
Let's assume a scenario in an automotive spare parts warehouse, where efficiency and precision are paramount, especially when handling a variety of components ranging from hefty engine blocks to small yet essential items like spark plugs and brake pads
The process begins when a consolidated shipment arrives from the vendor. After unloading, goods are temporarily placed in the Goods Receipt Zone, ready for further processing.
At the Deconsolidation Work Center, the shipment is broken down into handling units (HUs) based on size and type, ensuring storage efficiency and traceability.
Step 3: Quality Inspection
Each HU undergoes a thorough Quality Inspection to ensure standards are met before storage. Only approved items proceed.
Warehouse tasks guide operators to place:
By combining POSC and LOSC with Quality Management Integration, SAP EWM ensures accurate, error-free inbound processes, improving overall warehouse efficiency and maintaining strict quality standards.
Process-Oriented Storage Control (POSC) involves assigning a sequence of specific steps to be carried out in the warehouse after products are received.
A Warehouse Process Type is a classification that defines the type of movement and handling required within a warehouse. It specifies the nature of material flows, such as putaway, stock transfer, or picking, and is used to guide the system in executing these movements efficiently.
Path: SPRO-->IMG-->SCM EWM-->EWM-->Cross Processing Settings--> Warehouse Task-->Warehouse Process Type
Acceptance WPT
Rejection WPT
A Work Center in the warehouse is a designated area for specific physical activities, replicated in EWM to mirror the actual workflow. It enables the system to recognize the activities performed there, allowing warehouse associates to update information directly into the system.
Path: SPRO--> IMG-->SCM EWM--> EWM--> Master Data--> Work Center--> Define Work Center
III. ID point Work Center
Put away strategies are essential in EWM, ensuring that products are efficiently directed to their designated storage areas. The storage types have been defined as follows: HA10, HA20, and HA30 for high-rack storage, HA40 for bulk storage, and RJCT for rejected products.
Path: SPRO-->IMG-->SCM EWM-->EWM-->Goods receipt processing--> Strategies--> Storage type Search
Acceptance STSS | Rejection STSS |
Acceptance | Rejection |
Control Indicators are considered same for acceptance and rejection.
Path: SPRO-->IMG-->SCM EWM-->EWM--> Goods Receipt Processes-->Deconsolidation
Quality Management (QM) integration is essential for effective quality inspection processes within the warehouse. Configurations on both SAP EWM and SAP S/4HANA sides must be set up to ensure a seamless flow of quality data and processes between systems. This integration enables real-time quality control within the warehouse, allowing for efficient handling of inspection results and facilitating smooth movement of goods based on quality decisions.
Path: SPRO-->IMG--> SCM EWM--> EWM--> Cross Processing settings--> Quality Management--> Basics and Integration--> Generate Inspection object type version
Path: SPRO--> IMG--> SCM EWM--> EWM--> Cross processing Settings--> Quality Management--> Basics and Integration--> Maintain Inspection Object types versions
Path: SPRO--> IMG--> SCM EWM --> EWM--> Cross processing Settings--> Quality Management--> Basics and Integration--> Define and Activate warehouse dependent IOTs
Warehouse Dependent IOT Settings
Insp. Planning W/o Rules
Path: SPRO--> IMG--> SCM EWM --> EWM--> Cross processing Settings--> Quality Management--> Inspection Planning--> Maintain Inspection Rule Group
Path: SPRO--> IMG--> SCM EWM --> EWM--> Cross processing Settings--> Quality Management--> Inspection Result--> Maintain Follow-up Action--> Define Follow-up Actions
Define Follow-Up Actions for Inspection
Path: SPRO--> IMG--> SCM EWM --> EWM--> Cross processing Settings--> Quality Management--> Inspection Result--> Maintain Follow-up Action--> Assign Logistical Follow-up Actions
Path: SPRO--> IMG--> Quality Management--> Basic Settings--> Maintain settings at plant level
Path: SPRO--> IMG--> Quality Management--> Inspection lot completion--> Define Follow Up Actions for Usage Decisions
Path: SPRO--> IMG--> Quality Management-->Inspection completion--> Edit Code Groups and code for usage decisions
Path: SPRO--> IMG--> Quality Management-->Inspection completion-->Edit Selected sets for usage Decisions
Proper configuration of Material and Product Masters is essential, especially for quality inspection processes. Maintaining quality information in the Material Master is crucial, and all control indicators should also be accurately configured in the Product Master to ensure seamless operations.
Quality Management view
The 1701 inspection type is assigned to the material master under the Quality Management view. Similarly, all materials subject to inspection have been assigned the same inspection type. Due to the length of the blog, not all screenshots have been included.
Each product subject to quality inspection in the product master should be assigned its respective process type indicators and put away controls. Additionally, assigning the quality inspection group is essential. To maintain brevity, other screenshots have been omitted and listed in table below.
Product | PTDI | PACI | Quality Insp. Grp | Bulk Indicator |
000000000000001351- Engine Blocks | ME | EB | QUAL | BL |
000000000000001352- Spark Plugs | ME | F1 | QUAL | - |
000000000000001353- Oil Filters | ME | OF | QUAL | - |
000000000000001354- Brake Pads | ME | BP | QUAL | - |
T.code: /N/SCWM/QRSETUP
In this step, we define that a particular product is associated with the INB document type and IDLV item type, along with the Quality Inspection group QUAL and 1701 inspection type. This setup indicates that if the product arrives with this specified information, it will be subject to a quality inspection in EWM.
Create storage type and bins for a mezzanine floor (HAF1), generate an activity area (HAF1), and perform bin sorting.
Path: SPRO--> IMG--> SCM EWM--> EWM--> Cross processing settings--> warehouse Task-->Define Layout Oriented Storage Process Control
The following four products will be sent together to the warehouse
Product | Quantity |
000000000000001351- Engine Blocks | 1 |
000000000000001352- Spark Plugs | 1 |
000000000000001353- Oil Filters | 1 |
s000000000000001354- Brake Pads | 1 |
Product | Quantity | HU# |
000000000000001351- Engine Blocks | 1 | 700817 |
000000000000001352- Spark Plugs | 1 |
700818 |
000000000000001353- Oil Filters | 1 | |
000000000000001354- Brake Pads | 1 |
Engine blocks are packed in a separate handling unit (HU) due to their weight, while the remaining products are grouped in another HU. These two HUs, containing all four products, will be sent to the warehouse.
Two HUs with four products are distributed to EWM
Two warehouse tasks are created separately for each HU, using process type ZMEC and storage process ZMEC.
For wider visibility, let’s open this Inbound delivery in SAP Monitor
A warehouse task is created with the storage process ZMEC, starting with the initial step to unload using the external step IBUL, moving items from the door to the staging area. Upon confirming these tasks, four pending tasks and two open tasks are generated, as shown in the below image.
Open tasks involve moving HUs from the staging area to the Deconsolidation work center, designated as storage type 8010. Pending tasks are those awaiting put away to the final storage bin. Since there are four products in the inbound delivery, four pending tasks have been created.
Let's confirm the tasks for moving the HUs to the Deconsolidation work center. All open tasks are now confirmed, but the pending tasks still remain. The warehouse associate must deconsolidate the items and update the system, which can be done using transaction code /N/SCWM/DCONS.
5. Deconsolidation- /N/SCWM/DCONS.
The Deconsolidation work center is DMEC. By entering the warehouse number and work center details, the warehouse associate can update the information.
As the inbound delivery consists of two HUs, those are listed here as shown in the image below.
Now let’s put each product in each HU and process it by clicking on “Complete process step for HU”. More HUs can be created using “Create HU” section on right side of the screen as shown in image.
Upon clicking "Complete Process Step," follow-up tasks will be generated automatically. Let's return to the monitor to check.
As observed, the pending tasks still remain. Additionally, four more tasks have been created for Quality Inspection with the external step "QIS." These open tasks are for moving products from the Deconsolidation work center (8010) to the Quality Work Center (8020).
Let’s confirm those four tasks to move to quality work center an open Quality Work Center.
6. Quality Inspection Work Center- /N/SCWM/QINSP_S4
Work Center is “QINC” and storage type is 8020
As shown in the image below, four products are ready for inspection. The associate will conduct the inspection, make a decision, and update the information in the system.
In the Quality Inspection Workload Overview screen, the warehouse associate can perform a mass inspection for multiple items by selecting “Mass Inspection for Selected Items.” This action opens the decision panel, where the associate can make quality-related decisions for each item. From the decision panel, choices are made using specific codes within the code group:
By selecting the appropriate code, the associate updates the inspection status in the system, ensuring that each item is routed accordingly based on the inspection outcome. This streamlined process allows for efficient handling of inspection decisions for multiple items at once.
In this quality inspection process, the associate evaluates each product and selects an appropriate decision based on the inspection results.
For the fourth product (Automotive Brake Pads): This item failed the inspection. The associate selects the decision code "R1" (Rejection) in the "Decision" field, which triggers the follow-up action "EWM_RP". This action routes the rejected product to a designated rejected storage area for further handling or rework.
Clicking on “Close HU” completes the process and saves the information.
Returning to the Monitor, observe that one pending task has been canceled due to rejection. This task is redirected to the RJCT storage type, and a new task has been created with the activity “STCH” for posting change, directing it to blocked stock. All remaining pending tasks are open for put away to their respective storage bins EXCEPT one Warehouse task is still pending because, it should be going to Mezzanine floor, LOSC takes from here for that storage bin, system generated additional tasks to move from ID point HAID.
All tasks have been confirmed, and items have been moved to their final destination bins EXCEPT Spark plug , that is in ID point as shown in below image. All stock types are marked as F1, except for one item labeled B5, which was rejected during inspection. This blocked stock (B5) is excluded from picking operations.
Let's check the status of the inbound delivery in transaction /N/SCWM/PRDI. The Goods Receipt, Unloading, Put away, and Warehouse activities have been completed. Now, let's return to the S4 system to verify if it has been updated accordingly.
The information has been successfully updated in SAP S/4HANA, triggering movement types 411 and 325. Movement type 411 is used for transferring special stock, such as consignment or project stock, to the company's own unrestricted-use stock. Movement type 325 facilitates the transfer of materials from one storage location to another within the same plant, specifically moving items into blocked stock
The Material Document List (MB51) displays the movement types used for various automotive parts at the HAAP Plant, tracking each item's stock status based on inspection results. Each material, such as the Automotive Engine Block, Spark Plug, Oil Filters, and Brake Pads, initially received a 101-movement type upon goods receipt into the warehouse. Following inspection, accepted items (Engine Block, Spark Plug, and Oil Filters) were assigned a 411-movement type to indicate a posting change to unrestricted-use stock, making them available for use or distribution. The Automotive Brake Pads, however, failed inspection and were first assigned a 344-movement type to move them to blocked stock, followed by a 325 movement type for further classification in restricted stock. This process ensures that rejected items are excluded from regular operations, allowing for effective stock management and quality control within the warehouse.
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