The following checklist will help you in configuring the warehouse management:
WM configuration steps Checking
1. Define, copy, delete, check Warehouse Number (SPRO)
2. Assign Warehouse Number To Plant / Storage Location (SPRO)
3. Defining Control Parameters For Warehouse Number (SPRO)
4. Define Number Ranges (OMLW)
5. Define Storage Type (SPRO)
6. Define Storage Sections (SPRO)
7. Define Storage Bin Types (SPRO)
8. Define Blocking Reasons (SPRO)
9. Define Storage Bin Structure (LS10)
10. Define Storage Type Indicators (SPRO)
11. Define Storage Unit Types (SPRO)
12. Define Storage Section Indicators (SPRO)
13. Activate Storage Type Search (OMLY)
- Access Optimization Storage Type Search
14. Activate Storage Section Search (OMLZ)
15. Activate Storage Bin Type Search (OMM1)
16. Define Sort Sequence for Putaways (Cross-line Stock Putaway) (OMLM)
17. Define Sort Sequence for Stock Removal (Picking) (SPRO)
1.
Master Data
Define control parameters for warehouse no
A warehouse number is an organizational unit in logistics that represents the company from the
warehouse management view.
In the Warehouse Management System (WMS), you can define various control parameters at the
warehouse number level. The control parameters will be:
1) Weights / units of measure
2) Storage unit management is active or not
3) Checking the data for capacity check
Define the number ranges for the objects which have automatic number assignment in the Warehouse
Management system. These are:
Transfer requirement
Transfer order
Quant
Posting change notice
Group
If you are using Storage Unit Management, you must take the following objects into account:
Actions
1. Decide which number ranges you require for assigning the document numbers in the Warehouse
Management system.
2. Create the number range intervals.
The following action is only required if you are using Storage Unit Management:
3. Create the number range LE for assigning the storage unit numbers and the respective assignment
type (column VA). Via the assignment type, you can define per warehouse number whether, for example,
external or internal storage unit numbers are to be managed.
4. Conversion of the storage unit number in Warehouse Management, you can determine per client (!)
how the storage unit number is to be converted. For information on the different input options, refer to the
field documentation.
Recommendation
These interim storage types (900-999) are required for various postings (for example, GR and GI
postings, and differences) in WM. When you define your warehouse numbers, copy the interim storage
types from warehouse number 001.
Activities
1. Create your storage types with the respective descriptions.
2. Copy the interim storage types from warehouse number 001.
Important Note:
The placement strategy for ATC, AEC and ECO is decided as Addition to existing stock. So while creating
the storage type, the Put away strategy should be I Addition to existing stock.
The removal strategy for all the materials without Shelf life expiration date check (SLED) will be FIFI
(Picking strategy F) and for the materials with SLED check will be H Shelf life expiration date.
There will be two distinguished strategies one for materials without SLED check (Put away strategy I
and Picking strategy F) and one for material with SLED check (Put away strategy I and Picking
strategy H).
Define Storage Sections
Within a storage type, a storage section is a series of storage bins with the same features. These bins
are used for the purpose of stock placements.
For stock placements, the following features of storage bins can be important:
loading capacity
temperature
Standard settings
In the SAP standard system, sample entries are preset for the respective storage types in warehouse
number 001.
Note
When you create a storage bin, you must enter a storage section.
If you are using storage types without sections, you must define at least one storage section (for
example, 001) per storage type. The storage section in this case is identical to the storage type.
Activities
Before you create the storage bins (master data) you should work through this section as well as the
section "Define field usage - Storage bin data".
Define Storage Bin Types
You can divide your storage bins into groups (for example, large storage bins, small storage bins, and so
on). A suitable storage bin is proposed by the system during stock placement in combination with the
storage unit type.
Actions
1. Decide whether you want to use the "Storage bin type search".
2. Create your bin types with the corresponding names.
Important Note:
Create
only
one
Storage
bin
type
for
ATC,
AEC
and
ECO.
Defin
e Blocking Reasons
In the Warehouse Management system, you can block the following units for stock placements and stock
removals:
Storage types
Storage bins
Quants
Storage unit
You can enter the reason for the block (for example, assembly work) using the indicator "Blocking
Reason".
Actions
Create your blocking indicators with the respective descriptions.
can
also
be
found in
the
application
menu
(menu
option
"Master data").
Material
In this menu option you configure the material master records that are relevant for the Warehouse
Management system.
Before you create the material masters, you should work through this section and the section "Define
field usage - Material master".
Define Storage Type Indicators
With this indicator you can control whether certain materials are placed into or removed from stock in
certain storage types with a higher priority. This leads to a classification of your materials and allows you
to use the stock placement or stock removal strategies in an optimum way.
Default settings
In the SAP standard system, examples are preset for warehouse numbers 001 and 002.
Actions
1. Classify your materials according to certain criteria (for example, small parts, and materials for
block storage).
2. Create your storage type indicators with the respective descriptions.
Further information
You will find more information on this subject area in chapter "Strategies - Storage type search"
Important Note:
Define 2 storage section indicators one for the materials with SLED check and one for the materials
without SLED check. In Storage type search you have to define the priority according to materials without
SLED
check
and
materials
with
SLED
check.
Default settings
In the SAP standard system, examples are preset for warehouse numbers 001 and 002.
ACTIONS
1. Decide whether you want to use the storage bin type search.
2. Classify your storage units (for example, Europallets, wire boxes) according to certain criteria (for
example, certain packing height for Europallets).
3. Create your storage unit types with the respective descriptions/names.
Str
ategies
In the Warehouse Management system (LE-WM) you support strategies in order to receive proposals
from the SAP System
putaway strategies
picking strategies
With the help of these strategies, the SAP system can use the available transfer and warehouse capacity
optimally.
For each storage type, you must define a putaway and a picking strategy.
Recommendation
To be able to take a closer look at the processes involved in the storage bin search (that is, processes
that involve interaction between the materials master data and the data from the system configuration
menu in Warehouse Management), you can use the function "Log Bin Search".
You can call up this function from the preparation screens for stock placements and stock removals and
from the single item screen for creating transfer orders (menu option "Environment").
This bin search log supports, on the one hand, the work of the project team in the implementation phase
and, on the other hand, the analysis of customizing errors during productive operation.
Activate Storage Type Search
For putaway or pick operations, the Warehouse Management System (WMS) must know:
storage class
The indicators storage class and water pollution class influence the storage type search. If you are not
implementing Hazardous Material Management, you do not need to pay attention to these parameters.
For information on how to activate Hazardous Material Management, refer to the chapter Hazardous
materials".
4. As mentioned above, different indicators influence the storage type search. If, however, you are using
storage type indicators and you also have materials with different stock categories or materials with
different special stocks, the number of required entries in the storage type search table can become quite
large.
To reduce the number of entries, you can define an access strategy for the storage type search table.
With the help of this access strategy, the system determines the required entries in the storage type
search table as follows:
The system first tries to find a suitable match, that is, an entry in the storage type search table
with all the relevant indicators from the material master and, if available, from the hazardous
material master.
If the system does not find a suitable entry in the storage type search table, it again tries to
read this table, but this time using the access strategy.
Actions
Set the required parameters for the "Storage type search" in the specified sequence:
1. Storage type indicator
Using the storage type indicator, you can ensure that certain materials are only removed from certain
storage types or placed into certain storage types in the order of preference you have defined.
You define the valid storage type indicators in the table for "Storage type indicators".
2. Storage type search
Now define the sequence of storage types to be searched by the system for stock putaway and stock pick
proposals.
Make sure that you enter the correct indicators for stock putaway and stock pick in the appropriate
column.
If you want the system to search through the entire warehouse number for a stock pick, enter "***" (stands
for stringent FIFO) as the storage type. The system will then search the entire warehouse for the oldest
stock of the material. The entry "+++" means that the system branches to the user exit to the stringent
FIFO process (MWMTO013).
If you are using the 2-step picking procedure, make sure that the destination storage type of the pick
step is used as the source storage type for distributing the accumulated quantities. For the storage type
search with the 2-step picking process, define activity type "2" (Column "Activity").
3. Movement type references
In the Warehouse Management component, you can set up the system so that for each WM movement
types certain storage types are proposed. If you want to use this mechanism, set up the necessary
reference movement types for the movement types concerned. These reference movement types must be
taken into account in the table "Storage type search".
4. Access optimization for storage type search
Instructions for access strategy for the storage type search table
Note: The WMS only takes the indicators "Storage class" and "Water pollution class" into account if
Hazardous Material Management has been activated.
To find out how to activate Hazardous Material management, refer to the section "Hazardous materials".
5. In the WMS, you can enter the storage bins for putaway manually. In this case, the system checks
whether the bin you have entered is in a storage section that is allowed for the material concerned.
Requirements
You must have the storage section check active. This check depends on the strategy you have chosen. It
can be implemented for all the putaway strategies, with the exception of the Fixed Bin Strategy.
Actions
Set the required parameters for the "Storage section check" in the sequence specified:
1. Storage section indicator
You can assign a storage section indicator to each material. This indicator enables you to have materials
placed into storage in special storage sections.
You define the valid storage section indicators in the corresponding table.
2. Storage section search
For each storage section indicator, you can have up to ten storage sections in one storage type. During
putaway, the system first looks for a bin in the first storage section; if it does not find a suitable bin here, it
goes on to the next section, and so on.
3. Activate the storage section search.
2. Then the WMS checks if the storage unit which is to be placed into stock may be put away in the
storage typed determined by the storage type search.
The table "Allowed storage unit types per storage type" contains details on which storage unit types
(SUTs) may be used in which storage types.
This table defines which storage unit type may be used within each storage type. Up to 10 storage units
may be assigned per storage type.
If more than 10 storage units are required per storage type, it is possible to activate the weak SUT check.
To do this, enter *** in this table as the allowed SUT. This has the effect that, in theory, all SUTs are
allowed for this storage type. The system then searches for a bin that matches the storage unit type
according to the allowed storage bin type per SUT.
3. Then the system searches for a suitable storage bin using the putaway strategy.
o For this purpose you have assigned a storage bin type to each storage bin in the master data.
o
Via the table "Storage bin type search" the WMS finds information on which SUTs match which
storage
bin
types.
The search for a subsequent storage bin type is restricted to the permitted storage bin types
which are run through sequentially according to the sequence of entries in this table.
4. If you manually enter the storage bin during putaway, the WMS checks if the SUT may be used on the
relevant storage bin.
Requirements
The storage unit type check parameters must be activated. This check is independent of a particular
strategy. You can use it for all putaway strategies.
Recommendation
If you wish to implement the above weak SUT-check, check your table options exactly as performance
problems may arise if the customizing option is not properly set.
The following example should illustrate these problems and their solution:
Storage bin types P1 P2 P3 P4 P5 are allowed for storage unit type E1. E1 is to be placed in stock
in storage type 001. Here there are only storage bins of type P0.
Normally E1 would not be included in the storage unit types allowed for storage type 001. The
WMS recognizes this and searches for a bin in the next storage type.
A weak SUT check is when the database is accessed 5 times unsuccessfully. This number
increases depending on how many different storage sections you work with at one time.
You can check the Customizing options via the storage bin determination log (transport order
management). Multiple access to the database does not greatly impair performance. The number of
times the database is accessed in this way can be decreased using an optimized storage type search.
Activities
Set the parameters for bin type search in the following sequence:
1. Bin types
Divide your storage bins into groups (for example, large bins, small bins).
2. Check your warehouse master data and, if necessary, fill in any missing storage bin types.
3. Storage unit types
Classify your storage units (for example, by palette type).
4. Check your material masters and add palletization data, if this has not already been done.
5. Allocation of storage unit types / storage type
For each storage type, define which storage unit types may be placed into stock in this storage type.
6. Allocation of storage unit types / storage bin types
For each storage bin type, define which storage unit type may be put away.
7. Activate the storage unit type control function in the putaway control parameters for the desired storage
bin.
Putaway Strategies
The stock placement strategy is a procedure in the Warehouse Management system whereby the
system searches for a suitable storage bin within a storage type or a warehouse number using a
particular strategy.
The Warehouse Management system supports the following strategies:
Fixed storage bin
Open storage
Addition to existing stock
Empty storage bin
Sto
ck Removal Strategies
A picking strategy in the Warehouse Management System refers to a procedure whereby the system
searches during a pick for a suitable quant within a storage type or a warehouse number.
The Warehouse Management system supports the following picking strategies:
Strict FIFO
Partial quantity
Large/small quantities
Def
ine Strategy for Expiration Date
With this stock removal strategy, you can influence the search of the materials under consideration of the
shelf life.
Material managed according to shelf life expiration date is found as follows in the Warehouse
Management System
1. You must have activated the shelf life expiration date management in the respective warehouse
number.
2. For each storage type , the shelf life expiration date (SLED) strategy must be activated, providing
you do not work use the stock removal strategy "Strict FIFO principle".
3. The minimum remaining shelf life must be maintained in the material master record (storage view).
Materials for which this remaining life is not maintained are searched for with stock removal strategy
"FIFO".
Activities
1. You have to decide whether you want to use this stock removal strategy.
2. Activate the shelf life expiration date management for each warehouse number.
The shelf life expiration date management must be activated at warehouse number level. In the
application, this activation causes that the shelf life expiration date is a required entry during stock
placements, depending on the material and movement type. In some analyses, the shelf life expiration
date of materials managed according to shelf life expiration date is displayed instead of the GR date.
Activate the shelf life expiration date management.
3. Activate the stock removal strategy
Activate the stock removal strategy expiration date in the stock removal control for the relevant storage
type.
Further notes
If you are using the stock removal strategy "Strict FIFO principle", please refer to the section "Define
Strict FIFO Principle" strategy for more information on the "Shelf Life Expiration Date".
Activities
In this unit, you set the following activities in the Warehouse Management system:
Transfers
Differences
Print control
Physical inventory
Appointments
Transfers
In this section, you set the configuration for the transfer of goods.
This includes the following:
1.
Transfer types
2.
Movement types
3.
Requirement categories
4.
Movements
that
are
also
important
(for example, stock placements and stock removals)
Movements
that
only
concern
(stock transfers within a warehouse, for example).
for
Materials
the
Management
warehouse
The transfer type is a suitable tool for reports (for example, all stock placements into a storage type, all
stock removals from a storage type, and so on).
Note
The transfer type is not used in system control functions.
Standard Delivery
In the SAP standard delivery, all the relevant transfer types are preset.
SAP Recommendation
SAP recommends keeping the transfer types delivered with the standard system. You can add to these
transfer types as required.
Actions
Define the transfer types for each warehouse number.
plant
stock category
special stock
A stock transfer is involved if a quant is moved physically from its storage bin.
Posting changes and stock transfers always take place within a warehouse number.
Standard settings
For stock transfers and posting changes, the movement types in the series "3nn" are at your disposal.
For internal warehouse replenishment, use the WM movement type "319". You can use this movement
type as a copy sample for creating your own movement type.
Activities
1. Check all the movement types for posting changes, stock transfers, and replenishment.
2. Make your own company-required adjustments in the detail screen. For replenishment movement
types, you do not require the definition of the requirement type.
3. If you want to use the functionality "Replenishment for fixed bin warehouse" (using the report
RLLNACH1), you must define the storage types for which replenishment is to be used.
Assign the appropriate replenishment type to the respective storage types.
Confirmation
In this section, you configure the system settings for handling differences and for confirming transfer
orders.
Handling Differences
The system posts differences that you find in the warehouse into a specific difference storage type (for
example, 999) whenever you
Perform a manual stock transfer to the difference storage type (for example, 999).
Perform automatic stock transfer to the difference storage type (for example, 999) after an
inventory with quantity differences.
In the WM system, you can classify differences according to cause (for example, breakage, theft).
Using the difference indicator, you determine the storage type and the storage bin to which the
differences are posted.
For each difference indicator, you can save the percentage value for the deviation allowed, that is, starting
from which the dialog box is to appear. Suppressing the dialog box is appropriate for stock picks that
cannot be done to the exact amount and where the difference is cleared against the stock in the source
bin.
Example
A warehouse worker guesses a 3 kilogram pick for a particular material and determines the actual weight
further away from the bin. In this case, each pick is confirmed with a difference. It would be appropriate to
have the dialog box suppressed so as to save this extra step.
Confirmation Control
One important aspect of confirmation of transfer orders is the setting of the confirmation requirement.
This requirement means additional work for the user, but it also affords a high level of stock and
information security.
The decision as to whether a transfer order item requires confirmation and whether it is confirmed
immediately depends on the parameters you set for your movement types and your storage types.
whether a zero stock check is to take place for a bin that becomes empty through the
pick
whether transfer orders with this movement type can be confirmed immediately
Confirmation Requirement
As soon as one of the above parameters calls for a confirmation requirement for a transfer order item, the
item must be confirmed.
Immediate confirmation of a transfer order item only works out if
if the storage type from which the materials are picked is not subject to pick confirmation
if the storage type into which the materials are put away does not have a putaway confirmation
requirement.
Two-Step Confirmation
For two-step confirmation, both storage types involved in the transfer order must be subject to
confirmation.
At the warehouse number level, you define whether transfer orders or TO items are to be confirmed in two
separate steps.
During the confirmation of the first step, you confirm the pick process from the source storage bin. The
source storage bin and the quant are automatically updated. In the quant of the destination storage bin,
only the open transfer quantity is updated at this point.
During the confirmation of the second step, you confirm both the transfer process and also the receipt of
the material at the destination storage bin. Here the source storage bin and its quant are no longer
updated, but only the destination storage bin and the quant stored there.
SAP Recommendation
SAP recommends working with the stock placement and stock removal confirmation functions. The
confirmation procedure is recommended for the following reasons:
Stock in a storage bin should only be available after the actual putaway has been confirmed.
Storage bins should only be released for further putaways after the goods putaway in the
destination bin has been confirmed.
A storage bin that is going to be emptied by a pending stock pick should already be filled with a
putaway before it is really emptied.
The posting of differences should be executed during the actual confirmation, and not by means
of a separate transfer order.
Which documents (that is, for transfer orders) are to be printed for goods movements.
How these documents are to be printed (that is, which forms are to be used, how many copies
are to be printed).
Using the print control functions, you have flexible control of the printing activities in your warehouse. This
flexibility, however, means that setting the parameters is a complex task. For this reason, we recommend
that you take a look at the entire print control functions first, and then analyze the "print situation" in your
warehouse.
The number and type of settings you need for your print control depends on whether you are using the
Storage Unit Management component. If you are not using this component, you only need to set the
"standard" print control functions. However, if you are using Storage Unit Management, you need to set
both the "standard" print control functions as well as the functions for storage units.
In this section, we describe the "standard" print control functions. These control the printing of transfer
order slips.
The print control for printing specific slips for storage units is described in the chapter Define print
control for warehouses with Storage Unit Management.
You need the following settings for the "standard" print control function:
Spool Indicator
Slips are always printed within the SAP system using the Spool function. For each printout,
certain data needs to be passed on to the Spool file. Typical examples of such data are:
o
"Print immediately"
Using the Spool indicator, you define the most appropriate combinations of the individual
parameters you want to use.
In the following settings (for example, the settings for the print code), you do not need to specify
these parameters each time. You only enter the spool indicator as a type of abbreviation.
Print code
The print code defines the following information for printing transfer orders:
o
Sort sequence (via sort pool) in which the individual items of a transfer order are to be
printed. The sort pool is now called up through the multiple processing run.
Reading shipping data. With this function you can have additional information for picking
orders called up, for example, the address of the ship-to party or serial numbers already
assigned to the delivery items.
Reading production data. Here reservations for staging materials for production are read.
(Both switches for reading data should be inactivated for time-critical printing.)
Label form, label spool indicator, and the definition as to how the number of labels is to
be determined for each TO item.
The following text explains how you can assign a print code to each movement type in the
Warehouse Management system. A transfer order is always assigned to a movement type. In this
way, the print code determines the general print parameters for the transfer order.
If not, the system uses the parameter "PriSrcTyp" defined in the configuration "Printer-Movement"
to decide how it will proceed.
If the parameter is set here, the system checks if a printer is defined in the setting "Printer Picking
Area" and then proposes this printer.
If the system finds no printer, it searches in the setting "Printer - Storage Type" and uses this, if a
printer is set.
If the system cannot find a printer using the methods described above, it selects the printer
defined in the user master of the user currently logged on.
If no printer is defined here, the system automatically proposes LP01. This writes the data to the
spool file.
the printer
Standard settings
All relevant print control tables are defined in warehouse number 001.
The following print programs are available:
number
for
printing
Recommendation
Only use your own print programs if your print requirements are not met by the user exits in the standard
system. If you wish to extend the functionality of the program RLVSDR40, use the user exit MWMD0001
to develop them. If you wish to extend the functionality of the program RLKOMM40, use the user exit
MWMD0002. For further information on enhancements through the user exit, refer to the chapter Develop
extensions.
Information on how to adapt forms in Warehouse Management is provided in the chapter Develop forms.
Further Recommendations
1. Before you begin with table maintenance, you should first look at all tables carefully and determine
which ones you need.
2. Then maintain the tables in the prescribed sequence.
Activities
1. Create the spool indicators for each warehouse number.
2. Create the dependent printers for label printing.
3. Define the sort profile for multiple processing.
4. Create the print codes for each warehouse number.
5. Assign the printers to the individual movements.
6. Assign the printers to the picking areas.
7. Assign the printers to the storage types.
8. Assign the print codes to the movement types.
9. Assign the print reports to the warehouse numbers.
10. Assign the print control to the multiple processing runs.
11. Using the analysis program, check whether the settings comply with your needs.
Physical Inventory
In this menu option, you configure the following system settings:
Default values
Differences
Number ranges
Unlike the material-related physical inventory in the Inventory Management (IM) system, the Warehouse
Management system supports inventory procedures based on the storage bin.
Define Default Values
In this menu option you define:
how the entry screen for the inventory count should be set up
Actions
Maintain the default values for each storage type.
Annual inventory(ST)
Counting the material quantity in the storage bins at a fixed inventory date.
Requirements
You have coordinated your inventory procedure with the company auditor.
Actions
Maintain the inventory type for each storage type.
Document items
o
Recommendation
SAP recommends that you keep the preset movement types in order to avoid posting errors.
Activities
1. Posting/Clearing
Check the preset standard movement types and create -- if necessary -- special movement types for
inventory differences for your warehouse numbers.
2. Document items
If you make an entry in this field, you can restrict the system inventory records during their creation to a
particular number of items.
Standard settings
In the SAP standard version, inventory movement types for Inventory Management are preset in warehouse
numbers *** and 001.
The settings for warehouse number *** are default values. If you require different parameters for a
warehouse number, you can add the difference movement types for the respective warehouse number.
The system first searches for an exact match for the table entry, that is, with the warehouse number. If it
does not find a corresponding entry, the system will search for warehouse number ***.
Recommendation
SAP recommends that you keep the preset movement types to avoid incorrect postings.
If you want to use the SAP standard system, you do not need to make new table entries for each warehouse
number. You can work with warehouse number ***.
SAP recommends setting this indicator for all storage types except the difference storage type (999).
Activities
1. Analyze the entries for the default warehouse number *** and (if necessary) create the difference
movement types for your warehouse numbers.
2. Define your own company-individual settings for the movement types.
For transfer orders that initiate continuous inventory based on stock placement. In this case, the
transfer order is the inventory document.
SAP Recommendation
Once you have defined your number ranges, you cannot change them if the data in the number range
intervals has already been used.
Take the long-term data quantity into account. Define your number range intervals accordingly.
Actions
1. Define your number ranges.
2. Maintain your number ranges.