Recently I have evaluated available & supported scanarios for handling the stock transport process in S/4HANA. Depending on the S/4 release, deployment option and logistical process requirements several combinations are possible (along with respective restrictions). In the below overview I would like to share my insights based on the latest on-premise S/4 release (2023). The available options are listed but not explained in full detail as to the required configuration & process steps. These aspects have been already covered in some excellent blog contributions and in SAP documentation. I will try to keep the overview up to date - as with new releases new options and features should be available.
The STO Stock Transport Order process handles moving goods between plants or storage locations within company (within the same company code: intra-company, between different company codes: inter-company). Depending on the process there might be a need to leverage transportation management for transportation related processes (planning, execution, freight costs settlement & distribution etc.) and warehouse management (pick, pack, stage, load etc.). In SAP application landscape this would translate to using TM and/or EWM to cover such requirements.
There are various options in S/4HANA on-premise (embedded deployment) as of today, some are supported (with restrictions) and some are still a to-do on SAP roadmap:
- Classic STO (Best Practice Scope Item: 1P9) - process with Intercompany Purchase order, Outbound delivery (Delivering Company) and Inbound delivery (Receiving Company):
- Classic STO with TM: supported
- Classic STO with TM + active ASR (Advanced Shipping and Receiving): supported
- Classic STO with EWM: supported
- Classic STO with TM & EWM with TU-based integration: supported
- Classic STO with TM & EWM with Advanced Shipping & Receiving: supported
- Advanced STO (Best Practice Scope Item: 5HP) - Process with Intercompany Purchase order, Intercompany Sales order, Outbound delivery (Delivering Company), Inbound delivery (Receiving Company): Advanced intercompany stock transfer is available with SAP S/4HANA 2022 onwards (downport is not possible).
- Advanced STO with TM: supported
- Advanced STO with EWM: supported
- Advanced STO with TM & EWM with TU-based integration: not yet supported
- Advanced STO with TM & EWM with Advanced Shipping & Receiving: not yet supported
Below some additional information on the listed options:
I.1. Classic STO with TM: For the outbound and inbound deliveries created in the classic STO, in TM corresponding Freight Units are created. The speciality in the TM STO scenario is that the corresponding TM freight units are reassigned from the outbound to the inbound delivery.
In the classic two-step STO scenario, only the replenishment (outbound) delivery will be TM relevant while the inbound delivery created using the SPED output type out of the outbound delivery will not be TM relevant and this a standard behavior of TM before S/4HANA 2022. Starting from S/4HANA 2022 FPS01, the inbound delivery will receive a TM Control Key but there is no FU building in TM. SAP Documentation: TM Integration of Stock Transport Orders
I.2. Classic STO with TM with active ASR (Advanced Shipping and Receiving): Starting from S/4HANA 2022 FPS01, for STOs in Advanced Shipping and Receiving scenario without EWM, the posting of goods issue in the outbound delivery triggers the creation of an SPED inbound delivery and the automatic reassignment of the FUs from the outbound to the inbound delivery in Delivery Management. So, if both outbound and inbound delivery are relevant for ASR AND both locations are not managed by EWM - this case leads to reassignment. Note 3118823: Inbound delivery created via SPED is not TM relevant
I.3. Classic STO with EWM: For the outbound and inbound deliveries created in the classic STO, in EWM a corresponding outbound delivery order and an inbound delivery order get created and processed. There can be two EWM-managed warehouses involved: one for the Delivering/Supplying plant (outbound) and one for the Receiving Plant (Inbound delivery).
I.4. Classic STO with TM & EWM with TU-based integration: The integration of Transportation Management (TM) with Extended Warehouse Management (EWM) based on EWM transportation units (TUs) supports processes with stock transport orders (STOs). The prerequisite is that Delivery Management and Transportation Management must run on the same system. Check: Note 3018355: Supported functional scope and restrictions of the TU-based TM EWM Integration for shi... and SAP Documentation: STO process - Integration Based on EWM Transportation Units
I.5. Classic STO with TM & EWM with ASR: In case of classic STO (two-step process) if both OBD and IBD are relevant for ASR AND both locations are managed by EWM - this scenario is now also supported with the newest S/4HANA release 2025: in this scenario TM Freight Units are reassigned from the OBD-FU to the IBD-FU.
Please refer to Enablement of STO Execution with EWM Warehouse for the following scenario variants:
- Outbound ASR shipping point and EWM storage location (SLOC) to inbound ASR shipping point and EWM storage location
- Outbound ASR and EWM SLOC to inbound ASR and non-EWM storage location
- Outbound ASR and non-EWM SLOC to inbound ASR and EWM storage location
- Outbound non-ASR and non-EWM SLOC to inbound ASR and EWM storage location
II.1. Advanced STO with TM: SAP TM is not a mandatory for the advanced intercompany stock transfer. However, updates on the planned and actual dates and times for transfer of control based on Incoterms (relevant for handling the valuated stock in transfer) are not possible without SAP TM. SAP Documentation: TM Integration of Advanced Intercompany Stock Transfer
II.2. Advanced STO with EWM: in general the already available EWM configuration for handling the outbound as well as inbound delivery integration is sufficient. There is no configuration specific to advanced intercompany stock transfer for EWM.
Please note that the valuated stock-in-transit is not supported in EWM-managed warehouses or storage locations: Note 3376453: Release information and Restrictions embedded EWM S4HANA 2023 and Note: 1822497: FAQ: LE restrictions for valuated stock in transit (SiT)
II.3. Advanced STO with TM & EWM: with TU-based integration & II.4. Advanced STO with TM & EWM with ASR: The integration of advanced STO with TM is not supported in combination with Warehouse Outbound Processing (scope item 3BS) and/or Warehouse Inbound Processing (3BR). This scenario should be supported by SAP it the future: SAP Roadmap: Planned for Q1 2026: Advanced intercompany stock transfer (5HP) with warehouse management and transportation management (...However, there is no specific information as to which TM/EWM integration approach (TU-led vs. ASR) will be realized.
To summarize, both STO scenarios available in S/4HANA do integrate with TM and EWM but each with different configuration, availability and restrictions. Choosing the right option should be therefore an informed decision and I hope this overview is useful in that respect. Any comments / corrections / Your views on this are much appreciated.
Bluesky
