The Readiness Check Report helps us understand the mandatory changes when moving from ECC to S/4HANA or just upgrading to the newest version on S/4HANA. Through this information, all the customers will be able to plan their projects accordingly to have the system ready for a smooth transition. From a functional perspective, this report shows us 2 main pieces of information, the first one is the Simplification Item list, which highlights the mandatory changes and the items that are out of the architecture target in S/4HANA and won't be considered for further innovations. The second one is the Compatibility Scope Matrix, which lists the compatibility packages (CP), this contains the details of the functionalities that have a limited use right to SAP S/4HANA and recommends the solution alternative and the strategy to move forward.
This blog will explain the common items relevant as part of the compatibility scope under the Production Planning module, describing the details and the alternative function to be considered when replacing it. Functions that are part of the compatibility scope can be used just until the expiry date of the compatibility pack license, meaning at the end of 2025. Even when SAP recently announced the maintenance extension for SAP Business Suite 7 until the end of 2027, the usage rights of the compatibility packs were not included in this extension.
Luckily and because the complexity of each item, there is a specific extension of compatibility scope usage rights for a few modules until 2030. Under manufacturing, this applies to selected items under the component of Production Planning in Process Industry (PP-PI). If you are interested in checking the full details list of the compatibility Scope Matrix please review the attachments of SAP Note 2269324. There you will find the components marked with (D), meaning whose are the items relevant for the extension.
My intention through this blog is to mainly aware and remind all the readers about what items are relevant considering the timing! But in the end, is up to each customer to decide when they will keep it or will start to migrate to the designated alternative functionality. The decision, of at which point in time this will be done, should be taken early in advance to plan accordingly for the migration efforts!! Keep in mind the end of 2025 is around the corner!!
Now, let’s get started and finally introduce some of the items for the Production Planning scope. Keep in mind this list doesn't contain a description of all of them, just explains the common items that I typically see relevant, based on my experiences with multiple customers.
- Classical MRP list: This is one of the main items, and in most cases applies to those customers who are still running the classic MRP as part of their process. The majority decided to keep it due to the restriction by using MRP live and/or some custom developments where MRP list tables need to be read. In S/4HANA the MRP live code has an optimized logic, where is no longer needed the creation of an MRP list without causing a huge concern from a performance point of view. In addition, the evaluation based on the MRP list isn't optimal because is not going to consider new requirements that could be created meanwhile the finished of the MRP run and the real-time when the planners have to do the checking, because is just and snapshot of the result.
In general, the creation of the MRP list by running the classic MRP won't be possible anymore after the end of 2025, but the classic MPR will still work for those customers that have other restrictions to be considered before moving to MRP live.
Now what happens if we still need the MRP list creation? The best suggestion will be to check always read stock/requirements lists via API MD_MDPSX_READ_API or BAPI BAPI_MATERIAL_STOCK_REQ_LIST., as suggested in the SAP Note 2268085. In addition, SAP offers the standard report RMDMRPEXTRACT01, which extracts the planning data and saves it into a custom table, similar to the results generated by the MRP list. You can find more information about the MRP lust alternative by checking the blog MRP Lists are gone with MRP Live! What should I do now?
- Flow Manufacturing: Flow manufacturing in ERP includes functions for line design, line balancing as well and rate/takt-based sequence planning. It is part of repetitive manufacturing solution and only suitable for repetitive manufacturing planned orders. Because is now part of the compatibility scope, means that you need to migrate from ERP line design, ERP line balancing, and ERP sequence planning to its designated alternative functionality which is now fully covered by PPDS model mix planning and sequencing.
- Graphical Planning Table: Currently there are a bunch of troubles and open incidents due to the complexity when managing the chart and graphical planning tables provided in SAP GUI. Even when the transactions CM21, CM22, CM23, CM25, with graphical planning table or Gantt Chart are still available in SAP S/4HANA on-premise are not part of the target architecture in S/4HANA and remain as obsolete. To have a better user experience and make easier the understanding and the analysis by the planners, the recommendation is to replace those by using new Fiori Apps like "Manage Work Center Capacity", "Capacity Scheduling Table", and "Capacity Scheduling Board" in SAP S/4HANA. If you are interested in knowing more about this new application on PP-CP, please check my previous blog: Did you know this about Capacity Planning in S/4HANA?
In addition, you can consider SAP Digital Manufacturing Cloud - DMC component Resource Orchestration REO. REO works on more granular data defined in DMC. In a job-shop environment, for example, work-centers could be defined in SAP S/4HANA and the individual machines only in DMC.
Last but not least, is important to know you can also have the possible to use embedded PP/DS if exists complex scheduling problems, for example, planned and production orders of different BOM levels need to be synchronized, or if material availability needs to be considered in scheduling, or if multiple bottleneck resources must be aligned by optimizing the schedule.
- Logistics Information System In PP: LIS data can be analyzed based on statistical data, which is contained in "information structures". Important key figures are directly updated from the operative application to the information structures. Where historically, Historically, following LIS tables (mentioned below) were used for standard or custom reports in Production Planning (S021, SFIS, S022, SFIS, S023, SFIS, S024, and S026). However, LIS in PP is part of the S/4HANA compatibility pack and even when you can continue using LIS tables, and are available, won’t be considered as part of the new technologies anymore.
Considering future production analytics will be based on HANA, CDS views will be able to aggregate transactional data dynamically, and powerful analytical UIs for multi-dimensional reporting, resulting in the best option to replace the current LIS. Once switching you will note improvements in the performance of many transactions (fewer tables to update, fewer locking conflicts) and less memory consumption. Please refer to the following blog for further information: Custom Analytical Queries as an alternative for LIS in SAP S/4HANA Production Planning (PP)
- Forecast-Based Planning: Forecast-based planning (MRP type VV) is not strategic anymore within SAP S/4HANA and should be avoided if possible. This is because the MRP creates planned orders or purchase requisitions if the total forecast demand up to a certain point of time exceeds the total firmed receipt quantity up to the same point of time. The total firmed receipt quantity includes inventory, production orders, purchase orders, firmed planned orders, and firmed purchase requisitions.
An alternative exists and is by using PIRs (Planned Independent Requirement) instead of forecast demands. Provides several advantages in S/4, allowing benefits like APIs available to handle PIRs, new FIORI-apps like 'Maintain PIRs' for better management, PIRs allow for consumption with sales demands and dependent requirements or stock transfer demands, the possibility to split PIRS and re-organize unused PIR demands.
So what should we do if MRP type VV is still in place? First, convert forecast requirements into planned independent requirements (PIR) and then change MRP type VV to one of the MRP types as PD, P1, P2, P3, or P4 which doesn’t have direct consideration of forecast.
- Control Recipes/Instructions: Due to the several improvements in the used communication technology (currently via t-RFC), the usage of control recipes/control instructions in conjunction with browser-based PI sheets and work instructions is part of the SAP S/4HANA compatibility scope. As an alternative, it is possible to keep using the control recipes/control instructions in conjunction with linking process control systems and other external systems by using Manufacturing Execution Connect (classic).
SAP S/4HANA provides new Process Order integration capabilities with new SOAP and oData APIs, where the Control Instruction capabilities will be offered now as part of SAP Digital Manufacturing Cloud and can be sent to MES, e.g. to SAP Digital Manufacturing Cloud, with new SOAP APIs. Please refer to SAP S/4HANA Feature Scope Description or note 3035649 FAQ : Manufacturing Execution Connect (classic).
A similar recommendation applies for Process Messages, also an item relevant for PP in compatibility scope, you can check further details on the SAP Note 2270231
- Process Instruction Sheets: Browser-based PI sheets are used in the regulated environment (pharmaceutical production, and so on) to control and track the production execution. The content of the PI Sheet/Work Instruction is rendered as plain HTML and displayed in the SAP HTML Viewer of ABAP SAP GUI screens and depends on MS Internet Explorer. The new architecture recommends the usage of Digital Manufacturing Cloud’s (DMC) Production Operator Dashboard (POD) which provides similar functionality as PI-sheets. It will allow displaying Work Instructions, recording of actual data, and enforcing predefined production processes.
Please be careful and after switching from browser-based PI Sheets/Electronic Work Instructions to SAP DMC, remember to check your custom code in the context of data transfer from browser-based PI Sheets/Electronic Work Instructions to whatever receiver and clean up your custom code that makes use of this functionality.
Hope you find helpful the information provided in terms of understanding the compatibility pack and start to think about the action plan to complete the replacement of the function and adopt the S/4HANA strategy within the given timeline.
Further information:
SAP Support Portal
The Future of Compatibility Packs in SAP S/4HANA
Do not forget to follow us via @SAP and #S4HANA, or myself via @Jennicherrera and LinkedIn: Jennifer Carolina Herrera Suárez | LinkedIn
Have a nice day!
Regards
Jennifer
