Decentralized SAP with SAP, MFBF, Auto Confirm

[Former Member]

All,

I have a few questions around decentralized SAP.

We are interested in using decentralized SAP with SAP. In other words, there will be no 3rd party WMS. There will be the main SAP box and then another SAP DWMS instance. Is this possible? Does anyone have any experience with it? If so, please share your experience.

Additional Questions:

1. Perform transaction MFBF (repetitive manufacturing) in the Decentralized SAP instance. Can a user use transaction MFBF in the decentralized SAP instance?

If yes, would it create IDOCs and send them to the main SAP and do they post in the main SAP automatically or would they have to be confirmed?

2. If inventory adjustments are made in the decentralized SAP instance (ex: MB1C, MB1B, MB1C), does the DWMS SAP create and send IDOCs to the main SAP and do they post automatically in the main SAP?

3.  When anything is done in the main SAP which impacts inventory then it creates an inbound/outbound delivery in the main SAP and distributes it to the DWMS to confirm. However, what happens when the the DWMS changes inventory levels (Goods Issues, Receipts, Transfer Postings)?

4. Are there any DWMS specific transactions? If yes, what are they?

5. Is there a way to auto confirm or prevent some confirmations?

Please advise.

Thanks in advance.

[Former Member]

If you only have one or two plants running SAP I would not personally recommend DWM. In my opinion the negatives out weight the positives unless you have many sites.

DWM positives:From a security perspective DWM is great because you can strictly limit the updates that you allow posted in your main ERP system through rules in your interface, only starting the interface services for select IDOC types for select updates and there is the added benefit of having WM in a separate system in case your main system goes down, you can still do most warehouse processes independently (although all posting updates in the main system would be delayed until your main system comes back up).

DWM negatives: all communication between systems is done VIA IDOC (that answers question numbers 2 and 3 - IDOCs for everything) Interfaces can be prone to failure and delays....simply put why add additional points of possible system failure when they would not be required at all without DWM.

Sorry but question number 5 is just to vague to give a good response. I can say: you can set strict rules in the actual interface to allow some postings and set others to failed status in the interface to avoid any updates in the main system.

So my experience is that SAP-WM operates quite effectively and DWM can be problematic if you see interface errors (not to mention the added man hours spent monitoring the interface because you need to make sure your updates are flowing between systems). For me, it really comes down to resource consumption on your main system, if its to great you need DWM if not I would stay away.

Don't get me wrong, SAP is excellent centralized warehouse management or decentralized, , my comments should be considered generic for any interfaced system.

[JuergenPitz]

Hi,

generally: yes, it is possible. Except the TA MFBF, because that would still be in your central system, not in your WM. And before asking to many detailed questions, maybe you should read through this first:Decentralized Warehouse Management (LE-IDW) - SAP Library

Brgds

Juergen

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[Former Member]

I did read the SAP help and many other DWMS documents before posting my questions.

I felt they were valid follow up questions which were not clearly discussed, explained, and/or understood.

We would like to do MFBF in the WM not in the central system. We don't use production orders or inbound deliveries.  Additionally, we would like to perform transfer postings in the DWMS as well.

I had additional questions as well which I did not ask. If you know the answers to the questions, it would be appreciated if you could share your responses against each question.

ex:

1. Perform transaction MFBF (repetitive manufacturing) in the Decentralized SAP instance. Can a user use transaction MFBF in the decentralized SAP instance? 

No this is not possible

If yes, would it create IDOCs and send them to the main SAP and do they post in the main SAP automatically or would they have to be confirmed?

2. If inventory adjustments are made in the decentralized SAP instance (ex: MB1C, MB1B, MB1C), does the DWMS SAP create and send IDOCs to the main SAP and do they post automatically in the main SAP?

3.  When anything is done in the main SAP which impacts inventory then it creates an inbound/outbound delivery in the main SAP and distributes it to the DWMS to confirm. However, what happens when the the DWMS changes inventory levels (Goods Issues, Receipts, Transfer Postings)?

4. Are there any DWMS specific transactions? If yes, what are they?

No

5. Is there a way to auto confirm or prevent some confirmations?

Changes initiated in the DWM do not need a confirmation and automatically post in the central SAP.

Thanks for your time and help.