Getting support on SAP S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition/Transportation Management (TM) module

[anhntt8]

Dear Expert,

Background
Our team is researching the SAP S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition Starter Environment, focusing specifically on the Transportation Management (TM) module. We are particularly interested in inbound and outbound ocean freight scenarios covered by best practice scope items 6W2, 6W3, and 6W4 of the SAP S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition.

Problem Description
In the Manage Ocean Freight Booking app, there is a field labeled “Movement Type” which is set by default to “Door to Door.” Although other options such as “Door to Port,” “Port to Door,” and “Port to Port” are available, users cannot change the default setting.

The following error message is displayed:
“Movement type can't be changed. Requirement documents are assigned.”
Message no. /SCMTMS/OM171

Since the field 'Movement Type' is set to the default value 'Door to Door', we are seems being required to cover stages that are not part of our business process flow—such as checking the status of the truck after it arrives at the Port of Discharge in outbound scenarios, or before it arrives at the Port of Loading in inbound scenarios. Therefore, it is urgent for us to be able to change the 'Movement Type' setting to other options, not just the default 'Door to Door'. 

Steps to Reproduce

Outbound Scenario:

1. Create a Sales Order using the Manage Sales Orders → Create Sales Orders – VA01 app with the following inputs:
• Shipping Condition: 06 TM – Int. Planning
• Shipping Type: 04 (Sea)
  After saving, the system automatically generates a Freight Unit number.
2. Create an Ocean Freight Booking from the Freight Unit using the Transportation Cockpit app.
3. Open the Manage Ocean Freight Booking app and select the corresponding Freight Booking record.
   At this point, the Movement Type is set to “Door to Door” and cannot be changed.
   The following error message is displayed:
   “Movement type can't be changed. Requirement documents are assigned.”
   Message no. /SCMTMS/OM171

Inbound Scenario:

1. Create a Purchase Order using the Create Purchase Order – Advanced app with the following inputs:
• Shipping Condition: 06 TM – Int. Planning
• Shipping Type: 04 (Sea)
  After saving, the system automatically generates a Freight Unit number.
2. Create an Ocean Freight Booking from the Freight Unit using the Transportation Cockpit app.
3. Open the Manage Ocean Freight Booking app and select the corresponding Freight Booking record.
   Again, the Movement Type is set to “Door to Door” and cannot be changed.
   The same error message appears:
   “Movement type can't be changed. Requirement documents are assigned.”
   Message no. /SCMTMS/OM171

Questions

1. In SAP S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition, are there any ways to configure or enable functionality that allows us to change the Movement Type from “Door to Door” to other available options?

2. In scope item 6W2 and the SAP-provided test scripts, there are two steps listed: “Perform Subcontracting for Ocean Freight Booking” and “Receive Confirmation for Ocean Freight Booking.” These steps are not marked as optional. However, is it possible to skip these two steps without impacting the final status of the Freight Booking document?

3. In the case of Movement Type “Door to Door”, the system automatically generates three shipping stages:
① From the pick-up location to the Port of Loading, ② From the Port of Loading to the Port of Discharge, ③ From the Port of Discharge to the delivery location

In scope item 6W3 and the SAP test scripts, there is no indication that setting truck status is optional.
Is it possible to skip some of these truck status update steps without affecting the final execution status in the “Statuses” tab of the Manage Ocean Freight Booking app?
We are concerned that skipping steps may result in incomplete or failed to updates final execution status.

Hope we can get support for above questions soon.

Best Regards,
Tram Anh

[SaraMendes]

Dear Tram Anh,

I believe I have just answered a Ticket on the same topic raised by you. I also provided my contact feel free to reach directly. Regarding your questions: 

1. In SAP S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition, are there any ways to configure or enable functionality that allows us to change the Movement Type from “Door to Door” to other available options?

Adjusting a Movement type is possible so you do not need to plan and execute stages that are not relevant to your end to end process.

The error message you are receiving prevents you from changing the movement type after the assignment of a Freight Unit to a Freight Booking. This is to avoid inconsistency between the Freight Unit Stages and the Freight Booking Stages.

To adjust the movement type please use one of the following options - as below: 

1. If you use incoterms in the Sales Order, and you already know that the agreed Incoterm Location is a Port, please add the LocationID of the Port (Incoterm Location ID) in your predecessor document e.g. 'Sales Order' (IncLoc1_ID). Then you can proceed as expected and described in 6W2 Scope Item Test and your Movement type will be automatically adjusted accordingly when selecting this Freight Unit and a Container Type to create a Freight Booking.
2. If the Incoterm location is not a Port location then proceed the following way:
   1. When you enter the transportation Cockpit create the freight Booking initially from the Freight Booking quadrant and select the appropriate movement type (see second screenshot attached: TC_Creation of FB).
   2. Then select your Freight Units, Containers and the created Freight Booking in step 1 and choose 'Assigned selected items' ( at header level in the Transportation Cockpit) in this way the Freight Booking will be created with the movement type you selected in step 1 and the stages will be created also accordingly (please do note the destination location of the Freight Unit will then be the last location of the last stage of the Freight Booking).

2. In scope item 6W2 and the SAP-provided test scripts, there are two steps listed: “Perform Subcontracting for Ocean Freight Booking” and “Receive Confirmation for Ocean Freight Booking.” These steps are not marked as optional. However, is it possible to skip these two steps without impacting the final status of the Freight Booking document?

As the comment below mentioned it is expected that these steps are executed as per Scope item so Document status are closed accordingly. 

3. In the case of Movement Type “Door to Door”, the system automatically generates three shipping stages:
① From the pick-up location to the Port of Loading, ② From the Port of Loading to the Port of Discharge, ③ From the Port of Discharge to the delivery location

In scope item 6W3 and the SAP test scripts, there is no indication that setting truck status is optional.
Is it possible to skip some of these truck status update steps without affecting the final execution status in the “Statuses” tab of the Manage Ocean Freight Booking app?
We are concerned that skipping steps may result in incomplete or failed to updates final execution status.

 These status need to be executed so that the document is properly closed and the handover to settlement processes happens. Please do note several status will be set implicitly if you set a subsequent status value ( e.g. Check-Out). Additionally you can also use external OData APIs to automate some of this steps. 

Regards,

Sara Mendes

Product Manager - Cloud ERP