Multiple Storage Locations and Plants into same Physical stocks

[RobA]

Hi Everyone,

We are using ECC 6.0 EHP5 with IM for warehouse.

We are in blueprint phase for a WM (not eWM) roll out and have hit a challenge.

Current Physical Structure:

One warehouse

Pick Faces

Bulk Storage

Current Logical Structure:

Plant A > SLOC 1

Plant B > SLOC 1 | SLOC 2 | SLOC 3

Purchase orders buy the stock into specific logical plant / sloc

Sales orders despatch stock from specific logical plant/sloc

We logically need to separate the stock into specific SLOC, this is due to MRP and logical segregation reasons

HOWEVER All stock of same material is physically mixed together, irrespective of SLOC/ Plant

example:

Material 1001 Total stock = 1000 PC

400 PC Plant A | SLOC1

100 PC Plant B | SLOC2

500 PC Plant B | SLOC3

In WM would face a challenge of inefficient replenishment and picking, due to the logical structures.

To be clear, we do not care which Plant/Sloc the stock is picked from, because everything is physically mixed then it can be a combination.

Due to space constraints we cannot physically separate stock.

QUESTION -  Can eWM overcome this limitation i.e. we can assign multiple s.locs from the same plant into the same warehouse and not face issues with picking/replenishment?

Appreciate any help

thanks

Rob

[rchowdhury · Accepted solution]

Rob

For multiple plants you can consider separate party entitled within the same warehouse. For single plant multiple SLOC connected to same EWM you will need a set of stock types for each availability group. You can also look into Badi: /SCWM/EX_ERP_STOCK_MAPPING.

Regards

Rana

[RobA · Accepted solution]

Hi Rana,

Thanks for prompt reply.

Forgive me as I am very new in SAP WM terminology etc.

For single plant Multi SLOC scenario, can I map these into the same WMS attribute (stock type) and it would therefore not be restricted by the ERP storage location.

example:

Mapping between ERP and eWM:

Plant A SLOC 1 = Stock Type X

Plant A SLOC 2 = Stock Type X

Plant A SLOC 3 = Stock Type X

If yes, then will this remove any operational bottle necks by keeping all same materials physically mixed ?

thanks

Rob

[rchowdhury · Accepted solution]

Satish

Yes you can. As long as the deliveries are dropping via relevant storage location you should be able to pick them. Key is when you configure availability group for each storage location you must have all stock types that representing unrestricted (Fx) quality (Qx) and blocked (Sx) etc. These will increase depending on your approach of two storage location solution (e.g. ROD and AFS). In that case you will have pair of each stock types, one representing stock in putaway another for available stock.

As for example In standard system you have:

0001 F1 FF Unrestricted-Use Stock N Normal Stock

0001 F2 FF Unrestricted-Use Stock N Normal Stock

for the second storage location you must have:

0002  Fa FF Unrestricted-Use Stock N Normal Stock

0002   Fb FF Unrestricted-Use Stock N Normal Stock

Have this mapped to the availability group for that sloc (0002)

Regards

Rana

[RobA · Accepted solution]

Hi Rana,

Thank you so much for confirming that this is possible in eWM.

Final question - With ECC-WM (not eWM) is it possible to overcome this issue (storing physical stocks together but logically belonging in multiple plant/sloc combinations) ?

thanks

[jagdeepsingh83]

All the stocks from different plant and sloc can be managed in single WM.  Materials in WM are managed at Quant level and each quant belogs to Warehouse, Material, Plant and Sloc combination. All these quants are stored in table LQUA.

I do not think MRP will impact if all materials are managed in Single WM. You can MRP at Plant level or MRP area levels (SLOCs).. MRP run does not executed at WM level.

Thanks,

Jagdeep

[RobA]

Hi Jagdeep,

I appreciate that WM can natively handle as you described.

My question is really about the issues caused by the fact we do not physically hold stock separately, yet we logically hold in different plants/slocs.

For example:

Bin A | Quantity 50  PC | Plant A | SLOC 1001

Bin A | Quantity 50  PC | Plant A | SLOC 1002

Bin B | Quantity 100 PC | Plant A | SLOC 1002

Sales order: 100 PC | Plant A | SLOC 1002

WM will advise pick 50 PC from Bin A and 50 PC from bin B, this is inefficient

A human picker would want to pick all 100 PC from bin A

It also throws up challenges in the replenishment strategy etc.

Effectively I need WM to ignore the SLOC and instruct the picker to pick all 100 PC from Bin A.

From my understanding, EWM can handle this (as per Rana comments)

I want to know is ECC-WM can handle this (this is what we are implementing)

If ECC-WM cannot handle, then I seriously need to consider E-WM

many thanks

Rob

[jagdeepsingh83]

if your sales order get created on right plant and Sloc in first case then you will not have this issue.. If you are going to use availability check in sales order  or delivery creation then system will automatically tell while entering the plant in Sales order then full stock is not available.

There certain set of strategires you can build in WM as well to meet your requirement.

Plant is mandatory in sales order.. you can skip the plant but you can determine the storage bin using some customization in WM. 

EWM is also very strong system but delivery created for plant A .. will not fulfilled from Plant B stock.. I hope I got it right and tried to explain.

[former_member193471]

Niether WM nor EWM Support your requirement.

I would suggest you to maintain all the stock under one plant, create the other as just reference plant.

For MRP Segregation at Storage location level, use MRP Areas.

Regards,

Sathish

[RobA]

Hi Satish,

Our SAP partner has given us a solution which uses multiple SLOCs and MRP areas (with same name) - we run MRP at SLOC level - there are good reasons for this which are not in scope of the question.

We cannot put all the stock into same plant / sloc because we need to logically keep it separate. But we do not want to cause issues within the WM processes

With regard to the question, would the eWM facilitate our structure?

Rob