Wave - EWM

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Wave Management:

In this blog post, below topics related to waves are covered:

1. Waves brief overview


2. Configuration and master data settings


3. Process (testing of 2 scenarios covered)

Waves:

Waves comes under the outbound process in EWM. Using the wave function in EWM, you can combine items or split items from warehouse requests for outbound deliveries into waves. These waves can then be used to further create warehouse tasks/orders for picking process. By releasing the waves and confirming the warehouse tasks, you are simply confirming the picking process. Waves can be triggered or generated based on numerous parameters e.g., warehouse number, product, route, activity areas etc, which will be discussed in the configuration part.

The task of wave is to create warehouse tasks automatically at a certain time defined by the user. It will not automatically combine multiple warehouse tasks into one warehouse order (for this WOCR must be set up).

 

Configuration and master data settings required:

1. Maintain Wave types


2. Maintain Wave categories


3. Set Automatic Wave generation for Warehouse process type


4. Define Field Catalogue


5. Define Condition Tables


6. Define Access Sequences


7. Define Condition Types


8. Define Determination Procedure


9. Assign Procedure to Document Type


10. Define Condition Maintenance Group

Additionally, there are few master data settings that are needed

11. Maintain Wave templates


12. Maintain conditions for Determining Wave Templates

Configuration screen shots:

1. Maintain Wave types


2. Maintain Wave categories


3. Set Automatic Wave generation for Warehouse process type

• Please note that here I am using a specific warehouse process type and in-order for the product to trigger this WPT, there are other configurations and master data settings needed e.g., WPT Determination, WPT indicators etc. which will not be discussed here.

4. Define Field Catalogue

• Here, the user can create new fields which can be used to trigger a wave template. But in this blog, I will be using the standard fields, which are Warehouse number and Product.

5. Define Condition Tables

• Here, I have created a new condition table with 2 fields from the field catalogue, namely warehouse number and product.

6. Define Access Sequences


7. Define Condition Types


8. Define Determination Procedure


9. Assign Procedure to Document Type


10. Define Condition Maintenance Group

 

Once the above configurations are complete, there are certain master data which needs to be maintained.

11. Maintain Wave templates

Note: Please note that during the creation of wave template, the cutoff date and time needs to be maintained. Else the user will get error during wave creation Refer SAP Note: 3205144

12. Maintain conditions for Determining Wave Templates

 

This ends the configuration and master data part.

Additional remark: If the user needs to have multiple warehouse tasks under one warehouse order in a wave, there are other settings needed at warehouse order creation rule level. This can also be discussed later.

 

End to End Process Testing:

First, I would like to add stock into the warehouse with a simple inbound process by:

• Creation of purchase order, inbound delivery and putaway.

After the inbound process, I would like to run 2 scenarios related to wave. I will be creating 2 sales order to different customers (same material).

1. Waves without WOCR (warehouse order creation rules not defined)


2. Waves with WOCR (warehouse order creation rules not defined, to show combining of warehouse tasks in a warehouse order of a wave)

Inbound Process:

Create purchase order:

Create Inbound delivery in S4:

Open inbound delivery in EWM and post goods receipt:

Create and confirm warehouse tasks/order:

Since the stocks are in your warehouse, we can start the outbound process.

Outbound process – Scenario 1: Waves without WOCR (warehouse order creation rules not defined)

Create Sales Order: Here I have created 2 sales orders to different customers:

Create outbound deliveries for the above sales orders:

Check outbound deliveries in EWM:

Open Maintain Wave:

Once the Waves are released, the system will create 2 warehouse orders per each item. As said before, the purpose of wave is to create the warehouse tasks at the time specified by the user in the wave template. Here in this example, I have released the waves manually by clicking on the Release button.

You can still notice that the picking status of the outbound delivery order is ‘Not started’.

Confirm the warehouse orders:

Once the warehouse orders are confirmed, the status of the ODO changes:

After the picking is complete, the user can post goods issue (I am skipping the remaining process, packing, loading etc.)

This ends scenario 1.

Outbound process – Scenario 2: Waves with WOCR (warehouse order creation rules defined)

In this scenario, I will directly show the ‘Release waves’ part as the steps before are the same. Before creating sales order and outbound, I will set up WOCR and assign it to warehouse process type.

Create Warehouse Order Creation Rules:

Here, I have created a setting to limit the size of warehouse order. I will assign the WOCR to WPT.

I will create now 2 sales order and deliveries (same data as shown in scenario 1), but directly show below the ‘Release Wave’ part.

When the wave is released, this time the system will create only 1 warehouse order (combining WT). This Warehouse order will have 2 WT.

As the next steps, the user can confirm the warehouse order (which confirms both the warehouse tasks for multiple outbound delivery simultaneously) and posts goods issue.

This ends scenario 2.

I hope this blog helps to understand waves and its related configuration to execute the process. Thanks for reading the blog post.