WM Putaway scanario with tracking of Empty Pallets(SU)

[Former Member]

Hello Gurus

Hoping you are doing well! I need your expert advise on following business requirement.

"WM Putaway scanario with tracking of Empty Pallets(SU)"

GR-101 is posted for Empty Pallets (packaging material - stock able item), Putaway into SU Managed storage type call (Pallets). System issues SU # for each pallet (Receiving of empty pallet is one time activity). When Raw materials are received from the external supplier, GR 101 is posted, For WM putaway for raw material into SU Managed storage type (Raw12) following is business requirement.

Step 1) Transfer of Empty pallet for palletizing. Via RF Scanner\Mobile , Transfer of empty pallet(SU) from SU managed type(Pallets)  to >  non-SU managed type (filling) . Result: (A) SU # is free from pallet packaging material. (B) In system pallet packaging material is transferred into non-SU managed type called (filling)

Step 2) Load incoming Raw material in above free SU\Pallet # , And putaway in type Raw12(Su managed).  Via RF Scanner, Create putaway TO (902 to Raw12) for raw material with reference to WM-TR, (A) Scan above empty pallet\SU # in destination storage unit. ( SU barcode already pasted on pallet) (B) destination bin determined by the WM putaway strategy , (C)  as UOM is KG, entering weight after weighting. Result: raw material putaway in type Raw12, in above empty pallet.

Question 1,  for step 2, Can we develop a custom RF scanner transaction?

Step 3) same raw material is issued to the production (PSA 100) Result: Same pallet\SU is empty completely. SU # is free from raw material

Step 4) Transfer back Empty Pallet to> type Pallets (SU Managed) from type filling (Non-SU managed)

Via RF scanner, create & confirm new TO for transfer same Pallet packaging material on same pallet \ SU #. to empty pallet type (pallets-SU managed) , just free from raw material after issuing to production. Result: Same pallet \ SU # is kept from step 1 to Step 4 

Question 2,  for step 4, can we develop a custom RF scanner transaction?

Question 3 = Big Question Is this a efficient mapping of this requirement ?   OR   Do you have some other suggestion \solution for mapping such scenario?  Business wants to keep the track of Empty pallets (SU) in WM system.  & Business wants to use the same pallet\SU # in its lifecycle.  Is this a good Business requirement?

Thanks in advance for your advise.

Thanks

Semab

[Former Member]

Hello Semab,

I read through the query a couple times and I still have difficulty understanding. I will do my best 🙂

You want to maintain your physical pallets as stock on hand in SAP inventory.

Based on my understanding Pallet = Packaging material and SU = Storage unit, so in your process you will have both the packaging material and the RAW inside a single SU.

In step one you mention transferring the pallet/SU into non SU managed storage location and expect the result to be SU without packaging material but I would expect the opposite result, you will have packaging material without a SU # - regardless you will still have physical bar code number so not an issue, so if I understand so far: for both question one and two I would say yes, through customization it is possible. We actually have done some customization to keep same source SU as destination SU during storage location to storage location transfer so I know your requirement can be done through customization. I believe through standard your SU # would normally be dissolved at a couple points in the process you laid out.

For question # 3...

Is this a efficient mapping of this requirement ? It seems to be fairly efficient based on the requirement as I understand it but I would also research HU management as a possible solution.

Is this a good Business requirement? Absolutely not (in my humble opinion), what benefit could this bring to a business? In other words how will this save them time/money or build efficiency? They will be spending a lot of time and money to implement and to follow this process day to day when SAP already has great tracking capability through standard look up transactions and the standard process flow. This sounds like a case of trying to recreate a legacy systems functionality with SAP. Moving around and tracking a physical pallet in SAP just for the sake of using the same SU# in an end to end for process is adding steps that are not required and don't bring value. Its key to limit the number of steps in SAP to build operational efficiency that's the way to bring the full value in any SAP implementation (logistically speaking)...

Kind regards