation to save time and keep the data consistent. Both documents belong to the pre-sales phase, so neither one reserves stock or posts to accounting; they simply prepare the ground for a confirmed sales order.

Process to Create Inquiry in SAP

Follow these steps to create an inquiry in transaction VA11.

Step 1) Open VA11 and enter the header data.

  1. Enter T-code VA11 in the command bar field.
  2. Select the Inquiry Type from the help. In the screenshot, “IN” is selected for Inquiry.
  3. Enter the Sales Organization, Distribution Channel, Division, Sales Office, and Sales Group.
  4. Select the Sales icon.

Enter inquiry type and sales area in VA11

Step 2) Enter the customer and item details.

  1. Enter the Sold-To Party and Ship-To Party (this is a partner function).
  2. Enter the Material code and Quantity.
  3. Click on the Save Save button button.

Enter sold-to party, material and quantity in the inquiry

Step 3) A message “Inquiry 10000015 has been saved” is displayed.

SAP message confirming the inquiry was saved

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Managing Inquiry Documents: VA11, VA12, and VA13

SAP uses a small family of transaction codes to manage an inquiry through its life. Each one opens the inquiry in a different mode, so changes stay controlled and traceable.

  • VA11 – Create Inquiry: Raises a new inquiry for a customer and sales area.
  • VA12 – Change Inquiry: Updates an existing inquiry, for example to adjust the material or quantity.
  • VA13 – Display Inquiry: Opens the inquiry in read-only mode to review it without making changes.

For a list of inquiries across customers, you can use the list report VA15. As a habit, display an inquiry with VA13 before changing it with VA12, so that you confirm the current values first. This keeps pre-sales data accurate as it moves toward a quotation or a sales order. Because all three transactions act on the same inquiry number, any change made in VA12 is immediately visible in VA13, which makes review and audit straightforward.

FAQs

No. An inquiry is an optional pre-sales step. You can create a quotation or a sales order directly. Businesses use inquiries when they want to record early customer interest before committing to a firm offer.

Yes. With standard copy control, an inquiry can be copied into a quotation and then into a sales order. This carries the material and quantity forward, saves re-entry, and keeps data consistent across the sales cycle.

No. An inquiry is a pre-sales document, so it does not reserve stock or post to accounting. It only records customer interest. Stock and financial impact begin later, at delivery and billing.

Yes. AI can read incoming requests, match products, draft replies, and even suggest prices from past deals. This shortens response time and improves consistency, though a salesperson should review the reply before it is sent.

AI can score inquiries by fit, likely value, and urgency, then prioritize the ones most worth pursuing. It highlights promising leads for the sales team, while a human confirms the priority before preparing a quotation.

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