Help to solve issue - one item number but two non complimentary packaging types

[Former Member]

Hi,

We are currently implementing SAP APO for Purchase Planning.

We have an issue that some of our packaging materials are used at different production facilities even under the same plant, but while facility X can only handle the material if it is delivered in special plastic boxes, all other facilities can handle the material if delivered in normal cardboard boxes. This means that even though it is the same material number, it is not interchangeable between the production facilities due to the difference in the boxes in which it is delivered.

For our planning solution we need to somehow tell the system which quantitiy is in plastic boxes and which is in cardboard boxes, so that we don't run out of stock of the item in either one of the box types. We have explored the following options, but would like to know if there are other ways to handle this situation in APO without having to do development.

1. Create new material numbers - Steering committee says no

2. Create a new plant for the plastic boxes - we would rather not do this

3. Develop APO to be able to plan on storage location level so we can split the flow within plants - Steering committee says no

4. Install re-packaging machines at the production sites - a rather large investment and we would very much like to solve this technically.

Looking forward to your comments/ideas.

br

Jannik

[Former Member]

The great solution could be different material as Jorge Palacio mentioned but i believe you will differentiate the stock in ECC through implementation of Batch Stock (Stock in Plastic boxes) and Normal Cardboard boxes right.

If the above one is true, through enhancement the following can be done

1. Still need to have dummy material code for each material (have a custom table for mapping) in ECC and ensure accounting view is not extended for these materials

2. CIF those dummy code to APO and in APO we will have 2 material code to seperate for planning purpose

3. through CIF enhancement 2 types of stock can be made to refelect between the 2 material code and after planning run and while publishing back to ECC again through CIF enahancement the same can be made reflected to single Material Number in which business wanted to transact.

The dummy material number is only for planning purpose and is used only in APO box to differentiate 2 stock.

[Former Member]

Thanks Ramesh!

I will run your suggestion by our Tech guys and hear what they say. I will let you know if this solution is viable.

The thing is that we need APO to create production dependent demand for both packaging types even though it is the same material number. So when we get demand from plant A it has to trigger a purchase requisition for the material in plastic boxes and when we get demand from plant B it has to trigger a demand for the material in cardboard boxes.

In another system we have separated the purchasing flows via storage locations, but as this is not possible in APO we have an issue. How about transportation lanes? Bear in mind that I'm no APO expert, so sorry if the questions are naive 😉

br

Jannik

[Former Member]

A great solution is to create new material numbers. Why the committee says no? Because it would be require to change all the BOMs?

How do you manage the purchase orders? The two types of materials are purchased to the same provider?

Other solution (not the best, in my opinion): If you require the system to use the same material number you could plan the generic material in APO, and after that use a report to identify how much of the planned quantity needs special plastic boxes and how much needs normal cardboard boxes. That implies to manage your business requirement out of the system.