Introduction
This blog demonstrates how standard Outbound process works using SAP Yard Logistics. The process flow diagram is also included for ease of understanding.
Outbound Process
Via Outbound process an organization ship ordered goods to internal or external customers. The
process begins with Sales Order (SO) or Stock Transfer Order (STO). Outbound delivery & shipments are created to fulfill SO/STO in ECC or S4. There can be EWM or SAP Transportation Management (TM) system integrated in the landscape. But for simplicity I have not considered EWM or TM. The focus here is what happens within Yard Logistics.
Inside Yard Logistics, the process starts with the planning document i.e. Yard Request (YR). YRs can be created using shipment IDoc integration with preceding (ERP or S4) system. Execution document i.e. Yard Orders(YO) are created when we release (manually or automatic) YRs. Yard Orders are created in pairs i.e. Inbound and Outbound YO together. Yard activities are represented by the document called Yard Tasks (YT). A Yard Task is similar to Warehouse Task (WT) in EWM. Operator process these YTs ( often using mobile apps ) to complete activities. For Outbound scenarios, all the activities are carried out at the Outbound Yard Order and subsequent check out of transportation unit.
We have used S4 1809 system having below software components while creating the scenarios.
Outbound Flow
Dia 1.0 Outbound Process using SAP YL
Prerequisites
The basic Yard setup and Yard structure must be setup. YR, YO and YT types and number ranges must be defined. Here main focus is on activities part.
Define the activity types within the Yard such as movement activities, loading/unloading, weighing, cleaning, maintenance etc.
In Customizing for Yard Logistics choose
Yard Tasks -> Define Activity Types
Maintain all the required activity types and corresponding activity categories.
Define the default activity types within the Yard.
In Customizing for Yard Logistics choose
Yard Tasks -> Define Default Activity Types
Maintain the required entries
Execution
The key process steps are as follows:
- Planning
- Check-In
- Execution
- Check out
Here I have used Truck scenario. The following steps are used to execute simple Outbound process with some activities.
Creation of Yard Request
Yard Requests are generally created using integration with preceding systems like S4, EWM or TM. Also YRs can be created manually. Here I have explained how to create YR manually using NWBC to execute the scenario.
In SAP GUI enter NWBC transaction code, which redirects to the below screen. Click on
Create Yard Request.
In the below screen, provide all the mandatory details and click
Continue button.
Here Yard Request lifecycle is
Created. Direction specifies whether the flow is Inbound or Outbound. Order type can be truck, rail or vessel as per the configuration you specify.
Provide mandatory details required for transportation unit creation and save the Yard Request. This information flows from preceding systems or it can be manually maintained by Yard Gate operator.
Now release Yard Request. Then Yard Request lifecycle is changed to
Activated and the system creates a Yard Order(Outbound). You cannot edit a Yard Request after it is released.
System has created Outbound Yard Order having all the default activities which can be seen from
below figure. Here Yard Order life cycle status is Planned. The Outbound Yard Order contains the Outbound workload. Inbound Yard Order will be used to check in TU into Yard. Now click on Generate Inbound Yard Order in order to check-in the transportation unit. Along with Outbound Yard Order, Inbound Yard Order will be created automatically if configured in the backend.
The Inbound Yard Order represents the incoming workload. Below figure shows
Planned Inbound Yard Order with no tasks assigned. Since this process is for Outbound. Here Inbound Yard Order is used only for check in.
One important functionality of SAP Yard Logistics is the Questionnaire, which can be set up for the Check-In or Check Out. We can set up different questions for Check-In or Check Out. We can add more questions like, Do you have a valid drivers license, Are there any damages on the truck or trailer etc.
Select the
Check Result and save the Yard Order then Click on
Check-In option. At this moment a message can be sent back to preceding system to update shipment status as
Checked In.
After successful check-in, the life cycle status of Inbound Yard Order is changed to
Active. Now click on
Complete button so that the TU is no more assigned to this Inbound Yard Order though the TU is still on the yard.
From the life cycle status of Yard Order which is
Completed we can understand that Inbound process is successfully completed. Now click on
Switch to Outbound Yard Order it will redirect to Outbound Yard Order.
Here lifecycle status is
Planned and default activities have lifecycle status as
Created. They are assigned to TU when the flag Item Assignment is set during configuration, because the relevant items in the Yard Order are automatically assigned to the default Yard Tasks.
Now click on
Activate button at the header then the life cycle status is changed to
Active. Activation can also be done automatically via configurations.
Click on
Start Processing option then first activity is
Activated.
Navigate to yard execution screen and click on
Edit Yard Task.
Here we have configured below five default tasks:
- Movement Task from Check in at Gate to Weighing Area
- Weighing Task
- Movement Task from Weighing Area to Door
- Loading Task
- Movement Task from Door to Check out from Gate
Within the activity type one can also define, if the Yard Task should be Confirmed immediately. If the immediate confirmation flag is set, the task will be directly confirmed after starting the Yard Task so that no more manual action will be needed to confirm the Yard Task in the system.
Below screen shows first task. Source and destination locations are automatically populated because of the backend configuration. Now click on
Start button to initiate the process.
Select
Check Result which specify whether to move to weighing area or not in edit mode.
Now click on
Confirm button to complete this movement task. Life cycle status is changed to
Confirmed automatically as shown in below screen. Please note that the Task confirmation activity can be done using Fiori app as well.
When a Yard Task is
Confirmed, the status of the subsequent Yard Task of the same Yard Order changes to
Active.
Similarly, follow the same procedure for the remaining four tasks. Below screen shows all the tasks are confirmed.
Click on
Check-out button, then life cycle status and execution status is changed to
Completed.
Prerequisite for a successful check-out of a transportation unit is, no more open Yard Tasks exists for the respective transportation unit within the Yard Logistics system. All questions in the questionnaire should to be answered before departure.
Once check out is done, a message will be sent back (via IDocs) to preceding system to change the shipment status to
Complete and to continue with Goods Issue.
Conclusion:
- With this functionality, the Outbound yard process can be performed in SAP YL. Similar process can be followed for Inbound flows as well.
- This process can be performed using SAP Fiori apps as well.
- More activities can be added as and when required
- Also integration with SAP EWM (via TU) and SAP TM (via Freight Order) can be setup
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