Optimize your Mobile Applications in Warehouse and

Shipping with SAP WM

Dirk Eichholz, Jan-Martin Lichte, Hans-Georg Nvemann

Contents
Introduction

...............................................

Subject of This SAP PRESS Essentials Guide

2.3 Goods Receipt with Active Storage Unit

Management .............................................

Mobile Postings in SAP WM ......................

Specifications in the Process and Mobile

The Highs and Lows of the SAP System ......

Support in the Standard SAP System ..........

Target Group and Structure of This Book ...

Optimization Options in the Standard

Additional Material on Publishers Website

SAP System ................................................

Acknowledgments .....................................

Developing the New Mobile Transaction ...

19

Transaction Flow with Sample Data ...........

19

Setting the Course at the Start of

the Project ...................................................

19
19

2.4 Goods Receipt with Active Handling

9

Unit Management ......................................

1.1 Warehouse Management (WM) for

24

2.5 Inbound Delivery with/Without Storage

Everything? ................................................

Unit Management ......................................

1.2 Paper or No Paper? ...................................

Specifications in the Process and Mobile

1.3 Storage Unit Management and/or Handling

Support in the Standard SAP System ..........

Unit Management? ....................................

10

Optimization Options in the Standard

Storage Unit Management .........................

10

SAP System ................................................

Handling Unit Management .......................

10

Handling Unit Management .......................

24
24
25

2.6 Inbound Delivery with Handling Unit

Combining Storage Unit Management and

Management .............................................
11

26

Specifications in the Process and Mobile

No Storage Unit Management and No

19

Support in the Standard SAP System ..........

26

Handling Unit Management .......................

12

Optimization Options in the Standard

1.4 Our Sample Companies .............................

12

SAP System ................................................

27

Example from the Chemical Industry .........

12

Transaction Flow with Sample Data ...........

29

Example from Engineering .........................

13

2.7 Summary ...................................................

30

Production Supply

31

Raw Materials Goods Receipt

............

17

2.1 Mobile Support for Goods Receipt Processes

17

2.2 Goods Receipt Without Storage Unit

18

Specifications in the Process and Mobile

Support in the Standard SAP System ..........

18

Optimization Options in the Standard

SAP System ...............................................

...................................

3.1 Mobile Support of Production Supply

Processes ...................................................

Management and Handling Unit

Management .............................................

18

31

Staging Variants .........................................

31

Request .....................................................

31

Stock Removal ...........................................

32

Underdelivery ............................................

32

Overdelivery ..............................................

32

Confirmation .............................................

32

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Contents

Return Transfer ..........................................

33

Development of the New Mobile

Stock Transfer Within Production ...............

33

Transaction ................................................

Goods Issue Posting in Manufacturing .......

33

Internal Transport ......................................

34

Unit Management ......................................

Postings Without WM? ..............................

34

Standard Process Without Mobile

Staging with Handling Unit Management? ..

35

Transactions ...............................................

4.4 Good Receipt Process with Full Handling

3.2 Example 1: Implementation Methodology

49
49

Development of a New Mobile

Based on an Example of a Partial

Quantity Control Using a User Exit
(Chemical Industry) ....................................

35

Step 1: Accepting a Request ......................

35

Transaction ................................................

49

4.5 Summary ...................................................

52

Picking and Packing

53

.................................

5.1 Overview of the Relevant RF Trans-

Step 2: Assessing a Technical Implementation ........................................................

35

Step 3: Creating a Test Example .................

36

Step 4: Assessing the Retrieval of Data .......

36

actions .......................................................

54

5.2 Picking and Packing Without Handling Unit

Management and Storage Unit Management

55

Specifications in the Process and Mobile

Step 5: Prototype for Implementing Data

Retrieval ....................................................

37

Support .....................................................

Step 6: Assessing Update Modules .............

37

Optimization Options in the Standard

Step 7: Assessing User Exits .......................

37

SAP System ................................................

55

Step 8: Putting It All Together ....................

38

Picking Without Packing ............................

55

Step 9: Test, Test, Test ...............................

38

Step 10: Going Live and Monitoring ..........

38

55

Picking with Packing (Pick and Pack Scenario) 56

5.3 Picking and Packing with Full Handling
Unit Management ......................................

3.3 Example 2: Pick Parts Without HUM

57

38

Specifications in the Process and Mobile

Prefabrication ............................................

38

Support in the Standard SAP System ..........

Final Assembly ...........................................

39

Optimization Options in the Standard

Request for Assembly ................................

39

SAP System ................................................

58

Problem and Solution: Self-Service .............

39

Pick Control ...............................................

58

Problem and Solution: Bundling .................

40

Pick HU Scenario .......................................

58

Problem and Solution: Prioritization ...........

40

Creating Transfer Orders ............................

58

3.4 Summary ...................................................

42

Process Example ........................................

58

System-Guided Picking ..............................

60

Picking Using a Pick List .............................

63

(Engineering) .............................................

46

Goods Receipt of Finished Products

43

4.1 Mobile Support for the Goods Receipt

Process ......................................................

5.4 Process for System-Guided Single-Level

43

Picking (Full Handling Units) ......................

4.2 Goods Receipt Process Without Storage

44

Optimization Options in the Standard

SAP System ................................................

6
46

Optimization Options in the Standard

SAP System ................................................

2 Galileo Press 2008. All rights reserved.

Delivery (LM61) .........................................

64

Packing the Outbound Delivery .................

65

5.5 Summary ...................................................

66

Loading and Shipment

...........................

67

6.1 Mobile Support for the Loading Process .....

67

44

4.3 Goods Receipt Process with Active Storage

Unit Management ......................................

64

Creating a Transfer Order for the Outbound

Unit Management and Handling Unit

Management .............................................

57

6.2 Workflow Without a Shipment

46

Document .................................................

68

Variant 1: Load by Delivery (LM31) ............

68

Contents

Variant 2: Master Transaction for Delivery

(LM61) ......................................................

Verification of Entries .................................

69

86

7.4 User-Selected Inventory Count (with

Variant 3: Master Transaction for HU

Storage Unit or Handling Unit Management)

86

(LM66) ......................................................

70

Customizing Settings ..................................

88

A Comparison of the Various Options ........

71

Restrictions for WM Inventory in

Goods Issue ...............................................

71

HU-Managed WM Storage Locations .........

89

6.3 Workflow with a Shipment Document .......

71

7.5 Summary ...................................................

89

Variant 1: Load HU by Shipment (LM30) ...

72

Standard Customizing

Variant 2: System-Guided Loading by

Shipment (LM32) ......................................

73

Variant 3: Master Transaction for

............................

91

8.1 Verification Control ...................................

91

Example 1: Putaway ...................................

91

Shipment (LM63) ......................................

74

Status in the Shipment ...............................

74

Numbers ...................................................

95

Goods Issue ...............................................

76

8.2 Defining the RF Queue ..............................

97

6.4 Handling Units at the Shipment Level ........

78

RF Monitor ................................................

97

HU-Managed Storage Locations .................

78

Queue Definition .......................................

97

Storage Locations Without HUM ...............

78

Queue Assignment ....................................

99

6.5 Printing Shipping Labels .............................

78

BAdI for Queue Determination ..................

99

Example 2: Stock Removal by Old Material

Printing Labels Without a Shipping

Document .................................................

8.3 Other Customizing Settings ........................ 101

79

Bar Code ................................................... 101

Printing Shipping Labels with a Shipping

Document .................................................

Define RF Menu ........................................ 102

79

Default Enter Function ............................... 102

6.6 Querying the Loading Status ......................

79

Define Screen Management ....................... 102

Loading Status by Shipment (LM37) ..........

79

8.4 Logon Procedure for Mobile Devices ......... 102

Loading Status by Delivery (LM36) ............

80

Maintain RF User Master Data (LRFMD) .... 102

Loading Status by Handling Unit (LM35) ....

80

User Logon (LM00) .................................... 104

6.7 IDoc: Advance Electronic Information

About Shipments .......................................

Changing Warehouse Number and

80

Queue ....................................................... 104

Sending IDocs from a Delivery ...................

80

8.5 Calculating the Planned Effort .................... 104

Sending IDocs from a Shipment .................

81

Calculation Logic ....................................... 104

6.8 Summary ...................................................

82

Setup Time and Travel Time ....................... 105

Time Unit for Performance Data ................ 105

Inventory

.....................................................

83

Defining and Assigning Performance

7.1 Guidelines for the Inventory Process and

Mobile Support .........................................

Data Profiles .............................................. 105

83

Defining and Assigning a Unit of Measure

7.2 Optimization Options in the

SAP Standard System .................................

Load Category ........................................... 106

83

Reference to the Material Master ............... 107

7.3 System-Guided Inventory Count

Warehouse Operations .............................. 108

(Without Storage Unit or Handling

Maintaining Planned Effort ........................ 110

Unit Management) ....................................

84

Example ..................................................... 111

Create Inventory Document ......................

84

8.6 Summary ................................................... 112

Execute the Inventory ................................

84

Transaction Codes and User Exits

Alternative 1: Enter the Count Quantity .....

85

Alternative 2: Zero Inventory .....................

85

A.1 Mobile Standard SAP Transactions ............. 115

Alternative 3: Newly Entered Item .............

85

Notes on Table A.1 .................................... 117

..... 115

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Contents

A.2 Transactions Described in This Book in

B.2 Vendors of Label Printers ........................... 121

Alphabetical Order .................................... 117

B.3 Additional Information Regarding

A.3 Overview of User Exits and New

Pick-by-Voice ............................................. 121

Transactions Described in This Book .......... 119

C
B

Hardware and Software Vendors

B.1 Vendors of Mobile Devices ........................ 121

4 Galileo Press 2008. All rights reserved.

Glossary

........................................................ 123

....... 121

Index

.............................................................. 125

Introduction

Subject of This SAP PRESS Essentials Guide

you consider this scenario, it is obvious how using mobile

terminals can save vast amounts of time.

This SAP PRESS Essentials Guide focuses on mobile appli-

Previously, the only devices available for paperless

cations in warehouse management. Warehouse manage-

data processing were what were known as offline

ment is about ensuring that the things that go into a

devices. These devices save and collect the recorded data,

warehouse come out again, and in as effective a way as

and are then attached to a docking station, which

possible. Of course, this can work only if the things that

uploads the data to the server (and recharges the battery

go in are easy to find. We all know that this is a far-from-

at the same time). It was only with the arrival of radio and

simple matter. Otherwise, we would not come across so

wireless LAN (WLAN) that genuinely synchronous on-site

many things that we thought were lost every time we did

postings and queries became possible. These technolo-

spring-cleaning of our houses.

gies increase productivity and keep the error rate caused

In the professional environment, there is no tolerance

by obsolete data to a minimum.

for the kind of disorder that there may be in private

Based on the current level of technology, we regard

homes. Warehouses quickly reach a volume at which

the following scenario as the optimal one: Mobile termi-

manual control using fixed storage bins, index card sys-

nals with graphical displays are connected to an SAP sys-

tems, or Microsoft Excel is simply no longer sufficient.

tem via a WLAN, thus enabling users to execute transac-

The only possible solution once this level is reached is a

tions programmed in ABAP/4 almost as if they were at the

software-supported warehouse management system. Of

PC. The only disadvantages of this scenario are the limited

the many systems that are now available on the market,

screen size and input options (there is no mouse, for

the SAP Warehouse Management (WM) system stands out

example).

as a particularly complete and complex piece of software,

In this book, we describe this core scenario, which is

and has the overriding benefit that it is integrated with

supported by several SAP standard transactions. We will

the other areas of the enterprise.

systematically go through the whole material flow from

warehouse to delivery, highlighting the points along the

Mobile Postings in SAP WM

way that have mobile optimization potential, be it

In this SAP PRESS Essentials Guide, we focus on one par-

through SAP standard transactions or through applica-

ticular sub-aspect of the SAP WM system: using mobile

tions that you develop yourself.

terminals to support posting transactions.

Why is mobile support so important in warehouses in

The Highs and Lows of the SAP System

particular? Because mobile posting is required in every

A piece of complex software is always a double-edged

situation where an employee has to record information

sword. On the one hand, it provides highly convenient

on-site; that is, far away from a PC in the office. The clas-

functions and thus has a high utility value. On the other,

sic approach is the paper-based one. For example, an

its complexity can be a problem; for example, it may take

employee prints a pick list, brings it along to the ware-

so much time to learn all its functions in detail that the

house, checks everything off with a pencil, and then

task is barely achievable for the average user. This is a par-

brings the list back to the office to make the posting. If

ticular problem for the SAP system, since after all, it is a

www.sap-press.com 5

Introduction

very powerful piece of business software. Although we,

ter, we show you some of the advantages of fully integrat-

the authors, have been working almost exclusively with

ing production with WM and the possible uses of radio

this software for many years, even we do not know all the

frequency (RF) transactions that are then available to you.

details of its configuration and its effects and it is

We also describe the methodical process of implement-

unlikely that anyone does. But like all good tour guides,

ing a user exit in the project environment. This process

we have spent several years in this environment and are

can, of course, be applied to every other chapter in this

well-equipped for life in the SAP wilderness. So, let us

book.

show you some paths through this jungle, and some

important points that you can use to orient yourself.

Production is the internal supplier of the warehouse.

Similarly to Chapter 2, Chapter 4, Goods Receipt of Finished Products, gives you an overview of the variants of
this process and the possible uses of your own and exist-

Target Group and Structure of This Book

ing mobile transactions in this process.

This book is intended for consultants, members of imple-

and Shipment, deal with the delivery process. SAP offers a

mentation teams, and key users in the warehouse and

wide range of mobile standard transactions in this area.

shipping areas. You will find this book useful in providing

Based on various examples, we show you how to make

project guidelines for using mobile applications on the

optimal use of and combine these transactions in this

basis of SAP WM. Besides expecting you to have a solid

process. In Chapter 5, we also look at using stock removal

grounding in the SAP Logistics Execution (LE) module, we

via the RF queue.

Chapter 5, Picking and Packing, and Chapter 6, Loading

also expect you to have a good understanding of the SAP

A very simple way of optimizing the SAP inventory

Materials Management (MM) module, which is integrated

processes using RF transactions contained in the SAP

with LE, and the production processes linked with LE (the

standard is the subject of Chapter 7, Inventory.

SAP Production Planning PP module).

Chapter 8 then looks in detail at the Standard Custom-

In Chapter 1, we first deal with Setting the Course at

izing in the mobile data entry area of Logistics Execution

the Start of the Project. Here, we explain in detail how the

to illustrate the prerequisites for using bar codes, verifica-

decision for or against storage unit management or han-

tion control, and RF queue management. This chapter

dling unit management affects the use of mobile applica-

also contains usage examples that clearly demonstrate the

tions for warehouse and delivery. In this chapter, we also

effects of these settings.

introduce you to our sample companies, which we will

refer to repeatedly throughout the book.
In Chapter 2, we then take a systematic look at the

This book finishes with a comprehensive appendix that

also contains a glossary and an index of relevant transaction codes.

entire material flow in the warehouse, as mentioned

above, starting with the Raw Materials Goods Receipt.

SAP ERP Releases Covered

What business-critical processes are relevant here? What

The screenshots in this book are based on Release SAP

decisions do you have to make when configuring the sys-

R/3 Enterprise 4.7. However, the recommendations

tem? Where is there potential for optimization, and how

we make in this book also apply to the ECC releases

can this be leveraged, either using standard SAP transac-

5.0 and 6.0, since the transactions in those releases are

tions or applications you have developed yourself? These

almost identical to the mobile standard transactions in

questions and their answers are also relevant in the sub-

Release SAP R/3 Enterprise 4.7. Where there are dif-

sequent chapters on the individual business processes.

ferences between releases, we point this out, if neces-

The main focus of Chapter 3 is that often-underestimated process, Production Supply. Enterprises often want
to map the production structures in Inventory Management (IM) rather than in the WM module, because of the
simplified posting procedures in production. In this chap-

6 Galileo Press 2008. All rights reserved.

sary.

Acknowledgments

Additional Material on Publishers Website

Acknowledgments

This book concentrates on logical business processes and

At this point, we would like to sincerely thank the many

how they are supported by IT applications. The pub-

people who contributed to the success of this SAP PRESS

lishers website, www.sap-press.com, contains two addi-

Essentials Guide. First and foremost, we thank our fami-

tional chapters that provide you with background infor-

lies and partners, who tolerated the many work-filled eve-

mation and tips on the hardware and software you will

nings and weekends and the adverse effects on family

require to develop and use mobile applications.

life with patience and consideration. Thanks are also

Also, you can download from the website the sample

due to all our colleagues at clavis berater soziett, whose

code for Chapter 6, Loading and Shipment, and the direc-

technical and personal support helped to clarify many de-

tory of relevant transaction codes in the Appendix.

tailed issues, and who also relieved us of administrative

tasks. Last but not least, we would like to thank the competent employees and key users in our customer companies who explained their business processes to us in many
intensive discussions. Without this concrete project information, this book could not have been written.

www.sap-press.com 7

1 Setting the Course at the Start of the Project

At the very start of a project, your experience with the

from a small number of exceptions (see, for instance,

SAP system is still rather superficial. Right away, you need

Chapter 6, Loading and Shipment), there are no standard

to make fundamental decisions that you will be unable to

transactions for this.

undo later, or only at great expense.

A typical example of warehouse areas outside SAP

Three main questions are relevant for the implementa-

WM are the depots in the chemical industry. Chemical

tion of mobile applications: What parts of the warehouse

products are placed in storage from the tank truck or an

are you using the WM module for? Do you want a paper-

external pipeline, and removed from stock via an internal

based or paperless system? And finally: What variant of

pipeline to the production facilities. It is not possible or

SAP WM are you opting for?

useful here to implement the entire WM logic with place-

We will look at these three issues in further detail

below.

ment into stock and removal strategies, including palette

sizes, pick lists, and so on.
Overall, we can say that simply structured areas can be
implemented without SAP WM. However, mixing IM and

1.1 Warehouse Management (WM) for

Everything?

WM in a warehouse can also be problematic. It will

always become complicated when the material flow goes
from the IM into the WM system or vice versa. This is the

First, an observation: The decision to implement the SAP

case, for instance, if a barrel is filled from the depot and

Warehouse Management (WM) system is not an all-or-

shipped. For the WM system, this filling operation is a

nothing decision. It is just as possible to manage part of

placement in storage, because the depot was not mapped

the inventory only in the Inventory Management (IM)

in WM, and this placement in storage is associated with a

module. This means that you dispense with the fine-

corresponding posting effort.

tuned control through storage types and storage bins for

You should therefore carefully consider whether you

part of your warehouse and use there only plants and

really want to mix WM and IM areas together, or whether

storage locations.1 The posting processes in SAP IM are

you really need to. Alternatively, in our example from the

much simpler than in SAP WM. For example, all place-

chemical industry, it is equally possible to also integrate a

ments in storage and removals from storage are per-

depot into the WM organization structure of course,

formed with single-step postings, while two posting steps

without then using all of the WM functions.

are generally necessary in SAP WM.

SAP WM is a mandatory prerequisite if you intend to
use the mobile applications that are part of the standard

The interface with production is a further area in which

consideration is regularly given to disentanglement from
the WM system (see Chapter 3, Production Supply).

SAP system. Of course, mobile applications can also be

created for IM-managed storage sections. However, aside

1.2 Paper or No Paper?

1 For further details about the relationship between SAP WM
and SAP IM, please refer to Martin Murray, SAP Warehouse
Management: Functionality and Technical Configuration (SAP
PRESS, 2007).

While it may currently be fashionable to propagate the

merits of paperless offices or even paperless warehouses,

www.sap-press.com 9

Setting the Course at the Start of the Project

paper remains an indispensable part of everyday business

life.

1.3 Storage Unit Management and/or

Handling Unit Management?

Why is this so? Paper has been an optimal storage

medium for information for many centuries. Paper is

Of fundamental importance for the optimization possibil-

unsurpassed in many respects: It is legible in poor light

ities of logistic processes in warehouse management is

and at any temperature, survives damp and dirt, and you

the choice between the two alternatives, storage unit

can add your own handwritten notes to the information

management (SUM) and handling unit management

on the paper. It will be many years before electronic

(HUM). In this section, we will thus outline the consider-

media can achieve the same level of quality and comfort

ations to be made before deciding to use storage units

for all of these points.

(SUs) or handling units (HUs). Below we will present the

However, the biggest disadvantage of paper in the age

of electronic data processing is that it is not online. The

advantages and disadvantages of the two options and the

effects of the decision on mobile applications.

information that you print on the pick list is often obsolete again just a few minutes later, once your employee

Storage Unit Management

has disappeared with the list into the depths of the ware-

SUM can be controlled for each storage type and allows

house.

you, through the use of SUs to manage material quanti-

What is written down is not verified again. The printed

ties for each container or pallet as a self-contained unit

pick list is offline, and now you have to choose a com-

within a storage type. We distinguish between homoge-

pletely different medium, such as a mobile phone call, to

neous SUs with only one material/one batch and

get the new information to the employee.

inhomogeneous SUs, with two or more material/batch

However, in many companies this disadvantage will

not be inordinately important (because there are only a

combinations. You can set for each storage type whether

inhomogeneous SUs are permissible.
Using SUs allows you both to optimize the storage

limited number of changes), so paper-based processes

still remain a practical option today.

capacity and to control the material flow. Certain storage

We will present both options in this book paper-

functions such as mixed storage control, removal from

assisted and paperless processing. Mobile applications

storage functions in bulk storage, or capacity checks even

are also very useful for paper-assisted processing, because

require use of SUM in the warehouse as a prerequisite.

by scanning a printed bar code, for instance, at least the

Using the SU number, you can determine at all times

confirmation can take place online.

where the SU is located in the warehouse and what mate-

On the other hand, a decision in favor of a paperless

process does not necessarily mean that you are opting for

rial in what quantity is stored there. You can also retrieve

history data of movements.
You must observe the following limitations when using

mobile applications. In production or at the identification

point (I-Point), you often have the option of locally

SUs (see Chapter 3, Production Supply):

installing a fixed PC with a screen, offering a more com-

SUs are lost when you shift into production (supply

areas, PSAs) and must be formed again during return

fortable means of posting than a mobile terminal.

transfer.

However, mobile terminals do not truly begin to prove

their worth until (1) you are unable to install a stationary

SUs are lost when you shift into the goods issue area.

PC (outdoors, for example) and (2) you are so far from the

SUs cannot be assigned to production/process orders.

posting office that local posting in the warehouse will sig-

SUs do not allow any production settlement.

nificantly improve productivity. It is these cases that we

SUs are not assigned any packaging data and cannot be

will predominantly discuss in this book.

used for shipping.

Handling Unit Management
Handling unit management (HUM) represents a packaging-controlled logistics system in which all movements

10 Galileo Press 2008. All rights reserved.

1.3

Storage Unit Management and/or Handling Unit Management?

are mapped through handling units (HUs). The basis for

firmation, does not take place here. The reservation is

handing the goods receipt through HUs is a correspond-

not updated. If these partial withdrawals occur several

ing packaging functionality during shipment and in the SU

times (because you take out entire HUs), the work

administration in goods receipt, which SAP has specially

involved in deleting the assignment and reassigning

extended for this purpose. HUM must be activated for

each plant/storage location combination. The HU itself is

also plays a role here.

No unplanned material withdrawals

created in inbound delivery during packaging. It has a

You cannot make any unplanned material withdrawals

unique identification number we recommend that you

using Transaction COWBHUWE. Instead, you do this

generate this number according to a standard such as

without/with SUM through the standard confirmation

EAN 128 or Serial Shipping Container Code (SSCC).

transactions in the Production Planning (PP) module.

Goods receipts of unpacked materials in a WM storage

You also cannot set any putaway strategy for your sup-

location with mandatory HUM are not possible, but pack-

ply areas. The result of this is that you cannot create

aging into other HUs or new HUs is allowed as you con-

any TOs automatically for assemblies/raw materials or

tinue the process. You enter the consumption of the

semifinished products/raw materials that are to be

ingredients/components in production or manufacturing

stored directly in supply areas in production (error

on the screen using Transaction COWBHUWE this is

message: No storage bin found).

no longer part of the standard confirmation transactions.

The HUs assigned to the order are the basis for the post-

Combining Storage Unit Management and Handling

ing. On the other hand, picked HUs for delivery are

Unit Management

assigned directly to delivery.

Instead of using SUs or HUs on their own in each case,

The HUM also allows you to comprehensively trace

you can also combine both. Nevertheless, the prerequi-

the materials: You can follow the entire goods flow right

site for this is that there must be at least two storage loca-

through to the vendor.

tions for a warehouse number: a storage location where

However, with all of these positive effects there are

raw materials are managed through SUs, and one where

unfortunately also restrictions in the standard functions

finished goods/trading goods are managed via HUs. How-

that have a negative impact on operating processes or

ever, this means that the goods must also be physically

that can generate additional expense in individual depart-

stored separately!

ments:

No production replenishment through pick part pro-

the master data maintenance for raw materials and imple-

cessing

ment a customer-oriented, packaging-controlled logistics

If you provision replacement materials/components in

system for finished goods/trading goods.

HU-managed storage locations and run the production

You should use different storage types for the two

through a WM storage location that does not require

storage locations. This is the only way you can avoid over-

an HU (because it is to be backflushed), no production

laps in the functionality.

replenishment is available to you through pick part

With this configuration you reduce the effort during

Another advantage of combining SUs with HUs is that

processing.

it supports the backflushing in production and for process

No confirmation of the batch

orders, without you having to do without functions of the

If you have made a partial withdrawal from an HU on

WM provisioning, such as pick parts, for instance. The

an HU-managed WM storage location via pick part

missing part processing is also integrated with this variant,

processing for a material with a batch management

and you can manage semifinished products or compo-

requirement, and if you want to assign the remaining

nents directly within supply areas in production, for

quantity of the HU to another work order, the batch

example, by using fixed storage bins.

must already be entered in the order or the reservation

for this material. A confirmation of the batch from WM
to the work order, as for the transfer order (TO) con-

www.sap-press.com 11

Setting the Course at the Start of the Project

No Storage Unit Management and No Handling Unit

industry plays an important special role here because of

Management

the weight-related and volume-related production.

As you no doubt know as an experienced SAP user, it is a

typical beginners error to think that all available func-

Example from the Chemical Industry

tions must be used. The reverse is the case! Please care-

For our sample company from the chemical industry, we

fully check if there are functions provided by the standard

have created the plant CLA1 with the storage locations

system that you can completely avoid. If you can meet

WM and FERT and assigned it to the warehouse number

the requirements of the business without this functional-

CL. For storage location FERT, HUM is activated. Finished

ity, you will achieve the same benefit with drastically

goods and trading goods are stored here, and shipping is

shortened project runtimes.

processed. In storage location WM, raw materials and

In many cases, you can even do without the SUs and

HUs presented above. This is a perfectly common proce-

semifinished products are stored, and the production

supply is run from here (see Figure 1.1).

dure, especially in discrete production. Even without the

In the warehouse number of our sample company, the

use of HUs in warehouse management, you can neverthe-

goods receipt takes place for externally procured goods

less use HUs in shipping (known in earlier releases as ship-

and goods manufactured in-house through the standard

ping units). We will discuss this further in Chapter 5, Pick-

interface storage types 902 and 901. The storage location

ing and Packing, and Chapter 6, Loading and Shipment.

provides information on what sort of material type it is.

Needless to say, this means that you will also lose the

Raw materials and semifinished products use storage

functionality associated with SUs or HUs. The effort and

location WM. They are put away depending on the set-

benefits must be weighed against each other here.

tings in the material master, either directly into production or into the storage types 301 to 303. An I-Point (I3)

Note: Carefully Weigh Your Decision in Favor of SUs

is inserted for storage types 301 to 303. In the event of,

or HUs

for example, missing hazardous substance settings, miss-

We consider this to be especially important and there-

ing storage type or storage section indicators in the mate-

fore stress it here once again: Weigh your decision for

rial master, or capacity bottlenecks in the warehouse, this

or against SUs and/or HUs carefully at the start of the

is intended to ensure error-free forwarding of the materi-

project in this way, you can avoid subsequent

als from goods receipt. Another advantage of the I-Point

expensive changes.

is that you do not unnecessarily block storage bins by

open TOs, although the material has not yet even arrived
in the warehouse. Furthermore, any incorrect entry of the
SU type can still be corrected here.

1.4 Our Sample Companies

Plant CLA1

A company's organizational structure can take a very

wide variety of forms: several plants and storage locations
in one warehouse number, one plant and several storage

Storage Location FERT

locations, and so on. To be able to offer practical exam-

Finished Products with HUM

ples to as many different readers as possible in the limited

Storage Location WM
WM with/without SU

Finished Goods

Raw Semifinished

Shipping

Production Supply

scope of this book, we will look at two sample companies: a company in the chemical industry and a company
from the engineering industry. Aside from many special

Warehouse Number

industry-specific features that we cannot cover here,

CL

most companies from the discrete manufacturing industry will be reflected most closely in the examples from

Figure 1.1 Sample Diagram for IM Organizational Structure in the

engineering (unit of measure: unit). The chemical

Chemical Industry

12 Galileo Press 2008. All rights reserved.

Index

RT_CHECK_LIST Count list for deli-

BAdI 36
LE_WM_RF_QUEUE 99

L_TO_CREATE_TR Create TO for TR

SSCC 11

WESCHEINVERS3 Goods receipt slip

version 3 19
Function module
L_TO_CREATE_MOVE_SU Transfer
order for HU 28

37
SO_NEW_DOCUMENT_SEND_API1

EAN 128 11

SD_PACK_ETIK 78

BAPI 36
L_TO_CANCEL Cancel TO 37

Handling unit number

very 25, 27

Backflushing 11, 33

I
Identification point (I-Point) 12, 19, 48
IDoc 34, 67

SD_DELIVERY_VIEW 78

advance electronic information about

Send message to user 37

Bar code 101

shipments 80
DESADV shipping notification 26

function group LE_BARCODE 101

function group LMSW 101

Goods issue 71, 76

Bar code standard (EAN13) 92

C
Call Transaction process 37
Configure RF user 102
Confirmation

IMG Implementation Guide 91

automatic posting log 78

Inbound delivery
external procurement, for inbound

in manufacturing 33

delivery 24

Goods issue posting

external procurement, with/without

automatic posting 67

SUM 24

Goods receipt 17
external procurement, with active

Inventory count
system-guided 84

SUM 19

user-selected 86

external procurement, without SUM

and HUM 18

send from a shipment 81

automatic posting 76

difference confirmation 45
Crate part 31

send from a delivery 80

Inventory document 83
activate 84, 86

from manufacturing, with full HUM

create 84, 86

49

Data consistency 37

from production, with active SUM 46

Discrete production 12

from production, without SUM and

HUM 44

L
Label

E
EDI message 24

Enhancement

Handling unit (HU) 11, 67

SSCC 43
SU bar code label 48
Loading

MWMRFPRT 78

at shipment level 78

by delivery 68

MWMTO002 TO confirmation 38

inventory 89

HUs by shipment 72

Enter function 102

label 56
non-assigned HU 56

F
Final assembly 39
Form
LVSTAEINZEL Transfer order 19

system-guided, by shipment 73
Loading status

pick HU 56

by delivery 80

shipping HU 53

by HU 80

shipping unit 12
Handling unit management (HUM) 10,

by shipment 79
Logistical decision 43

12, 24, 43

www.sap-press.com 125

Index

LM61 Goods Issue by Delivery 64,

WS_MONITOR_INB_DEL_GDRC

Message determination
message type WE03 (GR cert. vers. 3)
19
Missing part processing 11
Missing quantities 35

69

Goods receipt for deliveries 27

RF menu 102

LM66 Goods Issue by HU 70

RF Monitor 41, 59, 97

LM71 Goods Receipt by Delivery 25

RF queue 18, 40, 58, 59, 97

LM77 Queue Assignment 104

ZZCL1 Create Transfer Order for Ma-

assignment 99

terial Document (Programmed) 19,

capacity monitoring 99

22, 45

logistical load category 107

ZZCL2 Create Transfer Order for Sto-

performance data profile 105

OSS Note

planned time and effort 60

Note 336925 38

rough workload estimate 99

Note 518796 89

setup time 105

Note 897670 27

travel time 105

Output control
for delivery 55

rage Unit (Programmed) 19, 23

planned effort 97, 104

Note 199703 25

ZZCL3 Create Transfer Order for Delivery HU (Programmed) 29

ZZCL4 Post GR and Palletize SU
(Programmed) 46
ZZCL5 Create HU and Post GR (Pro-

unit of measure load category 106

grammed) 49

warehouse operation 108

warehouse process 109

RFID 39

workload calculation 99

Route optimization 63

RF transaction

Packing instruction 29, 49, 56

LM00 Logon RF 104

Pick and Pack scenario 53

LM01 Dynamic Menu 102

Pick list 10, 35, 39, 53, 97

LM02 Select by SU Put Away 19,

SAP Inventory Management (IM) 9

Pick part 31, 39

processing 11
Picking Stock removal
Picking status 71
Picking strategy
large/small quantities control 58

22
LM03 Put Away by TO 44, 91
18
LM04 Put Away System Guided

Presentation format 102

LM06 Picking by Delivery ID 55,

Production supply
bundling 40
overdelivery 32
posting change 34
prioritization 40
return transfer 33
self-service 39
stock removal 32
stock transfer in production 33
underdelivery 32

9, 17
Screen management 102
Shipment 57, 59, 71

18, 44
LM05 Picking by TO ID 32, 63

Production replenishment 11

SAP Warehouse Management (WM) 5,

LM03 Putaway After Transfer Order

Prefabrication 38
Presentation variant 102

SAP Note OSS Note

status 74
Shipping label 78
printing with a shipping document 79

63

printing without a shipping document

LM07 Picking System Guided 32,

60

79
Stock removal 53

LM30 Load Control Load by Shipment 72

system-guided 35, 40
Storage type 901 (production GR zone)

LM31 Load Control Load by Delivery 68

45, 46
Storage unit (SU) 10

LM32 Load Control System Guided

homogeneous 10, 22

Load 73

inhomogeneous 10, 22, 25

LM35 Load Control Detail by Ship-

number range 19

ping Unit 80
LM36 Load Control Detail by Deli-

storage unit number 46

Storage unit management (SUM) 10,

very 80
LM37 Load Control Detail by Ship-

ment 79

Release order 31

LM45 Pick and Pack 62

Report

LM46 Pick and Pack by Delivery 64

RLAUTA20 Automatic TO Creation

for Delivery 55
RM06EANL Create inbound delivery
collective run 24, 26

126 Galileo Press 2008. All rights reserved.

LM50 Count Inventory by System

Guided 83, 84
LM51 Count Inventory by User Selection 84, 86

19, 43
Storage unit number 10
SU labels 19
Supply area 11

T
Transfer order
automatic generation 18, 46

Index

confirm with difference 62

confirmation 18, 22

User exit

WM palletization data 19

for storage unit 32

TO confirmation 35

to storage unit 23
transfer order form 46

WM-PP interface 34

transfer order lists 44

transfer order split for each material

Verification 91

18
Transfer priority 40

WM provisioning 11

destination storage bin 45

Z
Zero inventory 87

source SU verification 61

Transfer requirement 31, 35

www.sap-press.com 127

ISBN 978-1-59229-126-7

1st edition 2008

2008 by Galileo Press GmbH
SAP PRESS is an imprint of Galileo Press,
Boston (MA), USA
Bonn, Germany
Editor Frank Paschen
Copy Editor Dan Birks, UCG, Inc., Boston, MA
Cover Design Vera Brauner
Production Steffi Ehrentraut
Printed in Germany

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