VLMOVE 321 with nested Handling Unit

[Former Member]

Hi

I have the following situation:

- Handling Unit active

- WM active (with Storage Unit)

- QM not active

I have nested HUs:

.1 HU001

...2 HU002

......3 Material A, Batch B1, quantity 10 pcs in inspection stock

...2 HU003

......3 Material A, Batch B2, quantity 20 pcs in inspection stock

In WM, I have only HU001.

The first question is: Is possible to manage lower-level HU as Storage Unit in WM? I mean, can I have HU002 and HU003 as storage unit number instead of HU001 in WM?

The second is: when I try to post HU002 to unrestricted-use stock (with VLMOVE 321), SAP posts the higher HU in unrestricted-use stock, changing also the stock of HU003 (Material A Batch B2).

I don't want it because Batch B2 isn't inspected!!

I think that I could unpack HU001, posting change to HU002 and then repack, but this process is very time expensive and it should be done automatically by interface from an external LIMS.

Have you got any idea?

If I activate QM-IDI interface (with inspection lots), could it be possible?

many thanks

mic

[Former Member]

I fully agree with you regarding the integration of HUM into QM but still, I am a bit disappointed that the transfer order cannot be created with reference to the inbound delivery...

Anyway, now we know the truth.

[Former Member]

Baseer, Mic,

After doing some more tests I had to realize that if the goods receipt and the usage decision are posted prior to the putaway of the HU-storage units, the transfer order(s) cannot be created with reference to the inbound delivery (error message no. L3 898). OSS note no. 1024779 states that the reference to the inbound delivery is deleted from table LEIN after the very first physical or logical movement of the HU-SU - which could be a transfer posting, for example, like in our scenario.

If the putaway in WM is completed prior to the goods receipt posting, the transfer posting triggered by the usage decision leads to the creation of an outbound delivery. The actual transfer posting thus needs to be carried out by creating transfer orders posting goods issue for the delivery.

I personally think that neither the one nor the other option is actually very convenient...

Best regards,

Christiane

[Former Member]

I did not want to mention it earlier but I guess you have made a conclusion already.

To my personal experience Quality Inspection with UD does not fit well with HUM. I never got a clear answer from SAP on this issue and had to build work arounds to our problems arising due to this. All this was done quite some time ago so I was optimistic that perhaps SAP HUM and UD integration has improved over the releases. But as per your findings it looks pretty much in the same condition.

Thanks a ton for sharinig your findings.

[Former Member]

removed duplicate

Edited by: Abdul Baseer on Feb 18, 2010 11:34 AM

[Former Member]

removed duplicate

Edited by: Abdul Baseer on Feb 18, 2010 11:34 AM

[Former Member]

removed duplicate

Edited by: Abdul Baseer on Feb 18, 2010 11:33 AM

[Former Member]

Mic,

Yes, the transfer posting works the same way if the HU-storage location is assigned to a warehouse number. I just made an additional entry in view V_TVLR so that the goods receipt for the inbound delivery could be posted before putaway was completed.

And yes, the "Insp. for HU" indicator is set in order to have the inspection lots created automatically after saving the inbound delivery with its HUs.

Best regards,

Christiane

[Former Member]

Thanks for the efforts Christiane!

Having to post GR before putaway may not be acceptable to every one. Particularly if you are required to report the actual putaway quantity to the inbound delivery and then post a GR.

On the other hand I can imagine a delayed GR i.e. after putaway or may be later in case of inspection lots can be a nightmare situation for WM.

As far as I know HUM with inspection lots is a weak point in SAP.

Cheers

[Former Member]

Dear Mic,

I tested the solution you proposed and it worked - at least for a purchasing process. If you would like to test it yourself, just change the inspection set-up of your material by setting the indicator X ("For each purchase order item, batch and storage location") in the "Control insLot" field. The system will then create separate inspection lots for each batch individually packed in a carton being part of a nested HU. When you create the usage decision for one of the inspection lots, the content of the subordinate HU (the carton) will be posted to unrestricted use while the other subordinate HUs will remain in quality inspection stock.

Best regards,

Christiane

Edited by: Christiane Schnellenbach on Feb 12, 2010 9:36 AM

[Former Member]

Hi Christiane,

Thank you very much for your cooperation.

You give me a good news!

I'll test it in my system.

Only 2 questions: In your test,

- have you got WM with storage unit active?

- what about "Insp.for HU" indicator in QM material master data? Have you activated it?

thank you again!

regards

mic

[Former Member]

Dear Mic,

I'm afraid that opening an OSS ticket is useless. As already stated by Baseer, this is standard behaviour. Working with Batch Management and QM, you had better not pack different batches into the same HU - precisely because in Handling Unit Management, all transfer postings always refer to the entire HU.

Best regards,

Christiane

[Former Member]

Hi Christiane

thank you.

I know that is better not pack different batches into the same HU, but in order to optimize spaces in my warehouses I have to do it.

Different Batches are packed in different HUs (suppose cartons) but I have the same HU as higher (suppose pallet).

I don't pack different batches in the same carton.

I don't know why SAP couldn't change this logic. I think that it is a high restiction.

If I activate inspection lots in QM could I create one inspection lot for each carton (HU)?

If so, when I'll take the decision, will SAP manage stock correctly even if cartons HU are packed in pallet HU?

thank you very much for your time.

regards

mic

[Former Member]

Hi Mic

Answer to your first question: No it is not possible to manage lower level HUs in WM. Its only the Higher most HU that is copied to WM as an equivalent of Storage Unit. WM will have no idea of the lower level HUs.

The next behavior is a standard one. SAP will post everything in lower level HUs from blocked to unrestricted.

Only way is to do an unpack, posting change and repack. If you are required to do this automatically then it is much easier, you can write custom program to do these three postings in the interface. Doing it manually is very painful.

Hope this helps.

Regards

Baseer

[Former Member]

Hi Abdul

Thank you for your answer.

I think that this behaviour (change stock for all nested HU) isn't a correct process.

It is very dangerous! SAP changes stock of a material/batch that isn't been inspected and for what I hadn't requested it!

If noone will give me another kind of answer, I'll open a OSS message.

Thank you very much for your time.

regards

mic