Batch Determination not using correct Storage Location

[Former Member]

Greetings SAP experts,

I'm having a problem with Batch Determination and multiple Storage Locations.

The distribution company has one plant and two storage locations : ST01 for the regular inventory, and ST99 for short-dated inventory.  Stock in both locations is generally Unrestricted.

For automatic stock determination, only ST01 should ever be considered.  A user must manually maintain ST99 in the sales order, if the customer is agreeable to receiving some short-dated stock at a discounted price.  This part of the process seems to be working fine.  The outbound deliveries always propose location ST01, unless ST99 has been specified at the sales order.

However, the problems arise during Batch Determination and creation of the WM transfer order.  Because the company uses a basic FEFO strategy, the SAP WMS is always trying to select the short-dated batches from ST99, regardless that the delivery has specified ST01.

How can I configure the Batch Determination so that it always respects the Storage Location that has been specified in the delivery?

Tips and suggestions are very appreciated and will be rewarded.

Cheers,

Message was edited by: G Lakshmipathi

Please avoid this text whenever you post a thread here

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hi, you can check 'define storage location control' in LE-->WM-->Interfaces-->inventory mgmt path.

In control of assignment uncheck 'do not copy st Loc' option. This will allow flow of storage location specified in reference document to TO.

Also you can specify storage loc reference for wh number.

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Thanks Karuna.

I've looked at the settings you described, and they are already correct, i.e. unchecked.

It appears that the Batch Determination behaviour is over-riding this.  Even if the delivery and T/O initially propose the default storage location (ST01), the batch search strategy is selecting the shortest dated batch, even if it's in a different storage location (ST99).

I think I'll need to alter this strategy somehow.

If anyone has faced a similar situation, I'd be interested in hearing about it.

[JL23 · Accepted solution]

The batch determination in WM is not really powerful, SAP says already in help.sap.com it is "relatively general "

I would suggest to move the batch determination into the delivery instead.

Can it be that you already use the modification from OSS note 769036 - WM batch determination: Sorting according to expiry date

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hi Josh,

Include Storage Location in the access sequence of warehouse management strategy types & use the same in WM search procedure. Assign the same to warehouse.  (LG -->Batch Management -->Batch determination & batch check--> Access sequences -->Define WM access seq)

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hi Jurgen,

I can't find any evidence of that modification having been applied here.

And I do agree about doing batch determination in SD instead.  Unfortunately the client is nervous about any major changes to their batch management processes (requires lots of high level sign-off and GMP approvals etc etc), so they ruled that out earlier on.

I'm stuck with doing things at the WM level for now.

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hi Karuna,

Thanks --- I had tried this basic approach, (the configuration of the Condition Tables and Access Sequences and Strategy Types) and was not seeing any difference in the results, hence my original question.  I thought there must be something else I was missing.

Anyway, the issue is now resolved.

It turns out that the company was using a highly customised TO picking strategy, via a user exit in the SAPLXLTO area, and it was this non-standard code which was interfering with the basic setup I was attempting.

Their search strategy did not allow for a situation with stock in multiple Storage Locations - with a few modifications, it's now working as planned.

Many thanks both of you for your help.

Kind regards,

Josh