Follow-Up and Replacement Articles in SAP Retail

[Former Member]

Hi everybody,

Iu2019m using SAP Retail and I need to maintain Follow-Up and Replacement Articles.

Iu2019ve created the Follow-Up Categories in the customizing and Iu2019ve assigned replacement article to the original article in transaction WRFFUART.

Does anyone know how the subsequent process works? If I create a Purchase Order or a Sales Order to the original article, does the system automatically replace it by the replacement Article? Iu2019ve tested this but there was no substitution.

Thanks in advance,

SN

[former_member198994 · Accepted solution]

Hi SN,

Substitution profile controls the behavior of article substitution. You can make necessary customizing setting for the substitution profile in the SAP Implementation Guide (IMG) for Logistics u2013 General under Material Master - Retail-Specific Settings - Settings for Follow-Up/Replacement Material - Edit Substitution Profiles.

Generally, Event Control and Time Control triggers the subsitution of the article. This are the kind of replacements possible:

1) Event-controlled replacement of an original article with a follow-up article (permanent replacement, in case there is insufficient merchandise in the distribution center)

2) Time-controlled replacement of an original article with a follow-up article (permanent replacement as of a specified date)

3) Event-controlled replacement of an original article with a replacement article (temporary replacement, in case there is insufficient merchandise in the distribution center; return switchover to the original article after the end of the switchover period at the latest)

Do let me know what kind of you are looking for.

Regards,

Raja Muthusamy

[Former Member]

Hi Raja Murthy

Same error i am facing. I have not found Substitution profile under this Path

Regards

Vijai

[barbara_wessela]

Hi SN,

the actual substitution occurrs in the outbound delivery only. Depending on the scenario that is configured, the trigger for the substitution can be time-controlled (for follow-up only) or event-controlled which acutally means not sufficient or zero stock (ATP check).

The substitution in the outbound delivery can happen in background or can be performed manually by executing a worklist (ta WSUBST_WORKLIST) - this depends on customizing.

Process steps:

ME21N (stock transfer order)

VL10B -> outbound delivery

Execute worklist or let it be done in background

as a result, you will find a new line item in the delivery, PO will be updated accordingly.

Best regards

Barbara

[Former Member]

Hi Barbara,

I am right now in same situation, the follow up article does not appear as a line item, in outbound delivery.

Let me know whether the below has any relvance to Follow Up or replacement article

In MM42, in logistics view DC and store in RP/ forecast data

Discontinutation Indicator, I used u201C1u201D

Follow up article : I had put the substitute article , which is follow up article.

Effective Out Date: Todayu2019s dat

Or just creating realtionship in Tcode WRFFUART is enough,

Can you give some more explanation to this or do you have a document or screen shots which can be shared or reference to links on help.sap.com for WSUBST_WORKLIST or detail on on how a new line item appears in the outbound delivery

Regards

Bobby

[Former Member]

Hi Barbara,

I am analysing the functions for Follow-Up and Replacement Articles in SAP Retail ECC 6.0 Ehp. 3. I created Substitution profiles (SPRO: Logistics u2013 General -> Material Master -> Retail-Specific Settings -> Settings for Follow-Up/Replacement Material -> Maintain Follow-Up Categories) and assigned replacement article to the original article in transaction (WRFFUART). I also activated Substitution Processing and Start Replacement logic in Background (SPRO: Logistics u2013 General -> Substitution Processing -> Activate/Process Substitution Processing).

I tested the process steps you posted (ME21N, VL10B, WSUBST_WORKLIST). There was no automatically substitution after creating the outbound delivery. And the transaction WSUBST_WORKLIST just shows u201CNo data available for selectionu201D.

I analysed the application and found the table WSUBST_WORKLIST. It handles the entries for substitutions. It was empty. When I fill the table manually with data and run the WSUBST_WORKLIST the outbound delivery and the purchase order have a new position with the follow-up article but the original article is still there, unchanged.

Why did the substitution not start automatically in background and why is the original article still in the purchase order and outbound delivery?

It is also interesting, that the material quantity changed. The purchase order includes five units of the original article and the substituted article has a quantity of eight. I guess the reason is a rounding value for procurement.

The ERP 2005 documentation on help.sap.com ([Assigning Follow-Up and Replacement Articles ERP 2005|http://help.sap.com/erp2005_ehp_02/helpdata/en/a2/7c936660dc4da09a3a1d08ee7eeca2/frameset.htm]) describes a conversation factor for the units of measure of the original article and substitution article for each assignment. In the ECC 6.0 documentation ([Assigning Follow-Up and Replacement Articles ECC 6.0|http://help.sap.com/saphelp_erp60_sp/helpdata/en/a2/7c936660dc4da09a3a1d08ee7eeca2/frameset.htm]) this is missing. In the system I also could not find any type of conversation factor for Follow-Up and Replacement Articles.

Is this option not available in ECC 6.0 or where can I find it?

[barbara_wessela]

Hi Henrik,

1. If you activate the replacement logic in background, you will hardly find an entry in the substitution worklist, because this worklist will then be processed immediately. However, since you haven't got a replacement in your PO and outbound delivery, the substitution obviously did not take place ;-). Well, possible reasons might be sufficient stock or a positive ATP check. Try MD04 for stock availability and check the availabilty check that is assigned to the article (logistic data DC). If it is an error, you need to create an error ticket.

2. Your workaround led to the correct system reaction: PO and outbound delivery get new line items in order not to lose the info about the original article because this information is still relevant and also can be traced in BI, for instance. However, in the PO, the original line item will get the status completed (see item details), that is, it's no more relevant. In the Outbound delivery, the quantity of the original item will be zero (or alternatively what's left in stock, depending on customizing).

3. I'm wondering why the replacement was 8 new for 5 old items - sounds a little strange but needs closer inspection in the system. Maybe there was not more available (there is something like an inventory check possible for the replacement product, see customizing), or, as you said, it has something to do with optimization (minimum order quantity or so).

4. The conversion factor is in the assignment, ta WRFFUART and available in ERP 6.0 EhP II and higher (maybe also lower). Meaning for example: replace 1 bottle of cola (1ltr.) with 2 bottles of cola (0.5 ltr).

Best regards

Barbara

[Former Member]

Hi Barbara, thank you a lot for the detailed and fast answer.

to 1. I checked the stock availability and the availability check in the article. Both are correct.

to 2. The Workaround sadly did not lead to the correct system reaction. Because the original item line in the PO is unchanged, it has not the status completed. And the quantity of the original item is not zero in the outbound delivery, it is also unchanged. There is just a new position with the substitution article.

to 3. The replacement with eight items is solved. The reason is a rounding value of four in the articleu2019s master data (logistic: store).

to 4. I am wondering, because I often read the conversion factor can be set in the transaction WRFFUART. Maybe I can not see the wood for the trees, but I did not find any kind of conversion factor there.

I have put a screenshot of the WRFFUART of my system for download on www.rapidshare.com ([screenshot WRFFUART|http://rapidshare.com/files/269751706/WRFFUART.PNG.html]).

The link only can be used for ten downloads. Alternatively I can send you a mail with the screenshot.

Because of the amount of problems with that functionality in my system, is it possible that some needed SAP Business Functions are not activated? Maybe a list of all necessary SAP Business Functions for Follow-Up and Replacement Articles could help there.

Best regards,

Hendrik

[barbara_wessela]

Hi Hendrik,

Referring to your list of questions:

To 2. the workaround cannot completely work because some of the functions (such as order item completion) happen right before the worklist generation; you have to make the determination logic react. My suggestion: try a follow-up article with time-control (that is: a certain date at which the follow-up is to be used instead of the original article). As a result, you will be able to see whether the problem lies in the ATP check.

To 4. Please make sure your system is up to date concerning support packages; maybe a specific SAP note is lacking, however, this function has been available for a really long time.

To your screenshot: you told me you were doing replacement, however, the screenshot showed up an follow-on assignment

To the Business functions: you nee ISR_RETAIL_PLANNING and ISR_RETAIL_SCM

Further ideas:

- Did you really use the right order document type???? It should be UB by standard. Check in customizing, which document type was activated in customizing for the substitution function! Only this will work.

- You can see in ta slg1 (application log) whether there are system messages that might help you analyze the situation. Choose WSUBST as object.

Would you please create an OSS ticket once you tested my suggestions and still face problems. This will then need investigation in your system.

Best regards

Barbara

[Former Member]

Hi Hendrik,

Did you find solution? I have same problem like what you mentioned.

[norberto_dangla]

Hello:

 I have similar problem when I execute transaction VL10B, the substitution is not done for deliveries of more tthan 300 or 400 items, when I do the same test but with 30 or 50 items in STO, the substitution is executed
correctly.

Regards

Norberto 

[Former Member]

Per SAP's online help, it seems follow-up/Replacement's configuration shoule have a event and time control parameter

http://help.sap.com/erp2005_ehp_03/helpdata/EN/a5/8753af1bcc4d4a82c1089865044a2a/frameset.htm

But acutally, I didn't find it in my system.

[Former Member]

Hi Barbara

I have also gone through the link, so through substituion profiles, in control type column in IMG we can control, time and event, in case there are insuffcient stocks of original article in DC.

But, I am referring to your solution, in case of STO created through ME21N and then VL10B for replinshment delivery, so once delivery number is generated, I had run WSUBST_WORKLIST, this does not give any output, so how do we get a new line item of followup article or replacement article in the outbound delivery, I am not getting that despite of doing settings of STO in IMG as well as for event control and time controlled. So I still need to "see to believe".

You mentioned that it works, will it be possible to send a link or share a document mentioning about line item in outbound delivery, that will be great.

Await your reply.

Thanks

Bobby

Edited by: Bobby _Retail on Jul 8, 2009 11:19 AM

[barbara_wessela]

Hi Bobby,

It is hard to say what's wrong in your scenario without checking your data. It could be the customizing (e.g. wrong quantitiy control), it could be the availablitiy check of the article, it could be the inventory situation etc. The worklist only collects entries if the substitution is configured that way that it doesn't start in background (which would be the case in an operative system). Please find a document attached containing all settings and steps you could check.

We offer the knowledge about substitution in ERP in connection with SAP Forecasting and Replenishment (SAP F&R) in a detailed workshop: W26FRF which you can find in the service.sap.com/retail page.

Best regards

Barbara

Edited by: Barbara Wessela on Sep 4, 2009 11:17 AM

[Former Member]

Hi Barbara,

Which SAP version you are refering to, in your document. In ECC 6.0 I couldn't see "Process Substitution Profiles" and "Material Substitution - Application-Specific Control" transactions in SPRO, as you have mentioned.

Regards, Ramki

[barbara_wessela]

Hi Ramki,

you need SAP ERP 6.0 for Retail, Enhancement Package 2 or higher, at least if you want to use the Substitution Scenario in connection with SAP Forecasting and Replenishment 5.1. However, the replacement logic has been available for Retail only already before. Maybe sometimes only the terms have changed and substitution was previously named "follow-up/replacement" and probably the profile was named "category". The menu path should actually be the same in SPRO: Logistics General - Material Master - Retail-specific settings, Logistics General - Substitution processing and for F&R in Integration with other SAP components - forecasting and Replenshment - Maintain basic settings for data transfer.

Hope this helps,

best regards

Barbara

[barbara_wessela]

The questions were answered in a very detailled way and with many additional hints. If the problem still occurs, further investigation by consultants or support might be the right way.

Edited by: Barbara Wessela on Sep 4, 2009 11:19 AM