Transportation Management with SAP LES

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Martin Murray 

SAP Warehouse Management: Functionality and Technical Configuration 

2007, 504 pp. 

978-1-59229-133-5 

D. Rajen Iyer 

Effective SAP SD 

2006, 365 pp. 

978-1-59229-101-4 

Marc Hoppe 

Sales and Inventory Planning with SAP APO 

2007, 441 pp. 

978-1-59229-123-6

Othmar Gau 

Transportation Management with SAP ® 

LES 

Bonn Boston

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ISBN 978-1-59229-169-4 (print) 

ISBN 978-1-59229-455-8 (e-book) 

ISBN 978-1-59229-456-5 (print and e-book) 

© 2008 by Galileo Press Inc., Boston (MA) 

1 st edition 2008 

1 st German edition published 2007 by Galileo Press, Bonn, Germany

Contents 

1 Introduction ................................................................................. 17 

2 Organizational Structures in Logistics ........................................ 23 

2.1 Logistic Organizational Structures ................................................. 23 

2.1.1 Client ............................................................................... 25 

2.1.2 Company Code ................................................................ 25 

2.1.3 Plant ................................................................................ 26 

2.1.4 Storage Location .............................................................. 28 

2.1.5 Shipping Point ................................................................. 29 

2.1.6 Loading Point .................................................................. 31 

2.1.7 Transportation Planning Point .......................................... 32 

2.2 Warehouse-Related Organizational Structures ............................... 33 

2.2.1 Warehouse Number ......................................................... 34 

2.2.2 Storage Type .................................................................... 34 

2.2.3 Storage Section ................................................................ 35 

2.2.4 Storage Bin ...................................................................... 36 

2.2.5 Storage Unit ..................................................................... 36 

2.3 Organizational Structures in Sales ................................................. 37 

2.3.1 Sales Organization ........................................................... 38 

2.3.2 Distribution Channel ........................................................ 39 

2.3.3 Division ........................................................................... 40 

2.3.4 Sales Office ...................................................................... 41 

2.3.5 Sales Group ..................................................................... 42 

2.4 Summary ...................................................................................... 42 

3 Master Data ................................................................................. 43 

3.1 Material Master Data .................................................................... 43 

3.1.1 Basic Data in the Material Master .................................... 44 

3.1.2 Sales Data ........................................................................ 48 

3.1.3 Plant and Storage Location Data ...................................... 49 

3.2 Customer Master Data .................................................................. 50 

7

Contents 

3.2.1 General Data .................................................................... 53 

3.2.2 Sales Area Data ................................................................ 54 

3.2.3 Additional Data ............................................................... 55 

3.3 Vendor Master File ....................................................................... 56 

3.4 Batch Master Data ........................................................................ 57 

3.5 Dangerous Goods Master Data ..................................................... 59 

3.6 Summary ...................................................................................... 61 

4 Documents ................................................................................... 63 

4.1 Sales Orders .................................................................................. 64 

4.1.1 Structure of a Sales Order ................................................ 64 

4.1.2 Standard Order ................................................................ 74 

4.1.3 Third-Party Order ............................................................. 82 

4.1.4 Consignment Processing .................................................. 85 

4.1.5 Returns Order .................................................................. 89 

4.1.6 Free-of-Charge Delivery and Subsequent Delivery ............ 91 

4.2 Purchase Orders ............................................................................ 92 

4.2.1 Stock Transport Order ...................................................... 94 

4.2.2 Cross-Company-Code Stock Transport Order .................. 100 

4.3 Summary .................................................................................... 101 

5 Delivery Documents ................................................................... 103 

5.1 Task and Structure of the Delivery Document .............................. 104 

5.2 Delivery Types and Item Categories ............................................. 107 

5.3 Creating Deliveries ...................................................................... 115 

5.3.1 Creating an Individual Delivery Document ..................... 116 

5.3.2 Creating Delivery Documents in a Collective Run ........... 122 

5.3.3 Creating Delivery Documents in a Batch ........................ 134 

5.4 Copy Control .............................................................................. 138 

5.5 Shipping Point ............................................................................ 142 

5.5.1 Shipping Conditions ....................................................... 144 

5.5.2 Loading Groups ............................................................. 145 

5.5.3 Delivering Plant ............................................................. 146 

5.5.4 Storage Location ............................................................ 148 

5.5.5 Example of Shipping Point Determination ...................... 148 

5.6 Routes ........................................................................................ 149 

8

Contents 

5.6.1 Transportation Zones ..................................................... 151 

5.6.2 Transport Group ............................................................. 152 

5.6.3 Weight Group ................................................................ 153 

5.6.4 Route Definition ............................................................ 154 

5.6.5 Route Determination ..................................................... 156 

5.7 Goods Receiving Points ............................................................... 159 

5.8 Availability Check ....................................................................... 162 

5.8.1 Basic Principles of the Availability Check ........................ 162 

5.8.2 Types of Availability Check ............................................. 163 

5.8.3 Time of the Availability Check ........................................ 165 

5.8.4 Transfer of Requirements ............................................... 166 

5.8.5 Sample ATP Availability Checks ...................................... 167 

5.9 Delivery Combination, Delivery Split ........................................... 171 

5.9.1 Delivery Combination .................................................... 172 

5.9.2 Delivery Split ................................................................. 173 

5.10 Summary .................................................................................... 175 

6 Other Functions in Delivery Documents ................................... 177 

6.1 Scheduling .................................................................................. 178 

6.1.1 Delivery Scheduling ....................................................... 180 

6.1.2 Transportation Scheduling .............................................. 182 

6.1.3 Example ......................................................................... 183 

6.2 Incompletion Check .................................................................... 185 

6.2.1 Incompletion Status Group ............................................ 185 

6.2.2 Incompletion Procedure ................................................. 187 

6.2.3 Processing Incomplete Delivery Documents ................... 189 

6.3 Partner Determination ................................................................ 190 

6.4 Texts in the Delivery Document .................................................. 193 

6.4.1 Structure of Texts ........................................................... 194 

6.4.2 Settings in Customizing .................................................. 196 

6.4.3 Example of Text Processing ............................................ 200 

6.5 Export Data ................................................................................ 202 

6.5.1 Export Data in the Delivery Header ................................ 203 

6.5.2 Export Data in the Delivery Item .................................... 203 

6.5.3 Using Export Data in the Delivery Document ................. 205 

6.6 Batches ....................................................................................... 207 

6.6.1 Material and Batch Master Data .................................... 207 

6.6.2 Overview of Batch Determination .................................. 208 

9

Contents 

6.6.3 Time of Batch Determination ......................................... 209 

6.6.4 Execution Criteria for Automatic Batch Determination ... 209 

6.6.5 Selection Criteria for Your Batches (Classification) .......... 215 

6.6.6 Classification of Batches ................................................. 216 

6.6.7 Maintaining Conditions for Batch Determination ........... 216 

6.6.8 Example of Batch Determination .................................... 218 

6.6.9 Batch Determination Analysis in the Delivery 

Document ..................................................................... 220 

6.6.10 Manually Specifying and Editing Batches in the Delivery 

Document ..................................................................... 223 

6.6.11 Batch Determination with a User Exit ............................. 224 

6.7 Serial Numbers ........................................................................... 224 

6.7.1 Serial Number Master Record ........................................ 225 

6.7.2 Serial Numbers in the Delivery Document ...................... 227 

6.8 Registration, Means of Transportation, and Persons .................... 229 

6.9 Summary .................................................................................... 233 

7 Picking ....................................................................................... 235 

7.1 Picking Goods ............................................................................. 235 

7.1.1 Strategy Rule for Storage Location Determination .......... 236 

7.1.2 Storage Conditions ......................................................... 237 

7.1.3 Storage Location Determination ..................................... 238 

7.1.4 Picking Relevance .......................................................... 239 

7.1.5 Confirmation Relevance and Requirement ...................... 240 

7.1.6 Condition for Executing Picking ..................................... 241 

7.1.7 Entering Picking Quantities ............................................ 242 

7.2 Door, Staging Area, and Loading Point ........................................ 244 

7.2.1 Doors ............................................................................ 246 

7.2.2 Staging Areas ................................................................. 248 

7.2.3 Loading Points ............................................................... 251 

7.3 Overdeliveries and Underdeliveries ............................................. 251 

7.4 Lean WM .................................................................................... 254 

7.4.1 Organizational Structure of Lean WM ............................ 255 

7.4.2 Picking Lists ................................................................... 261 

7.4.3 Activating Lean WM ...................................................... 264 

7.4.4 Material Master Data for Lean WM ............................... 265 

7.4.5 Example ......................................................................... 266 

7.5 Wave Picks ................................................................................. 273 

10

Contents 

7.5.1 Creating a Delivery Group .............................................. 275 

7.5.2 Wave Pick Monitor ........................................................ 278 

7.6 Summary .................................................................................... 280 

8 Packing ....................................................................................... 281 

8.1 Packing Prerequisites .................................................................. 281 

8.1.1 Overview of Functions and Term Definition ................... 282 

8.1.2 Customizing Settings ...................................................... 282 

8.1.3 Master Data ................................................................... 289 

8.1.4 SSCC Numbers, Pallet Numbers ..................................... 290 

8.2 Manual Packing .......................................................................... 291 

8.2.1 Single-Level Packing ...................................................... 291 

8.2.2 Multilevel Packing ......................................................... 298 

8.2.3 Emptying and Deleting Handling Units ........................... 300 

8.3 Inventory-Managed Packing ........................................................ 301 


8.3.2 Master Data ................................................................... 303 

8.3.3 Example ......................................................................... 303 

8.4 Packing Proposal ......................................................................... 305 


8.4.2 Entering Packing Instructions ......................................... 310 

8.4.3 Entering Determination Rules ........................................ 312 

8.4.4 Accessing Packing Instructions in the Delivery 

Document ..................................................................... 313 

8.5 Handling Unit Monitor ............................................................... 314 

8.6 Summary .................................................................................... 315 

9 Dangerous Goods Management ................................................ 317 

9.1 Dangerous Goods Master Data ................................................... 317 

9.1.1 Validity Area .................................................................. 318 

9.1.2 Mode-of-Transport Category .......................................... 319 

9.1.3 Maintaining Master Data ............................................... 320 

9.2 Basic Settings for the Dangerous Goods Check ............................ 321 

9.2.1 Activating the Dangerous Goods Check .......................... 322 

9.2.2 Function Modules for Activating the Dangerous 

Goods Check ................................................................. 323 

9.2.3 Dangerous Goods Check Method ................................... 324 

11

Contents 

9.2.4 Usage Profile .................................................................. 324 

9.2.5 Dangerous Goods Check Schema ................................... 325 

9.3 Dangerous Goods Check in the Delivery Document .................... 327 

9.3.1 Activating the Dangerous Goods Check for Delivery 

Documents .................................................................... 327 

9.3.2 Determining the Data for Performing the 

Dangerous Goods Check ................................................ 328 

9.3.3 Examples ....................................................................... 334 

9.4 Dangerous Goods Check in the Shipment Document .................. 337 

9.4.1 Activating the Dangerous Goods Check for Shipment 

Documents .................................................................... 338 

9.4.2 Determining the Data for Performing the 

Dangerous Goods Check ................................................ 339 

9.4.3 Examples ....................................................................... 341 

9.5 Dangerous Goods Documents ..................................................... 342 

9.5.1 Activating the Phrase Assignment .................................. 342 

9.5.2 Phrase Set ...................................................................... 344 

9.5.3 Assigning Phrases to a Phrase Set ................................... 344 

9.6 Summary .................................................................................... 345 

10 Shipping Papers and Documents ............................................... 347 

10.1 Standard SAP Printouts ............................................................... 348 

10.2 Output Determination ................................................................ 349 

10.2.1 Condition Tables ............................................................ 350 

10.2.2 Access Sequence ............................................................ 352 

10.2.3 Output Type .................................................................. 353 

10.2.4 Output Determination Procedure ................................... 354 

10.2.5 Determining the Output Determination Procedure ........ 355 

10.2.6 Requirements in the Output Determination Procedure .... 356 

10.3 Output in the Delivery Document ............................................... 357 

10.3.1 Maintaining Conditions for Output Determination ......... 357 

10.3.2 Example of Output Processing ....................................... 359 

10.3.3 Output Determination Analysis ...................................... 361 

10.3.4 Repeat Printout for Output ........................................... 363 

10.4 Output Per Handling Unit and Group .......................................... 363 

10.5 Printer Determination ................................................................. 364 

10.6 Summary .................................................................................... 367 

12

Contents 

11 Status Tracking .......................................................................... 369 

11.1 Description of Statuses ............................................................... 369 

11.1.1 Shipping-Specific Statuses .............................................. 373 

11.1.2 Non-Shipping-Specific Statuses ...................................... 377 

11.1.3 User-Specific Status ........................................................ 378 

11.2 Delivery Monitor ........................................................................ 378 

11.3 Summary .................................................................................... 382 

12 Shipment .................................................................................... 383 

12.1 Shipment Documents ................................................................. 383 

12.1.1 Shipment Document Tasks ............................................. 384 

12.1.2 Structure of Shipment Documents ................................. 386 

12.1.3 Shipment Types .............................................................. 388 

12.2 Creation of Shipments ................................................................. 393 

12.2.1 Creating Individual Shipment Documents Manually ....... 393 

12.2.2 Creating Shipment Documents via Collective 

Processing Using Work Lists ........................................... 396 


Processing Using Work Lists and Batch Jobs ................... 401 

12.3 Selecting the Delivery Documents ............................................... 404 

12.4 Shipping Deadlines in Shipment .................................................. 412 

12.5 Partner Determination ................................................................ 414 

12.6 Texts in Shipment ....................................................................... 418 

12.7 Routes ........................................................................................ 423 

12.8 External Transportation Planning System ..................................... 428 

12.9 Summary .................................................................................... 430 

13 Other Shipment Functions ........................................................ 431 

13.1 Packing ....................................................................................... 432 

13.1.1 Multilevel Packing in the Delivery and Shipment 

Documents .................................................................... 432 

13.1.2 Example ......................................................................... 434 

13.1.3 Usage of Means of Transport .......................................... 437 

13.2 Stages ......................................................................................... 440 

13.2.1 Manually Creating Stages ............................................... 442 

13.2.2 Automatic Leg Determination ........................................ 447 

13

Contents 

13.2.3 Leg Determination via the Route ................................... 451 

13.3 Shipment Cost Settlement ........................................................... 454 

13.3.1 Structure of the Shipment Cost Document ..................... 455 

13.3.2 Shipment Cost Calculation ............................................. 461 

13.4 Summary .................................................................................... 490 

14 Shipment Status ........................................................................ 491 

14.1 Shipment Status .......................................................................... 491 

14.1.1 Overview of Possible Statuses ........................................ 492 

14.1.2 Setting the Status in the Shipment Document ................ 493 

14.2 Activity Profiles ........................................................................... 494 


14.2.2 Example ......................................................................... 500 

14.3 Summary .................................................................................... 502 

15 Transport Papers and Documents .............................................. 503 

15.1 Standard SAP Printouts ............................................................... 504 

15.2 Output Determination ................................................................ 504 

15.2.1 Condition Tables ............................................................ 505 

15.2.2 Access Sequence ............................................................ 506 

15.2.3 Output Type .................................................................. 506 

15.2.4 Output Determination Procedure ................................... 506 

15.2.5 Determining the Output Determination Procedure ........ 507 

15.3 Output In Shipment Documents ................................................. 507 

15.4 Printer Determination ................................................................. 509 

15.5 Summary .................................................................................... 511 

16 EDI and IDocs ............................................................................ 513 

16.1 EDI for Delivery Document ......................................................... 514 

16.2 EDI for Shipment Document ....................................................... 516 

16.3 IDocs .......................................................................................... 517 

16.3.1 Outbound IDoc Outputs ................................................ 517 

16.3.2 Inbound IDoc Outputs ................................................... 518 

16.3.3 Structure of an IDoc ....................................................... 519 

16.3.4 Partner Profile ................................................................ 523 

14

Contents 

16.4 Errors in EDI Outputs .................................................................. 524 

16.5 Summary .................................................................................... 526 

17 Goods Issue ................................................................................ 527 

17.1 Types of Goods Issue Posting ...................................................... 528 

17.1.1 Manual Goods Issue Posting of a Single Delivery 

Document ..................................................................... 529 

17.1.2 Performing Goods Issue Posting Collectively .................. 532 

17.1.3 Performing Goods Issue Posting in a Batch Job ............... 536 

17.2 Cancelling a Goods Issue ............................................................. 536 

17.2.1 Performing a GI Cancellation .......................................... 537 

17.2.2 GI Cancellation Document ............................................. 539 

17.3 Retroactive Delivery Split ............................................................ 540 

17.3.1 Prerequisites for a Retroactive Delivery Split .................. 540 

17.3.2 Splitting Rules in the Split Profile ................................... 542 

17.3.3 Parameters for Creating the New Delivery Document ..... 544 

17.3.4 Example ......................................................................... 544 

17.3.5 Delivery Split in Several Delivery Documents ................. 547 

17.4 Account Determination ............................................................... 548 

17.4.1 Chart of Accounts .......................................................... 548 

17.4.2 Valuation Grouping Code ............................................... 549 

17.4.3 Transaction Key for the Movement Type ........................ 549 

17.4.4 Key for the Posting Transaction ...................................... 549 

17.4.5 Account Modification .................................................... 549 

17.4.6 Valuation Class per Material ........................................... 550 

17.4.7 Configuring Account Determination ............................... 550 

17.4.8 Accounting Document ................................................... 552 

17.4.9 Account Determination Simulation ................................ 552 

17.5 Summary .................................................................................... 553 

The Author ................................................................................................... 555 

Index ........................................................................................................... 557 

Service Pages .............................................................................................. 

Legal Notes ............................................................................................... 

I 

III 

15

In this introduction, the vision and thoughts upon which this book is 

based will be laid out. In addition, you find an overview of the individual 

chapters. 

1 Introduction 

This book will give you a detailed and comprehensive description of shipping and 

transportation system processes. Here, employees in the Shipping department, 

programmers, managers, and consultants dealing with logistics will find practical 

knowledge about all aspects of delivery processing with SAP software. 

However, the level of detail is limited in the book due to page constraints. This 

is particularly the case in the areas of picking, scheduling, dangerous goods management, 

EDI processing, and shipment cost settlement. So, the focus will be on 

editing these processes manually in the SAP system. 

This book is intended to help you understand the mapping of processes in the SAP 

system, and the basic knowledge acquired here will help you deepen your understanding 

of certain functions and experiment with different buttons and icons. 

Target Audience 

This book is intended for users and employees in the shipping department. I will 

introduce them to options for modifying SAP programs with their own variants 

and list layouts, so that the system can best support their daily work. Employees 

with a deeper understanding of the programming logic often find it useful to have 

a quick look at the correct tables and customizing paths. These tips can be found 

in the gray boxes with the title “Technical Information About ….” 

The technical notes are also helpful for programmers, who should refer to these 

tables when developing proprietary processes. Consider using these SAP standard 

tables as much as possible when you deal with the control of processes that are 

supposed to be integrated into the SAP system. 

Personal Copy for Tina Mastrup, user id 9f19c686-d5e1-4016-94fd-ebc72e1b8f7e 

17

1 

Introduction 

Developers often cannot test programs extensively because they do not have the 

same knowledge as users. This book can also be helpful in those instances because 

it explains in detail how to perform individual functions. 

Decision makers that read this book are provided with an overview of the possibilities 

for using the LES (Logistics Execution System). They can form an opinion 

in advance as to whether to use it or whether the process structure should be 

changed. 

Consultants can use this book for reference purposes. They can benefit from the 

technical information or find out more details about the activities involved in the 

individual process steps. 

Structure of the Book 

This book is divided into seventeen chapters: 

Chapter 2, Organizational Structures in Logistics, introduces the logistic organizational 

structures and how they relate to each other. It also explains the structures 

upstream of, or parallel to, shipping, including sales and warehouse organization. 

Your enterprise’s structure has to be reflected in the software used so that shipping 

and transportation processes can be mapped accordingly. 

Chapter 3, Master Data, describes the master data that is required for processes in 

the shipping and transportation system and where you can find the relevant tabs 

and fields. I will mention the material, customer, supplier, batch, and dangerous 

goods master data. 

Chapter 4, Documents, describes the basic principles for creating documents. Preliminary 

documents are required to process deliveries in the SAP system and control the 

processes in your enterprise. These preliminary documents are usually sales orders, 

or, in the case of replenishment deliveries to branch offices, the so-called stock transport 

orders. These documents ensure that the shipping and transportation process 

is handled properly. I will describe the structure of these documents and will point 

out the tabs and fields that contain information relevant to you. 

Chapter 5, Delivery Documents, deals with the papers that document a materials 

delivery to a ship-to party. They form the basis on which you control shipping 

and transportation processes. You are the first in line in the entire shipping process. 

I will discuss the structure of delivery documents and their differentiating 

characteristics (delivery types and item categories). You will get to know the dif- 

18 

© 2014 by Galileo Press Inc., Boston (MA)

Introduction 1 

ferent options for creating delivery documents. In this chapter, you will also learn 

which requirements and conditions apply to copying data from the preliminary 

document (copy control), which roles the shipping point, the route, and the goods 

receiving points play in the delivery document and how they can be determined 

automatically, what you should know about the availability check as far as your 

activities are concerned, and how delivery aggregation and delivery split work. 

In Chapter 6, Other Functions in Delivery Documents, you will learn about additional 

functions and processes related to delivery documents. I will describe how 

you can determine and monitor dates, and will explain how you can block downstream 

processes by an automatic incompleteness check. Another important topic 

is partner determination in the supply chain. You get to know how you can handle 

texts in the delivery document and how to use and find the various text types and 

important export data in the delivery document. I will also cover the comprehensive 

topic of batch determination, and describe all of the settings and processes of 

batch determination. You will also learn how to handle serial numbers. The last 

section deals with the registration of means of transportation (such as trucks) when 

they enter or leave your premises. 

Chapter 7, Picking, covers the first process as part of the shipping activities. After 

creating the delivery document, which forms the basis for all subsequent processes, 

the ordered materials can be picked. The individual items are withdrawn 

from stock and taken to loading once they are ready to be shipped. This process 

is called picking. The SAP system offers three options for this: picking using a 

Warehouse Management (WM) system, a lean WM system, or only LES. We will 

describe the customizing settings, the data required for this process and how you 

can find them, the process of lean WM, and picking using LES only. We will also 

cover how you can print pick lists (lean WM uses its own printing process), how 

you can enter picked quantities, and how you can confirm quantities. 

Chapter 8, Packing, deals with all activities involving packing data. Many customers 

require your enterprise to transfer packing data to optimize goods receipt. 

This can be done in written form (printing packing lists) or in Electronic Data 

Interchange (EDI) form (sending EDI messages). You therefore have to pack the 

ordered materials and enter the packing data in the delivery document. I will first 

describe the basic conditions that have to be met in the master data for packing to 

be performed using the delivery document. Next, I will explain variants of packing 

manually and what settings to use when you keep stock of your packing materials. 

Finally, I will describe the requirements and settings to use if you want to store 


19

1 

Introduction 

automatic packing suggestions in the SAP system, and explain how you can use 

these suggestions during packing in the delivery document. 

Chapter 9, Dangerous Goods Management, covers the shipping of dangerous materials 

and products. If you ship dangerous goods, you need to comply with certain 

rules and regulations covering the shipping of such goods. This chapter describes 

how you can implement these rules in the SAP system and how you can store the 

dangerous goods information in the master record. I will also discuss the dangerous 

goods check in the delivery and shipping documents, and will conclude with 

a look at dangerous goods documents. 

Chapter 10, Shipping Papers and Documents, describes how you can create printouts 

required for shipping and how you can manage message and printer determination. 

Although we may dream of a paperless office, many subprocesses require 

paper documents. You may, for example, ask the truck driver to bring along delivery 

documents, including custom documents and dangerous goods tremcards, or 

you may label your pallets with barcode labels. 

Chapter 11, Status Tracking, covers the specific status information for all subprocesses, 

and introduces the delivery monitor as a monitoring tool. All subprocesses 

in shipping can be tracked by their status. This provides you with an overview of 

all activities around shipping and transportation. The status information allows 

you to create a worklist for the next day or filter the backlog for a specific process 

and clear it. 

Chapter 12, Shipment, takes a closer look at shipping documents. Shipping documents 

are another type of document in the shipping and transportation process. 

These documents map the shipment of the ordered materials. I will first introduce 

you to the structure of a shipping document and the different shipment types 

(preliminary leg, main leg, direct leg, etc.). I will move on to describe how to create 

shipments and select the required delivery documents, that is, how you can 

carry out transportation planning. In doing so, dates have to be considered the 

same as shipping companies and specific routes. I will explain how you can edit 

texts in a shipping document and describe how to use an external transportation 

planning system. 

Chapter 13, Other Shipment Functions, deals with other functions of shipment 

documents. I will revert to packing once more and introduce packing in the shipping 

document across several delivery notes, and then describe the stages that are 

particularly important for shipping. I will also point out the influence of the route 

20 


Introduction 1 

(for example, how to determine the preliminary, main, and subsequent legs, and 

how to determine load transfer points) on the shipping document and stages, and 

conclude by explaining the shipment cost settlement. 

Chapter 14, Shipment Status, describes how you can track individual steps in 

transportation planning and processing using shipment documents. You can assign 

different statuses to describe the end of a particular action (for example, the Loading 

end or Shipment start statuses). Moreover, for each status, certain activities can 

automatically be applied in the SAP system. This chapter explains how you can 

configure these activities. 

Chapter 15, Transport Papers and Documents, explains how to create these documents. 

Because the processes involved are similar to those used for shipping documents, 

this chapter will only cover the processes that are different. 

Chapter 16, EDI and IDocs, covers the electronic exchange of data, which is increasingly 

gaining importance. This does not only apply to EDI solutions with your 

business partners. Many years ago, SAP already developed a standardized interface 

to external application systems to provide a uniform and integrated platform for 

external systems. I will explain how the IDoc interface works, and how the actual 

IDocs are structured, and how IDoc processing can be started from delivery and 

shipping documents. I will also discuss the monitoring function of the interface. 

Chapter 17, Goods Issue, covers the last step in the shipping process. I will describe 

the various options for carrying out goods issue postings of your processed delivery 

documents, and will explain how you can cancel Goods Issue (GI) postings. 

Often, a subsequent delivery split has to be performed shortly before the GI posting. 

This chapter explains how you can do this and which conditions you must 

meet to perform a split. Finally, I will briefly cover account determination. 

The processes covered in this book are based on Release SAP ERP 2004 (ECC 5.0). 

The book can also be used for Release 4.6C. 

Special Symbols in this Book 

To help you with using this book, I have highlighted particularly important information 

with special symbols: 

Attention 

Boxes with this icon contain particularly important notes on the current topic. 

They will also warn you of possible sources of error or other pitfalls. 


21

1 

Introduction 

Tip 

In this book, we will offer you tips and recommendations that have proved useful 

in actual practice. You will find them in boxes with this icon. 

Example 

I use examples from my consultancy practice to explain and give more information 

on the current topic. Examples are highlighted with this icon. 

Acknowledgments 

Before I started writing this book, I wondered how long it would take me to 

describe in detail the shipping and transportation processes that are mapped in 

the SAP LES. I sat down and tried to estimate the work involved and the number 

of pages required, in the same way as when a consultant is asked to estimate in 

advance the number of man-hours required to complete a particular project. 

However, before I could even write the first line, I had to develop a business scenario 

that allowed me to illustrate all of the functions in detail. The software — 

SAP ECC 5.0 — had to be available to create screenshots. And that’s how things 

developed. When I started writing, I noticed that I had misjudged several functions 

regarding their capabilities so that in the end I almost ran out of time. I 

would like to use this opportunity to express my sincerest thanks to Galileo Press 

for their understanding, especially as, in the final stage of the project, the hard disk 

of my computer crashed —two days before my scheduled vacation. 

I would like to express my gratitude to all of the members of my family: my wife 

Petra Maria and my children Marina, Tabea, Moritz, and Virginia, who hardly ever 

got to see me in the final stages of writing the book, because I disappeared into my 

office every evening to type away. I am sure they are delighted that it is over now. 

I would also like to thank the German SAP Working Group (www.DSAK.info). This 

group is part of the Berufsverband für selbstständige Informatiker e. V., a professional 

organization for IT consultants, which operates an SAP system exclusively 

for continuing education purposes. A pending release upgrade was delayed for 

my sake (or rather for the book’s sake) so that I could finish my work on this book 

with the same release. I would like to thank all freelance members of the DSAK 

for their understanding and cooperation. 

Othmar Gau 

22 


Organizational structures in the SAP system allow you to map the organization 

of your enterprise. In this chapter, you’ll learn which structures are 

needed for mapping the business processes in shipping and transportation. 

You will also find out about other structures of upstream and downstream 

process steps. 

2 Organizational Structures in Logistics 

Business application programs, regardless of whether they have been developed 

with SAP software or by another software company, have to map the processes in 

your enterprise. However, your enterprise consists of different structures, which 

also have to be reflected in the software used. Very often, the same processes (such 

as shipping) are handled differently depending on their structure. For instance, 

shipping to wholesalers (complete loads, cross-docking, etc.) is different from 

shipp ing to small retailers (many small delivery quantities in a single shipment). 

You can find these structures in all areas of your enterprise. However, there are 

certain differences: the structure of the Shipping department, for example, is 

completely different from the structure of the Financial Accounting department. 

Despite this, shipping must also be reflected in financial accounting because shipping 

not only generates a quantity flow, but also a value flow. Ultimately, all structures 

in your enterprise must be coordinated so that processes can run uninterrupted 

from start to finish. 

This chapter introduces the structures that have a direct or indirect influence on 

the shipping and transportation process. These include the logistic organizational 

structures on the one hand, and the structure in your sales organization (upstream 

processes) and in your warehouse (interim processes) on the other. 

2.1 Logistic Organizational Structures 

Each enterprise has its own specific organizational structures. In the SAP system, 

these have to be mapped in a client to optimize business processes. 


23

2 

Organizational Structures in Logistics 

The top organizational unit is the enterprise itself. As a rule of thumb, each independent 

accounting unit should be mapped as a company code. The next level 

below the company code is the plant. At plant level, for example, you keep your 

stocks and plan your goods. Plants can be located in different locations. However, 

it can also make sense to define several plants for the same location, if you produce 

and sell different goods in these plants. Within a plant, you often have multiple 

storage locations (such as a raw materials warehouse and a shipping warehouse). 

The following organizational units characterize the physical structures in an enterprise. 

The transportation planning point is the department in your enterprise that 

plans and settles shipments. A transportation planning point can edit multiple 

shipping points. As the name implies, shipping points are individual places from 

which shipments take place. Each individual shipping point can be subdivided 

into loading points. For example, you can set up an export shipment transportation 

planning point (where all export shipments are planned) with two shipping 

points (container loading and truck loading). The truck loading shipping point can 

be physically distributed across two buildings, loading point bldg. 1 and loading 

point bldg. 2. The complete logistic structure is shown in Figure 2.1. 

The following sections explain the organizational structures in detail. 

Company Code 

Plant Munich 

Plant Cologne 

Warehouse 

Munich 

Central 

Warehouse 

Warehouse 

Cologne 

Shipping Point M 

Loading Point 

Trucks 

Shipping Point Z 

Loading Point 

Self-Collectors 

Transportation 

Planning Point M 

Loading Point 

Events 


Planning Point Z 

Figure 2.1 Overview of Logistic Organizational Structures 

24 


Logistic Organizational Structures 2.1 

2.1.1 Client 

A client is the highest hierarchy level in the SAP system. It contains the business 

processes of the entire enterprise. Settings made at this level affect the company 

codes and organizational structures. The client is not supposed to be viewed as an 

organizational unit of an enterprise, but rather technically as a separate area in an 

SAP system. 

If you want to use an SAP system, you have to log in to a particular client. When 

logging in, you have to enter your User Name, your Password, and the Language 

you would like to work with. The language you use for logging in can also be saved 

as the default value in your user defaults. 

Although SAP system data, such as the material master, is stored as client-independent 

data in a database, you can only access the data of the client you are logged 

in to. 

2.1.2 Company Code 

Within the SAP system, an enterprise that carries out its own independent accounting 

is configured as a company code. You can perform month-end and year-end closings 

at this level. 

However, you never have to define a company code when processing a sales order, 

a delivery, or a shipment, for example. This is because you directly or indirectly 

assign all other organizational units to a company code. Based on the business process, 

the system can then determine the correct company code automatically. 

Generally, the following values are assigned to the company code (see Figure 

2.2): 

EE 

EE 

Address data 

Because the company code denotes an independent enterprise, you enter the 

enterprise address here. 

Currency key 

Accounting has to be carried out in the country currency. In the SAP system, 

this currency is also referred to as the local currency. If documents (for example, 

outgoing invoices) are issued in a foreign currency, this currency is converted 

into the local currency when the documents are entered into the accounting 

system. 


25

2 


EE 

EE 

Country key 

The country key specifies the country that is supposed to be considered the 

domestic country for business processes. All business transactions with a different 

country key are considered foreign business. 

Language key 

In all documents and processes, texts are used, which can be created in multiple 

languages. The language key serves to find the text in the correct language (the 

national language). 

Figure 2.2 Defining a Company Code 

Technical Information About the Company Code 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 

Field Length: 4 places 

Path in Customizing: Enterprise Structure • Definition • Financial Accounting • 

Edit, Copy, Delete, Check Company Code 

Specific Transaction: EC01 (copy, delete, and check only) 

Table: T001 

2.1.3 Plant 

A plant is an operating site or a subsidiary within an enterprise. You must assign 

the plant to a company code, and cannot assign it to multiple company codes. 

At least one plant has to have the same country key as the company code. SAP 

26 



recommends generally creating a separate company code for each plant with a 

different country key. 

In the SAP system, a plant has the following characteristics: 

EE 

EE 

EE 

Quantity-based inventory management, including distribution to storage locations 

Inventory management on a value-only basis, if the plant has been selected as 

the material valuation level 

Planning of stocks 

EE 

Assignment to a company code (see Figure 2.4) 

EE 

EE 

Assignment of logistic organizational units 

Assignment of a customer and supplier number, which are used for cross-plant 

stock transfers (see Section 4.2.1) 

Similar to company codes, you have to maintain the following values for plants 

(see Figure 2.3): 

EE 

EE 

EE 

Address data 

The address of the plant. 

Language key 

The language key you assign to the plant. 

Country key 

The country key of the country in which the plant is located. 

Figure 2.3 Plant Definition 


27

2 


Figure 2.4 Assigning Plants to a Company Code 

Technical Information About the Plant 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 


Path in Customizing: Enterprise Structure • Definition • Logistics - General • 

Define, copy, delete, check plant 


Table: T001W 

Technical Information About Assigning a Plant to a Company Code 

EE 

EE 

EE 

Path in Customizing: Enterprise Structure • Assignment • Logistics - General • 

Assign plant to company code 

Specific Transaction: OX18 

Table: T001K 

2.1.4 Storage Location 

A storage location is the place where stocks are managed physically. In the system, 

you assign a plant to the storage location. A plant can have multiple storage locations, 

which are physically or functionally separate. Within a plant, for example, 

you can define a raw materials warehouse, a production warehouse, a finished 

goods warehouse, and a delivery warehouse (see Figure 2.5). 

28 



Figure 2.5 Defining a Storage Location 

In the SAP system, a storage location has the following characteristics: 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 

Stocks are managed by quantity in the storage location. 

There is no material valuation. This takes place at plant level. 

If the Warehouse Management (WM) system is activated in the SAP system, 

you can define the storage location as a WM-managed storage location and 

assign a warehouse number to it. 

Physical inventories are taken in the storage location and not at plant level. 

You can assign an address. 

You can assign the storage location to a plant when you define it. A popup opens, 

in which you are prompted for a plant. 

Technical Information About the Storage Location 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 


Path in Customizing: Enterprise Structure • Definition • Materials Management • 

Maintain storage location 

Specific Transaction: OX09 

Table: T001L 

2.1.5 Shipping Point 

The shipping point is a logistic organizational unit that handles the entire shipping 

process. They are assigned to a specific shipping point when they are created, and 

so you can plan all deliveries that have been created for a shipping point together. 

In most companies, shipping points are physically separate. Different product lines 

(for example, car and furniture varnishes) or different customer types (for exam- 


29

2 


ple, deliveries to hardware stores or specialized retailers) can also be processed 

through different shipping points. 

The shipping point is usually determined automatically when the sales order is created, 

but it can be entered manually as well. You can create individual loading and 

pick/pack times for each shipping point, which are then considered for shipment 

scheduling. The shipping point can be taken into account for printer determination 

to allow shipping documents to get printed. Reports, statistics, or worklists 

are selected using the shipping point. You can, for example, select deliveries waiting 

to be shipped from your shipping point. 

As you can see in Figure 2.6, there are additional shipping point settings in the 

SAP system. A detailed description of these settings can be found in the sections 

in which the associated processes are explained in detail. 

Technical Information About the Shipping Point 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 


Path in Customizing: Enterprise Structure • Definition • Logistics Execution • 

Define, copy, delete, check shipping point 


Tables: TVST and TVSTT (short names) 

Figure 2.6 Defining the Shipping Point with All Control Parameters 

30 



If you drill down further, you can subdivide the shipping point into individual 

loading points. Higher up the hierarchy you have to assign the shipping point to 

at least one plant. An example of this is illustrated in Figure 2.7. 

Figure 2.7 Assigning Shipping Points to Plants 

Technical Information About Assigning Shipping Points to Plants 

EE 

EE 

EE 

Path in Customizing: Enterprise Structure • Assignment • Logistics Execution • 

Assign shipping point to plant 

Specific Transaction: OVXC 

Table: TVSWZ 

2.1.6 Loading Point 

In larger companies, where the shipping points are distributed across several 

buildings, it can be useful to subdivide the shipping points even further into loading 

points. One loading point, for example, could be used only for self-collectors, 

whereas another one could be used for regular truck loading (see Figure 2.8). The 

loading point, as such, is informal in the SAP system. It tells the shipping company 

where to collect the goods. 

Figure 2.8 Defining Loading Points 


31

2 


If you need to define loading points, the system prompts you to enter the shipping 

point before you can enter the loading point. The loading point is therefore 

assigned to a shipping point. If you do not need to define loading points, you can 

leave it blank, and the loading point appears blank in delivery documents. 

Technical Information About the Loading Point 

EE 

EE 



Maintain loading point 

EE 

Specific Transaction: – 

EE 

Tables: TVLA and TVLAT (short names) 

2.1.7 Transportation Planning Point 

The transportation planning point maps the Shipping Planning and Shipping Scheduling 

department in an enterprise. Here, deliveries are grouped together with 

shipments, they are planned and, if necessary, settled. Shipments are generally 

assigned to a transportation planning point. 

The transportation planning point must be assigned to a company code (see Figure 

2.9). This assignment is required when the shipment costs are calculated by the 

SAP system and transferred to the accounting department after the shipment has 

been completed. 

Figure 2.9 Defining the Transportation Planning Points 

Technical Information About the Transportation Planning Point 

EE 

EE 



Maintain transportation planning point 

EE 


EE 

Tables: TTDS and TTDST (short names) 

32 


Warehouse-Related Organizational Structures 2.2 

2.2 Warehouse-Related Organizational Structures 

In addition to the structures that are relevant for logistics, there are other organizational 

structures in an enterprise that are only indirectly related to the tasks of 

the Shipping departments. There is rarely someone in a Shipping department who 

does not have to answer the following questions: “Have the goods for delivery XY 

already been picked?” and “Are the goods still in the warehouse?“ To be able to 

answer these questions quickly and reliably, it is helpful if the employee knows 

the organizational structure of the warehouse. 

If you don‘t use the SAP WM component, the structures described here are not 

needed. 

WM is a retailing system used for managing stocks in individual storage bins. If 

WM is used in a storage location, this storage location is assigned a warehouse 

number, which corresponds to one or more storage locations. Within a warehouse 

number, storage types are maintained. A storage type describes a physical location 

within a warehouse. You have to define different storage types, if they are organized 

differently in terms of the warehouse processes. A fully automated highrack 

storage area, for example, is structured differently than a simple picking area, 

where forklifts are used to approach the bins. Figure 2.10 provides another overview 

of the complete warehouse structure. 

Warehouse Number 

Storage Type 1 

Storage Type 2 

Storage Area 1 Storage Area 2 Storage Area 1 

Storage Bin 1 

Storage Bin 1 

Storage Bin 1 

Storage Bin 2 

Storage Bin 2 

Storage Bin 2 

Interim 

Storage Area 

Goods 

Receipt 

Interim 

Storage Area 

Goods Issue 

Figure 2.10 Overview of the Organizational Structure of a Warehouse 


33

2 


Within a storage type, storage areas can be defined. Structural differences of the 

storage bins (high storage bins in a rack, low storage bins), for example, can result 

in certain materials only being stored in certain bins (storage areas depending 

on pallet height). If stocks are divided even further and are managed per pallet, 

the term storage units is used in WM. This allows you to immediately see which 

materials are stored in the individual storage units and in which storage bin they 

are stored. 

2.2.1 Warehouse Number 

In WM, you define a warehouse number for a warehouse complex (building, site). 

You can group together multiple storage locations and plants to a warehouse number. 

The stocks at warehouse number level are only recorded by quantity. 

Technical Information About the Warehouse Number 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 



Define, copy, delete, check warehouse number 


Tables: T300, T300T (short names), and T320 (assigned to a storage location and 

plant) 

2.2.2 Storage Type 

Within a warehouse complex (= warehouse number), you will find different storage 

areas (high-rack storage areas, block storage areas, shipping deployment areas, 

picking areas, etc.), which are called storage types in WM. However, even identical 

storage areas that differ only in their organization have to be defined as separate 

storage types (there may be shelves in a picking area that require a capacity check 

at the storage bin level, whereas other shelves do not require a check). 

In addition, there are interim storage areas, which can be difficult to understand, 

particularly if WM has only been implemented recently. Interim storage areas (see 

Figure 2.11) are not physical, but virtual storage bins. Even negative stocks are 

allowed in these areas. 

34 


Warehouse-Related Organizational Structures 2.2 

Employees in Shipping departments mostly come across interim storage area 916. 

This is the storage type from which goods issues are posted in the standard SAP 

system. 

Technical Information About the Storage Type 

EE 

EE 


Path in Customizing: Logistics Execution • Warehouse Management • Master 

Data • Define Storage Type 

EE 


EE 

Table: T331 

Figure 2.11 Some Preconfigured Storage Types in the Standard SAP System 

2.2.3 Storage Section 

Within a storage type, there are usually storage bins with different properties. Storage 

bins with the same properties are combined into storage sections. 

For example, you can combine storage bins of a certain capacity (volume or storage 

weight). You can also define storage sections based on the ABC classification of the 

materials. This means quicker access to fast-moving items (A materials), whereas 

slow-moving items are stored at the back of the storage section. You can also group 

the storage sections by hazardous materials classes or temperature sensitivity. 


35

2 


Technical Information About the Storage Section 

EE 

EE 


Path in Customizing: Logistics Execution • Warehouse Management • Master 

Data • Define Storage Section 

EE 

Specific Transaction: - 

EE 

Tables: T302 and T302T (short names) 

2.2.4 Storage Bin 

In SAP WM, a storage bin is the physical location of the bin in the warehouse. In 

interim storage areas, however, you can also find dynamic storage bins. 

Physical storage bins are not created using Customizing. WM transactions are used 

instead to create them manually. The name of a storage bin can be 10 characters 

long. Dynamic storage bins are created automatically by the system when goods 

receipts and goods issues are posted. 

You want to pick and clear a delivery with delivery number 7480003600. After picking 

has been completed, the materials are located in storage type 916, storage bin 

7480003600 in the system. The goods issue posting withdraws the material from this 

storage bin so that this bin becomes empty and is deleted by the system. 

2.2.5 Storage Unit 

If you also manage your stocks in the WM system with pallets or other loading 

equipment (wire baskets, metal containers, etc.), you have to configure storage 

units for the relevant storage types. The quantity-based stock is then managed at 

the storage bin, and additionally at pallet level. 

These pallets are assigned a number in WM, the storage unit number. The number 

consists of ten places. To be able to identify the unit in the system, the storage unit 

number is assigned a storage unit type. The storage unit type is a three-digit key. 

Figure 2.12 shows the storage unit types predefined in the standard SAP system. 

36 


Organizational Structures in Sales 2.3 

Figure 2.12 Storage Unit Types Predefined in the Standard SAP System 

Technical Information About the Storage Unit Type 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 


Path in Customizing: Logistics Execution • Warehouse Management • Strategies • 

Activate Storage Bin Type Determination • Definitions Storage unit type 

Specific Transaction: OMM1 (Storage unit type button) 

Tables: T307 and T307T (short names) 

2.3 Organizational Structures in Sales 

Deliveries in SAP Logistics Execution System (LES) are mostly based on sales orders 

or stock transport orders from the Purchasing department. 

The structure of the Sales Order and Purchasing departments differs from the 

structure of the Shipping department in the SAP system. This structure is reflected 

in the shipping view for stock transport orders and in the header data for sales 

orders. 

The top structure is the actual sales organization. An enterprise often sells different 

products that are processed by different organizations. Within the organization, 

multiple distribution channels can exist, which are mainly based on the customer 

structure (for example, processing orders with beverage wholesalers or directly 

with restaurants and hotels). Based on the material structure, the sales organization 

can be subdivided into several divisions (for example, alcoholic beverages and 

accessories). These structures are shown in Figure 2.13. 


37

2 


You can also structure the Sales department or the order processing physically 

in the SAP system. Using the sales offices, you can reflect the physically separate 

responsibilities for sales orders. Within a sales office, you can establish different 

sales groups. 

Sales Organization G 

Sales Organization M 

Distribution 

Channel Direct 

Customer 

Distribution 

Channel 

Wholesalers 

Distribution 

Channel Direct 

Customer 

Distribution 

Channel 

Wholesalers 

Division AC 

Division AC 

Division AB 

Division AB 

Division BE 

Division BE 

Sales Office South 

Sales Office North 

Sales Group 1 Sales Group 2 

Figure 2.13 Overview of the Sales Organization 

2.3.1 Sales Organization 

The sales organization is the organizational unit in an enterprise responsible for the 

sale of certain goods. The most important features of a sales organization are: 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 

It contains separate material master data and customer master data. 

It belongs to a company code. 

It is assigned to at least one plant. 

It is assigned all items of a sales document (and also of a delivery note). 

38 



Even though the sales organization does not play a major role in logistic sales and 

distribution documents, it is helpful for the user to know about this organizational 

unit. 

In the beverages industry, two sales organizations could be considered: One deals with 

the actual sales of beverages, the other is responsible for the sales and maintenance of 

promotional material and restaurant supplies (for example, glasses, coasters, draft beer 

dispensing equipment, billboards, etc.). 

Technical Information About the Sales Organization 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 


Path in Customizing: Enterprise Structure • Definition • Sales and Distribution • 

Define, copy, delete, check sales organization 


Tables: TVKO and TVKOT (short names), and TVKWZ (assigning to a plant) 

2.3.2 Distribution Channel 

Within a sales organization, you must define the distribution channels, which is 

based on the customer structure (for example, retail or wholesale). The most 

important features of a distribution channel are: 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 

It is assigned to one or more sales organizations. 

It is assigned to one or more plants. 

It contains separate material master data and customer master data. If the master 

data for each distribution channel is the same, you can also enter the data 

for a general distribution channel. 

At the distribution channel level, price determination can be undertaken separately. 

In the beverages industry, you could define one distribution channel for the delivery to 

wholesalers, and another one for direct delivery to restaurants and hotels. 


39

2 


Technical Information About the Distribution Channel 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 



Define, copy, delete, check distribution channel 


Tables: TVTW and TVTWT (short names), and TVKOV (assigning to the sales organization) 

2.3.3 Division 

A division is an organizational unit that is based on the material structure in your 

enterprise. Using divisions, you can define materials with the same sales orientation. 

In addition, a division in the material master is used to carry out the business 

area account assignment for logistic processes in financial accounting together 

with the plant. The most important features of a division are: 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 

It is assigned to one or more sales organizations and to one or more distribution 

channels (see Figure 2.14). 

The material is always assigned to a division. 

It contains separate customer master data. 

At division level, price determination can be performed separately. 

Figure 2.14 Assigning Distribution Channels and Divisions to a Sales Organization 

40 



In the beverages sales organization, you will find the three divisions: mineral water, fruit 

juices, and alcoholic drinks. This allows for several combinations. The mineral water 

division, for example, can be processed via the wholesale distribution channel or can be 

sold directly to restaurants and hotels. 

Technical Information About the Division 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 


Path in Customizing: Enterprise Structure • Definition • Logistics - General • 

Define, copy, delete, check division 


Tables: TSPA and TSPAT (short names), and TVKOS (assigning to the sales organization) 

2.3.4 Sales Office 

You configure the organizational units in your enterprise, which are considered 

physically or functionally separate, as sales offices in the SAP system. Configuring 

sales offices is not mandatory. However, if you configure sales offices, you must 

assign each sales office to one or more sales organizations, distribution channels, 

and divisions (see Figure 2.15). 

The sales office has no additional function in the SAP system, which would have 

an impact on business processes. However, you can maintain a sales office in the 

sales documents. This allows you to select sales documents by sales offices. 

For beverage sales, you configure a sales office for northern and central Germany, and 

another sales office for southern Germany. 

Figure 2.15 Assigning Sales Offices to Sales Organizations/Distribution Channels/Divisions 


41

2 


Technical Information About the Sales Office 

EE 

EE 



Maintain sales office 

EE 


EE 

Tables: TVBUR and TVKBZ (assigning to sales organization, distribution channel, and 

division) 

2.3.5 Sales Group 

Organizationally, the sales office can be subdivided even further into sales groups. 

The sales groups have the same features in the SAP system as the sales offices. 

They are not necessarily required for the business process flow. Sales groups are 

assigned to the sales offices. 

The sales office handling southern Germany is divided into three sales groups. One sales 

group is only in charge of the cities of Munich and Stuttgart, the other sales group looks 

after customers in the rest of southern Germany. The third group is responsible for deliveries 

for special occasions and celebrations. 

Technical Information About the Sales Group 

EE 

EE 



Maintain sales group 

EE 


EE 

Tables: TVKGR and TVBVK (assigning to sales offices) 

2.4 Summary 

This chapter has provided an overview of the logistic organizational units. You now 

know the relevance and tasks of the individual units and how they relate to each other. 

You have also learned about the organizational structures that do not directly 

belong to the shipping and transportation system, but are a part of the upstream 

processes (organizational structure of sales and distribution) and warehouse processes 

(organizational structure of a warehouse in WM). 

The next chapter covers the master data that is required for processes in the shipping 

and transportation system. 

42 


Master data ensures that logistics and sales processes run securely and 

smoothly. This chapter investigates the basic functions underlying the various 

master data. 

3 Master Data 

To map business processes with application software, we need to make the traditional 

distinction between master data and transaction data. 

This chapter will look at master data required for processes in the shipping 

and transportation system. You can make a distinction between mandatory and 

optional master data. The mandatory master data includes the material master 

and the customer master. Optional master data includes the vendor master, the 

dangerous goods master, and the batch master. You need the vendor master when 

you use shipping companies in your shipping and transportation documents and 

settle shipments. If you deliver dangerous goods to your customers, you need a 

dangerous goods master, because in this case special requirements apply to the 

shipments and the printing of the shipping documents. If you manage your materials 

by batches, you will need a batch master. 

3.1 Material Master Data 

All materials processed in the shipping and transportation system will have to be 

maintained in the material master file. Usually, this includes not only the materials 

that are manufactured or purchased in your company and have to be shipped to 

the customer, but also the materials that are required for shipping itself (shipping 

materials such as pallets, or packaging material such as cardboard boxes). The more 

detailed you want to map the processes in the logistic areas of your company, the 

more accurately the master data has to be maintained. 

Unless the master data is carefully maintained, problems and errors occur in certain 

activities in the process chain, often as late as when goods issues are posted. 


43

3 

Master Data 

Sometimes these problems can only be fixed by rolling back the entire process to 

the original sales order. 

If you look at the material master record, you will notice that data is not only 

required for Sales and Shipping, but also for other departments in your company. 

The individual departments are reflected in the corresponding views. For 

certain views, the data must be created for each organizational structure, such as 

for plants, storage locations, sales organizations, and distribution channels. These 

structures are called organizational levels in the material master data. Data that is 

identical for all organizational levels and views is called basic data. 

Menu Path to Material Master Maintenance 

Logistics • Logistics Execution • Master Data • Material • Material. Here, you can 

choose if you want to create, change, or view the material. In addition, the following 

functions are available to you: Display Changes and Flag for Deletion. 

Transaction Codes 

MM01: Create new material master data (you can also select individual views or only 

certain organizational structures here) 

MM02: Change existing material master data 

MM03: View existing material master data at current point in time 

MM19: View existing material master data as it was at a specified point in time 

MM06: Mark existing material master data or only certain organizational levels for 

deletion 

3.1.1 Basic Data in the Material Master 

Basic data in the material master is data that is identical across all organizational 

units. I will only look at data that is required for shipping and transportation 

processes. 

For our example from the beverage industry, which we will return to repeatedly in 

this book, we I have used a bottle of wheat beer, standard size, contents 0.5 liters. 

This material is particularly well-suited to explain the different basic data, which 

is often misunderstood. 

44 


Material Master Data 3.1 

For each material, a Base Unit of Measure is mandatory. All values maintained 

in the material master always refer to this base unit of measure. As you can see 

in Figure 3.1, PC (= piece) is the reference unit, because a company often needs 

additional units. Production and Materials Planning, for example, use hectoliters, 

and Financial Accounting uses liters as a base unit. 

To allow for conversions into different (alternative) units of measure, you should 

enter the respective conversion factor for each unit of measure. How to maintain 

these factors will be explained later in this chapter. 

The values for Gross weight, Net weight, and Volume are particularly important 

for shipping and transportation processes to calculate the exact total weight of 

a shipment to the customer, for example. This includes the two fields with the 

appropriate Weight unit and Volume unit. If the values in these fields are incorrect, 

financial damages can result if shipment costs with the shipping company are 

settled using weight information that is too high. 

Figure 3.1 Basic Data in the Material Master 

Realistic values are used for this example. The content of a bottle of beer is almost 

0.5 kg. This is the actual weight of the finished product. The bottle has a weight 


45

3 

Master Data 

of ca. 0.380 kg, which adds up to a gross weight of 0.880 kg. For the volume, you 

must enter the value to which a unit amounts in the base unit of measure. The 

bottle has a diameter of ca. 6.5 cm and a height of 26 cm. This amounts to a volume 

of ca. 862 cm³. All three values in this example refer to 1 PC. 

Many customers may use the fill quantity of the container for the volume (in our example, 

this would amount to 500 cm³). However, if you later need to calculate the freight 

volume, the values for the shipments are incorrect. 

In the Size/dimensions field, you can only maintain text. It is not recommended to 

enter values here that might be used for lists or statistics for weight and volume calculations. 

Other fields in the material master are provided for this purpose. You will find 

them in the additional data (see Figure 3.2). Because the standard measures of length, 

width, and height are specified here, you have to adjust the values accordingly, if the 

material in question is a bottle as in our example. 

Figure 3.2 Length, Width, and Height Units of Measure of a Material 

You can access the additional data from each material master view by clicking the 

Additional data button. 

A new screen with several tabs opens. Click the Units of measure tab (see Figure 

3.3) to open the desired view. 

Here, you enter the units of measure and the conversion factors for the base unit 

of measure. 

46 



Figure 3.3 Material Master — Basic Data 1 View 

For example, if a customer does not order beverages in the PC unit of measure, but 

instead places his orders in C20 (crates with 20 bottles), the sales order can also be 

entered using the unit of measure C20. The system now knows that a crate (C20) 

consists of 20 bottles. You can also enter the relation to additional units of measure 

used in your company (hectoliters and liters in our example). 

In addition, you must enter the European Article Number (EAN) that you use for 

the individual units of measure. A single bottle, for example, can have a different 

bar code than a complete container (in this case, a crate). For our example, 

two 13-digit EANs (EAN13) have been assigned, one to a bottle (unit of measure 

PC), and the other one to a crate with 20 bottles (unit of measure C20) (see Figure 

3.4). 

Figure 3.4 Alternative Units of Measure for Material 

The basic data contains another field that you have to fill out if you want to package 

materials for the delivery or shipment and only want to allow certain types 

of packaging. This field is called Matl Grp Pack.Matls (material group packaging 


47

3 

Master Data 

materials). For our example, I have entered a crate without specifying if it is a crate 

with 11 or 20 bottles. If you pack your materials directly onto pallets, you can 

define the material group packaging materials here that you specified for pallets. 

Chapter 8, Packing, will describe, in detail, the packing of materials for deliveries 

and shipments. 

3.1.2 Sales Data 

You must enter the sales data of your material for each sales organization and distribution 

channel. If your company uses several distribution channels, and the data 

for each channel is the same, you can also define one or more common distribution 

channels in Customizing and enter the data there. 

The Sales: sales org. 1, as seen in Figure 3.5, tab contains only one field of logistical 

importance: the Delivering Plant. When sales orders are created, the delivering 

plant is automatically suggested by the system. This is useful when your material 

is mainly delivered from a particular plant. Of course, you can overwrite the 

delivering plant when you create the sales order. 

Figure 3.5 Sales Data in the Material Master 

In addition to sales-specific material master data, there is also plant-specific data. 

You have to create material master data for each plant. On the Sales: general/ 

plant tab, there are several fields that can be used for shipping and transportation 

processes (see Figure 3.6). Some fields on this tab are identical to fields that you 

already completed in Basic data 1. 

48 



If you have materials with special shipment requirements (for example, thermal 

shipments), which you have to include in the automatic route determination (see 

Section 5.6), you should group those materials together using the Trans. grp. 

The LoadingGrp allows you to group together materials that are subject to the 

same loading process. For example, there are materials that always have to be 

loaded using a forklift or even a crane because of their weight, or the materials are 

always loaded at the same loading bay. The loading group is also considered in the 

shipping point determination (see Section 5.5). 

Figure 3.6 Plant Data from the Material Master 

If you want to plan the capacities of your warehouse for loading, you can enter 

the following times: 

The Setup time indicates the time needed to set up the work center or the floor 

conveyor vehicles for the material. This time is specified in terms of days. 

You can also enter the processing time (Proc. time) needed to load a certain quantity 

(in the base unit of measure). 

3.1.3 Plant and Storage Location Data 

You have to enter material master data for each plant and, accordingly, for each 

storage location. However, for the processing of shipments only one field is relevant. 

You can find it on the Plant data/stor. 1 tab. 


49

3 

Master Data 

Because your stocks are managed by quantity at the storage location level, you 

need to specify the storage location from which the materials are to be withdrawn 

for a delivery to the customer. For automatic storage location determination, you 

need the Storage conditions field (see Figure 3.7). 

Figure 3.7 Material Master Data at Plant and Storage Location Level 

The meaning and possible content of the fields in the material master will be 

explored in more detail when describing the individual shipping and transportation 

processes. 

3.2 Customer Master Data 

The customer master is very important in the processes of the shipping and transportation 

system. The data maintained in the customer master is a prerequisite for 

all processes to run smoothly. All information that is required for transportation 

planning and the planning and processing of shipments or that has been entered 

when creating sales orders is stored here. 

Similar to the material master data, different levels and views (or tabs) are available 

for the customer master, which are described in the following general overview: 

EE 

General data 

This data is valid for all levels. The address, for example, remains the same, 

even if multiple sales organizations are assigned to the customer. 

50 


Customer Master Data 3.2 

EE 

EE 

EE 

Company code data 

For the company code data, you mainly enter the data you need for the financial 

processing of transactions. 

Sales area data 

This data depends on the sales organization, the distribution channel, and the 

division. Similar to the material master, the sales area data can also be entered 

for a common distribution channel or a common division, if the data for each 

distribution channel and division is the same. 

Additional data 

Within maintenance transactions, SAP has assigned certain data not to the previously 

mentioned levels, but to separate menu paths. 

Menu Path to Customer Master Maintenance 

Logistics • Logistics Execution • Master Data • Partner • Customer. Here, you can 

choose if you want to create, change, or view the customer. 


VD01: Create sales area data for a customer. 

XD01: Create all data for a new customer. 

VD02: Change sales area data for an existing customer. 

XD02: Change all data for an existing customer. 

VD03: View sales area data for an existing customer. 

XD03: View all data for an existing customer. 

VD04: List all changes of sales area data for an existing customer. 

XD04: List all changes of all data for an existing customer. 

VD05: Lock complete customer master or only specific sales areas of a customer for a 

delivery. 

VD06: Mark a customer for deletion. The deletion itself is not done through a separate 

transaction, but rather through a reorganization run, which is usually scheduled at certain 

time intervals. 

In addition to the organizational structure (levels and views) in the customer master 

file, another structure is implemented: the partner function. The customer, 

whose master data you have entered, assumes a specific function in your business 

transactions. In the SAP system, three default partner functions have been created: 

Sold-to party, Ship-to party, and Bill-to party. 


51

3 

Master Data 

The Augsburg branch office of a Munich beverage group orders 36 pallets of mineral water 

requesting delivery directly to a shopping center in Königsbrunn. You have arranged 

with the branch office to send all invoices directly to the main office in Munich. 

This process requires a total of three addresses, which have to be entered in the customer 

master (see Figure 3.8). The first address in Augsburg assumes the function of the 

sold-to party, the second address in Königsbrunn assumes the function of the ship-to 

party, and the third address in Munich assumes the function of the bill-to party. 

Figure 3.8 Partner Functions in the Customer Master File 

Depending on the partner function, you only maintain certain views and levels. 

For the ship-to party, for example, no bank or payment handling data is required, 

and for the bill-to party no delivery data or arrival times are required. A customer 

can also assume multiple partner functions. For example, if the sold-to party in 

Augsburg is also the ship-to party, this customer assumes two functions: the function 

of the sold-to party, and the function of the ship-to party. 

You can enable additional partner functions in the SAP system. Many functions are 

already predefined in the SAP system, such as contact person, shipping company, 

and sales employee. The partner functions are identified by a two-digit key (for 

example, SP for sold-to party, or SH for ship-to party). You can also define your 

own partner functions in Customizing. Ensure that the keys for these functions 

start with a Y or a Z. As an SAP software user, this allows you to differentiate if it 

is a standard SAP function or an SAP enhancement. 

Partner functions have to be assigned to individual customers in the customer 

master. A sold-to party usually has a bill-to party and one or more ship-to parties. 

52 



The ship-to party in turn has one or more shipping companies. Section 6.3 will 

explain the partner functions, their interrelationships, and their determination. 

3.2.1 General Data 

General data is data in the customer master that is identical across all organizational 

levels and structures. This section describes the data that you need for shipping 

and transport processes. 

As you can see in Figure 3.9, the general data contains seven additional tabs: 

Address, Control data, Payment transactions, Marketing, Unloading points, 

Export data, and Contact persons. Only the Address and Unloading points tabs 

contain information relevant to logistics processes. 

Figure 3.9 General Data in the Customer Master File 

The actual address is the most important information in the customer master data. 

In your company, try to ensure that the address data is entered as exactly and consistently 

as possible. 

This view also contains the Transportation zone, which is used in the SAP system 

to assign a specific route to a delivery. These routes allow you to select and plan 

deliveries and group them together into shipments. You can divide your customers 

into regional areas or tariff zones. 


53

3 

Master Data 

In the Unloading points tab, you can enter one or more goods receiving points 

and goods receiving hours for your ship-to party. The goods receiving point can 

be a gate, a loading bay, or a specific building. You can then define one or more 

subordinate receiving points (for example, loading bays or gates) for this main 

goods receiving point (such as for larger buildings), and one or more departments 

for the individual subordinate receiving points. You have to check if it makes sense 

in your company to subdivide the goods recipient down to this level of detail, or 

if you can use the standard values (for example, gate 1, gate 2, etc., as the main 

goods receiving point). See Figure 3.10 for a simple example. 

Figure 3.10 Unloading Points in the Customer Master File 

For each goods receiving point, you can define daily goods receiving hours (that 

is, opening hours, which are considered for freight scheduling. If you use exact 

freight scheduling, you have to assign a factory calendar to the goods receiving 

points. 

3.2.2 Sales Area Data 

Data that may differ by sales organization, distribution channel, and division is 

maintained in the sales area data. Sales area data can be maintained using the following 

four tabs: Sales, Shipping, Billing document, and Partner functions (see 

Figure 3.11). 

54 



Figure 3.11 Sales Area Data in the Customer Master File 

In the Shipping tab, you enter the data that you need to create shipments to this 

customer or ship-to party. The Delivery priority determines if this customer is to 

be given preferential treatment. The Order combination checkbox allows you to 

specify if individual sales orders can be combined to full shipments. If you want to 

specify preferred delivery from a specific plant, you can enter a Delivering Plant. 

You can use the Partial deliveries fields to indicate if and how many partial deliveries 

can be made and if over- and underdeliveries are allowed. 

The sales area data also contains the Partner functions tab. As mentioned earlier 

in this chapter, this is where you enter all possible partner functions and the customer 

numbers that you assign to this customer (see Figure 3.8 for an example). 

3.2.3 Additional Data 

Data that cannot be easily classified in the general data, company data, and sales 

area data views, is maintained as Additional data in the SAP system. You can access 

the additional data by clicking on Extras in the top menu bar and expanding the 

menu tree. You can choose among the following options: Administrative Data, 

Blocking Data, Deletion Flags, Confirmation of Change, Classification, Texts, Documents, 

Additional Data, Customer Partner Functions, Account Group Info, and 

Sales Areas. Texts are also relevant for the shipping and transportation process. 


55

3 

Master Data 

You can create texts for the individual process steps. These texts are intended to 

record special requirements in the process for a particular customer. The texts can 

be printed on shipping documents or invoices, or they can be for internal use only 

in your company. Figure 3.12 illustrates the texts that are available by default in 

the SAP system. 

Figure 3.12 Texts in the Customer Master File 

The Shipping instructions and Selection for shipping texts have been set up 

specifically for shipping and transportation processes. You can define additional 

text types in Customizing. 

The Shipping instructions text type, for example, might contain a note specifying that 

the customer can only accept deliveries by trucks with a maximum clearance of 2.80 m 

(the gate height). 

3.3 Vendor Master File 

The vendor master file is less important for shipping and transportation processes. 

However, if you use shipping companies in the SAP system, you need a vendor 

master record. 

The shipping company is a service provider and therefore has to be created as 

a vendor. In the standard SAP system, a separate account group (Account group 

0005) has been set up, in which you can create your data, as seen in Figure 3.13. 

56 


Batch Master Data 3.4 

Figure 3.13 Address Data in the Vendor Master File 

Similar to the customer master file, there are four views for the vendor master 

file, in which you can enter data: General data, Company code data, Purchasing 

organization data, and Additional data. Because the data from the vendor 

master file does not affect the shipping and transportation processes, this data will 

not be described in detail here. 

Menu Path to Vendor Master Maintenance 

Logistics • Logistics Execution • Master Data • Partner • Vendor. Here, you can 

choose if you want to create, change, or view the vendor. 


XK01: Create vendor master data 

XK02: Change vendor master data 

XK03: View vendor master data 

3.4 Batch Master Data 

Depending on the industry or the specifications of your materials, you must activate 

batch management. Batch management allows you to identify your material 

with a batch, which is then used for all processes. The batch specifies when your 


57

3 

Master Data 

material was produced, and when it expires and may no longer be sold (shelf life 

expiration date [SLED]). Because the stocks are also managed by batch, you can 

track all movements of your materials by batch. 

Even though batch management does not directly intervene in shipping and transportation 

processes, individual process steps may be impeded if the batch data has 

not been created properly. Check in your company, where batch determination 

takes place, for example. Determining the batch at the time the order is entered, 

because the customer has requested delivery of a particular batch, may cause fewer 

problems than when batch determination is deferred until the delivery note is 

created. 

The batch master is not very comprehensive. It contains only five tabs: Basic data 

1, Basic data 2, Classification, Material data, and Changes (see Figure 3.14). 

The minimum shelf life is based on the date of manufacture and the total shelf 

life of the material. If the total shelf life is configured in the material master, the 

SLED is suggested by the system. You can specify the batch status in Basic data 1: 

Unrestr.-use or Batch restr. If the batch is restricted, the stock for this batch is 

not available and is not considered when the delivery note is created. 

Figure 3.14 Basic Data in the Batch Master 

Menu Path to Batch Master Maintenance 

Logistics • Materials Management • Material Master • Batch. Here, you can choose 

if you want to create, change, or view the batch and if you want to display changes. 

58 


Dangerous Goods Master Data 3.5 


MSC1N: Create batch 

MSC2N: Change batch 

MSC3N: View batch 

MSC4N: View all changes in batch master 

3.5 Dangerous Goods Master Data 

If the materials you ship are dangerous goods, you need to comply with legal regulations 

covering the transportation of dangerous goods by road, air, or sea. The SAP 

system provides dangerous goods management, which supports you in managing 

dangerous goods. 

Dangerous goods management is based on the dangerous goods master. Once all 

necessary data has been entered in the dangerous goods master, you can define 

specific dangerous goods checks. These checks are performed when deliveries and 

shipments are created. For dangerous goods, you are also required to print correct 

dangerous goods data on all shipping documents (for example, on the bill of lading 

and the delivery note) and to provide additional documents (for example, material 

safety data sheets and tremcards). If you use Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) to 

send delivery data to your shipping company or customer, dangerous goods management 

ensures that the required dangerous goods information is transmitted. 

As is the case with other master data, the dangerous goods data contains general 

and specific data. The specific data depends on the individual regulations. A regulation 

determines the handling of dangerous goods for a particular mode of transport. 

The most important regulations within the European Union are: 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 

Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road Regulations: ADR 

Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Rail Regulations: RID 

Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Air Regulations (Cargo Aircraft): IATA-C 

Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Air Regulations (Passenger Aircraft): IATA-P 

Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Sea Regulations: IMDG 

Consequently, you must create a dangerous goods master record for each material 

and for all dangerous goods regulations. 


59

3 

Master Data 

Menu Path to Dangerous Goods Master Maintenance 

Logistics • Environment, Health and Safety • Dangerous Goods Management • 

Dangerous Goods Master. Here, you can choose if you want to create, change, view, 

or list the dangerous goods master. 


DGP1: Create dangerous goods master record 

DGP2: Change dangerous goods master record 

DGP3: View dangerous goods master record 

DGR1: List all dangerous goods master records 

The dangerous goods master data is maintained in several tabs (see Figure 3.15): 

Classification, Substance Rating, Substance Properties, Packaging, Labeling, 

Exceptions, Printed Texts, Mixed Loading, and Packing Requirement. 

Figure 3.15 Dangerous Goods Master Data 

The Classification tab contains the dangerous goods rating and permissibility for 

the corresponding regulations. The Substance Rating tab contains storage data 

(for example, water pollution class, dangerous goods storage class), temperature 

60 


Summary 3.6 

information, and aggregate states. The substance properties describe more general 

data, for example, the boiling and melting point, viscosity, density, flash point, and 

water solubility. The Packaging tab contains packaging regulations and permitted 

modes of transportation. The Exceptions tab lists the maximum quantity, excepted 

quantities, and exemptions. The data on the last two tabs directly affects shipping 

and transportation processes. You can enter texts and phrases in the Labeling and 

Printed Texts tabs. Information about the rules of mixed loading of different dangerous 

goods is also important for transportation. If you combine materials from 

different dangerous goods classes in the same shipment, and these materials cause 

a certain reaction when they mix with each other (for example, in an accident), the 

appropriate rules have to be entered in the Mixed Loading tab. 

It would go beyond the scope of this book to describe all the dangerous goods 

rules and all options for dangerous goods management. However, Chapter 9, Dangerous 

Goods Management, will describe them in more detail. 

3.6 Summary 

This chapter has described the master data and the fields that are important for 

employees in Shipping and Transportation so that the processes can be based on a 

solid foundation. Many errors that occur during the process flow can be avoided 

by maintaining master data in a more conscientious and careful manner. 

You now have basic knowledge of the material and customer master, and also of 

the vendor, batch, and dangerous goods master. In the next chapter, I will discuss 

the documents that are relevant for the delivery document. 


61


This chapter familiarizes you with sales and stock transport orders – the 

basis for deliveries and transports. You will also learn how to find data 

relevant to logistics and how the document and material flow of various 

processes looks. 

4 Documents 

In Chapter 3, Master Data, you learned which master data is necessary to map 

processes in the shipping and transportation system. This chapter introduces you 

to the transaction data you will have to deal with in your shipping and transportation 

activities. 

In classic IT terminology, the term transaction data refers to data that only has 

temporary validity and only has a statistical character after expiration. The delivery 

document is a good example. It is created to record the data for a delivery and to 

accompany the flow of goods to the customer. Once the delivery is complete, the 

materials have been posted out, and invoicing is completed, the delivery document 

no longer has a meaning in the SAP system. It will only flow into statistics 

and evaluations or aid in research for return queries of ship-to parties. 

You, of course, have to deal with such transaction data in your shipping department. 

Transaction data includes sales orders, delivery documents, invoices, documents 

for goods movements, and so on. Among this transaction data, I distinguish 

between data that is intended for the actual process sequence in shipping and data 

that precedes these processes. It stands to reason that there must be a sales order 

for the creation of a delivery document. If there are problems with the delivery 

document and its functions, the causes must be sought in the sales order. The basic 

data of a delivery document is already determined in the sales order. 

However, in addition to sales orders, there are also transports that must be organized 

between your branches. SAP software has developed the stock transport 

order for this purpose. Although treated exactly like a sales order with regard to 


63

4 

Documents 

shipping, there is a difference in invoicing. No invoice is created, but rather only 

an internal company offset. 

Let us look at sales orders first. 

4.1 Sales Orders 

In many companies, sales orders are much more common than stock transport 

orders. Figure 4.1 schematically represents the complete process of a sales order. 

4.1.1 Structure of a Sales Order 

You can see that there are several partial steps within the process, going from 

the customer inquiry, to an offer, to a sales order, delivery, transport, the goods 

issue posting, and to invoicing. Each individual step is represented by a document, 

which is also referred to as a sales document. These sales documents can be 

uniquely identified by a document number. 

Sales Support 

Contact 

Sales 

Request 

Offer 

Contract 

Free-of-Charge 

Delivery 

Free-of-Charge 

Subseq. Del. 

Order 

Returns 

Scheduling 

Agreement 

Shipping 

Delivery 

Shipment 

Goods Issue 

Billing 

Debit Memo 

Invoice 

Credit Memo 

Figure 4.1 Processes in Sales 

64 


Sales Orders 4.1 

Document Types 

As you can also see in Figure 4.1, there are different business procedures within 

the individual sales documents. A sales order has a different document flow than 

a free-of-charge delivery, even if there is no difference from a logistical point of 

view. A free-of-charge delivery is usually not relevant to invoicing, that is, the 

document flow ends with the delivery or goods issue posting. 

In order to map and control all these processes in the SAP system, the different 

transaction types are differentiated by different document types. The document 

type in the SAP system controls which processes must take place for this transaction 

type. For example, for the sales order there are the corresponding order types, 

for delivery the delivery types, and for invoicing the invoicing types. 

Status in a Sales Order 

Every sales document within the process has a certain processing status. This status usually 

refers to subsequent processes. For example, the sales order has a delivery and an 

invoice status. You can see the meanings of the individual status values in Table 4.1. 

Status 

A 

B 

C 

_ 

Meaning 

Not yet processed 

Partially processed 

Completely finished 

Not relevant 

Table 4.1 Definition of the Document Status 

If the sales order has delivery status C and invoice status A, this means that the delivery 

of the sales order is completely finished, but no invoice has been sent. If the invoice 

status were “_” (instead of A), this sales order would not be invoice-relevant. In this 

case, no invoice is created. 

For detailed information on the individual statuses, see Chapter 11, Status Tracking. 

Application Areas of a Delivery 

Even though shipping and transportation activities at many companies focus on 

sales orders, there are also some other application areas that demand the shipping 


65

4 

Documents 

and transportation of goods. The application areas provided in the SAP system are 

shown in Figure 4.2. 

Preceding Document 

Delivery Document 

SD 

Sales Order 

Delivery 

MM 

Stock Transport Order 

Replenishment 

Delivery 

MM 

Provision of Materials 

for Subcontract Order 

Delivery for Provision 

of Materials for 

Subcontract Order 

MM 

Purchase Order 

Supplier Returns 

PS 

Project 

Delivery from Project 

Figure 4.2 Further Application Areas for Transportation Activities 

If you have to transfer materials from one plant to another, and the plants are 

physically so far from each other that transport must be planned and implemented, 

you need a stock transport order and not a sales order. In the next step, you create a 

“replenishment delivery” from this stock transport order. The exact procedure and 

its special features and exceptions are explained in more detail in Section 4.2.1. 

If you subcontract at your company to produce your product and must transport 

raw materials or components to your subcontractor, to perform the transports you 

require a provision of materials for subcontract order or the delivery document 

resulting from it. 

If you are using the SAP Project System (PS) component and work with projects, 

you can also trigger deliveries from the project. Delivery note creation is usually 

event controlled, which means that if conditions are met within a project (e.g., 

production of certain parts is completed), such events can trigger a delivery. In 

principle, this concerns deliveries to a customer. 

66 



Sales Order Header 

To create deliveries on the basis of sales orders and to process and correct them in 

case of problems, you must consider the structure of the sales order. A sales order 

consists of a document header and one or more items. Each item has at least one 

schedule line (see Figure 4.3). 

Header 

Item 10 

Sales Document 

Unloading Point, Delivery Block, 

Shipping Conditions, Shipping Type, 

Data for Delivery Note Creation, 

Texts, 

Partners, 

Business Data, 

Prices, Conditions, 

Customer Purchase Order Data, 

etc. 

Schedule Line 1 

Item 20 



Plant, Storage Location, 

Shipping Point, Route, 

Identifiers and Data for Delivery Note 

Creation, 

Prices, Conditions, 

Texts, 

etc. 

Confirmed Quantity to be Delivered, 

Calculated Delivery Date, 

Delivery Block, 

Movement Type for Goods Issue, 

Dangerous Goods Information, 

etc. 

Figure 4.3 Order Header, Items, and Schedule Lines 

General data that is valid for the entire sales order is recorded in the document 

header. This includes, for example, the address data (customer, ship-to party, billto 

party), conditions (discounts valid for the entire order), the shipping conditions 

(not to be confused with incoterms – which refers to shipping strategies in the SAP 

system), the shipping type (e.g., shipping by truck, rail, or air), and so on. 

Sales Order Item 

Under the document item, you find the materials that the customer has ordered. 

This can be goods, as well as services. All data that belongs to the material, such as 

the material number, material description, prices and any discounts, the delivering 

plant, the storage location (must be specified manually), the shipping point, routes, 

and so on, are stored in the item. 


67

4 

Documents 

Schedule Lines 

However, the basis for the creation of deliveries is the schedule line. They are absolutely 

necessary, that is, there must be at least one schedule line in the document 

item. The schedule line contains, for example, the quantity to be delivered with a 

delivery date, any delivery blocks, the movement type for the goods issue posting, 

dangerous goods information, and so on. 

Order Types 

As you already know from the document types, there are different sales order 

processes that differ at one point or another within the total shipping process. To 

control these differing processes, it is necessary to assign the sales order an order 

type. 

The standard SAP system provides order types that you can customize and adapt 

to conditions in the company via Customizing. The most important order types 

are listed in Table 4.2. 

Order type 

OR 

RO 

CS 

CF 

FD 

SDF 

Description 

Standard order 

Rush order 

Cash sale 

Consignment fill-up 

Free-of-charge delivery 

Subsequent delivery free of charge 

Table 4.2 Order Types in the Standard SAP System 

As soon as the sales order is created, the order type controls which delivery process 

(precisely put, which delivery type) follows this order and whether the delivery is 

created automatically in the background. The calculation of the desired delivery 

date is also controlled by the order type. 

For shipping (creation of the delivery) you can permanently define the following 

process steps for each order type. 

EE 

Delivery type 

Has the same meaning as the order type for the sales order. This is explained in 

more detail in Section 5.2. 

68 



EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 

Immediate delivery 

You must set this flag if, during order entry, a delivery is to be automatically created 

after completion (this is the setting for the immediate order). 

Delivery block 

If you want to set a delivery block when entering the sales order, you must 

enter the reason for the delivery block at this point. 

Shipping conditions 

If you want to link a certain shipping condition with the order type, you must 

enter it in this field. The shipping condition is required for decision making at 

the shipping point. This is explained in more detail in Section 5.5.1. 

Suggest delivery date 

When you set this flag, the SAP system automatically suggests the current day’s 

date as a delivery date during order entry. However, you have the option of 

overwriting this delivery date. 

Technical Information About the Order Type 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 


Path in Customizing: Sales and Distribution • Sales • Sales Documents • Sales 

Document Header • Define Sales Document Types 

Specific Transaction: VOV8 

Table: TVAK and TVAKT (short names) 

Order Item Categories 

While you have a lot of room to play with in regard to designing your shipping 

processes via the order type, the options at the item level are minimal, at least 

from the logistical point of view. As for the order types, there are numerous item 

categories in the SAP system that you can copy and change via Customizing, if necessary. 

Table 4.3 contains a small selection of these preset item categories. 

Item category 

TAN 

TAL 

TATX 

TAX 

Description 

Standard item 

Loaner item 

Text item 

Nonstock item 

Table 4.3 Item Categories in the Standard SAP System 


69

4 

Documents 

Item category 

KBN 

KLN 

Description 

Standard item consignment fill-up 

Free-of-charge item 

Table 4.3 Item Categories in the Standard SAP System (Cont.) 

With regard to shipping and transportation, the item category controls the following 

processes: 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 

Delivery relevance 

If you set this flag, value and text items from the sales order are transferred into 

the delivery. These items have only an informal character in the delivery. 

Returns 

With this flag, you can control whether it is a return coming back from the 

customer. Returns are also represented using deliveries although they are not 

deliveries in the classical sense. 

Weight/volume relevant 

You must set this flag when a weight and volume calculation is performed. If 

this calculation does not take place, this item is not considered for calculation 

of the total weight and total volume of a complete transport. 

Automatic batch determination 

If you wish to perform automatic batch determination during sales order entry, 

you must set this flag. 

Technical Information About the Order Item Category 

EE 

EE 


Path in Customizing: Sales and Distribution • Sales • Sales Document • Sales Document 

Item • Define Item Categories 

EE 


EE 

Table: TVAP and TVAPT (short names) 

The item category is always linked to the order type via Customizing. This is to 

ensure that you cannot accidentally specify item category TAN for a consignment 

fill-up, for example. 

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Technical Information About the Linking of Item Categories 

EE 

EE 


Path in Customizing: Sales and Distribution • Sales • Sales Document • Sales 

Document Item • Assign Item Categories 

EE 


EE 

Table: T184 

Subitems 

The subitems are special items within the items. Subitems are assigned to a socalled 

superitem in the sales order document. In most cases, they are only used 

if free goods are granted. These free goods (also referred to as a rebate in kind) 

are inserted as an additional item in the document and assigned to the item that 

triggered the rebate. In addition, you can also use subitems for bills of material 

(BOM), for example, when the ordered material itself is only invoice-relevant, but 

the BOM items must be commissioned and delivered individually. You can also 

enter certain services associated with the delivered material as subitems and assign 

them to the material. 

The item categories, their assignment to the order type, and the respective process 

control of the subitems themselves are maintained via Customizing in the same 

table as other item categories. 

Schedule Line Categories 

The schedule lines are just as important as the items for the shipping process. An 

item in the sales order must have at least one schedule line. Schedule lines contain 

information on inventory management and on when (delivery date) and 

for how much (delivery quantity) the delivery should be made and on how the 

demand is transferred to materials planning. This information is required to create 

deliveries. 

Schedule lines fall into different schedule line categories. For each schedule line category, 

you must specify the handling of the information mentioned previously. If 

a physical goods issue occurs at all, the schedule line category must be set to Delivery-relevant. 

If it is delivery-relevant, you must specify the necessary movement 

type in the schedule line category. Based on the movement type, you can define 


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how you control the quantity- and value-based goods issue postings. Most of the 

movement types set for the goods issue posting are between 601 and 699. 

The standard SAP system contains predefined schedule line categories. These 

schedule line categories consist of two places; the first and second place have 

fixed meanings. Table 4.4 shows the meaning of the first place of the schedule line 

category. This place provides information about which sales process the schedule 

line is based on. 

First place of schedule line category 

A 

B 

C 

D 

Meaning 

Request for quote 

Offer 

Order 

Return 

Table 4.4 First Place of the Schedule Line Category in the Standard SAP System 

But the second place has a meaning as well. It provides information on the transfer 

of requirements and inventory management (see Table 4.5). 

Second place of schedule line category 

T 

X 

N 

V 

P 

Meaning 

No inventory management 

No inventory management with goods issue 

No materials planning 

Consumption-based planning 

Material requirements planning 

Table 4.5 Second Place of the Schedule Line Category in the Standard SAP System 

With regard to shipping and transportation, the schedule line category controls 

the following processes: 

EE 


It is always possible to set a delivery block when creating schedule lines. The 

purpose of the delivery block can be that certain documents (free-of-charge 

delivery, for example) must first be checked and then released. The SAP system 

takes the delivery block from the document item, if it was already set there. 

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EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 

Delivery-relevant 

This flag sets the schedule line to delivery-relevant. Schedule lines that refer to 

requests for quotes or offers should have no delivery relevance. 

Movement type 

Here you specify the movement type for goods issue postings. The standard 

movement type for a delivery is 601. 

Order type, item category, and account assignment category 

If a purchase order is to be generated directly using the schedule line, then the 

order type, the item category, and the account assignment type are already provided 

for the order here. 

Availability 

If you set this flag, an availability check is performed during the creation of 

schedule lines. 

Technical Information About the Schedule Line Category 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 


Path in Customizing: Sales and Distribution • Sales • Sales Documents • Schedule 

Line • Define Schedule Line Categories 

Specific Transaction: VOV6 

Table: TVEP and TVEPT (short names) 

For the SAP system to find the right schedule line category, you must define an 

assignment to the item category of the respective sales document. This assignment 

also depends on the materials planning feature from the material master. 

Both pieces of information are required to determine the correct schedule line 

category. 

Technical Information About the Assignment of the Schedule Line Category 

EE 

Path in Customizing: Sales and Distribution • Sales • Sales Documents • Schedule 

Line • Assign Schedule Line Categories 

EE 


EE 

Table: TVEPZ 

Now that you have become familiar with the basic structure of the sales order, 

I will introduce you to the most important types of sales orders, which differ in 

their individual process steps. 


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4.1.2 Standard Order 

The standard order is the order type that you will find most frequently. The basic 

definition of a standard order is that the customer orders a certain quantity of a 

material that is to arrive at the ship-to party on a specific date. 

Process Flow of a Standard Order 

Figure 4.4 shows an overview of the process flow. The customer, called the sold-to 

party in the following, orders goods from you. If these goods are available in the 

warehouse in the desired quantities, you can begin work on delivery to the shipto 

party. If they are not available in the warehouse, they must first be produced or 

procured from a vendor. After the delivery is completed, which you conclude with 

the goods issue posting, you must create an invoice to send to the bill-to party. 

Production 

Purchasing 

Standard Order 

Warehouse Stock 

Delivery 

Invoice 

Sold-To Party 

Ship-To Party 

Bill-To Party 

Figure 4.4 Rough Process Flow of a Standard Order 

Example of a Standard Order 

In the SAP system, the standard order is preset as the default procedure using 

order type OR. Start Transaction VA01. 

Enter “OR” under Order Type, as seen in Figure 4.5. At this point, you must 

specify the assignment for the order to one of your organizational structures. In 

the example, it is the sales organization “OGGE” for beverages processing, the 

distribution channel “DI” for a direct customer, and division “AG” for alcoholic 

drinks. The order is entered in the sales office “OGDS.” From an organizational 

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point of view, the enterer belongs to sales group “OG3.” The sales office and 

sales group are not, however, mandatory entry fields. 

Figure 4.5 Initial Screen for a Sales Order 

Now press the Enter key to go to the screen where you can enter all of the 

necessary data. 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 

Sold-to party 

This field contains the customer number of the sold-to party, here “OG1001.” 

Ship-to party 

This field contains the customer number of the ship-to party, also “OG1001,” 

because the sold-to party is also the ship-to party. 

Purchase Order (PO) Number 

Enter the reference number that the customer specified to you on his PO. 

PO date 

Enter the date on which your customer issued the purchase order. 

Required delivery date 

Enter the date on which your customer expects the goods to be delivered. 

Material 

This field contains the item number of the goods, here “OGB10001.” 

Order quantity 

Enter the quantity in this field, for example, “1600.” 

SU 

This abbreviation represents the unit of measure and refers to the order quantity, 

in this case “PC” for piece. 

In Figure 4.6, the fields are circled in black so that you can find them more 

quickly. 


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Figure 4.6 Initial Screen for a Standard Order 

Press the Enter key again and the SAP system will confirm your entry by copying 

the respective texts; otherwise you will receive an error message. 

Now the name and address of the sold-to party and the ship-to party are displayed 

(see Figure 4.7). The total weight of the ordered goods and the total volume were 

calculated, however, without packaging and transport materials (cartons, crates, 

pallets, etc.). The short item description was copied from the material master. 

Figure 4.7 Standard Order after Successful Entry 

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Now save the standard order. The SAP system either informs you of the order 

number or provides information on incorrect or missing entries. 

The system should now be set so that all important information for planning the 

delivery is provided. Next, I will cover where you can find this information based 

on this standard order. 

Shipping-Specific Data in the Sales Order Header 

You learned at the beginning of the chapter how a sales order is structured. Let’s 

have a look at this standard order. You can go directly to the overview screen via 

Transaction VA03. The shipping-specific data can be found in the Shipping tab. In 

Figure 4.8, various blocks are marked for you: the calculated total weight and volume 

of this order, the overall status and the delivery status (the various statuses are 

dealt with in more detail in Chapter 11, Status Tracking), the various dates for an 

ordered item (the dates are treated in detail in Section 6.1), the plant, the shipping 

point, and the route for each individual item. 

Figure 4.8 Overview Screen with Shipping Data 

You can reach the header data by selecting Goto • Header • Shipping from the 

menu. The screen that appears contains the following data (see Figure 4.9): 

EE 

EE 

Unloading Point 

This field specifies the unloading point where the goods are to be delivered to 

the ship-to party. The unloading point is either suggested by the system on the 

basis of the customer master of the ship-to party or can be specified manually. 

Receiving point 

The unloading point at the ship-to party can be subdivided further into receiv- 


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EE 

EE 

EE 

ing points (e.g., goods receiving office 1). The receiving points also serve as a 

primary point of contact for unloading for the driver. 

Department 

You can assign the receiving point to a department at the ship-to party. 


If you want to block the order from delivery, set the delivery block flag here. 

Complete delivery 

If you want to create a complete delivery for this standard order, you must 

make a check here. If it is an order with several items and only one item cannot 

be delivered, the complete order is not delivered. 

Figure 4.9 Header Data in the Shipping Tab 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 

Shp. Cond. 

Here you find the shipping conditions that are needed for shipping point and 

route determination. 

Order combination 

If you set this flag, you can combine additional orders into one delivery. 

DG mgmt profile 

Using the dangerous goods (DG) management profile, you can find out whether 

this item is a dangerous goods item or not. 

Contains DG 

If DG are determined based on the DG management profile, the SAP system 

sets a flag here. This setting cannot be changed manually. 

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EE 

EE 

EE 

Shipping type 

The shipping type provides information about how the order is to be delivered, 

for instance, by truck, rail, ship, or plane. The shipping type is required later on 

during transport creation and route determination. 

SpecProcID 

The special processing indicator flag causes special handling of the order with 

regard to transport and the later shipping cost calculation. 

POD-relevant 

If you set this flag, the ship-to party must confirm reception of the goods. The standard 

order cannot be invoiced before this confirmation has been made. These confirmations 

are usually performed via Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) messages. 

You can find further information relevant to shipping and transportation in the 

Partners and Texts tabs. The Partners tab contains primarily the sold-to party, 

the ship-to party, and the bill-to party. If you have agreed to further partner functions 

in Customizing, they will be displayed here as well. If you want to describe 

the delivery conditions in more detail or inform the employees in Shipping or in 

the warehouse of special shipping instructions, you must enter these under the 

Shipping instructions text type. 

Shipping-Specific Data in the Order Item 

Shipping-relevant information is available not only in the order header, but also in 

the item itself. Have a look at the item in the sample order (see Figure 4.10). You 

find, in part, the same information at item level that you were already introduced 

to at header level. 

Figure 4.10 Shipping-Relevant Information at Item Level 


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You can reach the item data by marking the desired item and selecting Goto • Item 

• Shipping from the menu. The screen that appears contains the following data: 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 

Unloading Point, Receiving point, and Department 

Unlike the header data, at item level, you can specify your own information 

regarding the delivery address of the ship-to party. 

Delivery Prior. 

The delivery priority is specified in the customer master or customer material 

information record and copied to the standard order. If several customers order 

the same item at the same time and availability is not sufficient to deliver to all 

customers, you can use the delivery priority to control which customer has a 

higher priority for delivery. 

Plant 

Here you can find the delivering plant. See Section 5.5.3 for more information 

on the delivering plant. 

Stor. location 

When entering the standard order, you have the option to specify from which 

storage location the ordered items should be picked and delivered. The actual 

storage location determination does not take place until creation of the delivery. 

Shipping Point 

The shipping point indicates at what point in your company shipping should 

take place. Shipping point determination is described in Section 5.5. 

Route 

Here you can find the route. Detailed information about this is provided in Section 

5.6. 

Part.div./item 

If you want this item in a delivery to be delivered completely, you must set 

the appropriate flag, otherwise, the SAP system may split this item into several 

deliveries. This splitting is based on the availability of materials. 

Max.Part.Deliv. 

If you have allowed partial delivery for this item, you can specify the maximum 

number of partial deliveries here. 

Shipping type, Spec.processing, and POD-relevant 

Here again, in contrast to your specifications at header level, you can record 

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EE 

your own information regarding shipping processing. However, this information 

serves the same purpose as that in the header data. 

Delivery tolerance 

You can specify delivery tolerances due to availability problems or separate 

agreements with the customer. If you allow no tolerance, the delivered amount 

must correspond exactly with the order amount. If you allow tolerances, you 

must specify how much you may deviate upward and downward. 

As you have already seen in the context of header data, the Partners and Texts 

tabs also exist at item level. Here you can enter different partners. You must determine 

with your organization whether this is at all sensible in your case. This gives 

you delivery splits, because a special delivery must be created for each ship-to 

party. 

The texts at the item level are identical with the texts at the header level with 

regard to the system structure; however, there are different text types for the 

items. The following texts are available in the standard SAP system: a packaging 

instruction (e.g., “Please pack this item in only two layers on the pallet.”), which 

can be printed out on the picking instructions, and a delivery text (e.g., “Please 

give the pallet to Mr. Smith, phone: 1234.”). 

Shipping-Specific Data in the Schedule Line 

A very important tab at the item level is Schedule lines. Here, you can see when 

the item in the standard order is due for delivery (see Figure 4.11). Depending on 

the result of the availability check, the delivery date can differ from the specified 

delivery date (date at which the ship-to party would like to have the goods). Section 

5.8 contains more detail on the availability check. 

Figure 4.11 Schedule Lines in a Standard Order 


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Because there is no availability check in this example, the displayed delivery date 

corresponds to the required delivery date (see the Req.deliv.date field in Figure 

4.7). You can also obtain this overview of the schedule lines directly from the 

overview screen. To do this, mark the item for which you want to see the schedule 

lines, and click the (schedule lines for item) icon. 

In addition to the standard order, processes exist in the sales department that in 

the end make a transport of goods to a ship-to party necessary but which differ 

at some point within the complete process flow. The following sections will only 

describe the differences. Data and information tabs and icons are largely identical 

with those of the standard order. 

4.1.3 Third-Party Order 

One of the order types that differs most in the process flow is the third-party order. 

In a third-party order, the shipping or transport of the goods to the ship-to party 

is planned and performed by an external supplier. Your company as a selling company 

is therefore not required to perform the transport. 

Third-Party Order Process Flow 

I will also cover third-party order process flow because it is important to cover 

the most relevant sales order types that differ from a standard order within the 

process flow. 

If you buy materials that you do not store in your warehouse and do not produce 

yourself, but rather have them produced by a vendor, it is a good idea to handle 

these materials using a third-party order. Figure 4.12 illustrates the process flow. 

Your customer orders goods from you that you are to deliver to his ship-to party. 

You now commission your vendor who stores or produces these goods to send the 

goods directly to the ship-to party. Your vendor sends you an invoice for this service, 

and you invoice the service further to the bill-to party of your sold-to party. 

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Standard Order 

Invoice 


Selling Company 

Supplier 

Invoice 

Sold-To Party 

Ship-To Party 

Shipping Company 

Bill-To Party 

Figure 4.12 Process Flow of a Third-Party Order 

Third-Party Order Item Category 

Because a delivery is usually the basis for an invoice in the SAP system, but you 

require no delivery and no transport for this procedure and you do not create 

them in the SAP system, the third-party order item is invoice-relevant, rather than 

delivery-relevant. 

Figure 4.13 Difference to Third-Party Order: TAS Item Category 


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To enter a third-party order, you use “OR” as the Order type, which you learned 

about in the context of the standard order. However, you must enter the item with 

item category (ItCa) “TAS” (see Figure 4.13). You either specify this item category 

manually if you only handle this material now and then as a third-party order, 

or you enter your material in the material master with the item category group 

“BANS” in the Sales: sales org 2 tab (see Figure 4.14). 

Figure 4.14 BANS Item Category Group for Third-Party Materials 

Third-Party Order Schedule Line Category 

The TAS item category includes the CS schedule line category. The CS schedule 

line category is set for third-party order processing in the standard SAP system. 

Therefore, an availability check is not carried out. Further information is provided 

for this via the schedule line category, which is required for (automatic) entry of a 

purchase requisition or a purchase order to your vendor. 

Figure 4.15 Schedule Line Category for a Third-Party Order Item 

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Figure 4.15 illustrates the setting of the schedule line category. It is not deliveryrelevant, 

and a goods issue posting is also not possible because the movement type 

is not specified. The Order type, Item category, and Account assignment category 

fields are provided for the purchase order. 

4.1.4 Consignment Processing 

Consignment processing is an order type that is often found. This is related to the 

creation of a consignment store located on the property of your customer. If you 

set up such a store, the goods you store in the consignment store remain your 

property until they are finally removed by your customer. You usually conclude 

an appropriate contract with your customer that controls the handling of the consignment 

store. 

Consignment Fill-Up Process Flow 

The SAP system supports consignment processing with an entire series of processes 

that are controlled using the order type. First, you have to fill the consignment 

store in agreement with your customer. To do that, you must use order type 

CF. Although the stocks in this warehouse remain your property, the customer 

usually also has an exact overview of these stocks and will usually grant you an 

order to fill the consignment store. However, you also have the option to plan and 

perform the supply yourself. 

The consignment fill-up is sent via a delivery document similar to that of a standard 

order (at least from the logistical point of view). However, a different movement 

type is determined for the goods issue posting, because the stock remains in the 

delivering plant, but is posted to a special stock account. The name of this special 

stock account is the corresponding customer number of your consignment partner, 

or the customer number of the ship-to party. 

No accounting document is generated with the goods issue posting because the 

stock remains in the plant. However, this stock is no longer available from the 

point of view of planning. In addition, the order item is not relevant for pricing 

or invoicing, because at this point in time, you cannot send an invoice to your 

customer. Figure 4.16 shows the individual process steps again. 


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Consignment 

Fill-Up 

Delivery Note 


Sold-To Party 

Ship-To Party 

Bill-To Party 

Customer 

Shipping Company 

Consignment Store 

Figure 4.16 Order Processing of a Consignment Fill-Up 

If the consignment store is not in the immediate vicinity of your customer or if it 

was agreed that the consignment store be designated by its own customer number 

(the consignment store may be managed by an external warehouse manager 

or a shipping company), you must enter this customer number as special stock 

partner in the respective consignment orders. To do that, select Goto • Header 

• Partners and enter the appropriate customer number under the “Special Stock 

Partner” partner type. After the goods issue posting, you can find the stock under 

the customer number or the account number of the special stock partner. 

Consignment Issue Process Flow 

If your customer now plans to sell the goods in your consignment store or to 

remove them for his own purposes (e.g., as raw materials or operating materials 

for his production), your customer will, as a rule, inform you of the withdrawn 

material and the withdrawn quantity. You must then create a consignment issue 

with order type CI in the SAP system. No transport planning or performance, 

under your responsibility, is required for this consignment issue. If the consignment 

store is located directly on the site of your customer, no transport planning 

takes place at all. 

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However, a delivery document must be created for the consignment issue itself. 

This delivery document is now equipped with the movement type that posts the 

stock out from the special stock account of your consignment store. After that, the 

delivery item is also invoice-relevant so that you can charge your customer for the 

issue. Figure 4.17 shows the individual steps. 

Consignment 

Issue 

Delivery Note 

Invoice 


Sold-To Party 

Ship-To Party 

Bill-To Party 

Customer 

Consignment Store 

Figure 4.17 Order Processing of a Consignment Issue 

Consignment Pickup Process Flow 

If you or your customer wants to take goods from the consignment store back to 

your company, you have to pick the goods up again from the consignment store. 

In that case, you need the process of consignment pickup (order type CP). 

The characteristics of a consignment pickup differ from those of a consignment 

fill-up. Under whose responsibility the transport is planned and performed must 

be determined in agreement with your customer. However, because it is a separate 

transportation processing, this order type does not go into the classical pot of all 

deliveries and transports to be performed from your shipping point. 

A delivery document, which has the cancellation movement type for consignment 

fill-up, is also generated for the consignment pickup. Using this, the goods receipt 

is posted with reference to the delivery document as soon as the goods arrive at 


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your warehouse. In real life, there is only one goods issue (because the goods issue 

function is used) with the plus/minus sign changed. 

Consignment Returns Process Flow 

Although not relevant from the logistical point of view, the consignment return 

should be mentioned for completeness. This is a return by your customer back 

to the consignment store. The movement type that posts the stock back into the 

consignment store is determined using this order type. 

Sample Consignment Processing 

To enter orders for consignment processing, you must use Transaction VA01, like 

all other sales orders. Select “CF” as the order type. All other values in the initial 

screen have the same meaning as for a standard order. Press the Enter key to obtain 

an overview in which you find and enter the same information you are familiar 

with from the standard order. Figure 4.18 contains an overview of the items. 

Figure 4.18 Example of a Consignment Fill-Up 

The SAP system has automatically determined the ItCa “KBN.” If you mark the 

order item, select the schedule lines view and click the Procurement tab, you can 

see that the SAP system has determined the movement type “631.” The Sched. 

line cat. “E1” (transfer to consignment stock with availability check) was also 

found automatically (see Figure 4.19). 

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Figure 4.19 Schedule Line Category and Movement Type for a Consignment Fill-Up 

If you work with the special stock partner, you must enter the header data in the 

Partners tab (see Figure 4.20). 

Figure 4.20 Special Stock Partner for a Consignment Fill-Up 

You must also enter the consignment orders in the same way as the consignment 

fill-up shown in this example when it is a consignment withdrawal, consignment 

pickup, or consignment return. It is only necessary to enter a different order type 

during entry. 

4.1.5 Returns Order 

There are different reasons for taking back goods that you have already sent to 

your customer and invoiced. For example, one reason is that the goods were 

received in damaged condition by the customer. Or the customer ordered the 


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wrong goods, or you have delivered too many or the wrong goods. In addition, 

problems in invoicing can also mean that you have to take back your goods. 

The returns order is the basis of the returns process. It is entered via order type 

“RE.” If you look at the returns order from the logistical point of view, you see 

that no shipping or transport activities are necessary because, in most cases, the 

customer organizes the returns transport by himself. However, if you want to 

organize the returns transport yourself, the same basic data is available to you for 

transportation planning as from the standard order. For a returns order, a shipping 

point and a plant are also determined, the only difference being that the goods 

transport does not take place from there, but rather to there (see Figure 4.21). 

Figure 4.21 Shipping Data of a Returns Order 

In the next step, you would generate a returns delivery document, also called a 

returns delivery, like the delivery document for a standard order. In the standard 

SAP system, the returns delivery is set in such a way that the items are not available 

for picking (not picking-relevant). 

The goods receipt posting takes place as soon as the goods are received by you. In 

the standard SAP system, this goods receipt posting is set using Sched.line cat. 

“DN” so that the goods are first posted in to a blocked returns stock within your 

plant (with Movement Type “651”) and therefore must first be checked (see Figure 

4.22). The later transfer posting is performed in the Materials Management (MM) 

component in the freely available stock using Movement Type “453.” 

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However, if you wish to post the goods receipt of the returned goods directly to 

the freely available stock, you must enter a different schedule line category under 

Schedule lines during order entry. You must set this schedule line category in 

advance in Customizing using Movement Type “653.” If you also manage your 

materials using lots, you must enter the lots in the goods receipt posting. 

Figure 4.22 Schedule Line for a Returns Order 

When the goods receipt is posted, you can credit the customer for the value of the 

returned goods using a returns credit memo. 

4.1.6 Free-of-Charge Delivery and Subsequent Delivery 

If you send your customer a sample or your customer reclaims a delivery and you 

must send him goods subsequently, the standard SAP system provides the option 

to create a free-of-charge delivery or a free-of-charge subsequent delivery. The free-ofcharge 

delivery is entered using order type “FD” and a subsequent delivery using 

“SDF.” The difference between the two order types is that you select the free-ofcharge 

subsequent delivery when you refer to an existing order that your customer 

is reclaiming or to a return. 

In either case, the SAP system suggests order item category “KLN,” which is neither 

price-relevant nor invoice-relevant. The process therefore stops after goods 

issue posting, and no invoice is sent. However, there is no difference for your 

transport planning whether you must send a normal, standard order or a free-ofcharge 

delivery. 


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If, in your process, you have given these delivery types an automatic delivery block because 

the free-of-charge delivery must first be checked and released by a specialist, you 

cannot create deliveries. If you cannot successfully create the delivery document, check 

the delivery block in the schedule line or the order header. The schedule line category is 

“CP” (as for a standard order). Also, note the delivery block as shown in Figure 4.23. 

Figure 4.23 Schedule Line of a Free-of-Charge Delivery 

4.2 Purchase Orders 

Section 4.1 described the basics of shipping goods to customers using a sales order. 

However, if you have several plants in your company, some of which are at different 

locations, and you must transport goods between the plants, you will need 

purchase orders. It is possible that, in addition to your main plant, you own distribution 

plants that supply customers with goods regionally. Replenishment deliveries 

to these distribution plants are necessary to maintain the regional supply. In 

that case, SAP does not use sales orders, but rather stock transport orders. 

Purchase orders can be further differentiated based on whether the plants, that 

is, the delivering and the receiving plant, belong to the same company (the same 

company code) or two different companies. If they belong to different company 

codes, the replenishment process must be entered using a normal purchase order. 

We can therefore state: Replenishment deliveries to plants within the same company 

code are processed using stock transport orders, and replenishment deliveries 

to plants in other company codes are processed using normal purchase orders. 

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Purchase Orders 4.2 

Before the two processes are explained in more detail, let’s look at the basic structure 

of a purchase order. 

Figure 4.24 illustrates the document flow. The basis for the delivery here is the 

order (purchase order or stock transport order). The delivery, once it is created in 

the SAP system, is treated as though it were a goods transport to a customer. You 

can therefore edit the delivery using transportation planning. After loading, the 

goods issue for the delivery is posted. The goods remain in the delivering plant 

as far as stock is concerned, but are no longer freely available and have the status 

“In transit.” The in-transit stock of the delivering plant is not posted into the freely 

available stock of the receiving plant until the goods receipt is posted for it in the 

receiving plant. The invoicing, which is usually represented as an internal offset 

for stock transfers, is independent of the goods receipt posting. 

Materials Management 


Standard Purchase Order 

Shipping 

Delivery 

Shipment 

Goods Issue 

Invoicing 

Internal Clearing 

Goods Receipt 

Figure 4.24 Document Flow of a Stock Transfer from Plant to Plant 

To create deliveries on the basis of orders and to edit or correct them if there are 

problems, it is necessary to learn about the structure of an order. Among ordering 

processes, as with sales documents, there are different business processes that are 

controlled via document types. For purchase orders, this document type is called 

the order type. The two following sections, focus on the order types UB (stock 

transport order) and NB (standard purchase order). 

Every purchase order within the process has a certain processing status. This status 

usually refers to the subsequent processes. In contrast to the sales order, how- 


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4 

Documents 

ever, the status is displayed in plain text in the display screens, for example, “Not 

delivered.” 

A purchase order consists of a purchase order header and one or more items. General 

data that is valid for the entire purchase order is stored in the purchase order 

header, such as the address data of the vendor, the conditions worked out with 

them, and so on. In the purchase order item, you can find the materials that you 

ordered from your vendor and all associated data, such as the material number, 

material name, purchase price and any discounts, the receiving plant and, if applicable, 

the receiving storage location, a delivery address, and so on. 

4.2.1 Stock Transport Order 

Now that the basic structure of a purchase order has been examined, let’s look at 

the special features of a stock transport order. Even if you yourself do not create 

any stock transport orders in the shipping department, it will be very helpful if 

you are familiar with this type of purchase order and know what to pay attention 

to if there are problems in shipping. 

Customizing Settings 

In the previous sections there was no talk of data that you absolutely need to 

create deliveries, such as customers, delivering plants, shipping points, shipping 

conditions, routes, etc. Some settings in Customizing are necessary in advance to 

close this interface between the purchase order (in the SAP environment, the 

purchase order belongs to the MM component) and the delivery (which belongs 

to the SD component). To better explain these settings, Figure 4.25 illustrates the 

relationships. 

If you order from one of your vendors, you are the receiving plant for the goods 

your vendor sends. However, for a stock transport order, the receiving plant orders 

from your company, the delivering plant. If we now look at the delivery, we 

see that the ship-to party is the receiving plant and the shipping point is your 

company, the delivering plant. Relationships between the purchase order and the 

delivery must now be linked because this organizational shipping data is not available 

in the traditional purchase order for performing the transport. 

94 



Traditional Purchase Order Handling 

Your Company = 

Receiving Plant 


Delivery of Goods 

Supplier 




Delivery 

Shipment 

Your Company = 

Delivering Plant 

From the Point of View of Delivery: 

Receiving Plant = Ship -To Party 

→ Shipping Conditions, Route Determination, etc. 

Delivering Plant = Your Company 

→ Shipping Point Determination, Availability Check 

Figure 4.25 Overview of the Relationships Between the MM and SD Components for Stock 

Transport Orders 

A customer number must exist for the receiving plant. This must be specified in 

Customizing and permanently assigned to the plant. Using this customer number, 

all information necessary for the delivery is taken from the customer master file. 

Settings in Customizing must also be made for the delivering plant. Here the sales 

organization, the distribution channel, and the branch are assigned to the delivering 

plant. 

Let’s briefly look at these settings in Customizing using the example of the beverages 

industry again. The delivering plant is the Weizen brewery in Munich (plant 

OGB1), and the receiving plant is the Kölsch brewery in Cologne (plant OGB2). 

Because the receiving plant becomes the ship-to party in the delivery, this plant 

must be created in the customer master. Creating the master data under the “PLNT” 

account group is recommended. Enter all shipping-specific data as though it were 

a normal customer. In this example, the plant has its own transportation zone in 

the customer master so that later, during creation of the deliveries and transports, 

you can select the stock transport orders by using separate routes. Figure 4.26 

shows the entered data. 


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4 

Documents 

In the master data, you must ensure that all materials that you transfer to another 

plant are also created for this plant. Above all, this includes the views of purchasing 

because the material is purchased from the point of view of the receiving 

plant. However, note that a vendor master record is not required for the delivering 

plant. 

Figure 4.26 Shipping Data in Customer Master for the Receiving Plant 

You must assign the receiving plant a customer number via Customizing. Enter the 

customer number for the receiving plant in the appropriate screen. Figure 4.27 

shows the respective maintenance screen. 

Figure 4.27 Assignment of the Ship-to Party to the Receiving Plant 

96 



Technical Information About Stock Transport Orders 

EE 

Path in Customizing: Materials Management • Purchasing • Purchase Order • Set 

up Stock Transport Order • Define Shipping Data for Plants 

EE 


EE 

Table: T001W 

You must also set the delivering plant in Customizing. Using the same path and 

the same function as for the receiving plant, you assign the organizational units 

to the delivering plant. 

The delivery would obtain these organizational units from the order itself if there 

were a sales order; however, for a purchase order, they are taken from the Customizing 

of the delivering plant. Figure 4.28 shows the setting of the example. 

Figure 4.28 Assignment of the Organizational Units to the Delivering Plant 

In addition, SAP offers a user exit at this point to perform a special determination 

of the organizational units. You can reach the user exit via SAP Enhancement 

V02V0001. Here you go to the EXIT_SAPLV02V_001 function module called “User 

exit for sales area determination.” Develop your own sales area determination in 

this function module under the ZXVBFU01 include. 

In the next step, you must specify whether a check should be performed in the 

stock transport order for availability of materials in the delivering plant. When 

entering the stock transport order, you can also determine the delivery date, define 

a different delivery type that should be used in the creation of the delivery, and 

specify that route schedules be considered in route determination. Figure 4.29 

shows the maintenance screen for these settings. 


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4 

Documents 

Figure 4.29 Control of the Delivery and Rules for Availability Check 

Technical Information About the Stock Transfer Data (Part 1) 

EE 


up Stock Transport Order • Assign Delivery Type and Checking Rule 

EE 


EE 

Table: T161V (document type F) 

You must make two settings in the last table in the Customizing of this interface 

between components MM and SD. First, you must specify whether the delivery 

completion indicator should be set in the stock transport order if there is an underdelivery 

within the tolerance range. Second, you must specify whether the goods 

issue posting in the delivering plant and the goods receipt posting in the receiving 

plant should be performed in a one-step or two-step procedure. The one-step procedure 

means the goods issue posting and the goods receipt posting are performed 

at the same time. Figure 4.30 shows the maintenance screen for this table. 

Technical Information About the Stock Transfer Data (Part 2) 

EE 


up Stock Transport Order • Assign Document Type, One-Step Procedure, Underdelivery 

Tolerance 

EE 


EE 

Table: T161W 

Figure 4.30 Additional Settings for the Stock Transport Order 

98 



Example of a Stock Transport Order 

As an example, the receiving plant is entered under customer number 2003. 

OGDE050678 is assigned to this plant as a transportation zone (see Figure 4.26) to 

be able to assign a specific route during route determination for this stock transport 

order. You can see the respective settings for this in Figure 4.31. Now you must 

enter the stock transport order using Transaction ME21N. The system displays an 

empty screen in which you must enter the data as shown in Figure 4.32. 

Figure 4.31 Specific Route Determination for the Route Between the Delivering Plant and the 


Select UB Stock transport ord. in the upper left corner of the screen. The default 

setting is Standard purchase order. 

In the Supplying plant field, you should now enter the delivering plant “OGB1 

Weizen Brewery.” 

Then enter the organizational unit of your purchase. In most cases, special organizational 

structures are set up for purchasing for stock transport orders. In the 

example, the Purch. Org. is “OGIC” and the Purch. group is “OGI.” The Company 

Code in the example is “OG01.” Both the delivering and the receiving plant must 

be created in this company code. 

Figure 4.32 Entering a Stock Transport Order 


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4 

Documents 

In the item, you must now enter the material, the purchase order quantity, the 

order unit, the required delivery date, and the currency. In addition, you must 

also enter the receiving plant “OGB2” (Kölsch brewery Cologne) under Plant and 

the assigned storage location, “OGVK” (shipping warehouse of Kölsch brewery, 

see Figure 4.32). 

Then press the Enter key and note any warnings. If no errors have occurred, you 

will see the Shipping tab in the item. This tab contains all of the information 

required for creating a delivery. This includes the delivery type with which the 

delivery was created, the shipping point used for selection of the deliveries, the 

organizational structures of sales units, distribution channel, and branch, the delivery 

priority, the shipping conditions, the loading and transportation group, and 

the route used for combined planning of shipping (see Figure 4.33). 

Figure 4.33 Shipping Tab After Entry of Stock Transport Order 

Save the stock transport order if no further error messages must be processed. 

After saving, you will receive the number of the stock transport order. For information 

on how to create the delivery for this stock transport order, see Chapter 

5, Delivery Documents. 

4.2.2 Cross-Company-Code Stock Transport Order 

The previous section described, in detail, the stock transport order that you must 

create as the basis for the transport of goods between individual plants. Here, the 

delivering and the receiving plants belong to the same company code. 

100 


Summary 4.3 

However, if the plants are in different company codes (this is usually the case if the 

plants are in different countries), you must create a standard purchase order. The 

standard purchase order for the transportation of goods between individual plants 

hardly differs from the stock transport order. For this reason, we will not go into 

any more detail on this. You can find the essential information in the description 

of the stock transport order. 

The Customizing entries you need for creating a standard purchase order are in 

part the same, the only difference being that you refer to the NB purchase order 

type instead of UB. In the purchase order header, you no longer enter the delivering 

plant, but rather a vendor that represents the delivering plant. You must also 

maintain and evaluate the material master data in both company codes because, 

otherwise, problems occur in the goods issue and goods receipt postings. 

Start Transaction ME21N to create a standard purchase order. Select Standard PO 

and enter the vendor number of the delivering plant from the vendor master in 

the Vendor field. Then fill in the appropriate organizational units from Purchasing 

(see Figure 4.34). 

Figure 4.34 Entering a Standard Purchase Order for a Cross-Company-Code Purchase Order 

4.3 Summary 

This chapter introduced you to the most important document variants that you 

need in order to create delivery documents. You have also examined the structure 

of a sales order and a stock transport order, and are now able to find all shipping 

and transportation-relevant information at the header and item level. 

Because there is now a basis (master data and documents) for the creation of 

delivery documents and starting the shipping process, in the following chapter, 

I will carry out the first step of the shipping process — the creation of delivery 

documents. 


101


This chapter describes the structure of a delivery document and the options 

for creating it. This chapter also introduces information determination 

(such as the shipping point, route, or delivering plant) in the documents 

that serve as the basis for the delivery document. 

5 Delivery Documents 

In Chapter 4, Documents, you learned about the most important documents that 

are necessary for creating delivery documents. This chapter will introduce you to 

the structure and creation of a delivery document. You have the option of creating 

an individual delivery document manually, or creating several in a collected run 

or by means of a batch job. 

Data that was already entered in the sales order or in the stock transport order (for 

example, texts, shipping points, routes, and so on) is copied to the delivery document 

or redetermined (the route, for example) based on the configuration of the 

SAP system. This chapter introduces you to these settings for copying information 

to the delivery document. 

Shipping-relevant data, such as the shipping point, the route, and the goods acceptance 

times, is determined in the sales order; however, you should know what 

criteria the determination of this data depends on. This chapter will present Customizing 

settings for data determination. 

A big problem at the time of delivery document creation is always the availability 

check, especially if you have activated the ATP check. This chapter will introduce 

you to the functionality of the availability check so that you can better understand 

it if there are problems during creation. 

The final section describes the options that are available for manipulating the creation 

of delivery documents using the flags for delivery combination and delivery 

split. 


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5 

Delivery Documents 

5.1 Task and Structure of the Delivery Document 

The delivery document is the first document created during the course of the 

entire shipping process. It is also the basis for further activities in shipping. Figure 

5.1 illustrates the shipping process. 

Sales Order 


In Sales Order: 

Plant Determination 

Route Determination 

Shipping Point Determination ... 

Monitoring of Due 

Deliveries 

Creation of Deliveries 

Goods Issue 

Shipping 

Papers 

Packing 

Picking 

Delivery 

Note 

Figure 5.1 Representation of a Shipping Process 

All sales orders and stock transport orders pending for delivery are selected using 

the shipping point. The delivery documents can be created manually, in a combined 

procedure, or automatically by means of a batch job. After they are created, picking 

of the goods can begin. To do that, you can create picking documents or transport 

orders using SAP Warehouse Management (WM). After the goods have been 

picked, you can start packing the goods. Once the goods are packed and provided 

for transport, the packing data is available for entry in the delivery document. 

Once all necessary data has been entered and the shipping company has been 

commissioned for the transport, the shipping papers are printed. When the shipping 

company has arrived and the goods are in the truck, you close the shipping 

process with the goods issue posting. The delivery document serves as the basis for 

this last process as well. 

104 


Task and Structure of the Delivery Document 5.1 

The delivery document, like all sales documents, consists of header data, the delivery 

header, and of item data or delivery items. The delivery header contains the data 

that is identical for the complete delivery and therefore for all delivery items. The 

most important data includes the ship-to party, the route, and the shipping point. 

The delivery items contain the materials with the delivery quantity, the weights, 

and the volumes. At item level, the picking quantities, the processing status, and 

the packing quantities are also copied. The data in this chapter won’t be presented 

any further because it is discussed in detail later on. 

When you view a delivery document in the SAP system (Transaction VL03N), 

the system displays the Item Overview tab, which contains the most important 

header and item data (see Figure 5.2). 

Figure 5.2 Delivery Document Overview Screen 

If you now select the individual tabs, Picking, Loading, Transport, Status Overview, 

or Goods Movement Data, you always obtain the appropriate information 

in an overview. For example, if you select the Transport tab (see Figure 5.3), the 

system displays the document date and ship-to party, the transportation planning 

time, and the route or route schedule as header data. The item data, in turn, contains 

information about the total weight, the volume, and the delivery quantity. 

User Exit 

Using a user exit, you can extend the overview screens with custom fields and even add 

your own tabs. To do that, there are several methods available to you (such as copying 

data into the fields, retransferring data from the fields back into the database, processing 

special function codes, and so on). You can find these methods in the business add-in, 

LE_SHP_TAB_CUST_OVER. 


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5 


Figure 5.3 Overview Screen for Transportation-Relevant Data 

If you want to see all of the data that is located at delivery header level, you can 

select the individual tabs as menu items by selecting Goto • Header. Figure 5.4 

shows all menu items from processing to parcel tracking. Once you have selected 

a menu item, all other items are displayed as tabs. 

Figure 5.4 Possible Topics for a Delivery Header 

User Exit 

In the same way as for the overview, you can also integrate specific fields and tabs at the 

header level. The business add-on, LE_SHP_TAB_CUST_HEAD, is available to you for this 

purpose. For new fields and tabs at the item level, use LE_SHP_TAB_CUST_ITEM. 

To return to the Item Overview tab in the overview screen, you must select Goto 

• Overview. Another option to access the header data from the overview screen 

is by clicking the icon or pressing the F8 function key. 

106 


Delivery Types and Item Categories 5.2 

In order to represent different characteristics and process steps in the delivery 

document, it is necessary to differentiate the delivery header and item by an identifier. 

These are the delivery types and the delivery item categories. 

5.2 Delivery Types and Item Categories 

Delivery notes, also referred to as delivery documents, can carry out several functions 

(for example, the delivery to a ship-to party, a returns delivery note, delivery 

to a consignment store, etc.). In the same way, the position in the delivery document 

can carry out different tasks (such as the delivery item, text item, batch split 

item, etc.). To represent these functions, the delivery documents are differentiated 

according to delivery types and the items according to item categories. 

The delivery type has the function of mapping various business processes within shipping 

processing. The most important business processes are shown in Figure 5.5. Each 

delivery document is identified by a document number in the SAP system. This 

document number can consist of a maximum of ten places. The number range of 

this document number depends on the delivery type. Therefore, it is possible to 

represent every delivery type with its own number range, without having the individual 

number ranges overlapping. In addition, you can specify for each number 

range whether it is generated internally by the SAP system itself (each document 

number is increased by 1) or assigned externally by the user. 

Number Assignment 

Output Control 

Permitted 

Partner Functions 

New Route 

Determination, 

if necessary 

Delivery Note 

Delivery Split by 


(WM) 

and Partners 

Relevant for Creating 

a Shipment 

Permitted Texts and 

their Copy Control 

Figure 5.5 Processes Controlled by the Delivery Type 


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5 


Partners such as customers, vendors, and internal company employees, must be 

assigned to a delivery document. The function of these partners (for example, shipto 

party, shipping company, special stock partner, responsible key account manager, 

etc.) is referred to as the partner function. You can find the definition of the partner 

function in Section 3.2. You must assign these partner functions to the delivery types 

via Customizing. In addition to that, you must also specify which partner functions 

in the delivery document are mandatory and which are not. 

In Customizing, you must also specify what text types you want to permit for the 

individual delivery types. For example, texts or instructions for picking would not 

be necessary for customer returns. 

During the course of the shipping process, delivery documents are combined into 

shipments. You must determine, using the delivery type, whether it is sensible for 

certain delivery types to be processed further in shipments. A consignment withdrawal 

would not be shipment-relevant, for example. 

You can configure the characteristics of a delivery type in Customizing. If you want 

to define your own delivery types, you must copy an existing delivery type from 

the standard SAP system. SAP software recommends that custom delivery types 

begin with a Z. Figure 5.6 shows the functions that you can enter for each individual 

delivery type. The settings are described in detail throughout the course of 

this book. 

Figure 5.6 Definition and Characteristics of a Delivery Type 

108 



Technical Information About the Delivery Type 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 


Path in Customizing: Logistics Execution • Shipping • Deliveries • Define Delivery 

Types 

Specific Transaction: OVLK 

Table: TVLK and TVLKT (short names) 

The standard SAP system already contains delivery types that you can use. The 

most important ones are listed in Table 5.1. Because you usually refer to a sales 

order or a stock transport order when creating a delivery document, it is not necessary 

for you to specify the correct delivery type. 

Vendor 

LF 

BV 

NK 

NL 

LR 

Description 

Delivery 

Cash sale 

Consignment fill-up 

Delivery for stock transport order 

Returns delivery 

Table 5.1 The Most Important Delivery Types in the Standard SAP System 

You can determine the delivery type based on the order type. It is set in Customizing 

which delivery type is taken when a delivery is created with reference to a 

sales order. In the example in Figure 5.7, you can see that the Sales Document 

Type “OR” (standard order) is assigned deliveries with the Delivery type “LF.” 

Figure 5.7 Determining the Delivery Type Using the Order Type 


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5 


You can find this setting in Customizing by selecting the following path: Sales and 

Distribution • Sales • Sales Documents • Sales Document Header • Define 

Sales Document Types (see Section 4.1). 

The determination of the delivery type is similar if you refer to a stock transport 

order. The SAP system contains some specific tables for this purpose, which you 

can maintain via Customizing (see Figure 5.8). You can access such a table via 

the following path: Materials Management • Purchasing • Purchase Order • 

Set up Stock Transport Order • Assign Delivery Type and Check Rule. This is 

described in more detail in Section 4.2. 

Figure 5.8 Determining the Delivery Type Using the Order Type 

If you create a delivery document in the SAP system without reference to a document, 

you must specify the delivery type manually in the initial screen. Various 

shipping processes are linked not only to the delivery type, but also to the item. 

For example, it makes more sense to make the packing relevance dependent on 

the delivery item category (for example, if pallet and text items do not need to be 

packaged). Figure 5.9 illustrates the most important settings. 

Storage Location 

Determination 

Relevance and 

Control of Packing 

Process 

Availability Check 

Relevance for 

Picking 

Delivery Item Category 

Automatic 

Batch Determination 

Check Overdelivery 

and Minimum 

Delivery Quantity 

Texts at 

Item Level 

Figure 5.9 Processes Controlled by the Delivery Item Category 

110 



At the item level, you specify whether the storage location determination should be 

performed during the creation of a delivery document. You manage your stocks 

in the storage location, which acts as the basis for picking. You must specify the 

strategy for correct storage location determination using the delivery type. 

If you want, you can switch off the availability check for the individual item categories. 

In that case, no availability check will be carried out during the creation 

of the delivery document. Also, you can specify at the item level whether a batch 

determination should be performed for materials that require batch management. 

It depends on your specific business processes whether that makes sense at this 

point. However, you can also maintain the batches in the delivery item using picking, 

that is, not until the time of confirming the picking or transport order. 

For each item category, you can specify whether this item may be packed, must be 

packed, or if packing is forbidden. The situation is similar with picking. Whether 

the material must be picked or not must be specified using the item category. 

You can find a whole number of settings when it comes to minimum quantities, 

overdelivery tolerances, and zero quantities. You can configure these settings based 

on the delivery item category. 

Technical Information About the Delivery Item Category 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 


Path in Customizing: Logistics Execution • Shipping • Deliveries • Define Item 

Categories for Deliveries 

Specific Transaction: OVLP 

Table: TVLP 

As is the case with the delivery types, you can configure your items in Customizing. 

You can copy the new delivery item categories that you want to create from 

existing settings. The SAP system recommendation to begin item categories with 

the letter “Z” applies here as well. Figure 5.10 shows the individual settings in 

Customizing. These settings are explained in more detail throughout the course 

of this book. 


111

5 


Figure 5.10 Definition and Characteristics of a Delivery Item Category 

If you create a delivery document with reference to a sales order, the item category 

is copied from the order to the delivery document. The order item category 

is therefore identical with the delivery item category. However, processes exist 

within shipping for which further items must be created in the delivery document 

(for example, packaging and transportation materials such as pallets and industrial 

containers, batch split items, and provisions without order reference). An item category 

determination is necessary for this. You can also require these settings when 

creating a replenishment delivery. 

Figure 5.11 schematically illustrates for you the parameters that are relevant for 

the item category determination. The first parameter is the delivery type. The second 

parameter is the item category group. This parameter enables you to combine 

materials that are subject to the same process in the delivery document into one 

group. Table 5.2 contains a list of the most important groups. 

Delivery 

Type 

Item 

Category 

Group 

Item 

Category 

Usage 

Item 

Category 

if Subitem 

Default 

Value for 

Item 

Category 

Permitted 

Additional 

Item 

Categories 

Item Category of Superordinate Item 

From Customizing 

Default Value from Material Master 

Determination via Order Type, Purchase Order Type, or 

Manual Specification 

Figure 5.11 Item Category Determination in the Delivery Document 

112 



Item category group 

BANS 

DIEN 

LEER 

LEIH 

NORM 

VERP 

Description 

Third-party item 

Service item 

Empties 

Returnable packaging 

Standard item 

Packaging 

Table 5.2 The Most Important Item Category Groups in the Standard SAP System 

You must maintain this value in the material master on the Sales: sales org. 2 tab. 

Here you can enter two item category groups, the first in the Gen. item cat. grp 

field. This value applies to the material regardless of the sales organization. The 

second value must be entered in the Item category group field and is based on 

the sales organization and the distribution channel. During the category determination, 

the SAP system first tries to determine the item category with the second 

value. However, if this value is not maintained in the material master, the system 

determines the category on the basis of the first value. Figure 5.12 shows the fields 

in the material master file. In this example, you can see that the material in the 

delivery document will be a standard item. 

Figure 5.12 Item Category Groups 

Technical Information About Item Category Groups 

EE 

EE 


Path in Customizing: Sales and Distribution • Sales • Sales Documents • Sales 

Document Item • Define Item Category Groups 

EE 


EE 

Table: TPTM and TPTMT (short names) 


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5 


The third parameter is the item category usage. This indicator provides information 

on the process you are planning for this material. The value comes directly from 

the process in the SAP system and is not stored in the master data. Table 5.3 shows 

the most important item category usages. 

Item category usage 

CHSP 

PACK 

TEXT 

Description 

Batch split 

Shipping unit 

Text item 

Table 5.3 The Most Important Item Category Usages Preset in the Standard SAP System 

Technical Information About Item Category Usages 

EE 

EE 



Category Usage 

EE 


EE 

Table: TVVW and TVVWT (short names) 

The last parameter is the item category itself. It refers to the item category of the 

superordinate item. If a subitem must be created in the delivery document (a 

delivery item with a batch, for example), it always refers to a superordinate item. 

Based on the item category set in the superordinate item, the SAP system searches 

for the item category of the subitem during the category determination process. 

Figure 5.13 shows the respective Customizing screen. 

Figure 5.13 Item Category Determination 

114 


Creating Deliveries 5.3 

Technical Information About Item Category Determination 

EE 


Category Determination in Deliveries 

EE 

Specific Transaction: 0184 

EE 

Table: T184L 

In addition to standard items, processes exist that are entered in the delivery 

document using subitems. The classical case of subitems is the batch split. If the 

material is subject to a batch management requirement and batch determination 

has already been performed, it may happen that the superordinate item (a customer 

orders 160 pieces of a material that’s supposed to be handled in batches) 

is assigned several subitems (the 160 pieces are divided into one subitem with 40 

pieces and one with 120 pieces). 

Subitems are defined and maintained with the same customizing paths as the 

superordinate items. Throughout the rest of the book, I will refer to the creation 

of subitems with examples at several points. 

Because you now know the basic structure of the delivery document and I have 

explained the creation of the delivery types and item categories, I will now discuss 

the actual creation of delivery documents. 

5.3 Creating Deliveries 

The first step in the shipping process (see Figure 5.1) consists of creating the delivery 

documents. In most cases, when creating delivery documents, you refer to a 

sales order or a stock transport order. This reference must always be taken into 

consideration during the creation process. 

The SAP system provides three options for creating delivery documents: 

EE 

EE 

You create one delivery on the screen for each sales order. Contrary to the SAP 

documentation, you can add further sales orders before you save the delivery 

document. This option for manual creation is not available for stock transport 

orders. 

You display on screen a delivery due list for a particular period of time, find the 

sales orders or stock transport orders that you want to process, and create the 

delivery documents in a collective run. 


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5 


EE 

You enter the parameters for selecting all due customers orders or stock transport 

orders to a batch job and have the delivery documents created by this job 

in the background. 

I will start with the manual creation of a delivery document, because this activity 

is required again and again and should be mastered despite all of the automatic 

processes that are available. 

5.3.1 Creating an Individual Delivery Document 

To create an individual delivery document, you must start Transaction VL01N. In 

the screen that displays, you need to specify some parameters (see Figure 5.14): 

EE 

EE 

Shipping point 

You must specify the shipping point from which the goods are supposed to 

be delivered to the ship-to party. The shipping point, which has already been 

determined in the sales order (see Section 5.5), must correspond to the one 

you enter here. In this example, the goods are transported from shipping point 

“OGM1.” 

Selection date 

Here, you must enter the calculated date on which you can start processing the 

delivery at the earliest. This date is usually calculated by the SAP system during 

order entry (required delivery date when the goods should arrive at the customer 

minus the transportation time, material staging time, picking time, and 

processing time). See Section 6.1 for more on this topic. By default, the system 

suggests the current date. 

Figure 5.14 Start Transaction VL01N for Creating a Delivery Document 

116 



EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 

Oder 

At this point you must enter the sales order number to which you want to 

deliver the goods, for example, 11322. 

From item 

If your sales order has several items, and you want the delivery to start with a 

certain order item, you can specify this item number here. The items before this 

in the numbering are not considered. If you do not specify a value, the delivery 

begins with the first item. 

To item 

If your sales order has several items, and you want the delivery to end with a 

certain order item, then you can specify this item number here. The items that 

come after this number in the numbering are not considered. If you do not 

specify any value, the delivery ends with the last item. 

Delivery type 

Here, you can only specify the delivery type if you want to create a delivery 

document without reference to a sales order. 

Before going into detail on the next step in delivery creation, let us again take a 

brief look at sales order 11322 and go to the Schedule lines tab. The date was 

calculated as 02/08/2007 (see Figure 5.15). This order is already somewhat older 

and therefore behind schedule in processing. The delivery note can nevertheless 

be created with the selection on 03/04/2007. 

Figure 5.15 Delivery Date from the Schedule Line in the Sales Order 

Now press the Enter key to go to the overview screen of the delivery document 

you just created (see Figure 5.16). The SAP system has adopted the item from the 

sales order. You can now make changes to the delivery document, for example, 

reducing the delivery quantity. 


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Figure 5.16 Overview Screen of the Created Delivery Document 

During delivery creation, you should pay attention to the information that is displayed 

at bottom of the screen. In the example shown in Figure 5.17, you see the 

system message “Check the notes in the log.” 

Figure 5.17 Note During the Creation of a Delivery Document 

You should view the log to ensure that no note exists that prevents the further process 

steps in shipping. To open the log, click the icon, or press the F9 function 

key. The system now displays the error log, which is also shown in Figure 5.18. In 

this case, the SAP system has listed a total of three notes. 

A question mark in the last column under LTxt (log text available) indicates that 

the SAP system provides comprehensive information on these notes or errors. If 

you click on the question mark, you will obtain a comprehensive error description. 

In the first column (the Type column) you can recognize the seriousness of this 

instruction based on the color coding. Green means that it is only information. Yellow 

represents a warning. Here, you must check in more detail whether this warning 

will have effects on the further process steps of this delivery document. Red 

means that the delivery document cannot be created because the error is serious. 

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Figure 5.18 Log for Creating a Delivery Document 

If you want to add further items from other sales orders to this delivery document, 

you must proceed as follows: 

Sales order 11323 was prepared for this purpose (see Figure 5.19). The specified 

delivery date is “03/14/2007” to again make clear the relationship with the selection 

date. 

Figure 5.19 A Second Sales Order with the Delivery Date of 03/14/2007 

1. Select Outbound Delivery • Deliver Sales Order from the menu tree. The system 

displays the dialog shown in Figure 5.20. 

Figure 5.20 Delivering a New Sales Order 


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2. Enter the second sales order that you want to deliver in the Order field. The 

same applies to the Only-from item and To item fields as described in Figure 

5.14. Press the Enter key. You will receive the error message that the delivery 

item could not be created (see Figure 5.21). 

Figure 5.21 Error Message for the Sales Order Just Entered 

3. Confirm the error message by pressing the Enter key. You will then return to 

the dialog shown in Figure 5.20. 

4. Click the (Log) icon. The system now displays the log as shown in Figure 

5.22. 

Figure 5.22 Error Log 

5. The error log shows that no schedule line is due on the selected date (in this 

case on 03/04/2007, see Figure 5.20). The due date (i.e., the delivery date) in 

the schedule line was 03/14/2007 (see Figure 5.19). You will often see this error 

message. Therefore, you should first take a look at the schedule lines of the corresponding 

sales order and compare the date to the respective schedule line. 

6. Click on the (Back) icon or press the F3 function key. This takes you back to 

the dialog. Then enter the correct selection date – in this case 03/14/2007 (see 

Figure 5.23). You can now see the overview screen of the delivery document 

with the item from the second sales order (see Figure 5.24). 

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Figure 5.23 Second Attempt to Deliver Sales Order 

Figure 5.24 Delivery Document with Two Items, Each from Its Own Order 

7. Save the delivery document by clicking the icon and you will be informed of 

the number of this document by the SAP system. 

User Exit 

The include module, MV50AFZ1, represents a user exit that enables you to manipulate 

your delivery document at various points in time. Section 5.4 describes this user exit in 

more detail. 

The business add-in, LE_SHP_DELIVERY_PROC, is far more comprehensive as it offers 

you more methods than include module MV50AFZ1. You can use both user exists to 

fill fields in the delivery document with your own routines and algorithms and to create 

your own entries in user tables. 

With this example, I have comprehensively shown you how you create a delivery 

document manually using Transaction VL01N. You will need this function again 

and again despite all of the automation that I will show you in the following section. 

It is therefore essential that you master this function. 


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5.3.2 Creating Delivery Documents in a Collective Run 

If you want to obtain a complete overview of all deliveries due for shipping and 

possibly generate several delivery documents or combine specific orders for a 

delivery document, you need the function for creating delivery documents in a 

collective run. 

The following sections show you how to create delivery documents in a collective 

run. First, you must select the orders you would like to process from a number 

of orders due for shipping. Second, you can then mark one or more of the orders 

and have the corresponding delivery documents created. By way of skilled sorting, 

filtering, and totaling, you can even perform a proper delivery planning. Finally, 

you must create the delivery documents based on the selected order items. 

SAP software provides three transactions for this purpose that have the following 

meanings: 

EE 

EE 

EE 

Selection of all sales orders due for shipping 

Selection of all stock transport orders due for shipping 

Selection of all sales orders and stock transport orders due for shipping in an 

overview 

Let us first look at the selection of all sales orders due for shipping. 

Selection of All Sales Orders Due for Shipping 

Start Transaction VL10A or select Logistics • Sales and Distribution • Shipping 

and Transportation • Outbound Delivery • Create • Collective Processing 

of Documents Due for Delivery • Sales Orders. The A in the transaction name 

stands for order (based on the German word “Auftrag”). The system now displays 

a screen that provides numerous selection options. Figure 5.25 shows this selection 

screen. 

The shipping point entry is mandatory in order to select the sales orders. The 

standard SAP system also suggests today’s and tomorrow’s dates for selection via 

the delivery date. However, you can change the suggested date using the field, 

CalcRuleDefltDlvCrDt (rule for calculating the default value for the delivery creation 

date): 

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E E 

“1” means: Selection only with today’s date. 

E E “2” means: Selection with today’s and tomorrow’s dates (see Figure 5.25). 

E E 

E E 

EE 

E E 

“3” means: Everything to the end of next week. 

“4” means: Everything until tomorrow. 

No entry means: Everything up to the date entered in the to field. 

“9” means: The date is determined using a user exit. 

Figure 5.25 Selection Options in the General Data Tab 

You can use all options for selection that are provided by the standard SAP system. 

You can search for multiple values and intervals, and you can search using a filter 

and exclude certain values and/or intervals from the selection. To do so, click the 

Multiple selection button to the right of the entry fields. 

The most important selection criteria regularly in use among users are the shipping 

conditions, the route, the ship-to party, the sales organization, and the distribution 

channel in the General Data tab. In the Sales Orders tab, you can also 

search directly for sales order numbers and the shipping company, the client, or 

the delivery block. If you search for orders with certain items, delivering plants, 

or storage locations, you can enter these values in the Material tab. The Partner 

tab enables you to search for specific partners based on a partner ID. 


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Because in most cases you proceed according to certain selections, you should 

invest some work and save your commonly used selection criteria as variants so 

you do not have to type in the data every time you start. To create a variant, you 

must proceed as follows: 

1. Enter your fixed parameters once. 

2. Select Goto • Variants • Save as variant. 

3. The system displays the screen shown in Figure 5.26. 

4. You can hide certain selection fields, define fields as mandatory entry fields, 

preassign fields using user parameters, and so on. At this point there are too 

many options to describe for reasons of space. 

5. Assign a name to the variant in the Variant Name field and enter a short description 

of its meaning so you can find your settings again at a later stage. In this 

example, the various fields of the General Data tab are hidden. 

6. Save this variant by clicking on the icon. 

7. The system will inform you that the variant was saved. 

Figure 5.26 Maintaining your Variant for Selecting Delivery Documents Due for Shipping 

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For testing purposes, I will now call Transaction VL10A again and demonstrate 

how you can find your variant again. 

1. Start Transaction VL10A. 

2. Find your variant by selecting Goto • Variants • Get …, or just click on the 

button. 

3. Mark the variant you want to use to start the selection and press the Enter key. 

Alternatively, you can double-click the appropriate line in the variant overview. 

4. The system displays your variants in a selection screen (see Figure 5.27). 

Figure 5.27 Your Previously Defined Variants for Determining Sales Orders Due for Shipping 

5. Now start the program by pressing F8 or clicking the icon. You will see all 

sales orders that correspond to your selection criteria (see Figure 5.28). 

Figure 5.28 All Sales Orders that Correspond to Your Selection 

6. Now mark the orders (in the OriginDoc. column) that you want to deliver. 

7. If you want to mark all orders, click the icon. If you want to undo the marking, 

click the icon. 

8. Click on the button. The system now creates the delivery documents. 

If you want to perform the creation of the delivery documents for each in a dialog, 

you must click on . The system now displays a delivery document 

for each order that you may change before saving it. 


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9. The system displays a log as the one shown in Figure 5.29. 

Figure 5.29 Log for the Creation of Delivery Documents in a Collective Run 

However, I must mention at this point that the log does not contain much information. 

Therefore, displaying the created delivery documents by clicking on the Show/hide 

deliveries icon is always recommended. You will then see the screen shown in Figure 

5.30. 

Figure 5.30 Same Log As in Figure 5.29, but with Display of Created Delivery Documents 

The created delivery documents are shown in the right-hand column under SD 

Doc. If error messages or notes exist, you can now view them in the log. Click on 

the icon to display the log. You will then see the screen shown in Figure 5.31. 

Figure 5.31 Log for the Creation of Delivery Documents in the Background 

This screen is also confusing at first view. Mark the Group and click the Notes 

button. Then click on the Documents button to view the created delivery 

documents. 

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After that, press F3 to return to the overview screen (see Figure 5.30). If you want 

to display the delivery documents in this screen, you must click on the respective 

document number. You can also delete delivery documents from this screen. To 

do so, click the icon. 

Before concluding this section, I would like to return to the overview you saw in 

Figure 5.28. I have seldom seen planners in shipping departments who work with 

this overview because information is missing for some company areas and types 

that is required for planning orders that are due for shipping. This is why SAP software 

has kept the list screen open. Here, you have the option to create your own 

list screen. Because there are many options here that I cannot discuss for reasons 

of space, I recommend that you play around with them. In the following sections, I 

will use an example to show you how you can implement simple layout changes. 

Click on the (Change layout) icon. The system displays a selection screen as 


Figure 5.32 Pop-up for Adapting the Layout to Your Requirements 

On the right of the screen, you can see the information sources available (Hidden 

Columns), while the current information is displayed on the left (Displayed Columns). 

When you scroll through the hidden columns, you will find a large number 

of possible sources of information. Select a source from the hidden columns by 

marking the respective name. In Figure 5.32, the “Sales Organization” is marked. 

In the displayed columns, mark the information you want the sales organization 

to display. 


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Click on the (Show selected fields) icon. You can also mark information in 

the displayed columns and remove it from the overview by clicking the (Hide 

selected fields) icon. The hidden field is then transferred to the right into the 

hidden columns section. 

After you have transferred the selected field, the pop-up changes, as you can see 

in Figure 5.33. 

Figure 5.33 Changed Layout After Transferring the Sales Organization 

Click on the (Save layout) icon or press F5. You can now enter the name of 

the generated layout in another dialog (see Figure 5.34) so that you can find it for 

later evaluations. 

Specify a short name under Save layout so you can find your layout later. Under 

Name, you can enter a descriptive text. If you check the User-specific flag, this 

layout will only be available to you and won’t be suggested to other users. Once 

you have entered your descriptions, press the Enter key or click . 

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Figure 5.34 Pop-up for Saving Your Own Layout 

The system displays the message that the layout was saved. Return to your overview 

of orders that are due for shipping. All you have to do here is select your 

layout, and you will then see the pop-up shown in Figure 5.35. 

Figure 5.35 Pop-up in Which You Can Select Your Layout 

Double-click on your layout; in this example it is “Gau Germany.” You will then 

see the overview shown in Figure 5.36. 

Figure 5.36 Overview Screen After Selecting Your Own Layout 

You now have further processing options for configuring your layout (see Figure 

5.33). For example, you can form totals using numeric fields. To do so, place a 


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checkmark behind the appropriate numeric field in the column. If you need 

subtotals, you must select the Sort Order tab. There, you must place a checkmark 

in the column for the field you need a subtotal for. 

In the Filter tab, you can select certain fields and assign them a value or interval. 

Fields that correspond to these values are displayed. This is comparable to a filter 

in Microsoft Excel. Using the View tab, you can select the display type — either 

the SAP Standard List Viewer or an Excel format. The Display tab enables you to 

determine the display itself, whether with column titles, horizontal and vertical 

separation lines, and so on. 

This section described, in great detail, how you can ease the work of processing 

orders that are due for shipping if you know all of the options that the standard 

SAP system offers for this purpose. You can use this description the same way for 

the overview screens that I will present to you in the following sections. 

User Exit 

If you are missing information on your overview screen that you cannot transfer from the 

standard SAP system, you can add your own fields using user exit RVV50TOP. This ABAP 

include module contains a further include: V50R_USEREXITS. This include contains further 

information on how you can add your own fields to the overview screen. 

Selection of Stock Transport Orders Due for Shipping 

This function allows you to manually create delivery documents for stock transport 

orders and purchase orders (cross-company-code stock transfers). Direct individual 

processing, which you are familiar with from sales orders using Transaction 

VL01N, does not exist for stock transfers. Therefore, you must decide at this point 

whether you want to create a delivery document for an individual stock transport 

order or whether you want to use a collective run processing. 

Start Transaction VL10B or select Logistics • Sales and Distribution • Shipping 

and Transportation • Outbound Delivery • Create • Collective Processing of 

Documents Due for Delivery • Purchase Orders. The B in Transaction VL10B 

stands for Purchase Orders (based on the German word “Bestellungen”). The system 

displays a similar screen to that for selecting sales orders that are due for shipping 

(see Figure 5.37). However, in contrast to the selection screen for sales orders, the 

Partners tab is missing here and the Sales Orders tab was replaced by Purchase 

orders. 

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Figure 5.37 Selection of Purchase Orders Due for Shipping 

Here as well, you can create and retrieve variants as you can for sales orders 

in Transaction VL10A. This means you can save recurring selections as a variant 

and do not have to specify the selection parameters every time you start the 

transaction. 

If you want to deliver only a single stock transport order, it is best to proceed as 

follows: 

1. Start Transaction VL10B. 

2. Specify the shipping point/receiving point and remove the rule for selection 

by delivery date (CalcRuleDefltDlvCrDt). Press the Enter key once so that the 

rule can be adopted. 

3. Select the Purchase orders tab. There, enter the relevant purchase order number 


Figure 5.38 Selecting a Single Stock Transport Order 

4. Press F8 or click . 


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5. The system displays the familiar overview that you already know from the sales 

orders due for shipping (see Figure 5.39). 

Figure 5.39 Overview of Stock Transport Orders Due for Shipping 

6. At this point, you can create your own layout, just as for sales orders. You also 

have access to the same layouts and can create layouts that are the same for all 

overviews. 

7. No dialog processing is available for creating deliveries, but rather only background 

processing. Therefore, you should mark the purchase orders that you 

want to deliver and click on the 

(Create deliveries in background) 

button. 

As of here, the process in the SAP system is the same as the one for processing 

sales orders. For this reason, I do not go into the individual process steps at this 

point, but refer you to Section 5.3.1. 

Selection of Orders and Purchase Orders Due for Shipping 

Transaction VL10G is another option for selecting and processing orders and purchase 

orders that are due for shipping. In this transaction, both document types — 

sales orders and stock transport orders — are combined in one overview. You must 

decide yourself from case to case to what extent such a comprehensive overview is 

useful for the requirements in your company. If you process a large number of delivery 

documents every day, this type of processing can quickly become unclear. 

Start Transaction VL10G or select Logistics • Sales and Distribution • Shipping 

and Transportation • Outbound Delivery • Create • Collective Processing of 

Documents Due for Delivery • Sales Orders and Purchase Orders. The system 

displays the familiar selection screen, the only difference being that here the Sales 

Orders and Purchase Orders tabs are next to each other. 

Of course, you can also create a variant and define your own layout in the overview 

list at a later stage. All other functions already presented to you can be found 

here as well. 

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Further Selection Options 

In addition to the options already described for marking and selecting documents 

due for shipping and for creating delivery documents, there are other transactions 

available that are similar but differ a little with regard to the selection process. I 

will present them to you briefly here in a list because they are all structured according 

to the same pattern. 

EE 

Transaction VL10C, sales order item due for shipping 

This transaction enables you to view the items for the selected sales orders (see 

Figure 5.40). 

Figure 5.40 Overview of Selected Sales Order Items Due for Shipping 

EE 

Transaction VL10E, sales order schedule lines due for shipping 

This transaction displays the schedule lines due for shipping for the sales orders 

for creating delivery documents (see Figure 5.41). 

Figure 5.41 Overview of Selected Sales Order Schedule Lines Due for Shipping 

EE 

EE 

Transactions VL10D and VL10H 

Similar to Transaction VL10C, Transaction VL10D displays all items for stock 

transport orders due for shipping, while Transaction VL10H displays all of the 

items for sales orders and stock transport orders due for shipping. 

Transactions VL10F and VL10I 

Similar to Transaction VL10E, Transaction VL10F displays all schedule lines for 


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stock transport orders due for shipping, while Transaction VL10I displays all 

schedule lines for sales orders and stock transport orders due for shipping. 

5.3.3 Creating Delivery Documents in a Batch 

The third variant I want to present to you is the creation of the delivery documents 

in batch mode. The batch mode is characterized by the fact that a batch job runs in 

the background and can be scheduled. You can schedule a batch job periodically in 

such a way that it starts automatically at certain times and on certain days. 

Even though in many companies batch processing is scheduled not by the specialist 

department but by the system administration or IT department, it is still 

presented briefly here because the specialist department and not the IT department 

is responsible for the correct selection and processing. 

I also won’t go into great detail about list processing of batch runs as it is assumed 

that you are already a little bit familiar with the spool of the SAP system. 

You start the selection for the creation of delivery documents using Transaction 

VL10BATCH or by selecting Logistics • Sales and Distribution • Shipping and 

Transportation • Delivery • Create • Collective Processing of Documents Due 

for Delivery • Plan Background Processing. The system displays a selection of 

existing variants. However, for batch jobs, you must create your own variants. In 

our current example, you can only see the variant we just created for screen processing 

(see Figure 5.42) 

Figure 5.42 Selection of Variants for Batch Processing for the Creation of Delivery Documents 

First, I will demonstrate how you can create a new batch variant. 

1. Click on the (Create variant) button. 

2. You will be prompted in a pop-up to enter a name for this variant. In the ex ample, 

I chose “BATCH AUGSBURG.” Click on the button. 

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3. In another pop-up, you must mark the individual tabs in which you want to 

specify values. Because at this point the tabs do not have names but only screen 

numbers, marking them all is recommended. Therefore, you should choose the 

For all Selection Screens item. Click the button. 

4. Then, enter the shipping point. The User role tab is displayed here, however, 

you can ignore it at this point. Run through the screens by clicking the icon 

to go one screen forward or the icon to go one screen back. In one of the 

last screens, you will be prompted to specify a role (see Figure 5.43). Here, I 

have previously copied the standard SAP role “5001” to “ZOG1.” In “ZOG1,” I 

then changed the FcodeProfile field to “5001” (Deliver delivery due list). Enter 

“ZOG1” in the Role field and press the Enter key once so that the system can 

adopt the data from role “ZOG1.” 

Figure 5.43 Assigning a Role for Processing in a Batch Job 

5. Once you have entered all of the data, click the button. 

6. Then enter a short description of your batch variant and save. The system will 

display the message that the variant was saved. 

Now you have completed all of the requirements for starting a batch job. If you 

take a good look at the roles, you will see that it would take a lot of pages to 

explain all of the options and provide examples. Use the default settings or copy 

them as I have suggested in my example. 


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Technical Information About List Profiles 

EE 

EE 


Path in Customizing: Logistics Execution • Shipping • Worklists • Configure List 

Profile 

EE 


EE 

Table: T186 

1. Now start Transaction VL10BATCH to have the delivery documents created in 

the background using a batch job. 

2. In the first dialog, you will be prompted to mark the batch job variants and to 

decide whether you want to start the batch job immediately or schedule it. If 

you decide to start it immediately, click the button. If the job is supposed 

to be started at a later point in time or even be scheduled periodically, 

click . For our example, we will select the immediate start first. 

3. You should now receive the message, “Request with variant BATCH AUGSBURG 

started.” This starts the batch job. 

4. Now look at the list in the spool by starting Transaction SP01. Select your list 

and have a look at it. Figure 5.44 shows the corresponding screen. Not much 

can be recognized in this list screen. If an error occurred during the creation of 

the delivery document, you would find a message in the Error column. 

Figure 5.44 List Screen for the Created Delivery Documents 

5. If you want to know which delivery documents have been created, you must 

take a look at the log. To do so, start Transaction V_SA. The system displays a 

selection screen as the one shown in Figure 5.45. In this screen, you must enter 

the group number from the spool log, in this case 5966, in the Number of collective 

run field. Then press F8 or click the icon. 

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Figure 5.45 Selection Screen for Viewing the Collective Run Log 

6. The system now displays the group of the collective run. Mark the group and 

click on the 

button (see Figure 5.46). The system displays a pop-up 

containing the document number of the delivery document. Mark the delivery 

document number and click . This will directly trigger the standard 

SAP display of a delivery document. You can also view the document flow of 

the delivery document by clicking . 

Figure 5.46 Log of the Created Delivery Documents Sorted by Groups 

You have now created delivery documents in the background using a batch job that 

started immediately. If you want to schedule this batch job for processing, mark 

the desired batch variants again in the initial screen of Transaction VL10BATCH 

and click on the button. The system will display a dialog in which you 

must decide whether the job should be scheduled once or periodically. Specify 

the date and the time for which you want to schedule the job. If you decide on 

periodic scheduling, you must enter the repeat periods in a separate pop-up (see 

Figure 5.47). 

Based on extensive process descriptions and numerous examples, you have now 

learned about all of the options for creating delivery documents. To be able to map 

the creation without problems in the system, however, some settings and data are 

still necessary. I will describe these in the following chapters. 


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Figure 5.47 Selection Options for Scheduling Batch Jobs Periodically 

5.4 Copy Control 

During the creation of delivery documents, data is copied that was previously 

determined in the sales order or in the stock transport orders. Additionally, rules 

are agreed to about which delivery type can arise from which sales order type 

(for example, the creation of delivery type LF, standard delivery, must never refer 

to a returns order). And, last but not least, it still must be specified, separately at 

header and item levels, when, if at all, copying can take place (e.g., whether the 

delivery block has been set or the credit limit has been overdrawn). Figure 5.48 

shows copy control. 

Let us first look at what can be copied. The SAP system contains a table on this, 

which can be maintained using Customizing. To view or maintain the control system, 

you must first specify the target delivery type and the sales document type. 

If you do not specify the sales document type, the system displays the available 

preset source sales document types. Mark the required entry and click the icon. 

As you can see in Figure 5.49, the copy requirements and the control of the data 

transfer are first described at the header level. 

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Copy Control 5.4 

Copy Control for Document Header 

Sales Order 

Document Type OR 

Conditions: When 

may copies be made? 

Delivery Document 

Document Type LF 

Item 10, Category TAN 

Item 20, Category TAX 

Execution: What may 

be copied from where? 

Item 1, Category TAN 

Item 2, Category TAX 

Copy Control for Document Item 

Figure 5.48 Copy Control for the Creation of Delivery Documents 

Figure 5.49 Copy Requirements at the Header Level Between 

Sales Document Type and Delivery Type 

The values you enter in the Order requirements field relate to a program name. 

The number entered here is a component of the program name, in this case LV45Cnnn. 

If you enter “001” here, the corresponding program is LV45C001. These 

programs check when an order can be delivered. For example, they query various 

statuses in order to establish whether the sales order is a valid sales document, 

whether the credit limit has been exceeded, or whether there is a general delivery 

block in place. 


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Technical Information About Copy Requirements 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 


Path in Customizing: Logistics Execution • Shipping • Copying Control • Define 

Copying Requirements 

Program Menu: Copying Requirements • Orders 

Specific Transaction: VOFM 

Table: TFRM and TFRMT (short names) 

Section 5.9 explains the Combination requirmt field in. 

The transfer of the data from the sales order to delivery must be specified in the 

Header Data field. The transfer is carried out by a program whose name depends 

on the value entered in the header data. Consequently, the program for data transfer 

is named FV45C001. 

Figure 5.50 shows the data transfer entry screen. If you call the transaction for maintaining 

this table or call the function via the Customizing path, you must expand Data 

Transfer or Copying Requirements in the uppermost program bar. From there, you will 

be taken to Orders. 

Figure 5.50 Definition of the Routines for Data 

Transfer from Orders to Delivery Documents 

If you want to see the coding of the data transfer, mark the relevant form routines 

and click on the icon. 

You have now been introduced to the copy requirements and data transfer settings 

at the header level. Let us take another look at Figure 5.49. Expand the item (on 

the left of the screen) by double-clicking on it to obtain all possible copy controls 

for the item in relation to the header data. Here, you will find the same fields with 

the same meanings, only at the item level (see Figure 5.51). This means that data 

is also queried here to check whether the creation of an item in the delivery docu- 

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Copy Control 5.4 

ment is permitted. For example, the delivery relevance and the incompleteness 

flag are checked. The value entered in the Order requirements field is “101,” thus 

the copy program in which these conditions are queried is called LV45C101. 

Figure 5.51 Control of Data Transfer from the Order to the 

Delivery Document at the Item Level 

The same procedure for data transfer at the header level is also used at the item 

level. The Item Data field contains the suffix of the corresponding routine. In the 

standard SAP system, this value (from a standard order to delivery) is 699. The 

corresponding program for this is FV45C699. 

Technical Information About the Data Transfer 

EE 

EE 

EE 

Path in Customizing: Logistics Execution • Shipping • Copying Control • Specify 

Copy Control for Deliveries 

Specific Transaction: VTLA 

Table: TVCPL 

Normally, the rules in the standard SAP system suffice for controlling the creation 

of delivery documents. However, if you have modifications in the record layouts of 

the delivery document or you have to fill certain fields from sources other than the 

sales order, you must specify the rules for this and implement the corresponding 

coding in the program. To do that, copy an existing requirement or data transfer 

and assign a new number to the new requirement, starting with 9. Finally, you 

must create the corresponding ABAP code for this (again by copying, creating, and 

then modifying). 


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User Exit 

The include module MV50AFZ1 provides a user exit in which you can, at certain times, 

copy or determine your own and standard SAP fields in the delivery document via your 

own solutions. Header fields are filled in form routine USEREXIT_MOVE_FIELD_TO_ 

LIKP, and fields in the delivery item in form routine USEREXIT_MOVE_FIELD_TO_LIPS. 

However, you must take special care with standard SAP fields. If these fields depend on 

other processes in the delivery document (on the storage location determination, for 

example), then you must ensure that the change or field determination executed is run 

through the program process, which would also be run if you entered this field manually 

in the delivery document. 

The last method to manipulate fields is provided by the two form routines, USEREXIT_ 

SAVE_DOCUMENT_PREPARE and USEREXIT_SAVE_DOCUMENT. These are user exits 

that have already survived many release changes. You will find the newest user exits in 

the business add-on, LE_SHP_DELIVERY_PROC. 

5.5 Shipping Point 

As you have already learned in Section 2.1.5, the shipping point is an organizational 

unit via which the entire shipping transaction takes place. This shipping 

transaction includes the creation of delivery documents, the monitoring, planning, 

and grouping of different deliveries into shipments and, finally, the proper execution 

of goods issue posting. 

A complete delivery document belongs to only one shipping point. This shipping 

point is determined automatically with the order entry for each item. This creates the 

basis for selecting all of the orders awaiting delivery for a particular shipping point. 

To explain the shipping point determination step by step, I will again use the example 

from the beverages industry (see Figure 5.52). In company code OG01 (Weizen brewery 

in Munich), two plants are specified: OGB1 (the Weizen brewery in Munich) and OGBA 

(accessories: souvenirs, clothing, etc.). The Weizen brewery has a total of two storage 

locations: OGRW (the raw materials warehouse for production) and OGVW (the shipping 

warehouse for the brewed beer). The accessories are located in shipping storage 

location OGVA. 

In total, there are three shipping points in this example: the beverage trucks are loaded 

by forklifts at the OGM1 shipping point. For larger festivals (e.g., the Oktoberfest) the 

beer is filled in a tank (approx. 120,000 liters), which is firmly secured to the truck. This 

is a filling facility (also called a beer drive), defined as shipping point OGM2. All accessories 

are delivered from the OGMA shipping point. 

142 


Shipping Point 5.5 

Company Code OG01 

Weizen Brewery 

Plant OGB1 

Weizen Brewery Munich 

Storage Location OGRW 

Raw Materials Munich 

Plant OGBA 

Accessories 

Storage Location OGVA 

Accessories Munich 

Storage Location OGVW 

Shipping Munich 

Shipping Point OGM1 

Truck Loading 

Shipping Point OGM2 

Beer Drive 

Shipping Point OGMA 

Accessories 

Figure 5.52 Example of a Shipping Point Determination 

Automatic shipping point determination depends on the following four criteria: 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 

the shipping condition 

the loading group 

the delivering plant 

the relevant storage location, with restrictions 

Figure 5.53 once again illustrates the dependencies of the individual criteria. These 

criteria are presented to you in detail in the following sections. 

Shipping 

Condition 

Loading 

Group 

Plant 

Storage 

Location 

Default 

Value for 

Shipping 

Point 

Permitted 

Additional 

Shipping 

Points 

Manual Specification in Order 

Default Value from Customer-Material Info Recordor 

from Customer Master of Ship-To Party or 

from Material Master 


Default Value based on Sales Document Type or 

from Customer Master of Sold-To Party 

Figure 5.53 Automatic Shipping Point Determination 


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5.5.1 Shipping Conditions 

When you hear the term shipping condition, you probably tend to think first of 

the familiar incoterms (international commercial terms), such as FOB, CIF, and so 

on. In the SAP system, however, the shipping conditions have another meaning. 

In this case, they refer to special requirements that are made for the shipping of 

goods, for example, whether the goods have to be sent in a refrigerator truck or 

a thermal truck as they are sensitive to either heat or cold, or whether the goods 

have to reach the customer quickly (express shipping). 

Figure 5.54 provides an overview of the shipping conditions provided by SAP that 

you can adopt for use in your company. If these do not suffice, you can also define 

your own shipping conditions via Customizing. 

You can enter the shipping condition itself in the distribution area data of the soldto 

party (customer master data) in the Shipping tab. From here, this information 

is transferred to the header data of the sales order. You can also assign the shipping 

condition to the sales document type. This assignment can only be done via Customizing. 

If the shipping condition has been entered in both places, then the assignment 

to the sales document type has highest priority. To specify a shipping condition 

via the sales document type can, for example, be a good idea if you have to 

arrange the return transports for your returns orders. You could then find the 

return transports again via a shipping point of your own. 

Figure 5.54 Shipping Conditions in the Standard SAP System 

If the shipping condition has not been entered in your SAP system, then no shipping 

point determination can take place either. However, the shipping point is a 

prerequisite for the creation of deliveries. In that case, you must make a compromise 

in that you simply use shipping condition 01. 

144 



Technical Information About Shipping Conditions 

EE 

EE 


Path in Customizing: Logistics Execution • Shipping • Basic Shipping Functions 

• Shipping Point and Goods Receiving Point Determination • Define Shipping 

Conditions 

EE 


EE 

Table: TVSB and TVSBT (short names) 

Technical Information About the Shipping Condition for Each Sales Document Type 

EE 


• Shipping Point and Goods Receiving Point Determination • Define Shipping 

Condition by Sales Document Type 

EE 


EE 

Table: TVAK, saved in the VSBED field 

5.5.2 Loading Groups 

The SAP system uses the term loading group to designate the way the loading 

process in your company is carried out in relation to loading equipment. The values 

preset in the SAP system (see Figure 5.55) illustrate the reasoning behind this 

information. You can create further loading groups via Customizing. 

Figure 5.55 Loading Groups in the Standard SAP System 

Here too, as you have already seen in the context of shipping conditions, no shipping 

point determination can take place without the loading group. Therefore, if 

you do not need this field, you should choose one of the five preset values and 

use it as a default value. 

The loading group must be entered in the material master on the Sales: general/ 

plant tab. Each material thus has a particular loading group for each plant. This 

information is copied from the material master into the item of the sales order. 


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Technical Information About the Loading Group 

EE 

EE 


Path in Customizing: Logistics Execution • Shipping • Basic Shipping 

Functions • Shipping Point and Goods Receiving Point Determination • 

Define Loading Groups 

EE 


EE 

Table: TLGR and TLGRT (short names) 

5.5.3 Delivering Plant 

Because the shipping point is assigned directly to one or more plants, the plant 

must also be used for the purpose of shipping point determination. The plant in 

question here is the delivering plant. You can find the definition of the plant in 

Section 2.1.3. 

The delivering plant is determined during the entry of the sales order item and 

copied into the item. You can maintain it in three places: 

EE 

EE 

EE 

in the customer-material info record 

in the customer master record of the ship-to party 

in the material master record 

The SAP system allows you to create a customer-material info record. This info 

record contains data that you must create specifically for this one customer only 

and for one material. Figure 5.56 shows the available fields. 

The customer-material info record is mainly used for saving the material number 

of the customer, which can then be printed in the documents (e.g., order confirmations, 

delivery notes, packing lists). Here, however, I will focus only on the 

delivering plant. 

Menu Path for Maintaining Customer-Material Info Records 

Logistics • Sales and Distribution • Master Data • Agreements • Customer 

Material Information. Here, you can choose whether you want to create, change, 

or display the info record. 

146 



Figure 5.56 Customer-Material Info Record 


VD51: Create a new customer-material info record 

VD52: Change a customer-material info record 

VD53: Display a customer-material info record 

VD54: Search for customer-material info records via the material number 

The second place where you can specify the delivering plant is in the distribution 

area data on the Shipping tab in the customer master record of the ship-to party. 

The third place is in the material master on the Sales: Sales Org. 1 tab. 

To determine the delivering plant, the SAP system proceeds in this sequence: If 

the delivering plant is saved in the customer-material info record, it is copied into 

the order item. If nothing is saved in the info record, or if the info record does 

not exist, then a search is carried out in the customer master of the ship-to party. 

If the SAP system still doesn’t find any entry here, then the field is taken from the 

material master record. If you have not made any entry here either, then the SAP 

system displays an error message. 


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5.5.4 Storage Location 

The fourth criterion used for shipping point determination is the storage location. 

However, this option is not available in the earlier release statuses. There is, 

nevertheless, one restriction: For each delivery type, you must decide in advance 

whether or not you want to use the storage location to determine the shipping 

point. You can specify that in Customizing. 

Technical Information About the Shipping Point Determination Rule 

EE 


Functions • Shipping Point and Goods Receiving Point Determination 

• Set Up Storage-Location-Dependent Shipping Point Determination • 

Specify Rule for Shipping Point Determination 

EE 


EE 

Table: TVLK, saved in the SPOFI field (blank = plant-dependent, 

L = storage-location-specific shipping point determination) 

5.5.5 Example of Shipping Point Determination 

I will now demonstrate the settings for the example given at the beginning of this 

section. This is a case of purely plant-dependent shipping point determination. 

1. Select Logistics Execution • Shipping • Basic Shipping Functions • Shipping 

Point and Goods Receiving Point Determination• Assign Shipping Points 

According to Storage Location via Customizing. A screen like the one shown 

in Figure 5.57 will display. 

Figure 5.57 Overview Screen for Shipping Point Determination 

2. Now click on the New Entries button. The same screen will appear, but with empty 

fields ready for entries. Make the desired entries and press the Enter key. 

148 


Routes 5.6 

3. A screen as the one shown in Figure 5.58 will display. The individual values are 

once again circled. 

4. Save these settings. 

Figure 5.58 Sample Shipping Point Determination 

If you want to set storage-location-specific shipping point determination for certain 

delivery note types, you must maintain the values using the following menu 

path: Logistics Execution • Shipping • Basic Shipping Functions • Shipping 

Point and Goods Receiving Point Determination • Set Up Storage-Location- 

Dependent Shipping Point Determination • Assign Shipping Points according 

to Storage-Location. 

The screen changes in such a way that, compared with Figure 5.58, the Storage 

Location column is added. Figure 5.59 shows the example provided by SAP. 

Figure 5.59 Storage-Location-Specific Shipping Point Determination 

5.6 Routes 

Routes are the basis for the selection of upcoming deliveries and the arrangement 

of shipments in the SAP system. You must use a route to specify the itinerary 

(transportation route) and the means of transportation (e.g., truck, train, plane, 

ship) for your goods as well as any intermediate stops. The route can have a fixed 


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5 


point of departure (usually the shipping point) and a destination (ship-to party, 

distribution point, ports, and so on). Routes also enable you to carry out transportation 

scheduling tasks (when does the truck have to leave the shipping point at 

the latest to get to the customer on time). 

The following criteria are used for the purpose of route determination: 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 

the country and the transportation zone of the shipping point 

the country and the transportation zone of the ship-to party 

the shipping condition 

the transport group 

the weight group (if the route determination is to be carried out again at the 

delivery note level) 

To identify the route, you can use six alphanumeric characters. The route has various 

indicators and information assigned to it, which are required repeatedly in the 

downstream processes. 

Moreover, you can divide a route into sections. A section always has a start destination 

and a final destination. These individual destinations within a route are 

referred to as the transportation connection points in the SAP system. A transportation 

connection point can be a railway station, a port, a load transfer point, a 

customer, a vendor, another shipping point, or another plant. 


Zone of 

Shipping 

Point 

Shipping 

Condition 

Transport 

Group 


Zone of 

Ship-To 

Party 

Route 

Default Value from Customer Master 

of Ship-To Party 


Customizing 

Default Value based on Sales Document Type or 

from Customer Master of Sold-To Party 

Figure 5.60 Automatic Route Determination in the Order Item 

The route determination takes place at the item level of the sales order or of the 

stock transport order (see Figure 5.60). When you create the delivery, the route is 

150 


Routes 5.6 

copied into the delivery header. However, a prerequisite for this is that you do not 

execute a new route determination when creating the delivery. You can activate a 

new route determination in Customizing for each delivery type. In that case, you 

can also make the route determination dependent on the total weight of the delivery 

by defining additional weight groups. 

Before discussing the process of route definition, I will first describe the route 

determination and the required data. 

5.6.1 Transportation Zones 

Before you can configure the route determination in the SAP system, you must 

divide the locations of your customers into zones (referred to as transportation 

zones in the SAP system). These can be, for example, tariff zones you are familiar 

with from shipping settlements or zip code areas. However, you can also create 

any other division you want. Thus, in our Weizen brewery example, Munich could 

be a transportation zone. Cities such as Augsburg, Ingolstadt, Rosenheim, and 

places that are on this route also have their own transportation zones. If the MRP 

controller in shipping is planning all deliveries going, for example, in the direction 

of Augsburg, he can select and process all sales order items across this route. 

Technical Information About the Transportation Zone 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 


Path in Customizing: Logistics Execution • Shipping • Basic Shipping Function • 

Routes • Route Determination • Define Transportation Zones 

Standard SAP Menu Path: Logistics • Logistics Execution • Master Data• Transportation 

• Routes • Route Determination • Define Transportation Zones 

Specific Transaction: OVR1 

Table: TZONE and TZONT (short names) 

For the example from the beverages industry, I have defined the following 

transportation zones (see Figure 5.61): 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 

OGDE000010 for Munich and the surrounding area 

OGDE000020 for places between Munich and Augsburg 

OGDE000030 for places between Munich and Ingolstadt 

OGAT000010 for Salzburg and the surrounding area 

OGAT000020 for the rest of Austria 


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5 


Figure 5.61 Definition of Transportation Zones 

Because the route determination depends on the transportation zone of the shipping 

point, you must assign the right transportation zone to your shipping point. 

You can create the assignment in the running SAP system using Transaction 0VL7 

or in Customizing via the following menu path: Logistics Execution • Shipping • 

Basic Shipping Functions • Routes • Route Determination • Maintain Country 

and Transportation Zone for Shipping Point. Our example is shown in 

Figure 5.62. 

Figure 5.62 Assignment of Transportation Zones to a Shipping Point 

5.6.2 Transport Group 

Another criterion for route determination is the transport group. All materials that 

have the same requirements in terms of transportation to the ship-to party are 

qualified via the transport groups. Figure 5.63 shows the transport groups provided 

by SAP in the standard version. 

For our example from the beverages industry, we need transport groups 0001 (all 

drinks available from retailers are transported on pallets) and 0002 (beer drive, see 

the examples for shipping points in Section 5.5). 

152 


Routes 5.6 

Figure 5.63 Transport Groups in the Standard SAP System 

Technical Information About Transport Groups 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 


Path in Customizing: Logistics Execution • Shipping • Basic Shipping Functions • 

Routes • Route Determination • Define Transport Groups 

Standard SAP menu path: Logistics • Logistics Execution • Master Data • Transportation 

• Routes • Route Determination• Define Transport Groups 

Specific Transaction: OVSY 

Table: TTGR and TTGRT (short names) 

5.6.3 Weight Group 

As mentioned at the beginning of this section, the route determination is carried 

out when you enter the sales order or stock transport order. However, if you want 

to execute a new route determination when creating the delivery, the weight of 

the delivery must also be taken into account. 

To do that, you have to divide the weights into scales. Each scale is assigned a 

number that represents the weight group. The scale is created in the SAP system as 

an “Up-to scale.” Again, this becomes clearer if you take a look at the settings in 

the standard SAP system (see Figure 5.64). 

Note that no conversion into other units of weight takes place. If you have a unit of 

weight other than KG in your delivery (as shown in Figure 5.64), then you must make 

your own entries for this unit of weight. 


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5 


Figure 5.64 Weight Groups Defined in the Standard SAP System 

Technical Information About Weight Groups 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 



Routes • Route Determination • Define Weight Groups 

Standard SAP Menu Path: Logistics • Logistics Execution • Master Data • Transportation 

• Routes • Route Determination • Define Weight Groups 

Specific Transaction: OVS8 

Table: TVLGZ and TVLGT (short names) 

5.6.4 Route Definition 

Before describing the route determination, the route itself must be defined in the 

system. We will start with a simple route without any special features, such as preliminary 

leg, subsequent leg, sections, or route schedules, which is discussed later. 

I will also not discuss the specification of times required for shipment scheduling 

yet. As I will repeatedly refer to the route in the subsequent sections, I will then 

introduce you to other settings you can make. 

In the example of the Munich brewery, there were previously prepared routes for Munich 

as well as for Augsburg, Ingolstadt, Salzburg, and the rest of Austria. These will 

now be defined: 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 

OGDE01 for Munich and the surrounding area 

OGDE02 for the Munich- Augsburg route 

OGDE03 for the Munich- Ingolstadt route 

OGAT01 for the Munich- Salzburg route 

OGAT02 for the Munich- Austria route 

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Routes 5.6 

For the initial creation or maintenance of routes, you must perform the following 

steps: 

1. In order to maintain these routes, start Transaction 0VTC or select the following 

path in the SAP menu: Logistics • Logistics Execution • Master Data • 

Transportation • Routes • Define Routes • Define Routes and Stages. The 

screen shown in Figure 5.65 will display. 

Figure 5.65 Maintenance Screen for Routes 

2. Now click the New entries button and enter the new routes. Figure 5.66 shows 

the example for Munich and the surrounding area. 

3. After you have entered all data for a route, save the entry. 

Figure 5.66 Entry Screen for Maintaining Route Data 


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5 


Technical Information About Routes 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 



Routes • Route Definition • Define Routes and Stages 

Standard SAP Menu Path: Logistics • Logistics Execution • Master Data • Shipment 

• Routes • Define Routes • Define Routes and Stages 

Specific Transaction: 0VTC 

Table: TVRO and TVROT (short names) 

5.6.5 Route Determination 

Having described all of the necessary steps and information for determining a 

route, I will now show how you can specify the route determination and show 

you the result by means of an example. 

Technical Information About the Route Determination 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 


Routes • Route Determination • Maintain Route Determination 

Standard SAP Menu Path: Logistics • Logistics Execution • Master Data • Transportation 

• Routes • Route Determination • Maintain Route Determination 

Specific Transaction: 0VRF 

Table: TROLZ 

To configure a route determination, you must perform the following steps: 

1. Call Transaction 0VRF or select the respective menu path. The system will display 

an overview of the available predefined routes. 

2. For a new entry, select the New entries button (see Figure 5.67). 

Figure 5.67 Excerpt from the Route Determination Overview 

156 


Routes 5.6 

3. Enter the country and the transportation zone from which your goods are being 

sent. In this case, these are the countries assigned to our shipping point and the 

assigned transportation zone. Combine these initial coordinates for all possible 

transportation zones of your ship-to parties (see Figure 5.68). 

Figure 5.68 Initial Transportation Zones Maintained in Combination with all Transportation Zones 

of Your Ship-To Parties 

4. Now mark each line one after the other and double-click on the Route Determination 

Without Weight Group (Order) function in the left-hand pane of 

the screen (see Figure 5.69). 

Figure 5.69 Route Determination Without Weight Group 

5. A new, empty screen will display with the message “No entries found that 

match selection criteria” (Message SV 004). Click on the New entries button 

again and enter your shipping conditions and transport groups as well as the 

relevant route (see Figure 5.70). 

6. Save your entries. 


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5 


Figure 5.70 Example of Route Determination for the Munich- Augsburg Route 

Let us now look at the result using a sales order as an example. First, we must 

maintain the relevant transportation zone and shipping condition in the customer 

master of the relevant ship-to party: the transportation zone in the general data 

(Address tab) and the shipping condition in the distribution area data (Shipping 

tab). Both views are shown in Figure 5.71. 

Figure 5.71 Customer Master file, Transportation Zone and Shipping Conditions for the 

Ship-To Party 

Now we must enter the sales order. The result can already be seen in the overview 

(see also Figure 5.72). We had previously assigned transportation zone 

OGDE000010 to shipping point OGM1, and transportation zone OGDE000020 

to the ship-to party. We had set the shipping condition in the customer master to 

02 (standard delivery). The transport group in the material master is set to 0001 

(pallets); there is no figure that shows this setting. According to our specification, 

this results in route OGDE02. 

158 


Goods Receiving Points 5.7 

Figure 5.72 Example of the Previously Set Route Determination for the 

Munich-Augsburg Route 

There are various functions and tasks relating to the route that are described in 

greater detail in Section 12.7. 

5.7 Goods Receiving Points 

You will certainly have customers that specify certain delivery times for the delivery 

to arrive. These can be normal business hours or specific receiving hours on 

certain weekdays. You can store specific goods receiving hours in the customer 

master file so that you can deliver the ordered materials on time to the ship-to 

party. 

You must assign these goods receiving hours for the ship-to party to a goods receiving 

point, because it can happen that a ship-to party has different goods receiving 

points with different receiving hours (e.g., delivery to Gate 1 or Gate 2). Because 

the receiving hours do not depend on the distribution area and company code, 

they apply to all sales organization units. 

1. To maintain the goods receiving hours, you must call Transaction XD02 for customer 

master record maintenance. 

2. Enter the customer number. 

3. Click on the Unloading points tab in the general data section. 


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4. Enter the name of the unloading point under Unloading point, for example, 

Gate 1, or, if the customer has only one unloading point, enter a representative 

dummy name. 

5. Assign a factory calendar to this unloading point and click on the Goods receiving 

hours button. 

6. Now enter the times you can deliver the goods (see Figure 5.73). 

Figure 5.73 Overview of Goods Receiving Hours at Gate 1 for Customer OG1001 

If you always have the same recurring time schemes and want to skip the manual 

data entry, you can enter the appropriate scheme in the Goods receiving hours 

field. Press the Enter key and you will obtain the pre-assigned times. You can still 

adapt or overwrite these times. Then press the Enter key and save the customer 

master. 

You can specify an appropriate scheme if recurring goods receiving hours exist. To 

do so, select Sales • Master Data • Business Partners • Customers • Shipping 

• Define Goods Receiving Hours in Customizing, and enter the goods receiving 

hours there. Specify a scheme that begins with the number 9, such as 901 (see 

Figure 5.74). 

160 


Goods Receiving Points 5.7 

Figure 5.74 Maintenance Screen for a Goods Receiving Hours Scheme 

Save these times. When you now enter the goods receiving hours in the customer 

master and want to refer to this scheme, enter “901” in the Goods receiving hrs 

field and press the Enter key once. The SAP system will copy the predefined values 

from Customizing. 

If you have maintained the times in the system once, and you enter a sales order 

with the required delivery date that is outside of the goods receiving hours, you 

will receive the message shown in Figure 5.75. 

Figure 5.75 Warning Issued By the SAP System When the Delivery Deadline Does Not 

Correspond to Valid Goods Receiving Hours 

You must now decide whether you want to reschedule the order or save it with 

this value. 


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5.8 Availability Check 

The check for the availability of the materials is a topic that has little to do with 

shipping and transportation handling directly. However, because the creation of 

delivery documents fails very often due to an availability check, I will briefly go 

into the functions related to this check here, at least from the point of view of the 

employees that have to deal with delivery documents. 

The availability check is a complicated topic, the more so as it actually belongs to 

the field of materials planning and not to SAP Logistics Execution System (LES). 

However, this check only answers a single question: Do I have enough material 

available at the required point in time to be able to deliver? 

To answer this question, various prerequisites and additional conditions must first 

be met. First, you must decide whether you want to perform any availability check 

at all, and if yes, which one. Once you have answered the first question, you must 

configure your master data and Customizing accordingly. The second question 

regarding the availability check concerns the transfer of requirements. Your sales 

order represents a requirement on materials planning. How should this requirement 

be met? 

5.8.1 Basic Principles of the Availability Check 

Section 2.1.3 mentioned that planning is performed and the stocks of your materials 

are managed at the level of the plant. Therefore, to perform an availability 

check, it is absolutely necessary that a plant be assigned to the order item (see 

Section 5.5.3). 

Another requirement is the determination of the material availability date. The 

material availability date indicates at what point in time the ordered material must 

be available for the purpose of picking in order to deliver on the required date. 

Section 6.1 goes into scheduling in greater detail in. Here, the SAP system starts 

with the customer’s required delivery date and calculates backward to the availability 

date based on the settings in the system (e.g., transit time, loading time, 

picking time). At this point in time, the system checks the availability of your 

materials. If they are not available, a new availability date is calculated as well as 

a new required delivery date using forward scheduling. Depending on the agreement 

on partial deliveries, several schedule lines can be created so that you can at 

least deliver a partial delivery on the required date. 

162 


Availability Check 5.8 

5.8.2 Types of Availability Check 

Now you must decide for which material you want to perform which availability 

check. You can configure the availability check in the Availability check field of 

the Sales: general/plant tab (see Figure 5.76). 

Figure 5.76 Specifying the Availability Check for Each Material 

If you don’t want to perform any check, enter “KP” in the Availability check field. 

The check that I have encountered most often is the ATP check. ATP stands for 

Available To Promise. This flag in the material master represents an extensive body 

of rules that specify which criteria should be taken into account in your availability 

check. Figure 5.77 illustrates these criteria. 

The current stock situation of your material represents the starting point. In the 

setting of your checking rule, you can decide to what extent a safety stock, any 

existing stocks in transfer, your quality inspection stock, and your blocked stock 

are to be included in the check. Then, your planned inward movements (purchase 

requisitions, purchase orders, planned, and production orders) as well as outward 

movements (the ones from your sales documents and the existing reservations) 

are considered with regard to time. You can also specify in your checking rule for 

these inward and outward movements whether they should be considered or not. 

Checking rules are permanently predefined by the SAP system. You cannot create 

your own rules. However, you have the option to manipulate the scope of the 

check (see Figure 5.78). 


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Inward Movement 

Dependencies of the Availability Check 

Safety Stock 

Stock in Transfer 

Quality Inspection Stock 

Blocked Stock 

also Dependent Requirements 

Stock 

Purchase 

Order 

Purchase 

Requisition 

Planned 

Order 

Production 

Order 

Sales Document 

Reservation 

Time 

Outward Movement 

Sales Requirements 

Delivery Requirements 

Figure 5.77 Dependencies and Influencing Factors of the Availability Check 

Figure 5.78 Scope of an Existing Checking Rule 

If, despite all further planned inward and outward movements, the system determines 

no availability for your material at any time, a purchase requisition or a 

planned order is created in the next planning run in order to deliver your sales 

order. Based on a capacity check in your production and the replenishment lead 

times that are set in the material master, the SAP system can determine when the 

164 



material could be available again. The replenishment lead time for production 

materials is calculated from the in-house production time and the goods receipt 

processing time. As an alternative to this, a total replenishment lead time can be 

agreed upon. For commercial materials, the replenishment lead time is calculated 

on the basis of the purchasing department processing time, the planned delivery 

time, and the goods receipt processing time. Based on the newly calculated date, it 

is possible to calculate back to the required availability date for your material, and 

a new required delivery date can be suggested by means of forward scheduling. 

The sales order stock does not affect the availability check. The sales order stock 

is a stock that’s reserved for a specific sales order. Consequently, it is marked as a 

special stock in the SAP system. No other sales order can access this stock. Sales 

order stocks have no influence on the availability check. Your purchase order or 

your production order is also marked as individual purchase order or make-toorder 

production. The item in your sales order must be marked as well so that the 

SAP system can recognize that it is an order with sales order stocks. 

5.8.3 Time of the Availability Check 

The availability check can be performed at several points in time. From the point 

of view of the sales document chain, you can carry out the first check in the sales 

order. A flag is available for the schedule line category (see Section 4.1) that you 

can set if you already want to perform an availability check at this point. 

The next point in time is the creation of the delivery document. You can set a 

checkbox for the delivery item category if you do not want to perform an availability 

check (AvailCkOff checkbox, see Figure 5.10). 

Under certain circumstances, there is even a third point in time at which an availability 

check can be performed. If you have material that’s subject to batch management 

requirements and you enter the batch number in SAP WM using picking, 

an availability check can be performed for the confirmation of the transfer 

order. However, this is no longer a so-called ATP check, but rather a determination 

of whether the stock exists at plant level at the current point in time of the 

confirmation. Note that you must take into consideration that in certain circumstances 

a negative stock is allowed in the storage type from which picking is being 

performed. 

The last check is carried out at the time of goods issue posting. However, the check 

is only performed against the current stock at plant level. A future availability 


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5 


check based on the availability date is not performed because the goods issue posting 

takes place at the current point in time even if you can specify the execution 

date for goods issue posting in the transaction. 

5.8.4 Transfer of Requirements 

Transfer of requirements is another aspect of the availability check. Every item from 

your sales order or delivery document represents a requirement on your material. 

After all, your requirement reduces the stock of your material, at least the available 

stock on the material availability date. The “real” warehouse stock is not reduced 

until the goods issue posting takes place. 

Three options exist for the transfer of requirements to the planning of your materials. 

Either you transfer each individual sales order that is replaced by the delivery 

document during delivery, or you collect all requirements and transfer them 

cumulatively at an interval specified by you. For example, you can collect your 

requirements by weeks. These requirements would only appear in the requirements 

overview as a weekly total. 

You can view the complete requirements overview in the SAP system using Transaction 

MD04. In this overview, you can also view open purchase requisitions and 

purchase orders as well as your planned and production orders if you carry out 

in-house production. This, of course, depends on how you have set your system 

with regard to the transfer of requirements, including those from purchasing and 

production. Figure 5.79 shows this overview. 

Figure 5.79 Requirements and Stock Overview, Transaction MD04 

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5.8.5 Sample ATP Availability Checks 

Here are four examples from SAP training documents so that you better understand 

the process of the ATP availability check. The descriptions are based on the 

following initial situation (see Figure 5.80). 

ATP Availability Check Process, Initial Situation 





100 

50 

60 

Time 

40 

50 

100 

Order 

Order 

Outward 

Movement 

Order 

Figure 5.80 Process of ATP Availability Check, Initial Situation 

I have a stock of 100 units and two open purchase orders, the first for 50 units 

and the second for 60 units. There are also three sales orders in the SAP system: 

for 100 units, for 40 units, and for 50 units. 

Example 1: Material is Available on the Required Date 

In the first example, your customer orders 10 units. You enter this sales order with 

the corresponding required delivery date. The system now calculates the availability 

date based on your settings (backward scheduling, see Figure 5.81) and 

performs the availability check at this time. 


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5 


ATP Availability Check Process, Sample Case 1 


Material Staging 

Delivery Date 


Order Quantity:10 

Purchase 

Order 

Purchase 

Order 

100 

50 

60 

10 

40 

50 

Time 

100 

Order 

Order 

Outward 

Movement 

Order 

Figure 5.81 Example 1, Demonstration of an ATP Check 

The materials for 10 units will be available at the required point in time. The sales 

order can be confirmed for the required delivery date, and the requirement is also 

transferred to planning on the calculated availability date. 

Example 2: Material is Available at a Later Point in Time 

In example 2, your customer orders 20 units for an earlier point in time. Enter 

the sales order for the required delivery date. The system calculates the availability 

date using backward scheduling and performs an availability check (see Figure 

5.82). 

However, the 20 units are not available at the required point in time because your 

customer demands a complete delivery. Now the system calculates the closest possible 

availability date. A new delivery date is suggested (forward scheduling) that 

you must confirm. This is the confirmation date or the new delivery date that you 

inform your customer of in the order confirmation (see Figure 5.83). 

168 





Lagerbestand 


Order Quantity: 20 

Delivery Date 

Note:Customer 

requires 

complete delivery 

Purchase 

Order 

Purchase 

Order 

100 

50 

60 

20 

Time 

40 

50 

100 

Order 

Order 

Outward 

Movement 

Order 

Figure 5.82 Example 2, Demonstration of an ATP Check 





Order Quantity: 20 

Delivery Date 

Note:Customer 

requires 

complete delivery 

Purchase 

Order 

Purchase 

Order 

100 

50 

60 

20 

Time 

40 

50 

100 

Order 

Order 

Outward 

Movement 

Order 


Confirmation Date 

Figure 5.83 Result of Example 2 with Newly Calculated Availability 


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Example 3: Material is Completely Deliverable Later, Partial Delivery in Advance 

In example 3, your customer also orders 20 units; however, he wants the fastest 

possible delivery — partial deliveries are permitted in this case. Enter your sales 

order. Because it is the same initial situation as in example 2, the material is not 

available on the required delivery date. The system now calculates the best option 

based on the partial delivery flag and the earliest available quantity. The result is 







Delivery Date 

Note: Customer 

accepts 

partial deliveries 

Purchase 

Order 

Purchase 

Order 

100 

50 

60 

10 

10 

Time 

40 

50 

100 

Order 

Order 

Outward 

Movement 

Order 





Figure 5.84 Result of Example 3 with Newly Calculated Availability Based on Partial Deliveries 

Two schedule lines are generated in the sales order, each with two newly calculated, 

different confirmation dates. You can send the customer the materials that 

are available earlier as a partial delivery. 

Example 4: Material Available within the Replenishment Lead Time 

In the previous example, you have switched on the consideration of replenishment 

lead times in the SAP system. You can set the replenishment lead time of 

your materials in the material master. This lead time depends on various factors 

(see Section 5.8.2). Figure 5.85 shows the results of the availability check under 

consideration of the replenishment lead time. 

170 


Delivery Combination, Delivery Split 5.9 






Delivery Date 

Note:Customer 

requires 

full delivery 

Purchase 

Order 

Purchase 

Order 

100 

50 

60 

20 

Time 

40 

50 

100 

Order 

Order 

Outward 

Movement 

Order 



Replenishment Lead Time 

Figure 5.85 Example 4 Under Consideration of the Replenishment Lead Time 

The availability check is only performed within the replenishment lead time. 

Within this period, you have a stock of 150 units including inward movement. The 

sales order requires only 100 units. You therefore have 50 units available within 

the replenishment lead time because you could have new material available on the 

replenishment date (after a new planning has been carried out for the material). 

5.9 Delivery Combination, Delivery Split 

This extensive chapter will close with a short and easily understandable section. As 

part of the delivery document creation, you often have to deal with delivery combinations 

and delivery splits. Each topic is different, however, they do have something 

in common. By delivery combination (also referred to as order combination in 

the SAP system), SAP software refers to the combination of several sales orders or 

stock transport orders into one delivery document. The opposite of a delivery combination 

is a delivery split, which is used intentionally to distribute a sales order 


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or stock transport order across several delivery documents. If I only mention sales 

orders in the following sections, stock transport orders are meant as well. 

5.9.1 Delivery Combination 

Delivery combination and order combination refer to the process whereby several 

sales orders or stock transport orders are combined into one delivery document. 

The combination is only permitted when certain criteria between the individual 

sales orders correspond to each other, such as the same ship-to party, the same 

route, the same shipping point, and so on. 

This information is often located at the item level of a sales order and is transferred 

to the delivery header during the delivery document creation. Therefore, it is logical 

that sales orders that differ in this regard cannot be combined. 

I have entered two sales orders — same material, same customer, same ship-to party, 

same delivering plant — but with different shipping points. I create the delivery document 

for the first sales order and now deliver to the second sales order in the same delivery 

document. I now receive the message to check the log. I select the log and receive 

the respective error message (see Figure 5.86). 

Figure 5.86 Error Log for Delivery Document Combination 

The error message says that the system cannot deliver sales order “111360” and 

suggests a delivery split because of different shipping points. An order combination 

into one delivery document is not possible here. 

If you create your delivery documents in the background or using a batch job, you 

won’t receive this message. In that case, the system creates two delivery documents. 

Here, you must accept the fact that the system creates delivery documents 

172 


Delivery Combination, Delivery Split 5.9 

for you and that it has not performed the combination, at least not to your expectations. 

If you think that certain sales orders should be combined, you have no 

other choice than to combine the two delivery documents manually (delete delivery 

document 2 and subsequently deliver sales order 2 with delivery document 

1). This way you will obtain the required log. 

The only way to directly manipulate the combination of sales orders into one 

delivery document is to change the customer master data of the ship-to party. To 

do that, you can use the Order combination checkbox in the Shipping tab in the 

distribution area data. If you activate this checkbox, the system allows the combination 

of several sales orders for this ship-to party into one delivery document 


Figure 5.87 Flag for Order Combination into One Delivery Document 

for Each Ship-To Party 

Apart from that, you have no further Customizing options with regard to when 

and how a combination of several sales orders into one delivery document should 

take place. 

5.9.2 Delivery Split 

A delivery split means that a sales order is divided into several delivery documents. 

This refers to only one order, while an order combination refers to several sales 

orders. The SAP system will automatically perform a split when there are fields at 

the item level in the sales order that are transferred to the delivery header and take 

on different values between the individual order items. 


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I have entered a sales order with two items. Each item is delivered from a different 

shipping point. I now create a delivery document. To do so, I must specify the shipping 

point. I enter it in the first item. The system now suggests a delivery item to me and 

issues the message that a second delivery document must be created due to a differing 

shipping point for the second item. 

The delivery split has two special features that you can manipulate using Customizing: 

different SAP WM warehouse numbers and different shipping companies 

at the order item level. Two checkboxes are available for this purpose for each 

delivery type (see Figure 5.88). 

Figure 5.88 Delivery Split Criteria for Each Delivery Type 

The Delivery Split Part checkbox enables you to specify whether a delivery split 

should take place if a partner function that does not occur in other items exists 

in an item of the sales order. The additional individual partner function is copied 

to the delivery header and is therefore valid for all items. However, if you want 

to avoid this system behavior, you must place a checkmark in this checkbox. An 

exception to this is the shipping company as partner function in the individual 

items. A delivery split is generally performed when the same partner functions 

but different partners are specified in the order items, even when it concerns different 

manual addresses. 

If you want the delivery items in a delivery document to be free of warehouse 

numbers, you must place a checkmark in the Delivry Split - WhNo checkbox. The 

174 


Summary 5.10 

warehouse number identifies a WM-managed storage location (see the organizational 

units in Section 2.2.1). However, a second checkmark must then be placed 

in Customizing, otherwise the delivery split is not performed. 

Technical Information About the Delivery Split 

EE 

Path in Customizing: Logistics Execution • Shipping • Deliveries • Define Split 

Criteria for Deliveries • Delivery Split by Warehouse Numbers 

EE 


EE 

Table: T340D, saved in the LISPL field 

Figure 5.89 Specifying a Delivery Split for Each Warehouse Number 

To do that, start Customizing and, if necessary, place a checkmark in the Deliv. 

split by whse number checkbox (see figure 5.89). 

The so-called subsequent delivery split is often mentioned in conjunction with 

the delivery split. However, this is not part of the delivery document creation, 

but rather is first used when a subsequent delivery split becomes necessary after 

further processing of the delivery document (e.g., the delivery will not fit in one 

truck). 

5.10 Summary 

In this chapter, you have learned about the structure of the delivery document 

and the options for creating delivery documents. Fields and information that are 

required for handling a delivery are usually determined again at the order level 

and possibly during delivery document creation. These fields are decisive for fur- 


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5 


ther processing (shipping point, route, delivering plant, storage location, transportation 

zones, and so on). This chapter also introduced you to the availability check 

and the control using order combinations and delivery splits. 

There are a number of other functions and control features available that are presented 

in Chapter 6, Other Functions In Delivery Documents. 

176 


The delivery document contains information that is required for the different 

steps in shipping processes. This chapter introduces you to this information: 

how it can be determined, what its functions are, and how you can 

manually intervene in processing. 

6 Other Functions in Delivery Documents 

The delivery document manages various data that supports employees in the shipping 

department and warehouse when they process logistics tasks. Such tasks 

include the determination of dates a step must begin for various shipping activities 

so that deliveries reach customers when required. 

Individual process steps depend on the data in the upstream document. If important 

information to start a process step is missing, incompletion checks notify the 

user of the missing data. The incompletion programs check specific fields for missing 

content and prohibit starting the downstream processes by setting a block. 

The delivery document itself requires partners. To find the correct partners that 

have any kind of involvement in shipping and transportation in the delivery document, 

partner determination is integrated with the SAP system. 

Free-form texts that employees can use to inform a customer or other employees 

about a matter are linked to the delivery document with word processing. 

Because you undoubtedly work with exports, your shipping and transportation 

processes must also be able to execute a few functions that are required only for 

export. Exclusively export-related information is also managed in the delivery 

document. 

Batch determination is a comprehensive topic within shipping activities. If you 

have material that must be managed in batches, you must set your SAP system to 

define the point in the shipping process the batch should be determined and the 

criteria that the SAP system should use to determine the correct batch. 


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6 

Other Functions in Delivery Documents 

If you want to identify and trace each material (finished product) separately, you 

can use serial numbers (for example, the vehicle identification number [VIN] on 

an automobile). 

The final sections of the chapter will describe the functions that you can execute 

when registering and tracking a truck to pick up materials. These functions include 

the driver’s registration at the entry gate, the transfer of data from weighing, the 

printing of driver or vehicle identification, and so on. 

6.1 Scheduling 

To ship the goods that customers order from you, your company requires several 

work steps. Picking the goods is an example of a work step. After picking, the 

goods are packed and, if necessary, made available on pallets, stacking mesh pallets, 

or other loading devices. At the same time, the forwarding agent is notified 

of the transportation. The agent will take over the goods at your shipping point at 

a specific time. When the driver arrives, the goods can be loaded. Shipping documents 

are created, and after the materials have left your plant, a goods issue is 

posted. 

You can schedule these individual work steps in your shipping process. Scheduling 

has an advantage, because when you accept an order, you can use these work steps 

to let the customer know if the goods can arrive at the desired time. If scheduling 

indicates that the goods cannot be delivered on the requested date, you can have 

the SAP system calculate the earliest possible delivery date. 

Another advantage of scheduling is that you can use the delivery monitor (Transaction 

VL06O, see Section 11.2) in the SAP system at each process step. You can 

use this function to view all due delivery documents at each intermediate step. For 

example, if you work in the loading department and want to see all of the delivery 

documents that are scheduled for loading the next day, you simply call the appropriate 

function in the delivery monitor and select the next day as a parameter. That 

gives you an overview of the work steps and the latest time at which each step 

must begin. Figure 6.1 provides an overview of these times and milestones. 

178 


Scheduling 6.1 

Order 

Date 

Material 

Staging 

Date 


Planning 

Date 

Loading 

Date 

Goods 

Issue 

Date 

Requested 

Delivery Date 

Pick/Pack Time 

Loading Time 

Shipment Scheduling Depending on Shipping Point 

Lead Time 

Transit Time 

Transport Scheduling Depending on Route 

Figure 6.1 Overview of Dates and Times in the Shipping and Transportation Process 

The availability check indirectly influences the calculation of the schedule. If a 

sufficient quantity of the material is available, scheduling begins with the order 

entry. If the desired material is unavailable but will be supplied in the near future 

by an external vendor or produced in your own company, scheduling can begin 

only with the forecasted receipt of stocks. 

You must make a basic decision about the type of scheduling you want to perform: 

shipping or transportation. You make the decision in the sales order document. 

There you make settings to define if you want to perform delivery scheduling (an 

“X” in the DlvSchedlg column) and, independent of that setting, transportation 

scheduling (an “X” in the TranspSchd column) for each type of sales order (see 

Figure 6.2). 

You also have an option to reschedule when creating the delivery document. That’s 

a good idea when the delivery process has started late for some reason, which 

invalidates the scheduling you performed earlier. 

Figure 6.2 Setting for Delivery and Transportation Scheduling by Sales Order Type 


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6 


Delivery scheduling includes the time for picking, packing, and preparation for 

delivery and the loading time. Transportation scheduling includes the transportation 

lead time and the transit time. The following sections describe delivery scheduling 

first. 

6.1.1 Delivery Scheduling 

Scheduling begins with the material staging date. This date represents the time at 

which the material must be available in the warehouse to be able to deliver the 

product on the required date. 

Material Staging Date, Time Required for Picking and Packing, 

and Loading Date 

If the material is available in the warehouse, picking and packing can begin. In the 

SAP system, this time is called the time required for picking and packing. It is the 

time between the material staging date and the loading date. The time required for 

picking and packing is defined at the level of the shipping point. For each shipping 

point, you can use the Det.pick/pack time field to define no picking and packing 

time at all (no entry), to define it as route-dependent with the route and a weight 

interval (enter “A”), to define it as route-independent with only a weight interval 

(enter “B”), or with a constant value for each shipping point (enter “C”). Because 

the exact delivery weight is unknown at order entry, order entry performs scheduling 

with a weight interval. 

You make the settings in Customizing. Figure 6.3 shows the maintenance screen. 

Figure 6.3 Determination of How to Calculate the Loading Time and Time 

Required for Picking and Packing 

180 



Technical Information About Defining the Shipping Times 

EE 

EE 

EE 


Scheduling • Delivery Scheduling and Transportation Scheduling • Define Scheduling 

by Shipping Point 

Specific Transaction: OVLZ 

Table: TVST 

Once you have decided on an option for determining the time required for picking 

and packing, you maintain the times accordingly in the Pick/pack wrkdys field. 

In my example (see Figure 6.3), I calculate the time required for picking and packing 

independent of the route and the weight, because shipping beverages within 

Germany always uses the same time: two days (as an example for documenting 

scheduling). But if you need to ship your goods overseas, for example, you will 

have to deal with longer times for picking and packing. Route-dependent calculation 

of the time would be a good selection in that case. 

If you decided to define the time required for picking and packing for each shipping 

point (value “C”), a field opens in which you can enter the time in terms of 

the number of days (see Figure 6.3). If you decided on “A” or “B,” (weight-dependent, 

or route-dependent and route-independent), you must enter the times in the 

appropriate maintenance screen (see Figure 6.4). 

Figure 6.4 Maintenance Screen for Picking and Packing Times 

Technical Information About Defining Picking and Packing Times 

EE 


Scheduling • Delivery Scheduling and Transportation Scheduling • Maintain Duration 

EE 


EE 

Table: T630R 

Loading Date, Loading Time, and Goods Issue Date 

Once you have picked, packed, and prepared all material for loading, you have 

reached the loading date milestone. Loading the goods can now begin. 


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The loading time is the period that you need from the loading date to the date of 

goods issue. In other words, it is the time you need to load your goods from the 

staging point onto a truck. The exact length of time depends on the loading group. 

For example, loading particularly heavy goods by crane demands more time than 

loading with a forklift. That’s why you have an option at the level of the shipping 

point to decide how to calculate the loading time. If you do not want to define any 

loading time, leave the loading time field empty. If the determination depends on 

the route, enter “A” in the field. The loading time is now calculated based on the 

route and the loading group. But if you want to remain independent of the route 

and consider the loading group, select “B” for route-independent determination 

of the loading time. As with the time required for picking and packing, “C” means 

that there is only one value for each shipping point. 

In this example (see Figure 6.3), I select route-independent determination of the 

loading time and set two days for the forklift loading group, but only one day to 

fill the tank truck with the seasonal beer, as shown in Figure 6.5. (Please note that 

these are only examples that clarify scheduling. No real brewery can allow itself 

two days of loading time.) 

Figure 6.5 Maintenance Screen for Loading Times 

Technical Information About Defining Loading Times 

EE 


• Scheduling • Delivery Scheduling and Transportation Scheduling • Maintain 

Duration 

EE 


EE 

Table: T630L 

6.1.2 Transportation Scheduling 

Now that I have introduced you to delivery scheduling, I can explain the settings 

for transportation scheduling. 

182 



The settings for transportation scheduling are easier to work with than those of 

delivery scheduling. Note the distinction between two times: the transportation 

lead time and the transit time. You maintain both times in the route. 

Transportation Planning Date, Transportation Lead Time, and Loading Date 

The transportation lead time is the time required to notify the forwarding agent of 

the shipment and to organize the shipment. The time milestone defined here is the 

loading date, because loading begins at that point. With transportation planning 

and notification, you must begin at the transportation planning date so that you 

can finish by the loading date. The time between the transportation planning date 

and the loading date is called the transportation lead time. In some circumstances, 

this period can take a few days — when it involves exports to foreign countries, 

for example, and requires approval of letters of credit and securing customs and 

export permits. 

Goods Issue Date, Transit Time, and Delivery Date 

The transit time is the time that the forwarding agent needs to transport the goods 

to customers. This time can differ greatly for transportation to a nearby location 

or for shipping to Australia, for example. The transit time obviously depends on 

the route. 

You enter the individual times in the definition of the route. The example in Figure 

6.6 uses one day for the transportation lead time (TransLdTm. field) and for the 

transit time (TransitDur field). 

Figure 6.6 Setting the Transit and Transportation Lead Times 

6.1.3 Example 

You receive an order for a pallet of wheat beer to go from Munich to Augsburg. 

You must schedule five days for the delivery, starting with picking and concluding 

with delivery to the ship-to party. If the customer wants delivery in two days, the 


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6 


system informs you that the scheduling settings make that impossible and it then 

suggests a new delivery date. 

In the example, today’s date is Wednesday, September 1, 2007. The customer 

wants the goods on Friday, September 3. You enter the sales order with the 

requested delivery date of September 3, 2007 (see Figure 6.7, the first row on the 

Schedule lines tab). 

Figure 6.7 Sample Scheduling of a Sales Order 

In backward scheduling, that would mean the following. The required delivery 

date was Friday, September 3, and the transit time lasts one day, so that Monday, 

September 2, would be the goods issue date. The loading time lasts two days, so 

that the loading date would be Thursday, August 29. The time required for picking 

and packing also lasts two days, so the staging date would be Tuesday, October 

27, which occurs before the entry date. The system therefore uses forward scheduling. 

Stock is available, so that scheduling begins with the entry date of August 

28. The two days needed for picking and packing mean a loading date of August 

30. Two days of loading time mean a goods issue date of September 3. One day 

of transit time means a new delivery date of September 4. Check the second row 

in the schedule lines and press the 

button to display all of the milestones 


Figure 6.8 Display of All of the Milestones After Rescheduling the Order 

184 


Incompletion Check 6.2 

You have seen scheduling at a daily level of detail (forward and backward) and 

looked at options for the related settings. You can also schedule to the minute, but 

that capability will not be shown here. Up-to-the-minute planning is complicated 

and can be affected by shift schedules. 

6.2 Incompletion Check 

To ensure a smooth flow of all steps within the shipping and transportation processes, 

the shipping documents must contain specific information. If the information 

is missing, certain processes cannot run. That’s why it’s advantageous to 

notify employees of missing data when they work with upstream process steps. 

You must decide if the missing data is relevant to all of the downstream processes 

or only for certain subprocesses. For example, missing prices are unimportant for 

creating the delivery document, but prices are crucial to invoicing. 

For such cases, the SAP system offers you the option to activate an incompletion 

check. The standard SAP system provides you with various preset variants that you 

can adjust to the needs of your company. The system checks for the existence of 

specific information at the level of the header and the item, information that is 

important for the downstream processes. If the information is missing, the field 

that contains the information is blank and the status of the document is set to 

incomplete. 

6.2.1 Incompletion Status Group 

When information is missing, the user entering the sales order is notified that the 

document is incomplete. The user can then decide to save the document anyway 

or to enter the missing data. If the user decides to save the document, the system 

blocks certain downstream processes based on the incompletion status group. 

For delivery documents, the user receives a notification during the save, but a block is 

set for downstream processes. 

The status group provides information about which downstream processes are 

blocked from further processing (see Figure 6.9). The downstream processes 

include: 


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6 


Figure 6.9 Status Group for Control of Incompletion and Its Dependence 

on Downstream Processes 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 

General 

If the status check is activated by setting a check, the fields from the general 

data are checked. If one of the defined fields is blank, the document is blocked 

completely. The user receives an appropriate notification. 

Delivery 

When activated, this status checks the fields that are needed to process a delivery 

document. If one of the fields is blank, the document is blocked for creation 

of a delivery document. The user receives an appropriate notification. 

Billing doc. 

If this status is activated, the fields that are needed to create and process a billing 

document are checked. If one of the fields is blank, the document is blocked 

for creation of an invoice, and the user receives an appropriate notification. 

Price 

If data is missing in pricing and this field is activated, the user is notified of the 

missing data in pricing. 

Goods movement 

If this check is activated, the fields that are needed to post a goods issue are 

checked. If one of the defined fields is blank, the user is notified that the goods 

issue posting is blocked. 

Picking/putaway 

If you want to check the fields for picking, activate a check here. Doing so 

blocks creation of a transportation order. The user receives an appropriate notification. 

186 



EE 

Pack 

If you enter packing data in your delivery document and need information on 

packing, activate an incompletion check here for the packing data. If the data 

is missing, the packing function cannot be executed and the user receives an 

appropriate notification. 

The standard SAP system offers you a variety of statuses that you can use. If the 

options prove insufficient for your needs, you can create additional statuses in 

Customizing. 

Technical Information About the Incompletion Status Group 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 



Incompletion Control for Deliveries • Define Status Groups 

Specific Transaction: OVA0 

Table: TVUVS 

6.2.2 Incompletion Procedure 

You define the fields that are checked for missing content and the status level of 

the fields in an incompletion procedure. The definition has a hierarchical structure 


Figure 6.10 Incompletion Group, Procedures, and Fields: Three Hierarchical 

Functions Shown in One Screen 

The highest level of the hierarchy is the data basis, such as the Sales - Header, 

Delivery header, and the Delivery item, which is called the incompletion group. 


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For example, highlight the Delivery header row and then click Incompletion 

procedures in the next section (see the left side of the figure). Here, you can create 

several incompletion procedures. Your own procedures should begin with a Y 

or a Z. Copy an existing entry if you want to define your own procedure. Then 

highlight the procedure and click the last level — the definition of the individual 

fields to check. In the Table and Fld name fields, enter the database and the field 

that you want to check. Assign a previously defined status to the field that indicates 

how the system should react when the field is not populated. You can also specify 

a screen that you can use to enter the missing field after display of the incompletion 

notification. 

Technical Information About Incompletion Procedures 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 



Incompletion Control for Deliveries • Define Incompleteness Procedures 

Specific Transaction: OVA2 

Table: TVUVF 

Once you have completed all of the definitions, you must assign a delivery type 

or delivery item type to the incompletion procedure. Figure 6.11 illustrates the 

maintenance screen for the delivery type. 

Figure 6.11 Assignment of the Incompletion Procedures to a Delivery Type 

Technical Information About the Assignment of Incompletion Procedures 

EE 

EE 

EE 


Incompletion Control for Deliveries • Assign Incompleteness Procedures 

Specific Transaction: VUA4 for the delivery header and VUP4 for the item 

Table: TVLK for the delivery header and TVLP for the item (stored in field FEHGR in 

both tables) 

188 



This example uses a check for the loading point (see Figures 6.10 and 6.11) to demonstrate 

the functionality. I created a sales order without a loading point and then created 

the delivery manually with Transaction VL01N. Next I saved the delivery document. The 

system displayed a note that the delivery document can be saved without any problems. 

I packed in the delivery document with Transaction VL02N. The system displayed the 

note: “Document is incomplete. Packing is not permitted” (see Figure 6.12). 

Figure 6.12 Notification of an Incomplete Delivery Document 

6.2.3 Processing Incomplete Delivery Documents 

Go back to the overview screen and follow menu path Edit • Incompletion or 

click the icon. A pop-up (see Figure 6.13) displays the fields that have not yet 

been populated. 

Figure 6.13 Pop-up with Unpopulated Fields According to the Incompletion Procedure 

Select an item by placing a checkmark beneath Item and click the button. 

The screen that was entered in the Screen field in Figure 6.10 (see Figure 6.14) 

displays. 

Now enter the missing loading point and save the document. The delivery document 

is then complete and packing can occur. 


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Figure 6.14 Screen with the Missing Loading Point 

This example serves only to indicate how you can define your own incompletion 

procedure and assign a delivery type to it. In the real world, there is no connection 

between the loading point and packing. And please note that SAP software 

recommends that you do not modify standard entries. In this case, the correct procedure 

would be to create a new delivery type (like ZLF) and link it to incompletion 

procedure ZL. 

User Exit 

SAP supplies a user exit for the incompletion procedure: include module FV50UZXX. It 

contains form routine V50UC_CHECK_SLLST. You can execute your own incompletion 

check in this form routine. The include module contains the documentation and form 

routine V50UC_CHECK_EXAMPLE contains sample coding. 

6.3 Partner Determination 

In the SAP system, partners are all of the persons, companies, customers, service 

providers, and vendors that are involved in a business process in any way. In 

shipping and transportation processes, partners include the contracting entity, the 

ship-to party, the forwarding agent, and so on. 

The data on the partners involved must be stored as master data. For a contracting 

entity or a ship-to party, you must store the data in the customer master file. 

For a forwarding agent, you must store the data in the vendor master file. These 

partners play specific roles within the processes, like the ship-to party, forwarding 

agent, and so on. The roles are identified with a role or partner identification (for 

example, “SH” for ship-to party). 

The partner functions were introduced, in detail, in the context of the customer 

master file (see Section 3.2). This section will show you how you have to set the 

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Partner Determination 6.3 

SAP system to define the required partners for your processes in the delivery 

document. 

Technical Information About Partner Functions 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 



Partners • Set Up Partner Determination for Deliveries 

Specific Transaction: use VOPA, select “Delivery” as the partner object, and click the 

partner functions button 

Table: TPAR and TPART (short description) 

You first define which partner processes are involved in your shipping process and 

if the standard roles provided by the SAP system meet your needs. If you have to 

create new partner functions, select a partner function identification that starts 

with a Z. Make the definition (see Figure 6.15) by informing the system of the 

master file to which your partner belongs. Enter “KU” in the Partner Type column 

(to the right of the description), if a customer is involved. Expand any entries to 

the right of the value and select the related master file. 

Figure 6.15 Overview of Supplied Partner Functions 

An incompletion procedure is also assigned to this partner. It is displayed in the 

Error Group column and cannot be changed here. In the overview, you also 

define if a superior partner exists for the partner function (Superior Partner function) 

column. Place a checkmark in the Unique column if the partner function is 

unique. For example, the contracting party is unique and may appear only once in 

the shipping documents, but this customer can easily have several ship-to parties. 

The ship-to parties would not be unique. 


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Once you have defined the roles that you need, combine the required roles and 

create a packet, a partner determination procedure, from them (see Figure 6.16). 

Technical Information About the Partner Determination Procedure 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 



Partners • Set Up Partner Determination for Deliveries 

Specific Transaction: use VOPA, select the Delivery partner object, and then click the 

Partner Determination Procedures button 

Table: TVPG 

Figure 6.16 Partner Functions Assigned to a Partner Determination Procedure 

For each role in the partner determination procedure, you must determine if the partner 

(for example, customer number) can be changed in the delivery document after it 

has been created. Place a checkmark in the Not Changeable column if the partner may 

not be modified in the delivery document. You must also determine if the situation 

involves a mandatory partner or if the partner may be omitted. A checkmark in the 

Mandatory Role column in this case means that the partner is mandatory. 

Technical Information About the Assignment of Partner Functions to a Partner 

Determination Procedure 

EE 

EE 

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Partners • Set Up Partner Determination for Delivery 

Specific Transaction: use VOPA, select the Delivery partner object, and then click 

the Partner Determination Procedure button; select a procedure and then click the 

Roles in Procedure button 

Table: TPAER 

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Texts in the Delivery Document 6.4 

In conclusion, you assign the partner determination procedure to the delivery 

document (depending on the delivery type) (see Figure 6.17). 

Figure 6.17 Assigning the Partner Function to a Delivery Type 

Technical Information About the Assignment of Partner Functions to a Delivery Type 

EE 

EE 

EE 


Partners • Set Up Partner Determination for Delivery 

Specific Transaction: use VOPA, select the Delivery partner object, and then click the 

Partner Determination Procedure button; select a procedure and click the Procedure 

Assignment button 

Table: TVLK 

You can reach the setting from Customizing and, in earlier releases, with Transaction 

VOPA. In earlier releases, the appearance of the screens differs from what is 

given here. 

6.4 Texts in the Delivery Document 

In addition to the data of individual fields defined in the delivery document, other 

information exists that does not require encryption or definition. This information 

includes texts. You can store information, notes, work instructions, and much 

more in texts. Here, you must distinguish between text information that is valid 

for the entire delivery document (also called header texts) and information that is 

valid only for specific items (called item texts). 

Despite all of the freedom you have regarding content, the texts are generally 

intended for a specific group of persons or employees. They might involve texts 

meant for the customer that you can also print on an invoice. They might also 

involve notes for the employees in your company. 


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Sample texts For customers: “After our conversation on the telephone, I am shipping 

free of charge . . .” For warehouse employees: “Note maximum pallet height of 1.10 meters.” 

For shipping employees: “Do not stack pallets on the truck.” 

6.4.1 Structure of Texts 

From the preceding examples, you can see that some texts are intended for your 

employees and should not be printed on delivery notes that you distribute to a 

forwarding agent or to your customer. Other texts are of no interest to your warehouse 

employees, such as texts that provide additional information to your customer. 

To control the target group of texts, you must distinguish between various 

text types (see the various types of texts in the delivery header in Figure 6.18). A 

four-character key, a text ID, identifies each type. 

You can reach the header texts from the menu bar via the menu path Goto • 

Header • Texts. 

Figure 6.18 Text Types in Delivery Header 

In the delivery document, you don’t see the text type behind a specific text. You 

see only its description, which appears in your logon language. To view the text 

types (the four-character identification of the texts), you must click the icon 

in the text overview. The SAP system also shows you each text ID and additional 

information on text determination (see Figure 6.19). We will return to this information 

later in this section. 

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Figure 6.19 Text Determination Log 

If you wish to view all of the text types that are created in the SAP system for delivery 

documents, start Transaction VOTXN (VOTX in some older releases). Beneath 

Delivery, select Header or Item and then click the button. The screen 

displays all of the text types set in the SAP system for the selected object (delivery 

header or item). 

Because you will not use all of the text types in your company and might even 

need a couple additional types that are not created here, you can define additional 

texts with Customizing. These text IDs start with a “Z,” so that you can immediately 

recognize if they involve a standard SAP text type or a text type created specifically 

to meet your requirements. 

The texts that you need for a specific text type are combined in a text determination 

procedure, which is also given an identification number. A delivery type or an 

item type is assigned to the procedure number. The assignment defines which text 

types are permitted for a delivery type and item type. 

In an additional step, you must define the sources of the various types of texts in 

the SAP system. That means that a clerk enters a loading note in the sales order 

during acceptance of a sales order, and that the note must automatically appear in 

the delivery document. The origin of the text must therefore be clarified. 

The origin of individual text types is defined with an access sequence, which 

defines which text is taken from a given location. You can store rules here about 

which text has priority. For example, take item texts from the sales texts in the 

material master and from the customer info record for the same item. 


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6.4.2 Settings in Customizing 

Now that I have introduced you to text determination, I will use an example to 

show you what steps you must take to create a new text type. 

Text Types 

Let us start with the text types. When you must create a new text type, the text 

ID should start with a “Z.” In my example, I create a text for loading and name 

the text ID ZVLA. Go to Customizing or start Transaction VOTXN directly. Because 

I have decided on an additional header text, I select the Header option beneath 

Delivery. Select F5 or click the button. Highlight a similar text, such as 

text ID “0012 Shipping rules,” and click the icon or F6. Overwrite the text ID 

with “ZVLA” and enter “Loading Instructions” beneath ID Description (see Figure 

6.20). 

Figure 6.20 Definition of a New Text ID or Text Type 

Technical Information About the Text Type 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 



Text Control • Define Text Types 

Specific Transaction: VOTXN 

Table: TTXID and TTXIT (language-dependent short name); text object “VBBK” applies 

to the header texts and “VBBP” to the item texts for both tables 

Save the new text ID by clicking on the icon. Please note that the text ID is available 

across all clients. Every client that runs on your SAP system can use it. Please coordinate 

with others to avoid excessive growth of text types. 

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Text Determination Procedure 

Now look to see which text determination procedure is being used for the types of 

delivery that you need for your loading notes. If it’s a standard procedure from the 

SAP system, simply overwrite the procedure and create a new one, which should 

begin with a Z. If the delivery type is already assigned to a customer-specific procedure 

(one that begins with a Z), simply highlight the procedure (see Figure 6.21). In 

this example, the standard procedure of “02” is still assigned to delivery type “LF.” 

Figure 6.21 Assignment of a Text Determination Procedure to a Delivery Type 

Technical Information About the Text Determination Procedure 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 



Text Control • Define and Assign Text Determination Procedures 


Table: TTXG and TTXGT (language-dependent short name); text object “VBBK” applies 

to the header and text object “VBBP” applies to the item texts in both tables 

Now click on Text determination procedure on the left side of the screen. Highlight 

the new or old text determination procedures (“02” in this example) and click the 

icon to copy it. A new screen is displayed that you can use to maintain the new procedure. 

In this example, the name of the new text determination procedure is “ZL.” 

Press Enter and a pop-up window appears (see Figure 6.22). Select copy all. 

Figure 6.22 Pop-up for Copying Existing Text Determination Procedures 


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Save you entries. Click Back or F3 to return to the overview of text determination 

procedures. The “ZL” procedure should now appear there (see Figure 6.23). 

Figure 6.23 Text Determination Procedures for the Delivery Header 

Now highlight the “ZL” procedure and double-click on Text IDs in text procedure. 

There you will find the Text ID copies from procedure 02 (see Figure 6.24). We’ll 

insert the new text ID, ZVLA, after the shipping instructions at number 135. Click 

the button and enter “135” under Seq and “ZVLA” under ID. Save the 

entry. 

Figure 6.24 Overview of All Text IDs Assigned to a Text Determination Procedure 

The following is defined for individual text IDs. 

If a text from a document is to be duplicated in the next document, check the box 

in the Reference/Duplicate column. If you do not check the box, the follow-up 

document references the text. If the text is changed in the delivery, the changes 

appear in the sales order and vice versa. If the text is duplicated, it actually exists 

twice — independent of the individual documents. 

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If the text ID must appear in the document, mark Text is obligatory; otherwise the 

text remains as Text is not obligatory. If you want to have the text displayed as a 

pop-up during copying, mark the appropriate combination (see Figure 6.24). 

Access Sequences 

Enter the origin of the text in encrypted form in the Access sequences column. 

Double-click on Access sequences on the left side of the screen to view all possible 

combinations (see Figure 6.25) 

Figure 6.25 Access Sequences for Individual Text IDs 

For example, highlight access sequence 25 and double-click on Access sequence 

for text IDs. The following is defined in this access sequence. 

Enter “VBBK” beneath Text object “VBBK” for the shipping document header. 

Enter the text type beneath ID. Check the box in the All Languages column to 

copy all languages from the previous document that were used to create the existing 

texts. If you want to copy the text in a specific language, enter the language 

ID in the Language column. You also have the option to permit only the language 

that was used to create the ship-to party. You now have a comprehensive, uniform 

language in all SAP sales documents. If you check the box in the Purchase Organization 

Language (which actually means Sales Organization Language), the desired 

language is determined from the sales organization. 

To copy texts from one document to the next, you can code some conditions and 

transfer rules as a program. Enter a three-digit number in the Requiremnt column. 

The name of the program that will check the conditions is “LV45Tnnn,” where 

“nnn” stands for your three-digit number. You can code an additional user exit to 

copy the data. Enter an appropriate number in the DatTr column to define the 

name of the program (for example, “LV45TEnn”). 


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For our example, I have created access sequence “9000” (copied from the “25” that 

was displayed) and copied the transfer to text type “ZVLA.” I then entered access 

sequence “9000” in the “ZVLA” text ID. 

Using Text Determination Procedures 

To finish, you assign the text determination procedure to your delivery type. In the 

overview screen, select Text procedure assignment. Beneath the desired delivery 

type, enter the new text determination procedure (see Figure 6.21). In the example, 

overwrite 02 with the new procedure, “ZL.” 

If you follow the procedures described here, you must normally have already created 

a delivery type and sales order type before you assign the new text determination 

procedure to them. Changing the settings in the standard delivery from SAP 

software is not recommended. 

6.4.3 Example of Text Processing 

I create a sales order with Transaction VA01. I previously assigned text type ZVLA 

and delivery type LF to sales order type OR. Before saving the sales order, branch 

to the header text and find the Loading instructions text. I have entered an 

example here (see Figure 6.26). 

Figure 6.26 New Text Type (Shipping Instructions) in the Sales Order Header 

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I save this sales order and now create the delivery document by using Transaction 

VL01N. I then branch directly to the header text and view the text that was copied 

from the sales order (see Figure 6.27). 

Figure 6.27 Shipping Instructions in the Delivery Document — Copied from the Sales Order 

To enter new texts, follow these steps: 

1. Call your delivery document in change mode (for example, transaction 

VL02N). 

2. To change a header text, follow the path Goto • Header • Texts from the menu 

bar; to change an item text, highlight the desired item and follow the path Goto 

• Item • Texts. 

3. Double-click the text type that you want to enter as text, or highlight the text 

type and click the icon. 

4. Now click the empty field to the right and enter your text there. 

5. Save your entry or double-click on an additional text type. The text entered previously 

is transferred. The language ID appears behind the text type as a note 

that indicates if texts were entered for a specific text type. 

You can use the icon to upload texts (for example, Microsoft Word files) from 

your computer. Click the icon to reach text processing in the SAP system. 

1. Call your delivery document in change mode (for example, Transaction VL02N). 

2. To change or delete a header text, follow the path Goto • Header • Texts from 

the menu bar. To change an item text, highlight the desired item and follow the 

path Goto • Item • Texts. 


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3. Double-click the text type that you want to change or delete. You can recognize 

existing texts with the language ID that appears behind the text type. 

4. Now click the text and enter your change. To delete, click the icon. 

5. Save your entry, or double-click on an additional text type. The text you entered 

will be accepted or deleted. 

You have several options for working with texts in the delivery document. But 

texts are not a good place to store information that you use for reports or even for 

control characteristics. It is recommended that you avoid these types of use and 

that you use your texts as intended by SAP developers. 

6.5 Export Data 

Exports are currently experiencing steady growth in the economy. The export business 

has already overtaken inland business in many companies. SAP software also 

had to meet the demands on the system for efficient support of exports and create 

appropriate solutions. The solutions cover far more than an intrastat notification 

and printing customs documents. 

This section cannot cover customs processing completely. Even if I were to introduce 

and explain the required settings for a preference calculation and adherence 

to legal controls for specific countries (for example, embargo lists) that must be 

stored for each article, I’d have to write a small book on this alone. In this section, 

I cannot treat the technical terms related to customs in detail. For the most 

part, the information introduced here is set by law and may not be changed. I will 

therefore limit myself to the data that you need to process export business from 

the viewpoint of shipping. 

You can find export data at the level of the delivery header and of the delivery 

item. The data in the delivery header describes the export data that applies to 

all items in the delivery. The delivery item stores the customs-specific information 

that relates to the material. All of the data you see in a delivery document is 

entered during creation of the sales document and the stock transfer order. It is 

based on the master data. 

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Export Data 6.5 

6.5.1 Export Data in the Delivery Header 

Let us start with the export data in the delivery header (see Figure 6.28). You can 

reach this screen from menu path Goto • Header • Foreign Trade/Customs. 

On this screen, you have an option to select data according to topics on the tabs. 

On the Handling tab, you describe how the goods are handled up to the border 

crossing where the materials leave the country. Note the distinction between how 

the goods have left your plant (in the DomestModeOftransp. field, such as “3” 

for truck) and how they cross the export customs office (in the ModeOfTrnsprt- 

Border field, such as “2” for rail). You also enter additional information in other 

fields, such as Transport-Departure and Mns of trsp - border, including the 

license plate number and country of the vehicle transporting the goods. On the 

Geography tab, you enter the border crossing where the goods leave the country 

(Export customs office and Office of exit) and are imported into the destination 

country. 

Figure 6.28 Export Data in the Delivery Header 

Legal regulations define encryption of the data, which cannot be changed. 

6.5.2 Export Data in the Delivery Item 

The export data at the item level is mostly concerned with the material. Highlight 

an item and follow menu path Goto • Item • Foreign Trade/Customs. On the 

Legal categorization tab, your material is split into categories according to the 

regulations for export statistics (see Figure 6.29). The categories are standard and 

required by law. The most important information is the commercial/import code 

number. If the material is subject to a unit of measure required by export regula- 


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tions, the value is given in the Supplementary unit (as entered for the commercial/import 

code number in Customizing). 

Figure 6.29 Export Data in the Delivery Item 

Origination data, according to export regulations, is stored in the Origin/Destination/Business 

tab. The material that you ship must be assigned to origination 

data that states the country and region (for example,“09” for Bavaria) in which the 

material was originally produced and assembled. When the producing factory is 

located in Germany, enter “DE” for Country of origin and the state for the Region 

of origin (see Figure 6.30). But these fields do not say whether the material is actually 

to be declared as German. The preference situation provides that information. 

A material is entitled to a preference as soon as all of the components it uses and is 

built from reach a certain percentage of German manufacture. The ratio of German 

(or European Union) and non-German parts is calculated from the value of the 

individual parts and also depends on the country to which the goods will be delivered. 

Some countries permit a lower percentage of “third-party goods.” The preference 

calculation determines if a material is entitled to claim German origin. 

The Country of origin field specifies the country from which the material was 

shipped from. In general, it is the country in which the shipping point is located. 

The Export procedure and Business transaction type must also be populated 

according to foreign trade regulations. For a normal sale, that would be export 

procedure “10000” (Final shipping/export) and “11” (Final purchase/sale). 

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Export Data 6.5 

Figure 6.30 Origination Data for the Material Ordered 

6.5.3 Using Export Data in the Delivery Document 

The values that are valid here are taken from the foreign trade regulations. You 

must enter them manually in the sales order or in the stock transfer order or 

allow the system to suggest them based on an algorithm. Foreign trade notification 

needs the values. The most important notifications that German companies 

must submit monthly to the Federal Statistics Office are Intrastat (notification of 

all cross-border goods movements within the European Union), Extrastat (notification 

of all cross-border goods movements outside of the European Union), and 

KOBRA (notification of weapons and materials that can be used to manufacture 

weapons). This information is also printed on the export documents that you give 

to forwarding agents and customs authorities. You can also print information on 

the invoice about whether or not a material is entitled to preference. The entitlement 

might also depend on import controls. You can also print foreign trade data 

on additional documents, such as the certificate of origin, export declaration, and 

so on. See Chapter 10, Shipping Papers and Documents, for more information on 

these documents. 

The data that can be assigned to the material is maintained in the material master 

(see Figure 6.31). Select the Foreign trade export tab. In this view, you assign the 

commercial/import code number. Here, you also find the entries about the origin, 

including the country in which the material was produced (the Country of origin 

and Region of origin fields). If you require batch management for materials in 

your company, you must enter the data at the batch level. With this approach, you 

can define the origination data for each batch. 


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Figure 6.31 Foreign Trade Data in the Material Master for Shipping 

In addition to providing the data introduced here on foreign trade and customs 

processing, you can perform other processes in your company, including Legal 

control. Some materials may not be exported to specific countries and might 

appear on embargo or boycott lists. The control occurs at the material or customer 

level. If the checks are active, you might encounter a situation in which you cannot 

create a delivery document. As noted, I cannot cover all of the possibilities here. 

If you encounter an error message when creating delivery documents that has the 

status of FTCn (where n stands for a number) and cannot process the document, 

a legal control prohibits further processing. “FT” in the status stands for foreign 

trade. It means that a foreign trade check was executed and that further processing 

is not permitted. 

You can use the sales order to see what kind of problem exists. Call Transaction 

VA03 (display sales order) and follow menu path Extras • Export approval • 

Log or Export control data from the toolbar. Here you can view the status of the 

check for each item. If the light is green, the check was positive. In other cases, 

it was negative. Highlight the item and click the icon. A pop-up appears (see Figure 

6.32: the pop-up was added to the figure) in which you can quickly see which 

foreign trade control led to problems. 

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Batches 6.6 

Figure 6.32 Export Control Data in the Sales Order 

You have been to given only a brief overview of processing customs and foreign 

trade data here. For more information on the content of individual fields, please 

consult the Web site of the German Federal Statistics Office. 

6.6 Batches 

Various requirements in your company can force you to use batch management for 

the materials that you sell. The reasons can include a desire to trace their defects 

and, if needed, initiate a recall, to perform a value-based trace of individual production 

orders, or simply to follow legal requirements (for example, pharmacological 

and food products) for batch management. 

6.6.1 Material and Batch Master Data 

If you activate batch management for a material (Batch management in the material 

master on the Sales: general/plant tab), you can manage the material with 

all its batches across all processes within the SAP system. You define your own 

numbering system for your batches and assign it characteristics that override the 

global settings in the material master in many areas. You also have your own batch 

management status management that you can use to block or release batches. You 

define information on a batch that indicates its production date, minimum shelf 

life, its origin in terms of foreign trade and customs, and so on. 


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In this section, I will examine batch management only from the viewpoint of 

shipping. Although batches do not influence transportation scheduling per se, 

batch determination and the related availability check always create unexpected 

problems. 

6.6.2 Overview of Batch Determination 

Batch determination within the SAP system is difficult to understand because 

it involves multiple settings that affect each other because of their interactions 

with one another. The following describes the individual steps in batch 

determination. 

1. In what process does batch determination occur? 

You decide where batch determination should occur. It can occur during entry 

of the sales order, during creation of the delivery document, or during picking 

— if you use warehouse management or lean warehouse management. Picking 

does not involve automatic batch determination. Instead, the picked batches 

and quantities are written to the delivery document during confirmation. At the 

least, the batch must be known at the point of posting the goods issue. 

2. In what case should batch determination run? 

Once you have decided when batch determination occurs, you must decide 

which case requires automatic batch determination. Your company might have 

situations in which customers decide which batch they want to have or that 

they want deliveries from only one batch (no batch splitting). In this case, you 

tell the SAP system that automatic batch determination should occur or specific 

customers, materials, and combinations thereof. 

3. Which batch should be determined? 

Finally, you must decide which batch should be determined. Is it always the 

oldest batch? Does your company have other determination strategies? Does 

the batch that should be determined have to meet specific criteria? Such selection 

criteria are defined in the classification of the batch. 

4. Maintaining conditions for batch determination 

After you have made the settings and defined the criteria in Customizing, you 

must activate batch determination with condition techniques. 

All four steps that are described in the following are taken independent of each 

other in the SAP system. 

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Batches 6.6 

6.6.3 Time of Batch Determination 

You can activate automatic batch determination when you enter a sales order. Simply 

check the box next to the item type of the sales order. If you want to perform 

batch determination when you create the sales document, you must set the activation 

on the item type of the delivery. Please see Figure 5.10 in Section 5.2. 

If you don’t select any of these options, you must capture the batch manually. If 

you use warehouse management functionality, the picked batch is transferred with 

the quantity at the time of confirmation. If you do not use warehouse management, 

you must enter the picked quantity for each batch manually in the delivery 

document. 

6.6.4 Execution Criteria for Automatic Batch Determination 

Figure 6.33 provides an overview of the settings in the SAP system that are 

required for the batch search strategy. You must first determine which criteria you 

want to use for automatic batch determination. Once you have determined the 

combination or combinations, you map them to a condition table. In the condition 

table (combination of criteria) you indicate the sequence in which they should be 

processed. You define by sequence with the access sequence, which you assign to a 

strategy type. You then assign the strategy type or types (you might have several) 

to a strategy scheme. 

Batch Search 

Procedure 

Strategy 

Types 

Access 

Sequences 

Condition 

Tables 

ZSA1 

ZZF1 

901 

ZCSS01 

ZSA2 

ZSA3 

ZZF2 

ZZF3 

902 

903 

ZSA4 

ZZF4 

904 

etc. 

etc. 

etc. 

Batch Search Strategy 

Figure 6.33 Overview of the Workings of the Batch Search Strategy 


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Condition Tables for Batch Determination 

If your criterion consists only of the customer number (the criterion depends only upon 

the customer number that you want to use to run automatic batch determination), you 

will work with only one condition table in which you define an access sequence. You 

assign the access sequence to a strategy type and then to a search procedure. 

Technical Information About the Batch Determination Condition Tables 

EE 

EE 

EE 


Path in Customizing: Logistics - General • Batch Management • Batch Determination 

and Batch Check • Condition Tables • Define Sales and Distribution Condition 

Table 

Custom Transactions: V/C7 to create, V/C8 to modify, and V/C9 to display condition 

tables 

EE 

Table: – 

First, take a look at the condition tables. Start Customizing and select Display 

Condition Table for Batch Determination (Sales and Distribution). A screen 

appears in which you must enter the condition table. Display the available options 

by clicking on the icon to the immediate right of the entry field. Because the standard 

SAP system does not offer an option to define only the customer number as 

a selection criterion, you must create a new condition table. Select an available 

(free) condition number between 500 and 999. This number range is available 

for customer-specific condition numbers. I have selected condition table 601 in 

the example. Enter “601” in the Table entry field and press Enter. You see the 

short text of the criteria that you can define for your condition table. “Customer” 

appears twice, so you must select the correct field. Switch the display with the 

button. Click the button until you see the “Technical and Medium” 

display type in the field catalog. For my example, I searched for customers with 

the function of a contracting party (KNDNR field). Once you find the correct field, 

highlight it. Click the button. The selected field now appears in the lower 

part of the screen, under Selected fields (see Figure 6.34). Save the condition table 

with the (generate) icon. 

A pop-up now asks if you really want to generate the condition table. Click the Yes 

button. You will receive a generation log that you can examine in detail. 

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Batches 6.6 

Figure 6.34 Creating and Maintaining Condition Tables for Batch Determination 

Access Sequences for Batch Determination 

You can now define the access sequence for this condition table. Create the new 

access sequence by highlighting the Access sequences folder in the dialog structure 

and clicking the button. The example uses access sequence “ZOG1.” 

Name the access sequence and save your entries. Then highlight the new access 

sequence and double-click the Accesses folder under Dialog Structure. Click the 

button, enter condition table “601,” and assign the condition table (see 

Figure 6.35). Save the access sequence. 

Figure 6.35 Assigning the Condition Table to the Access Sequence 

Technical Information About the Batch Determination Access Sequence 

EE 

EE 



and Batch Check • Access Sequences • Define Sales and Distribution Access 

Sequences 

EE 


EE 

Table: T682, use “H,” and application “V” 


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After saving, you are asked to assign the fields. Highlight the access sequence and 

double-click the Fields folder under Dialog Structure. The fields you defined are 

now displayed. Save again, without making any changes. You have finished defining 

the access sequence. 

Strategy Type for Batch Determination 

The next step details the strategy type. Define strategy type “ZOGK.” Click the 

button to display the maintenance screen for the strategy type (see Figure 

6.36). 

Figure 6.36 Maintenance of the Strategy Type for Batch Determination 

Enter Condit. type “ZOGK” and the previously defined Access seq. “ZOG1” in 

this screen. Describe the condition type as in “Batch determination customer.” 

Also, enter the following parameters: the system may create a maximum of 99 

subitems with different batches for each delivery item; manual changes to batches 

are permitted; exclude an over-delivery; and batch quantities should be displayed 

in the same unit of quantity as the delivery item. For batch determination itself, I 

have selected background processing. That means that the user does not see any 

dialogs during batch determination. The SAP system suggests the screen number 

and status; they are not changed. 

I will leave the fields for selection and sorting blank for now and introduce them 

to you later on. 

212 


Batches 6.6 

Technical Information About the Batch Determination Strategy Type 

EE 

EE 



and Batch Check • Strategy Types • Define Sales and Distribution Strategy 

Types 

EE 


EE 

Table: T685H and application “V” 

Batch Search Procedure 

In the next step, you define the Batch search procedure. This procedure is later 

assigned to a sales and distribution area and a sales document type. Start Customizing, 

search for an existing search procedure, and copy it. In this example, I have 

created a new search procedure, “ZOG001.” 

Technical Information About the Batch Search Procedure 

EE 

EE 

Field Length: six characters 


and Batch Check • Batch Search Procedure Definition • Define Sales and 

Distribution Search Procedure 

EE 


EE 

Table: T683, usage “H,” and application “V” 

After you save your new procedure, highlight the row with search procedure 

“ZOG001” and select the Control folder on the left side of the screen. The screen 

then displays the strategy types that have been created. Click the button 

and place strategy type “ZOGK” at the appropriate item within the existing 

strategy types. 

Technical Information About Strategy Types Within the Batch Search Procedure 

EE 


and Batch Check • Batch Search Procedures Definition • Define Sales and 

Distribution Search Procedure 

EE 


EE 

Table: T683S, usage “H,” and application “V” 


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In this example, the new strategy types are placed at the end of all strategy types 


Figure 6.37 Sequence of Individual Strategy Types Within a Batch Search Procedure 

The descriptions in individual screens are not always identical. Some refer to strategy 

types and others refer to condition types. The meaning is identical. 

Save this search procedure. Finally, you define the cases in which the system 

should find the new batch search procedure. Start Customizing to determine the 

batch search procedures (see Figure 6.38) and click the button. Create 

the entry and save it. 

You have now defined the criteria for which a batch can be found automatically. 

In the third step, you define which batch should be found. 

Figure 6.38 Activating Determination of the Batch Search Procedures 

Technical Information About Determining the Batch Search Procedures 

EE 


and Batch Check • Batch Search Procedure Allocation and Check Activation 

• Allocate SD Search Procedure/Activate Check 

EE 


EE 

Table: T683C 

214 


Batches 6.6 

6.6.5 Selection Criteria for Your Batches (Classification) 

In general, your stock will include several batches of the same material. In some 

circumstances, not all batches will have been released for sale or have reached 

a status that permits release of the batch for sale. You control this characteristic, 

“when is a batch released for batch determination?” in the batch master with 

Classification. 

Figure 6.39 Classification of the Batch with the Expiration Date Characteristic 

Each batch has a specific classification to define fields that must record specific values. 

Classification occurs in the batch master. As an example of the created batch, I 

have selected the standard SAP classification “SHELF_LIFE_CPC” (see Figure 6.39). 

The shelf life is defined in the system as the selection criterion. This date is automatically 

calculated from the expiration date (date of manufacture plus the expiration 

date) during entry. 

In Customizing (see Figure 6.40), you enter classification “SHELF_LIFE_CPC” in the 

Class field (see Figure 6.36) for the strategy type. All of the valid batches that the 

system selected are now sorted according to a specific procedure. I have decided 

on LIFO for this example. The newest batches are selected first; older batches 

remain in the warehouse. 

Figure 6.40 Selection Classes and Sort Sequences for Batch Determination 


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These settings define the search to look for batches that have a valid expiration 

date according to my selections. All of the batches found in this manner are then 

sorted downward by expiration date. The batch at the top of the list is suggested 


6.6.6 Classification of Batches 

You must make an appropriate entry in your SAP system for batch determination. 

First, you classify your batch. You perform the classification when you create the 

batch (Transaction MSC1N) or later, with a modification (Transaction MSC2N). You 

also have the option to select this function from menu path Logistics • Materials 

Management • Material Master • Batch. Select your material and the batch 

number and then select the Classification tab. Click the icon to set the batch 

classification. The screen shown in Figure 6.41 is displayed. In this setting, the 

expiration date is calculated automatically. Save your entry. 

Figure 6.41 Entering the Batch Classification 

6.6.7 Maintaining Conditions for Batch Determination 

In the second step, you create a condition record. The condition record helps 

default selection data. You can select the Create, Create, and Display functions 

from menu path Logistics • Logistics Execution • Master Data • Material • 

Batch search strategy • Delivery. VCH1 is the creation function, VCH2 the modification 

function, and VCH3 the display function. 

In my example, I can create a new condition record. Start Transaction VCH1 or 

select Create in the menu. Enter “ZOGK” as defined in my example in the Strategy 

type field. Click the 

button to list all of the condition tables. The selec- 

216 


Batches 6.6 

tion set up with the customer number (see Figure 6.42) is displayed. Because this 

case deals with only one option that is already highlighted, simply press Enter. 

Figure 6.42 Key Combinations Defined for a Strategy Type 

You should now see the screen shown in Figure 6.43. Enter the customer number 

for which you want to activate automatic batch determination in the Customer 

column. Now you must make entries in a variety of other columns, including the 

number of permitted batch splits, if the ordered quantity cannot be reached with 

a batch in stock. To avoid hitting a limit here, I have set “99.” You can also modify 

the permitted batch splits in the delivery document if a check was placed in the 

Change Allowed column. If you want to see a pop-up during batch determination, 

place a check in the Dialog Batch Determination column. You can also specify 

the unit of measure in which the batches that are found are displayed. If you generally 

allow an over-delivery, place a check in the Over-Delivery Allowed column. 

The last field to maintain is the selection type (Selection Type column). If you have 

made your entries according to my example, press Enter twice and highlight the 

row you just entered. Click the 

button and a new screen appears (see 

Figure 6.44). Enter the expiration date you are searching for here. The date must 

lie between January 1, 2007, and December 31, 2099. Because the selection will 

not change every day, create a rather generous window for selection. Materials 

with an overdue expiration date are not recognized here. 

Figure 6.43 Maintenance Screen for Batch Determination at the Customer Level 


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Figure 6.44 Specifying Your Selection Criteria 

Save this condition record. You have now met all of the requirements to determine 

the batch automatically during creation of the delivery document. The following 

example will show you what you can analyze within the context of batch 


6.6.8 Example of Batch Determination 

Use Transaction MMBE to display the stock situation in the sample warehouse, 

OGVW: a partial palette with 240 bottles of the new batch, OGC003, and 16, 000 

bottles (40 carriers, each with 20 bottles, means 20 palettes) from the older batch, 

OGC001 (see Figure 6.45). 

Figure 6.45 Current Stock Situation for the Batch Determination Example 

Use Transaction VA01 to enter a sales order for two complete palettes (1,600 

bottles) of wheat beer (see Figure 6.46). 

218 


Batches 6.6 

Figure 6.46 Sales Order for Two Palettes of Wheat Beer: 1,600 Bottles 

The delivery document is created in the next step. Start Transaction VL01N and 

enter sales order “11329.” The overview screen shown in Figure 6.47 is displayed. 

The icon in the Batch Split ID column indicates that the system has successfully 

performed batch determination. 

Figure 6.47 Overview of the Delivery Document Creation 

Click the icon, and the system displays the subitems it has created along with the 

batches it has found. To return to the overview screen, click the icon. 

You can view an even better overview if you highlight the desired item in the 

overview (see Figure 6.47) and click the 

button. You should now 

see a screen (see Figure 6.48) with detailed information on the batches themselves. 

The system has followed your sample settings and found the newest batch, batch 

number OGC003. Only 204 bottles were available from that batch. The remaining 

order quantity of 1,360 bottles was filled with the older batch, OGC001. 


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6 


Figure 6.48 Overview of Batches Found in the Delivery Document Creation 

6.6.9 Batch Determination Analysis in the Delivery Document 

Experience tells me that batch determination is frequently a problem, and the 

SAP system itself has installed analysis functions here. For example, if you click 

the 

button, you can see a new overview (see Figure 6.49) that 

gives you numerous options to analyze the batch search strategy for this delivery 

document. 

Figure 6.49 Overview of Batch Determination 

You can display a general overview of the search strategies by clicking the 

button (see Figure 6.50). 

220 


Batches 6.6 

Figure 6.50 Log for Batch Determination 

To view more information on individual points in the Selection Log: Level 1, 

highlight a specific row and click the icon. To analyze all points, click the 

icon. Repeat this step until you see the message, “Last explosion level reached.” 

You now have a log of the individual points (see Figure 6.51). 

Figure 6.51 Log of Individual Points Within Batch Determination 

Click the icon and the icon (with a highlighted title) to go back one level. 

Close the pop-up and then click the 

button (see Figure 6.49) in the 

overview screen. You receive a log that indicates which strategy type triggered 

your batch determination (see Figure 6.52). 


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6 


Figure 6.52 Analysis of Which Strategy Type (Condition Type) Triggered Batch Determination 

The individual strategy types that are assigned to strategy search procedure 

ZOG001 (see also Figure 6.37) are displayed on the left. The result is described 

on the right side. A condition record was found for strategy type (condition type) 

ZOGK (see Figure 6.43). Expand condition type ZOGK on the left side of the screen 

once again (click the appropriate row) and then select access sequence ZOG1 (see 

Figure 6.53). More and more detail is displayed on the right side of the screen. 

Ultimately, you see which fields from the sales order or delivery document (and 

their contents) were used to find the condition type. 

Figure 6.53 Details on Strategy Type ZOGK, Including the Fields and Content Used to Find the 

Condition Record 

This function is available for all strategy types. If you select the same function 

for strategy type SD02, you can see that the SAP system has tried to find a condition 

of strategy type SD02 with customer “OG1001,” plant “OGB1,” and material 

“OGB10001.” The search ultimately failed because no condition record exists for 

this strategy type. 

222 


Batches 6.6 

Close the pop-up. If you want to see the batch search strategy maintained in Customizing, 

click the 

button (see Figure 6.49) in the overview. You 

can use the 

button to find the selection criteria that you stored in the 

condition record (see Figure 6.54). 

Figure 6.54 Details on Failed Accesses and Condition Records 

The SAP system has comprehensive analysis functions that you can use to find out 

why the desired batches were not found during creation of a delivery document. 

6.6.10 Manually Specifying and Editing Batches 

in the Delivery Document 

You always have an option to disregard the batch determination of the SAP system 

and enter a batch manually when you create or modify a delivery document. In 

this example, I have already saved the delivery and now use Transaction VL02N 

(change delivery) to open the delivery document again. 

In the overview, highlight the item and click the 

button. The overview 

screen that you have already seen in Figure 6.48 is displayed. Change the 

batch quantity in the existing batch split items and, if needed, enter new batches 

in the next free rows. If you have set the quantity of an existing batch to 0, highlight 

this row again (see Figure 6.55) and delete it with the icon. A security 

pop-up asks if you really want to delete the selected item. Confirm your decision 

and then save the modification. 


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6 


Figure 6.55 Follow-Up Modification of the Batch Split Items 

6.6.11 Batch Determination with a User Exit 

In the context of batch determination, the SAP system offers two user users: 

include modules MV50AFZZ and MV50AFZ2. 

You can develop your own routine for batch determination in the first module. 

Form routine USEREXIT_BATCH_DETERMINATION is already prepared and even 

contains our example. The second module, MV50AFZ2, contains form routine 

USEREXIT_BATCH_QUAN_ALLOCATION. You can distribute the delivery quantity 

across the identified batches with this routine. 

I have rather comprehensively shown how to work with batch determination and 

the identified batch split positions in the delivery document. You have learned 

about the settings you must make in the system to find batches automatically during 

creation of delivery documents. 

The following section familiarizes you with another type of categorization for 

materials: serial number management. It’s much simpler to deal with than batch 

management. 

6.7 Serial Numbers 

Along with batch management, you have another option to differentiate materials. 

A batch identifies the material in a specific quantity — the material produced from 

a certain production order, for example. If your company manufactures individual 

items and you need a way to identify each one, you can do so with serial numbers 

in SAP software. 

224 


Serial Numbers 6.7 

Serial number management is primarily used by companies that produce individual 

products. Each piece is given its own number. The best example here is the 

automobile industry. Every vehicle that leaves the plant receives a vehicle identification 

number (VIN). The SAP system stores the VIN as a serial number. 

Another traditional use of serial number management is the processing of borrowed 

containers. If you take inventory by container, you can identify each one 

with a serial number and determine its current location. 

As is the case with batch management, once you have activated serial number 

management, you must assign a serial number no later than when you post a 

goods issue for the material. Automatic assignment of serial numbers is not supported. 

That’s why you need to make some settings to activate serial number 

management. 

6.7.1 Serial Number Master Record 

Each serial number must be assigned with a serial number master record. The 

master record briefly describes the properties of the manufactured or purchased 

materials. To activate serial number management for a material, you must assign 

a serial number profile to the material in the material master record. The Customizing 

settings are described next. 

Technical Information About Serial Number Profiles 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 



Serial Numbers • Determine Serial Number Profile 

Specific Transaction: OIS2 

Table: T377P and T377 (for the defined procedures) 

You can use the default profile from the SAP system or create a new profile. To 

create a new profile, start the maintenance function for the serial number profile. 

In the first folder (Serial number profile on the left side of the screen), you determine 

if a master record must exist for a specific serial number before the number 

is used for the first time. Enter an “X” in the ExistReq. column if the master record 

must be present. Then enter an equipment category in the Cat column. The equipment 

category describes the type of material for which serial number management 

was activated. In the last parameter, the StkCk column, you define how the SAP 


225

6 


system should react if no stock is present for a specific serial number. Leave the 

column blank if you do not want to perform a stock check. But if you want to 

receive a warning if stock is unavailable for this serial number, enter “1.” Enter“2” 

if you want to receive an error message. 

You then highlight the profile and double-click the Serializing procedures folder. 

Here, you can require that a specific procedure (such as “SDLS” for maintain delivery) 

is mandatory. Figure 6.56 combines both screens. 

Now you can assign this serial number profile to your material in the material 

master. You maintain the profile in the SerialNoProfile field on the Sales: general/plant 

tab. 

Now you can maintain the properties of a serial number. Each serial number must 

be described in a serial number master record. 

Menu Path to Maintain the Serial Number Master Record 

Logistics • Logistics Execution • Master Data • Material • Serial Numbers. Here, 

you can decide if you want to create, modify, or display serial numbers. You also have a 

function to make your entries with list processing. 

Figure 6.56 Settings in the Serial Number Profile 

226 


Serial Numbers 6.7 

Transaction codes 

IQ01: Create new serial number master data 

IQ02: Modify existing serial number master data 

IQ03: Display existing serial number master data 

IQ04: Enter serial numbers as a list 

Several tabs are available to describe your serial number. On the General tab (see 

Figure 6.57), you enter the measuring points and counters, manufacturing data 

(when and where the material was produced), and its value. If a specific serial 

number assigns the material to a location within you company or to an organizational 

unit, enter this information on the Location and Organization tabs. You 

can find the current storage location on the SerData tab. 

Figure 6.57 General Data That Can Be Assigned to a Serial Number 

6.7.2 Serial Numbers in the Delivery Document 

You have now fulfilled the requirements for use of serial number management in 

the SAP system. I will now use an example to show you where you can capture 

serial numbers. The example is an imaginary barrel that can hold 500 liters. 


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I have created a sales order with a 500-liter barrel and used Transaction VL01N to 

generate the delivery document. You can enter the serial number here or later on 

with change Transaction VL02N. Proceed as follows to enter the serial number. 

Highlight the items in the overview screen and follow menu path Extras • Serial 

Numbers. You can then enter the serial number in the pop-up that appears (see 

Figure 6.58). 

As an example, a previously created number, “101,” is entered in the Serial number 

field. To conclude, set a checkmark in the field in front of the serial number. 

Confirm the entry with the icon. Click the icon to have the program 

branch to display the serial numbers (Transaction IQ03). Finally, save the delivery 

document. 

Figure 6.58 Entering the Serial Number in the Delivery Document 

You can use the same path to display serial numbers that have already been created. 

Before posting a goods issue, you still have an option to change or delete the 

serial number. You can delete a serial number that has already been entered by 

deleting the entry in the Serial Number field. Confirm the deletion with the 

icon. A pop-up asks if you really want to delete the serial number from the delivery 

document. 

The history of the serial number stores its entry on the delivery document. You can 

call the history as follows. Start transaction IQ03 and enter the desired material 

228 


Registration, Means of Transportation, and Persons 6.8 

and serial number. Then select the SerData tab and click the 

button. 

You will see a display of the history data on this serial number (see Figure 6.59). 

Figure 6.59 History of the Serial numbers 

In the history, the first line shows which serial number was assigned to the delivery 

document. If you have not created the serial number, you receive an error 

message when posting a goods issue. 

6.8 Registration, Means of Transportation, and Persons 

When drivers of forwarding agents drive up to your company to load goods, 

they usually register at the entrance to your company. Drivers who approach the 

entrances, often called gates, are registered by your personnel at the security desk, 

receive a pass, and are sent to a specific ramp for loading. The security desk can 

capture all sorts of data on the driver and the truck. 

Technical Information About Gates 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 



Functions • Registration of Visitors and Means of Transport 

Specific Transaction: CHKPT 

Table: V_LECI_CHK_PT 

In Customizing, you can define your entrances and the layout for a pass. You only 

need to provide a description of the gates — no additional information is required 



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6 


Figure 6.60 Definition of Individual Gates in Your Company 

To print pass documents, you need a print program. The print programs are created 

as smart forms programs and stored in the appropriate table. In this example, 

I use the standard print program provided by SAP. 

Technical Information About Printing Passes 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 

Field Length: 10 characters 


• Registration of Visitors and Means of Transport • Define Forms 

and Print Programs 

Specific Transaction: LECIFORM 

Table: LECI_FORMS 

To use this function, start transaction LECI. A comprehensive entry and control 

screen is displayed. I will first show you only the right side of the screen (see Figure 

6.61), in which you can store a variety of information on the truck, driver, and 

any passenger. The fields for the individual data are self-explanatory. 

To save this entry, the system asks for the number or ID of the gate. You enter the 

gate on the left side of the screen. After the save, the system confirms that the 

driver was registered. 

230 


Registration, Means of Transportation, and Persons 6.8 

Figure 6.61 Data Capture at the Security Desk 

The Print pass button appears. Click it if you need a pass. Figure 6.62 shows the 

structure of the standard pass provided by SAP software. 

Figure 6.62 Printing a Pass from Within the Standard SAP System 


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6 


It might be a good idea to use a magnetic card printer here instead of a normal 

printer. The truck driver would then receive a card (similar to a ticket at a parking 

lot) that can be read by a machine. The card would allow the driver to go through 

level crossings. 

When the drive leaves your property, the date and time are captured in the pass 

(see Figure 6.63). That ends the procedure. 

Figure 6.63 Registration of the Date and Time of Departure 

On the left side of the screen (see Figure 6.63), you can search for specific passes: 

by license plate, name, or pass number. In Figure 6.63 there are searched vehicles 

that have checked in, but not yet checked out. If you set the value in this field to 

AL Check-in/Check-out, you can also call the completed procedures. 

Click the button for an overview of all passes (see Figure 6.64). 

You can also enter a couple of selection criteria in the uppermost row of the overview 

list. 

232 


Summary 6.9 

Figure 6.64 Overview of All Passes 

Within the shipping process, transaction LECI can be used only to print a pass for 

the driver at the security desk and to register the truck or the driver (check-in and 

check-out times, name of the drive, ID number, nationality, and so on). There is 

no link to the delivery document. 

6.9 Summary 

This chapter introduced additional functions based on the delivery document: 

scheduling, incompletion check, partner determination, and text processing. The 

chapter also covered processes (like export data and batch determination) that 

might not have a direct bearing on the delivery document and the shipping process, 

but that might lead to problems during shipping processing. It’s advantageous 

to have information on these settings and processes in SAP software. 

The delivery document now contains all of the information it needs to process 

downstream steps. Picking and packing can now begin. 


233


After you create the delivery document, you must combine the ordered 

materials in the warehouse into a delivery. This process is called picking. 

This chapter introduces you to the various picking processes and how you 

can make settings for them. 

7 Picking 

To map the picking of ordered materials in your warehouse, you must define storage 

locations for them in the SAP system. You must also define rules on how to 

find the materials and how to print picking lists. After you have taken the materials 

from the storage locations, you might have to make them available in staging areas 

or at loading docks. The picked quantity is confirmed by warehouse employees 

and updated in the delivery document. In the real world, it might prove impossible 

to pick the entire quantity that was ordered. In this case, you must define 

how the SAP system deals with the differences. 

If the SAP system in your company runs the shipping warehouse as a random 

warehouse, you can manage the warehouse only with SAP Warehouse Management 

(WM). This book does not cover how to set up WM and how these processes 

run in the warehouse — such processes are part of WM, not logistics execution. 

7.1 Picking Goods 

Picking goods is the next step after creating the delivery document. In the SAP 

system, picking means (from the SAP training materials) “on-time staging of goods 

in the correct quantity and quality for shipment to customers.” 

Four options exist to map picking in the SAP system: 

EE 

EE 

Picking with WM 

Picking with lean WM 


235

7 

Picking 

EE 

EE 

Picking with a system outside of SAP software 

Picking with LES only 

You must make some general decisions and settings in Customizing to map picking 

in the SAP system. 

7.1.1 Strategy Rule for Storage Location Determination 

You must manage your stocks in the SAP system in order to find the materials to 

pick in your warehouse. Stocks are carried at the level of the storage location. The 

actual storage location of the materials is not yet considered. During creation of 

the delivery document, the SAP system automatically determines the picking storage 

location (also called the storage location determination) — as long as the storage 

location was already indicated in the upstream document, such as the sales order 

or the stock transfer order. 

The SAP system gives you four options to determine the storage location. The 

most-frequently used strategy is “MALA.” Determination of the storage location 

depends on the parameters for shipping point, plant, and storage condition. SAP 

for Retail uses a second strategy, “RETA.” In addition to the MALA strategy, RETA 

considers a special shipping situation. The SAP system defines the situation, and 

you cannot modify it. The combination of both strategies is called “MARE.” The 

system first tries to find the storage location with MALA. If it cannot, it makes 

another attempt with RETA. 

The fourth strategy type, “YY,” uses a user exit to determine the storage location. 

The user exit must be programmed in include MV50AFZZ in subroutine 

USEREXIT_LGORT_DETERMINATION. 

Figure 7.1 illustrates the criteria for determination of the picking storage 

location. 

Activation of storage location determination in the SAP system requires the following. 

You first create a rule that you want to use to determine the storage location. 

You must define a rule for each delivery type. Standard SAP software assigns the 

“MARE” rule to delivery type “LF.” 

236 


Picking Goods 7.1 

Picking Storage Location Determination, Standard: 

Shipping 

Point 

Plant 

Storage 

Condition 

Storage 

Location 

Source: Sales Order, Material Master 

Picking Storage Location Determination, Retail: 

Shipping 

Point 

Plant 

Situation 

Room 

Condition 

Storage 

Location 

Source: Sales Order, SAP System Material Master 

Figure 7.1 Criteria for Determination of the Storage Location 

Technical Information About Assigning the Rule to the Delivery Type 

EE 

EE 

EE 

Path in Customizing: Logistics Execution • Shipping • Picking • Determine Picking 

Location • Define Rules for Picking Location Determination 

Specific Transaction: OVLQ 

Table: TVLK, stored in the REGLG field 

7.1.2 Storage Conditions 

You can now define the storage conditions. Only storage conditions give you an 

option to influence storage location determination for each material. According to 

the traditional or original definition of a storage location, materials are subject to 

special storage based on their characteristics. 

Figure 7.2 Definition of the Storage Conditions 


237

7 

Picking 

For example, in the beverage industry, juices and beer must be stored at a specific 

temperature to avoid spoilage. The related accessories (coasters, glasses, and so on) 

do not require a special temperature. Figure 7.2 shows the default storage conditions 

in standard SAP software. 

Technical Information About Storage Conditions 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 



Location • Define Storage Conditions 

Specific Transaction: OMS6 

Table: T142 and T142T (short names) 

Once you have defined the storage conditions, you must assign the material. Maintain 

the storage condition in the Storage conditions field on the Plant data / stor. 

1 tab (see Figure 7.3). 

Figure 7.3 Maintaining the Storage Condition in the Material Master 

7.1.3 Storage Location Determination 

In the last step, you combine the three criteria for determination of the picking storage 

location. 

Technical Information About the Storage Location Determination 

EE 


Location • Assign Picking Locations 

EE 


EE 

Table: TVKOL 

238 



Figure 7.4 shows the settings used in the preceding and upcoming examples. 

Figure 7.4 Interplay of All Criteria for Storage Location Determination 

Because this book does not cover SAP for Retail, I will not cover situational determination 

of a storage location in detail. The paths in Customizing are Logistics 

Execution • Shipping • Picking • Determine Picking Location • Define Situations 

and Logistics Execution • Shipping • Picking • Determine Picking Location 

• Storage Location Determination with Situation. 

7.1.4 Picking Relevance 

Besides the rule for storage location determination, you must make additional settings 

to start the picking procedure. To perform any storage location determination 

for an item, the delivery item must be flagged as picking relevant. For example, 

services or text items cannot be picked. 

Figure 7.5 illustrates the standard settings defined by the SAP system for the most 

important item types. Here, you can see that a normal item (item type TAN) is relevant 

to picking, but that text items (TATX) and value items (TAW) are not. 

Figure 7.5 Picking Relevance at the Level of the Delivery Items 


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7 

Picking 

Technical Information About the Picking Relevance 

EE 

Path in Customizing: Logistics Execution • Shipping • Picking • Define Relevant 

Item Categories 

EE 


EE 

Table: TVLP, stored in the KOMRL field 

7.1.5 Confirmation Relevance and Requirement 

If you have flagged an item as picking-relevant and pick with WM, you need a 

transport order for picking in WM. The transport order contains the materials 

from the delivery document and information on what quantities are to be picked 

from which storage bin. Warehouse employees now go to the storage bin and pick 

the material. After it is removed, the employees must confirm a removal in the 

SAP system. The confirmation states whether the employees have picked the complete 

quantity or if they picked a smaller quantity because of storage differences 

or damage. During confirmation of the transport order, the SAP system transmits 

the picked quantity into the delivery document and confirms it in the delivery 

document. 

If you do not work with transport orders in WM, confirmation is usually unnecessary. 

But if you still want confirmation of the picked quantities even without 

WM, you must make an additional setting: confirmation requirement without WM. 

You assign the confirmation requirement to a shipping point. Confirmation in the 

delivery document then occurs manually or with Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) 

messages from an external stock keeper. You can also control the confirmation 

requirement with a user exit. The USEREXIT_LIPS-KOQUI_DETERMINE subroutine 

is called in include module MV50AFZ3. You must place your coding into the 

subroutine. 

Technical Information About the Confirmation Requirement 

EE 

EE 

EE 

Path in Customizing: Logistics Execution • Shipping • Picking • Define Confirmation 

Requirements 

Specific Transaction: VPCK 

Table: TVPC, stored in the KOQUI field 

240 



7.1.6 Condition for Executing Picking 

As the last setting before picking, you must define the condition that indicates 

when the delivery document can be released for picking. You must create your 

own definition. 

Standard SAP software provides condition 111. The condition is set so that picking 

cannot occur when the delivery is flagged with a credit limit block. Listing 7.1 

gives the coding for condition 111. 

* FORM BEDINGUNG_PRUEFEN_111 

* User checks for subsequent functions from a delivery * 

* * 

* Picking * 

FORM BEDINGUNG_PRUEFEN_111. 

* Picking is not allowed if a credit block exists 

* IF statement deleted “n_566523 

* document header 

IF VBUK-CMGPC CA ‘B’. 

*Read the subsequent function information for the message 

PERFORM FOFUN_TEXT_READ USING GL_FOFUN 

CHANGING FOFUN_TEXT. 

MESSAGE ID ‘V1’ TYPE ‘E’ NUMBER ‘849’ 

WITH FOFUN_TEXT 

RAISING ERROR. 

ENDIF. 

ENDFORM. 

Listing 7.1 Program Code for Condition 111 

If the status of the credit limit is set to “B,” error message 849 from message ID 

V1 is displayed: “Subsequent function ‘&’ not possible due to a credit block.” The 

coding itself is stored in ABAP LV07A111. 

Technical Information About the Picking Condition 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 


Path in Customizing: Logistics Execution • Shipping • Picking • Define Picking 

Requirements 

Specific Transaction: OVB6 

Table: TVFO (follow-up function “11,” group ID “FOFU”) 


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Picking 

You can also define your own conditions: simply use numbers 500 to 999. After 

entry of a condition, the SAP system generates a sample ABAP with the corresponding 

name — LV07A500 to LV07A999 — that you can then program with 

your special queries. 

7.1.7 Entering Picking Quantities 

The individual steps of picking are stored in a status in the delivery document. A 

field in the delivery item stores the picking status and the delivery header stores 

the overall status. If an item is completely picked, the picking status is “C.” If it 

is partly picked, the status is “B.” If no picking activities have begun, the status is 

“A.” The status remains empty for delivery items that are not relevant to picking. 

In the context of a tolerance limit for over- and underdeliveries, the status can be 

set to “C,” even when the entire quantity has not yet been picked. 

The picked quantity is closely related to the status. The SAP status updates the 

quantity if you use WM or lean WM. You must enter it manually if you do not 

use either system. 

If you have decided to enter the picking quantity in the delivery document manually, 

you must proceed as follows. 

Before you enter the picking quantity in the delivery document manually, you 

can print a picking list for warehouse employees. But because you don’t have any 

indication of the related storage bin yet, you must be satisfied with a simple picking 

list that shows all of the materials to be picked with the desired quantities. For 

more information on how to control the list, see Chapter 10, Transport Papers and 

Documents. You simply have to select an appropriate message type or program a 

list program for your own needs and control it with a new message type. 

Employees can check off the individual items that they have picked on the picking 

list. They must indicate any difference in the list so that the picked quantity can be 

transferred to the delivery document later on. Start Transaction VL02N to change 

the delivery document or follow menu path Logistics • Sales and Distribution 

• Shipping and Transportation • Outbound Delivery • Change • Single Document. 

The overview screen for changing the delivery document is displayed. 

Select the Picking tab. An overview of the individual items from the viewpoint 

of the picker is displayed. Now enter the quantities in the Pick quantity column 


242 



Figure 7.6 Entering the Picking Quantity in the Delivery Document 

Press Enter once. You can see that the picking status changes to “C” (all picking 

completed) when the picked quantity reaches the delivery quantity. The status 

changes to “B” when the picked quantity differs from the desired delivery quantity. 

Now save the delivery document. 

If the difference is required, you must adjust the delivery quantity to the picking 

quantity in a second step. You can manually set the delivery quantity to equal the 

picked quantity in the delivery document or select Edit • Copy Picked Quantity 

As Deliv. Quantity from the menu bar. With this function, the SAP system accepts 

the picked quantity for all items in the delivery document and transfers them to 

the delivery quantity. That equalizes both quantities, and the picking status of all 

items changes to “C.” 

If you have a material that requires the use of batches and batch determination 

occurs at picking, you must enter the picked quantity for each batch. If you have 

picked only one batch for each delivery item, it’s enough to enter the batch number 

next to the picked quantity. But if several batches were picked, you must first 

create the batch split items (see Section 6.6). You enter the desired delivery and 

the picked quantity for each batch, which are equal in this case. In this way, each 

individual batch receives its own picking status. 

If there are differences between the desired delivery quantity and the total of the 

picked batch quantities, the batch item is at status “C” (completely picked), but 

the status of the subitem remains at “B” (not yet completely picked). Figure 7.7 


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Picking 

illustrates this situation. The Copy Picked Quantity As Deliv. Quantity function 

corrects this situation. 

Figure 7.7 Illustration of the Differences Between the Delivery and Picking Quantities 

If you have decided on manual confirmation of the picked quantities in the delivery 

document, you must also confirm the entered quantities. Follow menu path 

Edit • Confirm Pick Order • All Items or Selected Items from the menu bar. 

You are now familiar with the basic settings for picking. I have also introduced 

you to manual entry of picked quantities in the delivery document. The following 

sections will familiarize you with additional functions related to picking. 

7.2 Door, Staging Area, and Loading Point 

If you have a high level of turnover and a complex structure in the warehouse, you 

might have to collect materials after picking and stage them for loading. It would 

then be a good idea to collect materials that belong on one means of transportation 

(truck, container, loading dock, and so on) in one area of the warehouse. The 

SAP system calls these areas staging areas. 

In large warehouses, you usually have several loading docks or doors. The doors 

represent a logistical interface between the staging of the materials and the actual 

means of transportation (for example, a truck). When they arrive at your property, 

you can assign trucks to a specific door, where they can accept the goods. 

Staging areas and doors are actually organizational units from WM. The SAP system 

can define them during creation of delivery documents or you can enter the 

244 


Door, Staging Area, and Loading Point 7.2 

information yourself in the delivery document. Figure 7.8 illustrates the organizational 

context of the warehouse and transportation. 

Storage Type 

Door 1 

Storage Bins and 

Picking Areas 

Staging 

Area 1 

Door 2 


Picking Areas 


Picking Areas 

Staging 

Area 2 

Door 3 

Staging 

Area 3 

Door 4 Door 5 Door 6 Door 7 

Figure 7.8 Embedding Doors and Staging Areas in the Shipping and Warehouse Process 

You can use doors and staging areas only if you use WM or lean WM at the picking 

storage location. Otherwise, the fields have no purpose. Both organizational units 

are transferred to the picking order, or, in WM, to the transportation order. If you 

also use the forklift control system from SAP, (RF functionality in the warehouse), 

the RF terminal displays the staging area or the door to warehouse employees. 

They then know where to take and store the picked items. 

If you do not use WM, you can still set the loading point in the delivery document. 

This loading point is a purely LES organizational unit. 


245

7 

Picking 

7.2.1 Doors 

Before you can use doors in your picking process, you must make the required 

settings in Customizing. First, you define the doors. You have the option to assign 

a specific staging area to the door. You activate the door for the goods issue process 

by placing a checkmark in the WA-K field. Because you can also use doors 

for the goods receipt process, you can also activate the door for that purpose. You 

have additional options to permit the use of doors for the cross-docking process 

and for flow-through processes. Figure 7.9 shows the maintenance screen for the 

definition of doors. 

Figure 7.9 Definition of a Door Within WM 

Technical Information About Doors 

EE 

EE 


Path in Customizing: Logistics Execution • Shipping • Picking • Lean WM • Define 

Doors 

EE 


EE 

Table: T30B 

In SAP WM, you can use the RF functionality to assign a queue to the doors and 

then assign the queue to an employee in the picking warehouse. The employee 

then receives orders only for materials that must be taken to a door that is assigned 

to that employee. 

Once you have defined the door, you must define how to determine doors. The 

SAP system offers you three options: 

246 



EE 

EE 

EE 

Determination by ship-to party: define “CUPC” as the rule. 

Determination by a route: define “ROUT” as the rule. 

Determination by your own user exit: enter “YYYA” as the rule. 

The determination rule depends on the delivery type. Enter one of the rules in 

the Rule door/MS area field (see Figure 7.10). Combining the two rules is not 

supported. It most cases, it’s a good idea to set determination with the ship-to 

party, especially if you supply several customers a day. This approach lets you 

assign fixed material staging zones and doors to large customers. If you ship small 

amounts every day, it might be a good idea to assign the materials to the doors 

by route. But that approach assumes that you have already activated exact route 


Figure 7.10 Definition of the Determination Rule for Doors and Staging Areas 

Technical Information About the Rules for Determining Doors and Staging Areas 

EE 

Path in Customizing: Logistics Execution • Shipping • Picking • Determine Doors 

and Mat.Staging Areas • Specify Determination Rules 

EE 


EE 

Table: TVLK, stored in the REGTB field 

Depending on your choice of determination by ship-to party or route, you must 

now define the determination criteria. 

If you decided on determination by ship-to party, enter the door and, if desired, 

the material staging are for each warehouse number (a WM warehouse: see Section 

2.2.1) and ship-to party. 


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7 

Picking 

Technical Information About Determining Doors and Staging Areas by Ship-To 

Parties 

EE 


and Mat.Staging Areas • Determine by Ship-To Party 

EE 


EE 

Table: TCTBF 

If you want to activate determination of the door by route, select the second function 

and make the appropriate entries for each warehouse number and route. 

Technical Information About Determining Doors and Staging Areas by Route 

EE 


and Mat.Staging Areas • Determine by Route Schedule 

EE 


EE 

Table: TRTBF 

User Exit 

You can also determine the door with a user exit. SAP software has developed enhancement 

V02V0003 for this purpose. It contains function module EXIT_SAPLV02V_003 

with include ZXTBFU01. You can store your own determination of doors in this include. 

With this setting, you have laid the foundation for the logistical flow of goods 

between picking and the doors in your warehouse. 

7.2.2 Staging Areas 

In many cases, you do not take your picked materials directly to the doors. Instead, 

you have defined an intermediate area in the warehouse where you initially collect 

goods for a specific delivery or transport. If picking is complete, all of the materials 

are located in the intermediate area and can be loaded as soon as the truck arrives. 

This intermediate area is called a staging area. Figure 7.8 shows the relationships 

between the warehouse, the staging areas, and the doors. 

Activation of and settings for the staging area are similar to those of doors. First, 

you define the staging area. You have the option in Customizing to assign a fixed 

door to a staging area right away. You must also set a checkmark in the WA-K field 

248 



to make the staging area available to the goods issue process. All other entries are 

similar to those for doors. 

Technical Information About Staging Areas 

EE 

EE 



Material Staging Area 

EE 


EE 

Table: T30C 

In the second step for activation of the staging area, you define the actual determination 

rule and the criteria for determination. Because staging areas and doors 

are related, you can use the same functions to set the rule and the determination 

that you called to determine the doors. See the previous section, which covers the 

rules and determination for doors. 

You can also specify the staging area at the item level — almost separately for each 

material. In this case, the storage condition stored in the material master is used 

as an additional criterion for determination. But note that the storage location is 

also needed to determine the picking storage location. Use your process flows in 

the warehouse to decide if using different staging areas at the material level makes 

sense for your company. 

Determination at the item level requires different Customizing paths: determination 

by ship-to party and storage condition and by the route and storage 

condition. 

Technical Information About Determining the Staging Area at Item Level for Each 

Ship-To Party 

EE 


and Mat.Staging Areas • Determine Staging Area at Delivery Item Level • Determine 

by Ship-To Party/Storage Condition 

EE 


EE 

Table: TCRBF 


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7 

Picking 

Technical Information About Picked Item Zone Determination at Item Level 

According to Route Schedule 

EE 


and Mat.Staging Areas • Determine Staging Area at Delivery Item Level • Determine 

by Route Schedule/Storage Condition 

EE 


EE 

Table: TRRBF 

User Exit 

You can use a user exit to determine the staging area at the header and item level. SAP 

software developed enhancement V02V0004 for the staging area at the item level. It 

contains function module EXIT_SAPLV02V_004 with include ZXTBFU02. You can store 

your own determination of the staging area in the include. Enhancement V02V0003 

(see Section 7.2.1) determines the staging area at the header level. 

I have decided on determination by ship-to party for the door and staging area, 

so I enter “Gate 1” and “StgingArea 1” (see Figure 7.11) in Customizing for my 

customer. 

Figure 7.11 Door and Staging Area by Ship-to Party 

I can now create the sales order and enter the delivery manually. The delivery 

document now shows the door and staging area according to the determination 

rule in the Loading tab (see Figure 7.12). 

In WM, you set how the staging area and the doors are embedded in the warehouse 

process, whether they appear in the transport order or on the RF terminals 

(handhelds) of forklift drivers, and how these organizational units are assigned to 

your employees. This book does not cover these settings. 

250 


Overdeliveries and Underdeliveries 7.3 

Figure 7.12 Door and Staging Area in the Delivery Document 

7.2.3 Loading Points 

You can use doors and staging areas in the SAP system only if you use WM or lean 

WM. If you do not have access to either system, but still want to assign your deliveries 

to individual doors, you can use loading points in the delivery document. See 

Section 2.1.6 for the definition of a loading point. 

The loading point must be defined manually in the delivery document. Of course, 

you also have the option to use a user exit at the creation of the delivery document 

to determine the loading point with your own table. You enter the loading point 

itself on the Loading tab in the delivery document (see Figure 7.12). 

You now know how you can affect the flow of goods in the warehouse in the context 

of shipping — especially in terms of picking and staging materials. If you do 

not want to use this functionality, leave the fields in the delivery document blank. 

They will not affect the overall process. 

7.3 Overdeliveries and Underdeliveries 

As a rule, your company always makes every effort to pick and deliver the correct 

quantities that customers order. Differences might nevertheless occur in 

specific cases, resulting in overdeliveries or underdeliveries. Differences (deviations) 

require coordination with the customer. Will they be accepted? If they are 

accepted, in what scope and within what tolerance limits? 


251

7 

Picking 

An overdelivery occurs when the delivery quantity is greater than the quantity the 

customer ordered. Consider an example from the beverage industry. A complete 

palette with wheat beer contains 160 bottles. If your customer orders one case 

fewer, you would have to remove the secure packaging from the palette, remove 

the overdelivery, and then prepare the palette once again for transportation. If 

your customer will accept an overdelivery, you can save this work and simply 

deliver a full palette directly. The picked quantity is then 16 bottles higher. You can 

easily transfer the picked quantity to the delivery quantity without any problems 

as long as the tolerance limit for overdelivery is adhered to. 

Much like an overdelivery, an underdelivery can occur. Several factors can trigger 

an underdelivery: insufficient stock because of stock difference, poor quality of 

the picked goods, or damaged goods. If the underdelivery lies within the tolerance 

limits that you and your customer have agreed upon, there will be no problems in 

adjusting the delivery quantity. 

Customizing settings are not required to control overdeliveries and underdeliveries. 

However, you do need individual or general agreements with your customer. In 

the event of an individual agreement, you would not store the agreement on how 

to handle overdeliveries or underdeliveries in the customer master. Instead, you 

would simply create the individual agreement in the sales order. If you have a general 

agreement with the customer, you would store that in the customer master. 

The agreed-upon values are not changed in the delivery document. Changing them 

later on involves a complicated procedure. You have to delete the items in the 

delivery, change the overdelivery or underdelivery in the sales order, and then 

redeliver the items. 

You maintain the customer master at the level of sales area data. Select the Shipping 

tab, which displays the Unlimited tol., Overdeliv. tolerance, and Underdel. tolerance 

fields (see Figure 7.13). 

Figure 7.13 Tolerance Limits for Overdelivery and Underdelivery 

in the Customer Master 

252 


Overdeliveries and Underdeliveries 7.3 

If the customer permits unlimited overdelivery, place a checkmark in the Unlimited 

tol. box. Enter the acceptable percentage of overdelivery or underdelivery 

in the other two fields — 100% is the ordered quantity in both cases. If you have 

defined a tolerance limit for overdelivery and also set the flag to allow any number 

of follow-up deliveries (“D” in the Partial delivery per item field), the flag 

takes priority over the tolerance limit. In this case, the percentage value would be 

meaningless. 

If I now enter a sales order, the agreements from the customer master are transferred 

into the sales order item. To display or change the sales order (Transactions 

VA01, VA02, and VA03), highlight the item and follow menu path Goto • Item 

• Shipping from the menu bar. You can enter individual agreements here (see 

Figure 7.14). 

Figure 7.14 Tolerances for Overdelivery and Underdelivery in the Sales Order 

If I now create the delivery document, the agreements are transferred from the 

sales order item. If I pick a smaller quantity and transfer the picked quantity 

into the delivery quantity, the software tells me that the tolerance limit has been 

exceeded (see Figure 7.15). 

In this section, you have become familiar with the workings of tolerance settings 

for overdelivery and underdelivery. If the notification is set as an error message, 

you have no choice but to delete the item, adjust the sales order quantity, and 

recopy the item to the delivery document. 


253

7 

Picking 

Figure 7.15 Error Message for an Exceeded Tolerance Value 

7.4 Lean WM 

The previous sections familiarized you with the basic settings in the SAP system 

that are needed to activate picking. But I have not yet explained picking itself. 

System support of picking makes sense only if the system knows where specific 

materials are stored. Once again, from the SAP training materials, picking means 

the “on-time staging of goods in the correct quantity and quality for shipment to 

customers.” I would also add that picking means that warehouse employees go to 

the correct location, take the correct goods in the proper quantity, combine them 

with other items in the delivery, and bring them to the loading point. 

Accordingly, the SAP system must know where to find specific items. To meet this 

requirement, WM must be available and activated. That means that you have triggered 

picking from Logistics Execution System (LES) and transferred it to WM. 

You can find a detailed description of picking in WM in Warehouse Management 

with SAP. 1 

If you do not use WM and do not use an external warehouse management system 

to track your stock, you only have one option. You must use lean WM to pick. If 

1 Marc Hoppe and André Käber, Warehouse Management with SAP (Bonn: SAP PRESS, 2007). 

254 


Lean WM 7.4 

you try to obtain information on lean WM from an SD or LE consultant, you often 

hear that you’d be better off to ask your WM consultant. If you then speak with 

your WM consultant, you might be told that lean WM is part of LES. In fact, you 

do make Customizing settings for lean WM in LES, but users execute functions 

that are part of WM. But I do not wish to keep lean WM from you completely, and 

will describe some of its approach. 

Lean WM does not support organization of a random warehouse. It is set up to 

assign a fixed storage location in your warehouse to your materials. The fixed 

location is stored in the material master. Complex warehouse structures cannot be 

mapped with lean WM. 

Other important differences exist between lean WM and a warehouse management 

system. Stocks in lean WM are not carried at the level of the storage location. 

The storage location is the lowest organizational level at which stock is carried. 

Only WM or an external warehouse management system knows the sock at each 

storage location in your warehouse. 

The advantage of lean WM is that (unlike WM), you do not need to maintain any 

strategies for placement into and removal from storage, you cannot carry any palette 

stocks, and you do not have to perform inventory in the SAP system at the 

level of the storage location and so on. But you can or must perform some processes 

in both systems (WM and LES). These processes include creating transport 

orders, the resulting printing of picking lists, confirming transport orders, and 

automatic updating of the picked quantity in the delivery document. 

7.4.1 Organizational Structure of Lean WM 

This section introduces the individual steps of lean WM. The end of the chapter 

also provides an example. 


In the first step in lean WM (as in WM), you assign a warehouse number. You assign 

the warehouse number to a storage location in a later step. This assignment makes 

the storage location a lean WM storage location. 


255

7 

Picking 

As an example, I have set up a new storage location for a wheat beer brewery in 

Munich: south shipping warehouse. Following the comments in Section 2.2.1, I 

have created Whse number “OGS” with a description of “Ship.warehouse Munich 

south.” 

Technical Information About the Warehouse Number 

EE 

EE 



control parameters and number ranges f. warehouse no. 

EE 


EE 

Table: T340D 

Now you have to mark this warehouse number as lean WM in Customizing. Open 

Customizing, highlight the warehouse number you created, and click the icon. A 

new screen appears (see Figure 7.16), in which you make the following entries: 

1. Activate lean WM in the Lean WM active field 

2. Assign a number range to the transport orders (or picking orders). 

3. Save your entries with the icon. 

Figure 7.16 Definition of a Warehouse as Lean WM 

Storage types in Lean WM 

Once you have set up the warehouse number, you must create at least one storage 

type for your storage locations in the next step. See Section 2.2.2 on the definition 

of a storage type. 

256 


Lean WM 7.4 

Some storage types in lean WM are identified as interim storage types. The default 

interim storage type defined in standard SAP software for from-bin transfers (and 

for our shipping process) is 916. 

For lean WM, you must assign your fixed-bin locations to at least one storage 

type. You maintain the storage type in Customizing — with minimal criteria when 

compared with WM. You need only decide whether or not the transfer order is 

confirmed after a to-bin or from-bin transfer. Confirmation means that the warehouse 

employees must indicate in the transfer order if the materials were brought 

to or taken from the correct storage location in the correct quantities. If you have 

decided on picking with lean WM, Making confirmation obligatory is recommend, 

because the materials are ready for shipment only after confirmation. During confirmation, 

you have an option to enter a difference between the from-bin and tobin 

transfer quantities in the transfer order. 

If your fixed-bin storage locations are distributed across several buildings or areas 

and you want to set up different processes for individual buildings or areas, you 

can create a storage type for each building. You also have the option to split the 

transfer order and send them to different printers. 

In this example, I have created storage type KR1 (refrigerated shelf 1). 

Technical Information About the Storage Type 

EE 


EE 

Path in Customizing: Logistics Execution • Shipping• Picking • Lean WM • Define 

storage Type 

EE 


EE 

Table: T331 and T331T (language-dependent short name) 

Picking Area in Lean WM 

Another option to print picking lists is to split up the storage type according to 

individual picking areas instead of defining various storage types. 


257

7 

Picking 

Technical Information About the Picking Area 

EE 

EE 



Picking Areas 

EE 


EE 

Table: T30A and T30AT (language-dependent short name) 

If you do not require picking areas in your lean WM, you do not need to create 

any. In this example, I have decided to create two picking areas: one for the shelves 

on the right and one for the shelves on the left in the refrigerated area (see Figure 

7.17). 

Figure 7.17 Definition of Picking Areas for Each Storage Type in Lean WM 

Transfer Types in Lean WM 

In another step, you must make a default setting in the SAP system for the transfer 

types that lean WM permits. Your only options here are for from- and to-bin 

transfers (“A” or “E”). Other entries are meaningless for lean WM, such as a “U” 

(stock transfer). 

Technical Information About Transfer Types 

EE 

EE 

Field Length: one place 


Transfer Types 

EE 


EE 

Table: T333A 

Movement Types in Lean WM 

Definition of the movement types is a more important step. A to-bin transfer in 

lean WM differs from one in the warehouse: a from-bin transfer, for example. To 

258 


Lean WM 7.4 

consider these differences in the system, you must map this process in a movement 

type. Normal WM provides you with several movement types, but lean WM 

provides only the standard movement types. 

Among the standard SAP movement types, “601” describes the picking process 

and “101” describes a goods receipt. You can present specific parameters for each 

movement type. In this example, I present movement type 601 so that every transfer 

order for picking is posted from refrigerated shelf 1 to interim storage type 916 

(for goods issue) (see Figure 7.18). 

Figure 7.18 Parameters Dependent on the Movement Types 

You can also use the movement type to permit manual creation of a transfer order. 

Manual creation of transfer orders with movement type 601 is generally not 

allowed, because the data needed for this transfer order must be taken from a 

delivery document. You can create the transfer order only from the delivery document 

here. This procedure is explained to you next. 

Technical Information About Movement Types 

EE 

EE 



Movement Types 

EE 


EE 

Table: T333 and T333T (language-dependent short name) 


259

7 

Picking 

All of the other parameters are simply criteria for which screens should be triggered 

for creation of the transfer order. The printing code is also important, and 

is explained later. For this example, I have copied movement types 101, 255, and 

601 from the standard SAP settings to my warehouse number, “OGS.” 

If differences appear during picking of the individual items (stock differences 

might mean that you can remove only a smaller quantity from the storage location 

than that actually desired by the customer in the sales order), warehouse employees 

must enter a reason for the difference. A difference indicator is used to describe 

the various reasons for the difference. 

In Customizing, you can specify to or from where the difference should be posted. 

But in lean WM, you can post only to the location at which picking occurred. Set 

the checkmark in the Src column. 

Technical Information About the Difference Indicator 

EE 

EE 



Difference Indicators 

EE 


EE 

Table: T336 und T336T (language-dependent short name) 

For my example, I have assigned three difference indicators for storage type OGS: 

“1” means that there no goods are available, “2” means that the picked goods are 

damaged, and “_” indicates small differences (see Figure 7.19). 

Figure 7.19 Indicators That Must Be Entered for Differences in the Transfer Order 

260 


Lean WM 7.4 

7.4.2 Picking Lists 

In most cases that use lean WM for picking, a transfer order is created for each 

delivery document. It is printed as a picking list. The picking list is given to warehouse 

employees. They work through the list, note any differences, or indicate 

correct removal from the storage location. The removal of the materials is then 

confirmed in the transfer order — with the desired and correct quantity or, in the 

case of an exception, with a different quantity. 

In many companies, Radio Frequency (RF) has proved itself valuable. RF means 

that warehouse employees work with handhelds or smaller PC and radio waves 

on forklifts when communicating with the SAP software. They can confirm the 

picked items right at the storage location. Even in this case, employees still work 

with a picking list, because it gives them an overview of the complete delivery. A 

handheld displays only part of the information on an item. 

The printing of picking lists is located in WM, not in LE. That’s why message types 

do not control picking lists. All of the remaining documents that are printed for 

a delivery document are normally controlled by message types (see Chapter 10, 

Transport Papers and Documents). 

Some settings are required to control printing of picking lists. Figure 7.20 illustrates 

the individual steps. Because they involve system settings, they are not 

discussed in detail here. If you must make settings for your picking lists in your 

company, you should make them with your system administrator. 

Here are brief descriptions of the most important settings: 

You use the Spool code button to print your lists immediately from the list spool, 

delete them from the list spool after printing, and print copies automatically. You 

maintain this information for each warehouse number. You can create several combinations 

and distinguish them with a spool number. 

You use the Printer pool / Labels button to maintain the printers available in 

your warehouse. 


261

7 

Picking 

Figure 7.20 Overview of the Parameters to Set for Printing Picking Lists 

If you want to sort the items on your picking lists by specific criteria and perhaps 

begin a new page when they change, you can create a Sort profile with the Sort 

profile/coll. proc. button. 

You use the Print code button to maintain print programs — those provided by 

SAP software or those you have developed on your own. A printer code is assigned 

to each program here. You set the printer code for each warehouse number. You 

can also maintain your sort profile here for standard SAP programs. You define 

when the print program should be called — before posting, directly after posting, 

or manually. 

Technical Information About the Printer Definition: Part 1 

EE 

EE 

Path in Customizing: Logistics Execution • Shipping • Picking • Lean WM • 

Define Print Control 

Specific Transaction: OMLV 

EE 

Tables: T329P Spool code, 

T329A Print pool/Labels, 

T312S Sort profile/coll. proc. RLDRI, 

T329F Print code 

With these functions, you create the technical requirements for printing transfer 

orders. You can now assign when, where, and with which parameters printing 

occurs. 

262 


Lean WM 7.4 

The first parameter depends on the storage type. A storage type generally indicates 

a specific space in the warehouse. It is easy to imagine that a printer is also 

located there and used to print transfer orders for this storage type. You use the 

Warehouse movement button to assign a printer to a destination storage type 

and an original storage type. 

As an example, I have assigned a warehouse movement (a transfer order) to my local 

printer; the warehouse movement goes from refrigeration shelf 1 (storage type KR1) to 

goods issue (storage type 916). See Figure 7.21. 

Figure 7.21 Control of a Specific Printer, Depending on a Specific 

Warehouse Movement 

You can also omit a storage type here. For example, if you omit the destination 

storage type 916, all of the transfer orders taken from refrigeration shelf 1 are 

printed — regardless of the destination of the goods. 

Use the Picking area button to assign a specific printer to a picking area. Use the 

Storage type button to assign a printer by storage type. 

Now that the printers are assigned, only a definition of which printing should 

occur is missing. You make this assignment depending on the movement type (see 

Figure 7.22). 

Figure 7.22 assigns print code “02” to movement type “601” (movement type 

for a planned goods issue). Type “02” indicates standard SAP collective printing 

for transfer orders. 

Figure 7.22 Assignment of a Printer Code to a Movement Type 


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Picking 

Finally, you inform the SAP system which program should be controlled for each 

warehouse number. The SAP system offers program RLVSDR40 by default. Click 

the Warehouse number button for this function. 

Technical Information About the Printer Definition: Part 2 

EE 

EE 


Print Control 

Specific Transaction: OMLV 

EE 

Tables: T329D Print parameters by warehouse movement 

T30A Print parameters by picking area 

T331 Print parameters by storage type 

T333 print ID by movement type 

T340D Print program by warehouse number 

You have now made almost all of the settings required to work with lean WM. But 

the most important connection between your storage locations and lean WM are 

still missing. You still need to make two entries in Customizing. 

7.4.3 Activating Lean WM 

First, you must create an assignment between your plant and storage location to 

lean WM (see Figure 7.23). 

Figure 7.23 Assignment of Lean WM to a Plant and Storage Location 

Technical Information About the Assignment of a Plant/Storage Location to a 


EE 

Path in Customizing: Enterprise Structure • Assignment • Logistics Execution • 

Assign warehouse number to plant/storage location 

EE 


EE 

Table: T320 

264 


Lean WM 7.4 

Second, you must still indicate the storage type to pick from and the activation 

level. I have decided on activation level 3 (lean WM only for deliveries with frombin 

transfers), as seen in Figure 7.24. In this case, lean WM supports only frombin 

transfers. 

Figure 7.24 Activation of Lean WM and Assignment of a Picking Storage Type 

You must first create your materials to be managed by lean WM in appropriate storage 

locations. Wheat beer is once again the example here. Call Transaction MM01 to create 

the material and Transaction MM02 to modify it. 

7.4.4 Material Master Data for Lean WM 

On the Plant data / stor. 1 tab, enter the bin description of fixed storage bin KRI 

in the Bin location field. The picking area you defined earlier is entered in the 

Picking area field. The example uses Storage bin “01–01” and Picking area “KRL” 


Figure 7.25 Maintenance of the Material Master Data for Lean WM 


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Picking 

7.4.5 Example 

For this demonstration, I have set up the required stock at storage location OGVS for 

the transfer posting. Figure 7.26 illustrates the stock situation for the wheat beer. 

Figure 7.26 Stock Situation for the Wheat Beer Distributed Across Two 

Storage Locations, with and Without Lean WM 

I have created a sales order and directly indicated storage location OGVS. That is 

required because determination of the picking storage location would otherwise 

select a different storage location. 

Picking and WM Status in the Delivery Document 

I create the delivery document manually (Transaction VL01N). During creation, 

you can see both statuses: picking status and WM status. The WM status should 

actually read lean WM status, but the SAP system does not distinguish between 

WM and lean WM here. Figure 7.27 shows the delivery document. 

Picking status “A” means that picking has not yet started. WM status “A” means 

that no transfer order has been created. Save the delivery document and you are 

given a delivery number. 

266 


Lean WM 7.4 

Figure 7.27 Creation of a Delivery Document in a Storage Location Managed by Lean WM 

Creating the Transfer Order 

In the next step, you create the transfer order. You have several options here. I 

have selected manual creation of the transfer order in this example. Call Transaction 

VL03N (display delivery document) and follow menu path Subsequent functions 

• Create transfer order from the menu bar. You can also call Transaction 

LT03 directly. In both cases, the screen shown in Figure 7.28 is displayed. 

Figure 7.28 Creating a Transfer Order for a Delivery 

Press Enter. You now see an overview of the items to pick from the delivery document 



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Picking 

Figure 7.29 Overview of the Items to Pick 

Save the transfer order by clicking the icon or the button. After 

generation, the items are highlighted as processes. Click the icon. After a successful 

save, you receive a transfer order number. 

Look at the transfer order. The dark wheat beer (material OGB10001) is to be taken 

from bin location “01–01.” This bin location belongs to picking area “KRL.” The 

cloudy wheat beer (material OGB10002) is in storage bin “02–01;” it belongs to 

picking area “KRR.” 

The 

7.30). 

icon means that the transfer order has not yet been confirmed (see Figure 

Figure 7.30 Transfer Order for Picking the Materials 

To monitor the situation, look at the current status in the delivery document (Figure 

7.31): The picking status is at “C” (completely picked), but you must look at 

this status in the context of the WM status. The WM status is still set to “B,” which 

means that the transport order has not yet been confirmed. 

268 


Lean WM 7.4 

Figure 7.31 Status in Delivery Document After Creation of the Transfer Order 

Printing the Picking List 

Because my example triggers printing of the transfer order immediately after the 

save rather than printing immediately on a printer, I must send the print output 

to a spool. Use Transaction SP01 for an overview of all lists in the spool file. Make 

your choices as selectively as possible in this transaction. Begin with the selection, 

and you receive an overview of the spool requests (see Figure 7.32). 

Figure 7.32 Overview of Spool Requests 

You assign the title of your picking lists in Customizing with the Spool code button 

(see Figure 7.20). The Print code button displays the names of the programs used 

to format printing. I have selected print code “02” here. Figure 7.33 illustrates the 

output. 

In this version, a picking list is generated for each individual item of the transfer 

order. For example, if you select print code “21,” you can view a list of all transfer 

order items (see Figure 7.34). 


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7 

Picking 

Figure 7.33 List Screen for a Collective List with One Item Per Page 

Figure 7.34 Print Screen for a Collective List with All Items 

A variety of list screens are available; you can select one to meet the needs of your 

company. 

Confirming the Transfer Order 

After you have picked all of the materials and brought them to loading, warehouse 

employees confirm each individual item. The employees can confirm full picking 

or indicate differences. 

Confirmation occurs with Transaction LT12 (confirmation of the complete transfer 

order, where you can change the quantity of individual items) or LT13 (confirmation 

of individual items of the transfer order). In my example, I confirm the first 

item completely with 160 PC and the second items with a difference of 20 PC, 

which confirms 140 PC. I enter a difference code of “02” (goods damaged) for 

the difference. 

270 


Lean WM 7.4 

Capturing Batches in the Transfer Order 

You can also use the transfer order to capture the picked batches, if you have not 

yet done so with batch determination in the delivery document or if an employee 

has not already done so manually (see Figure 7.35). I have saved the confirmation. 

For the sake of security, the SAP system displays a pop-up if differences are 

present. The pop-up asks for the reason for the difference. If you already entered 

the difference code (see the DI column in Figure 7.35), the pop-up suggests that 

code. Otherwise, you enter the difference code here and press Enter. A notification 

states that the transfer order was confirmed. After confirmation, the transfer 

order appears as in Figure 7.36 (Transaction LT21). 

Figure 7.35 Confirmation of a Transfer Order: Once with a Complete 

Quantity and Once with a Difference Quantity 

Figure 7.36 Transfer Order After Confirmation 

Confirmation of a Transfer Order with Differences 

The icon in the item means that the item was confirmed with a difference. On 

the Dest. Data tab in the transfer order, you can see the required quantity and 

the destination quantity (the quantity that should be transferred to storage type 


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7 

Picking 

916 [goods issue interim storage]), the quantity actually transferred, and the difference 

quantity. 

In the delivery, the second item is “not yet completed” (see Figure 7.37). Highlight 

the second item and click the icon. The batch split is displayed. The batch split 

screen is integrated in Figure 7.37. 

Figure 7.37 Delivery Document After Confirmation with and Without a Difference 

You now have the option to create a new transfer order with a difference quantity 

of 20 PC. You can also leave the quantity of 140 PC as is and have the remaining 

20 PC delivered to the customer later on, or flag the delivery item as complete. 

In this example, the picked quantity of 140 PC should be transferred to the delivery 

document (Transfer the picked quantity as delivery quantity from the 

menu bar). The picked status of the item and the overall picking status are then 

set to “C” (see Figure 7.38). 

Figure 7.38 Quantities and Status after Transfer of the Picked Quantities 

to the Delivery Document 

272 


Wave Picks 7.5 

After you save, the picking procedure in lean WM is over. 

User Exit 

Because rounding differences might appear between the delivery quantity and the 

picked quantity, the WM status does not change to “C.” To work around these rounding 

differences, the SAP system provides enhancement V50PPCAT. Function module EXIT_ 

SAPLV50P_001 contains include ZXV50U07. In the include, you can set the picking 

status to “C” as dependent on the amount of difference between the delivery quantity 

and the picked quantity. 

Collective Creation of Transfer Orders 

Manual creation of transfer orders with Transaction LT03 is not your only option. 

You can also trigger creation directly from the delivery document by following 

menu path Subsequent Functions • Create Transfer Order. 

If you want to create transfer orders in the background with a batch job, you 

must create a batch job that executes program RLAUTA10 for deliveries from sales 

orders and RLAUTA11 from stock transfer orders. 

Because I am now deep within the territory of WM and have already left LE, I will 

not discuss programs RLAUTA10 and RLAUTA11 in more detail here. Please see 

the documentation for WM or the book, Warehouse Management with SAP. 

Finally, you can also create transfer orders with message type WMTA. If you generate 

this message type, a batch job or transaction is automatically started or the 

transfer order is created directly and automatically in the background. Here too, 

I refer you to the WM documentation. See Section 10.1 for more information on 

message types. 

7.5 Wave Picks 

If you have to process a large number of delivery documents in your company 

every day and have to create the picking lists for the delivery documents, manual 

creation of transfer orders takes far too much time. That’s why SAP software provides 

an option for mass creation of picking lists. 

This approach to the creation of transfer orders also reduces costs in the warehouse. 

If you use lean WM (this function is also available with normal WM), and 


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7 

Picking 

your delivery documents involve a great deal of picking, you have to find a way to 

shorten picking of your fast-moving items or A items as much as possible and find 

a way to pick for multiple deliveries simultaneously at a bin location. That way, 

you can avoid having warehouse employees look for the same bin location several 

times a day and pick the same material. 

You can combine the overall picking items according to material and avoid sending 

warehouse employees to look for the same items in the bin locations by combining 

your delivery documents. The SAP system calls this combination wave picks. 

In the SAP system, a wave pick is a bundle of delivery documents that are to be 

picked. You can create the bundles several times a day and adjust them for scheduling 

reasons. For example, you can combine all of the delivery documents that 

are to be picked in the morning into a wave pick the previous evening. The next 

morning, you would combine all of the delivery documents that are to be picked 

in the afternoon. 

You can create wave picks in the SAP system manually or automatically. Automatic 

creation requires a corresponding time pattern. You also have the option to indicate 

capacity limits and create upper or lower picking quantity limits. 

If you want to create wave picks by time criteria, you need one of the following: 

EE 

EE 

Up-to-the-minute scheduling in the delivery document 

Use of route schedules and a goods issue time 

You must carefully determine if the use of up-to-the-minute scheduling in the 

delivery document really makes sense in your company. No one really uses this 

kind of scheduling. All of the processes in shipping are very dynamic and cannot 

be scheduled to the minute. 

The SAP system assigns a wave pick an identification number. The wave pick number 

lets you control the subsequent processes. For example, you can print all of the 

transfer orders that belong to a wave pick — if printing is triggered automatically. 

You can use wave picks to trigger two-level picking — if you use full WM — that 

confirms all of the related transfer orders, trigger printing of delivery documents, 

and post goods issues. 

The process combines the following individual steps: 

274 



1. Creation of a wave pick (called a group): the group is assigned a number so that 

it can be identified 

2. Creation of transfer orders (picking lists) for all of the delivery documents in 

the group, either as individual picking lists (for each delivery document or 

transfer order) or as overall picking lists 

3. Confirmation of all transfer orders of this group after successful picking 

7.5.1 Creating a Delivery Group 

You can create a group in one of two ways: manually with individual creation 

(which is recommended only in exceptional cases) or with the delivery monitor. 

Menu Path for Group Creation via Single Entry 

Logistics • Sales and Distribution • Shipping and Transportation • Outbound Delivery 

• Group of Outbound Deliveries. You now have an option to create, display, or 

delete a group. 


VG01: Create a group 

VG02: Change an existing group 

VG03: Display an existing group 

VASK: Delete an existing group 

1. Start Transaction VG01 to create a group. 

2. Select “W” (for wave pick) on the next screen as the group type and press 

Enter. 

3. An entry screen is displayed. Enter your warehouse number (“OGS”) and delivery 

documents (Sales doc. column) that you want to combine into a wave pick 



275

7 

Picking 

Figure 7.39 Entry Screen for Delivery Documents to Build a Group 

4. Save your entry with the icon. You then receive a group number. 

You can use the group number to trigger and trace additional picking processes. 

Entry of each individual delivery document is quite involved, especially because 

you first have to determine the delivery document numbers before you enter 

them in the transaction and build a group. You can save yourself the work with 

the delivery monitor. 

1. Start Transaction VL06P or select the function via the following menu path: 

Logistics • Sales and Distribution • Shipping and Transportation • Picking 

• Wave Picks • Create • Via Outbound Delivery Monitor. 

2. A selection screen is displayed. If you use the icon to display additional 

selection criteria, you have almost four complete screens of selection parameters 


Figure 7.40 Selection Screen in the Delivery Monitor for Creating Groups 

276 



3. Because you will always use the same selection criteria in most cases, saving 

your selection fields and contents in a variation is recommended. See Section 

5.3.2 for information on the creation and maintenance of variations. Enter your 

variants and correct you selection parameters (if necessary), or enter them manually 

in this screen. Start the monitor, and you see the results of your selection 

as a screen list (see Figure 7.41). You can change the layout of the list to meet 

your needs. See Section 5.3.2 for information on how to change the layout. 

Figure 7.41 Results of Your Selection of the Delivery Documents to Pick to Create a Group 

4. Now select the delivery documents to pick by placing a checkmark at the beginning 

of each row. Once you have checked all of the documents, select Subsequent 

Function • Group • Wave Pick from the menu. 

5. A pop-up is displayed (see Figure 7.42). You must enter a description and the 

warehouse number in the pop-up. 

Figure 7.42 Pop-up to Create a Wave Pick (Group) 

6. Press Enter. The system tells you which number was used to create the group 

(wave pick). 


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7 

Picking 

7.5.2 Wave Pick Monitor 

To have a complete overview of all wave picks and the status of their processing, 

you can activate the wave pick monitor. Start the monitor with Transaction VL37 or 

from menu path Logistics • Sales and Distribution • Shipping and Transportation 

• Picking • Wave Picks • Monitor. 

A selection screen is now displayed (see Figure 7.43). You can create a variant for 

this selection screen. Enter it in the Selection var. field of the selection screen. 

Figure 7.43 Selection Screen for the Wave Pick Monitor 

Start the monitor by pressing F8 or clicking the icon. You can now see an overview 

of all the selected wave picks (see Figure 7.44). 

Figure 7.44 Overview of All Selected Wave Picks and Their Status 

278 



You can display the delivery documents related to a wave pick with the icon. 

You can use the icon (see Figure 7.44) to hide the display of the delivery 

documents. 

Now you can create the transfer order to print the picking lists. Highlight the 

wave picks that you want to process and follow menu path Subseq.Processing • 

Transfer order from the menu bar. You automatically branch to Transaction LT42 

(create transfer order for a group). From the menu bar, accept the default data and 

click the 

button. 

The transfer orders are now created. A log screen is displayed (see Figure 7.45). 

You can use the icon to release printing of the picking list or the 

button to view a detailed log (if creation of a transfer order failed). 

Figure 7.45 Log Screen for Creation of the Transfer Orders 

Once the transfer orders have been created and the picking lists printed, picking 

can begin in the warehouse. When picking is complete, the transfer orders 

are confirmed individually or with the wave pick. The confirmation transfers the 

picked quantity to the delivery document and sets the WM status to “C” (complete 

processing). 

In this context, you have additional options available to create wave picks. Let us 

look at these options briefly, because they work much like processing of manually 

created wave picks. 

In one case, I must refer to Chapter 12, Shipment. Delivery documents that are 

dispatched on one means of transportation (such as a truck) are combined in one 


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7 

Picking 

shipping document. You can create a wave pick based on the shipping document. 

To work with this function, start Transaction VL35_S or follow menu path Logistics 

• Sales and Distribution • Shipping and Transportation • Picking • Wave 

Pick • Create • According to Shipment. 

If you have activated up-to-the-minute scheduling in delivery documents, a delivery 

document provides the scheduled goods issue date and time. You now define 

time slices and wave patterns in which you select all of the delivery documents 

that fall within the patterns and then create the wave picks. Of course, you also 

have the option to include overhangs from the previous time slices. Start this function 

with Transaction VL35 or from menu path Logistics • Sales and Distribution 

• Shipping and Transportation • Picking • Wave Pick • Create • According 

to Delivery Time. 

SAP provides three user exits to process wave picks. You can find all of them 

in SAP enhancement V53W0001. The enhancement contains function modules 

EXIT_SAPMV53W_001, EXIT_SAPMV53W_002, and EXIT_SAPMV53W_003. 

EXIT_SAPMV53W_001 and its include function, module ZXKWLU01, deal with 

the creation of wave picks. User exit EXIT_SAPMV53W_002 sorts the delivery 

documents for the wave picks (include module ZXKWLU02). User exit EXIT_SAP- 

MV53W_003 enhances and changes fields in the wave pick and the delivery document. 

Include module ZXKWLU03 is used here. 

7.6 Summary 

This chapter described picking. You are now familiar with the most important 

settings that the SAP system offers and you can map and execute picking in the 

system. You also learned about the most important differences in picking with 

WM and with lean WM. 

280 


To transport materials safely, you have to pack your goods or move them 

onto loading equipment, such as pallets. This chapter will provide you with 

an overview of the options available in the SAP system for packing your 

materials and how you can benefit from these. 

8 Packing 

The Packing function in the SAP system is being used more and more for shipping 

and transportation processes. This is mainly due to the ever-increasing number of 

new requirements for data exchange between suppliers and ship-to parties. The 

ship-to parties attempt to optimize the receipt of goods. They receive an Electronic 

Data Interchange (EDI) output with the pallet information and can use this to scan 

and check the inbound goods the moment they are received. 

EDI outputs, however, are also exchanged with the freight forwarder. If you register 

a shipment with a freight forwarder, you can send this processing step to the 

freight forwarder directly as an EDI output. To plan this shipment, the freight forwarder 

requires information on the number of load carriers and their weight. 

Using the Packing function, you are not only able to assign your delivery items in 

the delivery document to a package, but you can also create packing lists. You can 

use the print functions included in the SAP standard delivery for packing lists and 

pallet labels. 

If you use your packaging materials to manage stocks in the warehouse, you can 

generate packing items in the delivery document once you have entered the packaging 

materials. These packaging materials are cleared from your stock to the 

goods issue posting. You can also bill your ship-to party for packaging materials 

used in such a way. 

8.1 Packing Prerequisites 

Before describing the prerequisites for using the packing function, I first want to 

introduce you to some of the terminology used in the SAP system. 


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8 

Packing 

8.1.1 Overview of Functions and Term Definition 

The term packaging material refers to the load carriers that are moved for shipment. 

These include, for example, boxes, wire boxes, pallets of all sizes and types, 

crates, and containers. You have to create a material type “VERP” in the material 

master data for each of these packaging materials. 

The actual physical unit of packaging material is also referred to as a handling unit 

(HU). This term will be used frequently. Handling units receive an identification 

number. You can either use internal SAP number ranges, number ranges of your 

own, or internationally recognized ones, such as SSCC numbers. You can use a 

comprehensive drilldown reporting tool for the handling units, which you access 

using Transaction HUMO. You enter a vast amount of information in handling 

units, which extends far beyond just details regarding weights and quantities. 

The packing process itself comprises several steps and can be used in different 

ways. As a rule, you use the packing function in the delivery document or in transportation. 

You can manually create, fill, and empty handling units in the delivery 

document, as well as delete them again. You can also carry out multilevel packing. 

For example, you first pack the individual delivery units into boxes, then pack the 

boxes onto pallets, and finally pack the pallets into a container. 

In the delivery item category you define whether you want to, or need to, pack at all. 

You can set up the system so that when you enter an order, the system creates a packing 

proposal, which is transferred to the delivery document in the subsequent steps. 

8.1.2 Customizing Settings 

To use the packing functions in the delivery document, you first have to make the 

required Customizing settings and create the master data for the packing material. 

In the delivery item category in Customizing, you have to specify whether 

an item is relevant for packing or not. If required, a plausibility check can also be 

carried out to determine whether the material is permitted for certain packaging 

and loading equipment. 

In the first step, you must specify whether you want to use the packing function. 

If so, you define the delivery item categories you want to use for packing. There 

are three ways in which you can control packing for each delivery item category. 

If you generally allow packing, the Packing control column remains blank (see 

Figure 8.1). 

282 


Packing Prerequisites 8.1 

Figure 8.1 Packing Relevance to be Determined for Each Delivery Item Category 

If you enter “A” in this column, this item must be packed, otherwise the goods 

issue posting cannot be carried out. The third option is to enter “B”, which indicates 

that the material with this delivery item category is not packed. 

There is a special feature for materials handled in batches. The final column, K, 

indicates whether you wish to pack the batch items or the main item. If you set 

this indicator, the main item (item for the total quantity without the batch details) 

is packed. 

Technical Information About the Packing Relevance per Delivery Item Category 

EE 

Path in Customizing: Logistics Execution • Shipping • Packing • Packing Control 

by Item Category 

EE 


EE 

Table: TVLP (stored in field PCKPF) 

If you have specified packing relevance, you can also use a user exit to control 

whether certain Requirements must be met for packing to take place at all. In the 

SAP standard system, for example, the requirement is set up to prevent the credit 

limit block from being selected. 

Technical Information About Setting Up the User Exit for Packing Requirements 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 


Path in Customizing: Logistics Execution • Shipping • Packing • Define Requirements 

for Packing in the Delivery 

Specific Transaction: VPBD 

Table: TVFO (subsequent function “12” = Packing, copying control group indicator 

= “FOFU”) 


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8 

Packing 

The requirements are identified by a three-digit numerical requirements key. Your own 

requirements should be in the number range between 900 and 999 and not between 

610 and 699, as stated in the SAP documentation. In Customizing, you can see that the 

subsequent function and the copying control group indicator (not shown on the maintenance 

screen) are already predefined (see Figure 8.2). 

Figure 8.2 Creating Your Own Requirements for Packing 

When you select 

, an overview appears with all of the requirements 

and routines created. Enter your requirements key in the next available line. The 

system branches automatically to the ABAP/4 editor. Program your requirement. (I 

will not, however, go into further details at this point on ABAP/4 programming.) 

For control purposes, you can also click from the overview screen to display the 

corresponding coding for the requirement. 

Requirements are user exits and are programmed in ABAP/4. You can also set up 

requirements of your own using Transaction VOFM or via the Customizing menu 

by choosing Logistics Execution • Shipping • System Modifications • Routines 

• Define Copying Requirements. When you access this function, the screen is 

initially blank. Therefore, select Requirements • Subsequent functions • Packing 

from the menu. 

Listing 8.1 displays sample coding from requirement 112 predefined by the SAP 

system. 

* FORM REQUIREMENT_CHECK_112 

* User checks for subsequent functions from a delivery 

* Packing 

FORM REQUIREMENT_CHECK_112. 

* Packing is not allowed if a credit block exists 

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IF VBUK-CMGST CA ‘B’. 

* Read the subsequent function information for the message 

PERFORM FOFUN_TEXT_READ USING GL_FOFUN 

CHANGING FOFUN_TEXT. 

MESSAGE ID ‘V1’ TYPE ‘E’ NUMBER ‘849’ 

WITH FOFUN_TEXT 

RAISING ERROR. 

ENDIF. 

ENDFORM. 

*eject 

Listing 8.2 Program Code for Packing Requirement 112 

These types of user-defined requirements are, however, the exception for packing. 

I have increasingly seen the following settings at customer sites though, and 

many users are confused by them. I do not know how many times I have explained 

these settings to users — and even to developers and consultants. They concern 

the plausibility check during packing, and whether the material to pack fits the 

packaging material. 

You can specify that all types of beer are packed (or rather shipped) in beer crates (or 

carriers) onto Euro-pallets. However, you also sell accessories (beer mats, beer glasses, 

beer pumps, promotional clothing, and so on), which are packed into boxes. Because 

the boxes and the Euro-pallets have to be defined in the material master as packaging 

materials, you use the controls described here to ensure that you do not pack your beer 

crates into boxes by mistake, and the beer glasses directly onto the Euro-pallets. 

Figure 8.3 displays the connection between these. You first group your packaging 

materials (such as boxes, pallets, wire boxes) using the packaging material type. You 

have to define the packaging material type in Customizing. 

Technical Information About the Packaging Material Type 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 


Path in Customizing: Logistics Execution • Shipping • Packing • Define Packaging 

Material Types 

Specific Transaction: VHAR 

Table: TVTY and TVTY T (language-dependent short name) 


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8 

Packing 

Finished Product: 

Wheat Beer 

Material Group, Packaging 

Material: 

"ZKAS" 

Packaging Material: 

- 

Assignment "ZPAL" to 

"ZKAS" Permitted 


Europallet 


Material: - 


"ZPAL" 

Assignment "ZPAL" to 

"ZKAR" Permitted 


Box 


Material: "ZKAR" 


"ZKAR" 

Assignment "ZKAR" to 

"ZACC" Permitted 

Trading Goods: 

Beer Glasses 


Material: "ZACC" 


- 

Figure 8.3 Overview of the Packaging Material Types and Packaging Material Groups 

Start Customizing to define the packaging material types. First of all, an overview 

screen appears. If you wish to create new packaging material types, select 

. To change a packaging material type, select an existing entry and click 

. On the next screen, you can specify various parameters for this packaging 

material type (see Figure 8.4). 

Figure 8.4 Parameters for Packaging Materials 

286 



The parameters OutputDet.Proc. and Output Type are set for each packaging 

material for which you want to print a label. These fields are explained in more 

detail in Chapter 10, Shipping Papers and Documents. The Plant determin. and 

GenerateDlvltms fields are explained in Section 8.3. 

The number assignment field is important for this is where you specify whether 

you wish to identify your packaging materials as a handling unit with a particular 

number. In the case of packaging material such as the Euro-pallet, choosing the 

internationally recognized SSCC numbers is recommended. SSCC stands for Serial 

Shipping Container Code. The structure of the SSCC code is predefined. It currently 

begins with a “3,” followed by a 7-digit ILN number (international location number), 

then a 9-digit consecutive number, which uniquely identifies the packaging 

material, and it ends with a check digit. The code therefore comprises 1 + 7 + 9 + 

1 = 18 digits. This is why it is often referred to as the SSCC18 code. 

For the HU type you select “Pallet” in this case. Enter the number ranges for an 

internal or external number assignment. For the SSCC numbers, this would be the 

number range for the 9-digit consecutive numbers. 

For the boxes (packaging material type “ZKAR”), enter the number range interval 

‘HU-VEKP’ in the Number assgnmt field and “Unrestricted usw” as the HU 

type. 

In a second step, you can now use the packaging material group function to group 

your materials that are packed in the first instance with the same packaging material 

(such as cardboard boxes, pallets, wire boxes). 

All materials that are packed directly onto a Euro-pallet are assigned the same packaging 

material type. All materials that are first packed in cardboard packaging with certain dimensions 

are assigned a different packaging material type, even if the packed materials 

are then packed again onto a pallet. In this case, the box itself is assigned a material 

group for packaging materials, which in turn is assigned to a pallet. 

Launch Customizing and maintain your material groups for packaging materials. 

Your own material groups should begin with a “Z.” To give you an example, I have 

maintained the material groups presented in Figure 8.3 (see Figure 8.5). 


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Packing 

Figure 8.5 Maintaining the Material Groups for Packaging Materials 

Technical Information About the Packaging Material Group 

EE 

EE 


Path in Customizing: Logistics Execution • Shipping • Packing • Define Material 

Group for Packaging Material 

EE 


EE 

Table: TVEGR and TVEGRT (language-dependent short name) 

You do not enter any further information for the material groups for packaging 

materials. In the final step, you must consolidate the information and define the 

permitted combinations of packaging material types and packaging material groups 

in Customizing. 

Technical Information About the Permitted Packaging Materials per Packaging 

Material Group 

EE 

Path in Customizing: Logistics Execution • Shipping • Packing • Define Allowed 

Packaging Materials. 

EE 


EE 

Table: TERVH 

In the case of our example from Figure 8.3, the permitted combinations are as 

follows: All materials with the material group for packaging material “ZKAS” may 

only be packed on pallets (packaging material type “ZPAL”). All “ZACC” materials 

may only be packed in boxes (packaging material type “ZKAR”), and the boxes 

themselves (material group for packaging material “ZKAR”) may be repacked onto 

pallets (packaging material type “ZPAL”). You enter this in Customizing as shown 


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Figure 8.6 Settings That Show the Permitted Packaging Material Types for Each 

Packaging Material Group 

8.1.3 Master Data 

You have made the required settings in Customizing and must now maintain the 

individual packaging materials in the material master. Maintain the packaging 

materials using the material type “VERP.” For an overview of maintaining the 

material master, see Section 3.1. Here, I will simply show you which fields you 

require in the material master for the packing process. 

Let us begin with the packaging materials themselves. A number of new fields are 

shown for material type “VERP,” which you have not previously seen, for trading and 

sales goods. The correct dimensions and weights of the packaging materials are important 

for calculating the freight volume and costs later on. The Sales: general/plant tab 

displays the specific data for the packaging materials (see Figure 8.7). 

Figure 8.7 Specific Packaging Material Data in the Material Master Data 


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Here, you specify the maximum packing weight (Allowed pkg weight) and volume 

(Allowed pkg volume) allowed. On this tab, you can also enter certain tolerance 

limits in excess of what is allowed. You can also enter the Stackability factor 

here. This means that you specify a value that indicates how many pallets are 

allowed to be stacked on top of one another. In the Packaging mat. type field, 

“ZPAL” is entered (see Figure 8.3). 

Figure 8.8 displays the settings for a cardboard box. Using the Matl Grp Pack. 

Matls field, you are allowing these cardboard boxes to be assigned to a pallet. 

Figure 8.8 Packaging Material Type and Material Group 

for Packaging Material for a Cardboard Box 

In the last preparation step, you group your sales materials. In this example, I have 

selected “ZKAS” as the material group for packaging materials. Therefore, ZKAS is 

assigned to all drinks delivered in crates. The drinks that are delivered in a crate 

(or carrier) are grouped using this characteristic value and are only allowed to be 

shipped on pallets (see Figure 8.9). 

Figure 8.9 Maintaining the Material Group for Packaging Material for the Sales Material 

8.1.4 SSCC Numbers, Pallet Numbers 

Now that you are familiar with preparing the material master for the packing process, 

you can define the number range of the SSCC numbers you wish to generate 


290 


Manual Packing 8.2 

Technical Information About the SSCC Numbers 

EE 

Path in Customizing: Logistics - General • Handling Unit Management • 

External Identification • SSCC Generation Acc. to EAN128 

EE 


EE 

Table: T313Y 

When you access this function in Customizing, an overview screen appears (see 

Figure 8.10). To create a new number range, select . An entry screen now 

appears for the required parameters. In the ILN basis no. field, enter the international 

location number assigned to your company. It is recommended that you 

select “LE_SSCC” as the number range object (NumberRn field). Here, you can 

also allow number ranges to be assigned internally by the SAP system (using the 

number range 01) or to manually specify the handling unit number. 

Figure 8.10 SSCC Number Assignment and Compilation 

You are now familiar with the settings you need to make in order to use manual 

packing in the delivery document. 

8.2 Manual Packing 

The best way of describing the various steps in the packing process in the SAP 

system is by means of an example in the delivery document. I will begin with 

single-level packing, followed by multilevel packing, as well as emptying or 

deleting packaging. 

8.2.1 Single-Level Packing 

You access the packing function from the change view of the delivery document. 

To do this, run Transaction VL02N. An overview of the delivery document appears. 

Click or select Edit • Pack from the menu. A packing overview appears as 



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Packing 

Figure 8.11 Overview of the Packing Function 

There are several tabs. I recommend that you work with the Pack material tab. 

There are three available options: packing per handling unit, packing partial quantities 

in several handling units, and packing total quantities in full handling units. 

1. Starting on the overview screen in Figure 8.11: In the Packaging materials column, 

enter the material number of your handling unit, for example, “OGPEU- 

RO” for a Euro-pallet, and press Enter. The system generates an empty handling 

unit and assigns an SSCC number (see Figure 8.12). The entries made in the 

material master data for this handling unit are also copied. The allowed loading 

weight is 704 kg; the weight of the pallet itself is 22 kg. 

Figure 8.12 Creating an Empty Handling Unit 

2. Now select an item in the lower half of the screen and in the Partial qty column 

(see Figure 8.13), enter the maximum quantity allowed for a handling unit, for 

example, 800 items (20 bottles per crate, 8 crates per layer, 5 layers per pallet, 

which comes to 800 bottles per pallet). Now select the empty handling unit you 

have just generated. Both lines must now be selected. 

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Figure 8.13 Packing a Certain Quantity of a Delivery Item in a Handling Unit 

3. Now click . The quantity selected in the lower half of the screen is transferred 

to the handling unit. The weight of the handling unit and the quantity that 

remains to be packed are adjusted (see Figure 8.14). 

Figure 8.14 Overview After Packing a Handling Unit 

4. The Ttl content tab provides a better overview. Here you see the quantities 

and weights that are found in the handling unit (see Figure 8.15). This tab also 

shows the packed quantity with the article and batch number, as well as the 

gross weight of the individual items and the handling unit. 

Figure 8.15 Contents of a Full Handling Unit 


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5. Proceed as described with the remaining quantities. To do this, select the Pack 

material tab again. 

6. Generate another empty handling unit, select the remaining quantity of the 

first item without changing the partial quantity, and then select the empty handling 

unit. Click again. 

7. You can easily select several items and partial quantities that you want to pack 

in one handling unit. Everything that you specify and select as partial quantities 

in the lower half of the screen is packed in the handling unit selected in the 

upper half of the screen. When you have packed all of the items, the lower half 

of the screen is empty (see Figure 8.16). 

Figure 8.16 Overview After Packing All Delivery Items 

8. Save the packing data by clicking . 

You can also use the following variants for entering this data — you do not have 

to generate an empty handling unit first. You can enter the material number of 

your pallet directly in the upper half of the screen, and instead of pressing Enter, 

you select the line itself. 

Choose this second method if you do not know the material number of the pallet. 

In this case, only select the partial quantities and items in the lower half of the 

screen and click directly. A pop-up now appears asking you whether the system 

should search for the allowed packaging materials. Select Yes. The system now 

proposes the possible material numbers, based on the Customizing settings (see 

Figure 8.17). Select one of these material numbers and press Enter. 

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Figure 8.17 Pop-Up and Selection Screen for the Allowed Packaging Materials 

The selected partial quantities and items have now been packed straight into the 

new handling unit. 

To avoid having to create each handling unit individually for larger quantities, you 

can distribute the same partial quantities to several handling units. You do this as 

follows: 

1. In the lower half of the screen, enter a partial quantity in an item (for example, 

“800” again). 

2. Select this item. 

3. In the Packaging Material column, enter the material number of the pallet 

again. 

4. Select this line directly in the upper half of the screen. 

5. Select . The system now distributes 800 bottles to each of the 2 

pallets. 

6. If you repeat this for the second item, the system then generates three handling 

units, two with 800 bottles each, and one with the remaining 160 bottles. 

This procedure simplifies and shortens the handling unit creation process. You can 

use a similar variant if you do not know the exact quantity for a full pallet or if you 

want to pack various items onto the pallet, but do not know when the maximum 

loading limit is reached. To do this, select 

. To illustrate this process, I 

will pack the second delivery item in my example first so that I have a partial pallet 

with 160 bottles (see Figure 8.18). 


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Packing 

Figure 8.18 Three Full Pallets and One Partial Pallet with 160 Bottles 

Go to the Pack material tab once more. There you select the total quantity of the 

item still to pack and select the partial pallet in the upper half of the screen (see 

Figure 8.19). 

Figure 8.19 Creating Full Handling Units 

Now select 

. The system fills the partial pallet to its maximum capacity 

and continues to do the same with the remaining quantities. The capacity limits 

have been reached if either the maximum total weight or total volume allowed has 

been reached (see the results in Figure 8.20). 

Figure 8.20 Overview of All Fully Packed Pallets 

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The system has now filled the partial pallet with a further 640 bottles so that there 

a total number of 800 bottles on the pallet. The second pallet is full with 800 bottles, 

and again 160 bottles are left for the third pallet. Of course, this example does 

not make any sense as nobody in the warehouse would repack in such a way. 

To conclude, let us look again at the delivery header in the item overview (see 

Figure 8.21). Here, the No. of packages has been updated. 

Figure 8.21 Delivery Header in the Item Overview Screen After Packing 

In my example, I have created and packed a total of five pallets. You can see this 

value in the No. of packages field. In the Total Weight field, you can see the gross 

weight of all items without the pallets. 

An alternative way of displaying unpacked materials and handling units can be 

seen when you click on the overview screen (see Figure 8.11). Figure 8.22 displays 

the same information as the process flow, but in a tree structure. 

Figure 8.22 Packing Information Displayed in a Tree Structure 

You can access the same information and functions as those you have just seen. 

In the upper part of the tree structure, you can see three filled handling units and 

in the lower part of the structure, the items still to pack. Click to display the 

contents of this handling unit. 


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8.2.2 Multilevel Packing 

For the manual process of multilevel packing, the process steps are similar to those 

for packing directly onto a pallet. In my example, I have now placed 280 promotional 

t-shirts in the delivery document. 20 t-shirts fit into one cardboard box. 

Change the value in the Part. qty column to “20” for material “OGB20001,” and 

select this item. In the Material column, enter the material number of the box, 

in this case, “OGPKARTON.” Select 

. You now have a total of 14 cardboard 

boxes, each filled with 20 t-shirts. Now go to the better overview in the 

tree structure (see Figure 8.23). The cardboard boxes have a different number 

range from the pallets as the boxes do not require SSCC numbers. To show you an 

example, I have expanded box number 602, so that you can see the contents of 20 

units of material OGB20001. 

Figure 8.23 Overview of the Pallets and Boxes 

There are three ways in which you can now pack and distribute the boxes onto 

pallets: pack each box individually onto the corresponding pallet, always pack the 

same number of boxes onto new pallets, or pack the boxes onto pallets via the 

tree structure. 

To pack the cardboard boxes onto the pallets individually, you can stay in the tree 

structure. Double-click a box and select a pallet to pack the box on. Click . Repeat 

this process until all of the boxes are packed onto the pallets. If you do not have 

enough pallets, you can create these by clicking . In the pop-up that appears (see 

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Figure 8.24), enter the material number of the pallet in the PackMaterials field 

and the number of pallets required in the Number of HUs field. 

Figure 8.24 Pop-up that Appears when Creating a New Handling Unit from the Tree Structure 

This packing method is laborious and time-consuming for this number of cardboard 

boxes. Let us assume again that you can only fit five boxes onto a pallet. In 

this case, your aim would be to pack two pallets with five boxes on each, and one 

partial pallet with four boxes. 

Place your cursor on the first box with the number “602” (see Figure 8.23). From 

the menu, select Edit • Tree Functions • Select Block. The background of the 

box has now changed color. 

Now select the last box, in this case number “615,” and select Edit • Tree Functions 

• Select Block once more from the menu. All 14 boxes now have a differentcolored 

background. 

Now select 

. A pop-up appears (see Figure 8.25), in which you enter 

the material number of the handling unit to which you want to pack the selected 

boxes in the PackMat. for new HU field. Again, this is the pallet with the number 

“OGPEURO.” The material number in the PackMat. of HUs field is already 

entered. You now just have to enter “5” in the No. HUs to be packed per HU field. 

This means that five boxes fit on one pallet. 


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Figure 8.25 Pop-Up for Packing Boxes onto Pallets 

Press Enter. Three new pallets now appear in the tree structure and the boxes are 

no longer displayed. In Figure 8.26, I have expanded two of the new pallets and 

one box. 

Figure 8.26 Tree Structure After Packing the Boxes onto Pallets 

If you do not use this function and wish to pack your boxes onto partial pallets 

individually, you can use the same procedure to select your boxes (first and last 

box using the function from the menu as described earlier). Then, however, select 

the handling unit into which you wish to pack the selected boxes, and click . 

8.2.3 Emptying and Deleting Handling Units 

To conclude this section, I now want to show you how to empty and delete handling 

units. If you need to empty a handling unit again, you can do this either for 

the entire handling unit or just for a partial quantity. There are various ways you 

can do this. 

300 


Inventory-Managed Packing 8.3 

If you are in the tree structure and wish to empty the entire handling unit, select 

this handling unit and click . You cannot empty partial quantities in the tree 

structure. It is only possible to empty handling units from other handling units 

(in my example, you can take out a certain number of boxes from a pallet). To do 

this, expand the pallet contents, select the box to be removed, and click . 

If you wish to remove partial quantities, select the Ttl content tab on the overview 

screen (see Figure 8.20). Overwrite the value with the quantity that you wish to 

leave in the handling unit. For example, 800 bottles are on the pallet. If you wish 

to remove 24 bottles, you overwrite “800” with “776.” 

It is very easy to delete handling units again. Either in the tree structure or on 

the Pack material tab on the overview screen, select the handling unit(s) to be 

deleted and click . A pop-up appears to check whether you really wish to delete 

the selecting handling unit(s). 

You are now familiar with all of the available options for manually packing a delivery 

document and for emptying and, if required, deleting handling units. 

8.3 Inventory-Managed Packing 

If you manage stocks using your packaging materials , it makes sense to generate 

an item for the packaging material in each delivery you pack. Manual posting, in 

goods issue posting in particular, does not apply in this case, because the packaging 

material is in the delivery document as an item and is therefore integrated in 

all subsequent processes. 


To generate these items automatically, you have to make a number of settings in 

Customizing. You first have to allow packaging material items to generate in the 

delivery document. Activate the generation of delivery types (see Figure 8.27) by 

selecting the Gen. pack.matl item indicator. Section 5.2 describes how to maintain 

delivery types in Customizing. 


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Packing 

Figure 8.27 Generating Packing Items in the Delivery Document — Activation 

In the second step, you have to set a key figure that will generate items in the 

delivery document for packaging materials with this packaging material type. In 

the Generate DlvItms field, set the “Item generation in first packed delivery” 

indicator (see Figure 8.28). 

Figure 8.28 Activating the Generation of Items in the Delivery 

Document per Packaging Material Type 

Now check whether the item category for the packaging material is found. To do 

this, refer to Figure 5.13. There you will find the corresponding entry, in which 

you search for the delivery type (DlvT), the material item usage (in the ItCG column 

for “PACK”) and the usage (in the ItmC column for “PACK”). The item category 

ZDLP is proposed in Figure 5.13. Of course, this item category has to be set 

up accordingly (see Section 5.2). 

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Inventory-Managed Packing 8.3 

8.3.2 Master Data 

In the material master, you still have to specify whether an item is to be generated 

for a certain packaging material in general, or generated only for certain sales 

organizations and sales channels. There are two specific fields on the Sales: sales 

org. 2 tab for doing just this. The first field, Gen. item cat. grp, is a general field 


Figure 8.29 Maintaining the Item Category Groups for Creating Items 

in the Delivery Document for Packaging Materials 

If you enter “VERP” here, an item will always be generated for this packaging 

material. The second field, Item category group, is at the sales organization level. 

If you enter “VERP,” the item is only generated in the delivery document for this 

sales organization and this sales channel. These two fields ultimately provide you 

with three possible combinations. 

8.3.3 Example 

Go back to the overview screen and select . From the pop-up that appears, 

select one of the proposed materials with the allowed packaging materials for the 

packaging materials group (see material master data). This situation is reflected in 

Figure 8.30. 

Answer the pop-up with YES and the system generates three handling units — 

two HUs with 800 bottles each and one partial pallet with 160 bottles (see Figure 

8.31). 


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Figure 8.30 Overview Screen with the Pop-Up for Packaging Materials Search 

Figure 8.31 Overview After Packing the Materials onto Three Pallets 

A new item has now been created in the delivery document with a total of three 

pallets (see Figure 8.32). 

Figure 8.32 The System Has Generated Three Pallets of the Material Number OGPEURO 

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Packing Proposal 8.4 

You now have to plan the same functions for this item (plant and storage location 

determination, relevance for goods issue, billing, and so on), as you would for a 

normal item that you dispatch to your customers. 

8.4 Packing Proposal 

You are now familiar with the manual packing function in the delivery document. 

You also have the option of defining packing instructions in the SAP system. In the 

packing instructions, you specify how a certain material is packed. This does not 

only depend on the material, but can, for example, also depend on the customer. 

You may therefore have customers who want their materials delivered in wire 

boxes, whereas you would normally deliver the same materials on Euro-pallets. 

You can define these rules in the SAP system using packing instructions. However, 

the SAP system cannot formulate any packing proposals if you always only pick small 

quantities and produce mixed pallets for shipping. In the case of small quantities, packing 

depends on what is be packed on the lowest level of the pallet, which materials are 

at all stackable, how the individual materials or boxes fit together, and so on. 

The picking order also frequently impedes automatic packing for small quantities. 

To submit a packing proposal, you must take into account the picking strategies 

and shortest path for picking the materials in the warehouse. 

The extent to which your company will use packing instructions must depend on 

your business process. If most of the time you ship complete load carriers, it might 

be useful to map packing proposals in the SAP system. 

To do this, you must carry out the following steps: 

1. Make the required Customizing settings 

2. Enter packing instructions in the SAP system 

3. Enter the determination rules via the condition technique 


Let us start with the Customizing settings. You must first specify which criteria you have 

to define in the system in order to find packing instructions. In principle, these rules are 

simple as the majority of them depend on the material itself and on the customer. The 

criteria are grouped via a key, known as the combination of characteristic values. 


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Technical Information About the Combination of Characteristic Values 

EE 

EE 

EE 


Path in Customizing: Logistics - General • Handling Unit Management • Automatic 

Packing • Determination of Packing Instructions • Define Key for Packing 

Instructions Determination 

Specific Transaction: OFP7 

A number of combinations of characteristic values are available in the SAP system 

itself, which normally suffice. You can, however, define combinations of your own. 

Figure 8.33 shows the possible combinations in the SAP standard system. 

Figure 8.33 The Combinations of Characteristic Values 

for Determining Packing Instructions Provided by SAP 

In the screen shots, you do not see the term combination of characteristic values, but 

Condition Table. This is because SAP software uses the condition technique for determining 

packing instructions, and this always refers to tables. If, for example, you 

select the combination (= table) “100,” the combination of characteristic values is 

displayed on the left side of the maintenance screen, whereas a wide range of additional 

criteria can be found on the right-hand side (see Figure 8.34). If you create new 

combinations, you can select the corresponding characteristic values or criteria from 

the right-hand side and transfer these to the left-hand side of the screen. 

Figure 8.34 Overview of the Combination of Characteristic 

Value “100” with Material and Ship-To Party 

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If you have defined your characteristic values and specified them in the system, or 

if you use the standard settings, the next step is to specify the order of inquiry for 

the individual combinations. This sequence is also called the access sequence. 

Technical Information About Access Sequences 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 



Packing • Determination of Packing Instructions • Define Access Sequence 

for Packing Instruction Determination 


Table: T682 (usage “P” and application “PO”) and Table T682I (same usage and application) 

When you start Customizing, you first see an overview of the access sequences 

already generated. For the packing instruction in the delivery document, the 

access sequence “SHIP” is already created. Select this access sequence and open 

the Accesses folder on the left half of the screen. You can now see the sequence 

of characteristic values that determine how the packing instruction is found (see 

Figure 8.35): The system first tries to find a packing instruction with the characteristic 

values material/ship-to party/usage (Table “110”). If none is found, it searches 

using the material and ship-to party (Table “100”). If still no packing instruction 

is found, the system tries the final combination, Table “1,” with just the material 

number as a characteristic value. 

Figure 8.35 Access Sequence SHIP with the Individual Combination of Characteristic Values 

You can define or program one more conditions for this access sequence. This 

condition specifies whether the access sequence is taken into account or not. If 

this condition applies, the packing instruction is read using the corresponding 

characteristic values. 


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In the next step, you define the Determination type. This is somewhat similar to 

the output type or condition type. In general, however, one determination type 

is sufficient. 

Technical Information About the Determination Type 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 



Packing • Determination of Packing Instructions • Define Determination 

Type for Packing Instructions 


Table: T685 (usage “P” and application “PO”) and T685T (language-dependent description) 

You can assign an access sequence to this determination type. You can also predefine a 

validity period for the determination type. This validity period is a kind of time-based 

condition, which takes this determination type into account. Figure 8.36 displays the 

individual determination types and the assigned access sequences. 

Figure 8.36 Determination Type and the Assigned Access Sequence 

As is the case with all condition techniques, the determination types are now 

assigned to a procedure, the packing instruction determination procedure. You define 

this procedure first, or use one of the standard procedures delivered by the SAP 

system, and assign your determination types to this procedure. 

Technical Information About the Procedures for Packing Instruction Determination 

EE 

EE 



Packing • Determination of Packing Instruction • Define Procedure for Packing 

Instructions Determination 

308 



EE 

EE 


Table: T683 (usage “P” and application “PO”), T683T (language-dependent name), 

and Table T683S (same usage and application) 

Launch Customizing. An overview appears displaying all of the procedures already 

defined. Select a procedure and select the Control folder on the left side of the 

screen. A list now appears showing all of the determination types assigned to this 

procedure (see Figure 8.37). 

Figure 8.37 Determination Types Assigned to Procedure ZCONT 

Once you have specified the packing determination rules in Customizing, you now 

just need to indicate which procedure to use in the delivery documents. You do 

this in the Packing transaction profile. These packing transaction profiles are predefined 

by the SAP system. Use profile “0002” for outbound deliveries. 

Technical Information About the Procedures for the Packing Transaction Profile 

EE 

EE 

EE 



Packing • Maintain Packing Transaction Profile 

Specific Transaction: OVHU2 

Launch Customizing. A screen appears displaying all of the packing transaction 

profiles. Select profile “0002” and click . In the screen that now appears with 

control characteristic values (see Figure 8.38), you can see the Determ. proc. for 

pkg instrs. Most of the checkboxes are self-explanatory. Due to space constraints, 

I cannot describe all of the options here in detail. 


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Figure 8.38 Overview of the Control Characteristic Values of a Packing Transaction Profile 

Now that you have entered all of the prerequisites in Customizing, you can begin 

with the second step. 

8.4.2 Entering Packing Instructions 

If you wish to use packing instructions, you now have to specify how each single 

article is packed. You can use the following transactions: POP1 to create packing 

instructions, POP2 to change them, POP3 to display them, and POP4 to cancel the 

deletion flag for packing instructions. 

Menu Path for Maintaining Packing Instructions 

Logistics • Central Functions • Handling Unit Management • Master Data • Packing 

Instructions. Here, you can choose whether you want to create, change, display, or 

cancel the deletion flag of packing instructions. 


POP1: Create new packing instructions 

POP2: Change existing packing instructions 

POP3: Display existing packing instructions 

POP4: Remove existing deletion flag from a packing instruction 

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If you run the transactions, the Components tab appears (see Figure 8.39). The 

top line represents the load carrier (for example, pallet). The next line displays the 

material entered as a component — with the quantities for a full load carrier and 

the minimum quantity. The rounding quantity provides information on the quantities 

that make up one layer. The advantage of this is that the pallets are always 

closed with a complete layer and can therefore be stacked. 

A crate can hold 20 bottles and a pallet is made up of 5 layers, each with 8 crates. This 

results in the following: There are 160 bottles per layer. Now enter 160 bottles as the 

rounding quantity. If your customer now orders 400 bottles, the system proposes one 

pallet with 320 bottles and another pallet with the remaining 80 bottles. This means 

that you would fill two complete layers for the first pallet. You can now easily stack 

another pallet on top of this. 

Figure 8.39 Components of a Packing Instruction 

A packing instruction also includes many additional tabs. The Admin. data tab 

tells you who created this packing instruction and when. You can also specify the 

check profile here, which tells you how to manage the packing instruction. You 

can define language-dependent short texts on the Short Txts tab for each packing 

instruction. On the Dim. tab, you can specify the dimensions and weight of a 

complete pallet. 

It is important to note here that the packing instructions are not only used by 

Logistics, but also by Production. This is why all kinds of information are included 

here that do not belong to processing in delivery or shipment documents. You may 

have noticed that you can access the Customizing settings and the transactions in 

both Logistics Execution and Central Functions. 

In the packing instructions, you also have the option of specifying multiple packaging 

(materials in the box, and the box onto the pallet). Whether this function is 

of any use to you will depend on your particular business process. 


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Save your packing instruction. You are now given a corresponding packing instruction 

number. 

8.4.3 Entering Determination Rules 

In the final step, you enter the criteria — the previously defined combination of 

characteristic values — you want to use to find a packing proposal. 

Menu Path for Maintaining the Determination Rule 

Logistics • Central Functions • Handling Unit Management • Master Data • Packing 

Instruction Determination Records. Here, you can choose whether you want to 

create, change, or display packing instructions. 


POF1: Create new determination rule 

POF2: Change existing determination rule 

POF3: Display existing determination rule 

The maintenance programs follow the condition technique and have a similar 

structure (see Chapter 10, Shipping Papers and Documents). To maintain the determination 

rule, run the corresponding transaction and enter the determination type 

on the initial screen. The determination types must be available in the previously 

defined procedure. Press Enter to view the possible combinations (combinations 

of characteristic values) that you assigned to your determination type using the 

access sequence (see Figure 8.40). 

Figure 8.40 Combination of Characteristic Values (Key Combinations) for the Determination Type 

312 



Select your combination. In my example, I restrict my search to Material. If you 

have packing instructions of your own that depend on your ship-to party, then 

select the combination Material/ship-to party. Press Enter again. In the entry 

screen that now appears, enter your combination and the related packing instruction 


Figure 8.41 Entry Screen for the Combination of Characteristic 

Values and the Related Packing Instruction 

If you have a packing instruction for each material, then you must search for the 

relevant instruction. Place your cursor in the Packing instruction field and select 

the search function by clicking directly to the right of the field. Here, you can 

enter your material number and search for the corresponding packing instructions 

for this material. You maintain this in the Packing instruction field. Save the rule 

by clicking . 

A complete overview of all of the determination rules already created is displayed 

if you select 

at the start of the transaction. A pop-up then appears in 

which you enter selection criteria to restrict the size of the overview list. Press the 

F8 key or click . 

8.4.4 Accessing Packing Instructions in the Delivery Document 

Using an example in the delivery document, you will now find out how to generate 

packing proposals based on the packing instructions. Start Transaction VL02N 

to change a delivery document. Click for packing and then select the Pack.proposal 

tab. A proposal is now displayed in accordance with your packing instruction 



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8 

Packing 

Figure 8.42 Proposal for Packing from the Packing Instructions 

You can now accept this proposal and select 

, reject this proposal, or 

change it manually. If you have made changes, the system recalculates the weights 

and volumes. In doing so, it takes into account the maximum values defined in the 

packing instructions. If these are exceeded, the corresponding messages appear. 

You can also access the packing instructions directly from the sales order. Select 

Extras • Packing Proposal from the sales order menu. This can sometimes be useful 

for finding out if the requested quantity has already filled a truck or whether 

there is still space. To do this, you first need to know how many pallets fit onto 

a truck. This can be useful if you plan for full trucks in the order acceptance and 

you wish to see if this requirement has already been met and the order can be 

released for delivery. 

If you want to trigger automatic packing as soon as you have created the delivery 

document, you have to select the Automatic packing indicator at the delivery type 

level. Check your business process to see whether it makes sense to use this function. 

Also, check your batches in case you have activated batch management. 

8.5 Handling Unit Monitor 

If you work with handling units, Transaction HUMO (handling unit monitor) is 

important. This transaction is a handy drilldown reporting tool if you are searching 

for a particular handling unit. For example, your customer may have received the 

wrong pallet, or you may need to search for pallets for other reasons. 

314 


Summary 8.6 

If you know the SSCC number, you can search for the delivery document in which 

this SSCC number was created. The selection screen for Transaction HUMO is displayed 

in Figure 8.43. Run this transaction and test the various drilldown reporting 

functions, which are not described here due to space constraints. 

Figure 8.43 Selection Screen for Transaction HUMO 

8.6 Summary 

At the close of this chapter, you are now familiar with the entire range of packing 

functions: manual packing (single-level, multilevel packing), the plausibility check 

for packing, automatic packing, and the drilldown reporting functions using the 

handling unit monitor. You know how to assign SSCC numbers to handling units, 

how to delete handling units again, and how to repack them. It is now up to you 

to make the necessary Customizing settings that will ensure that you use the packing 

function optimally for your business process. 


315


You must adhere to legal requirements and regulations when sending 

dangerous goods. This chapter will show you how to obtain and use these 

requirements and regulations in the SAP system. 

9 Dangerous Goods Management 

When you send dangerous goods materials in accordance with valid regulations, 

you must follow certain requirements and adhere to rules. Dangerous goods regulations 

are a comprehensive entity and will not be discussed in detail in this 

chapter. Nevertheless, SAP software has developed a solution that you can use 

to map these regulations in most instances. This is an open solution – you must 

develop the regulations you require in function modules and embed them in the 

overall concept of the EH&S (Environment, Health and Safety) component. 

Before starting with this process of dangerous goods checks, I must introduce some 

terms from the dangerous goods regulations associated with SAP naming conventions. 

This will help you better understand these processes in the delivery and 

shipment documents. I will also introduce the terms that must be created when 

shipping dangerous goods and explain the criteria on which these terms depend. 

The EH&S component does not support the processing of tanker trucks. 

9.1 Dangerous Goods Master Data 

Regulations for transporting dangerous goods regulate and stipulate what you must 

take into account for transporting dangerous goods. To implement these rules and 

regulations into the SAP system, you must describe or classify your dangerous 

goods. To do this, you require dangerous goods master data, which adopts these 

indicators and properties (also known as substance properties) for your material. 

The dangerous goods master record was briefly introduced in Section 3.5. 

The regulations for transporting dangerous goods stipulate which quantities in 

which containers a material must be declared dangerous (smallest quantity rule), 

whether the material is actually allowed for certain shipping types (road, see, air), 


317

9 

Dangerous Goods Management 

which declarations must be printed on the shipping documents, and how pallets, 

containers, trucks, and so on, must be labeled. 

9.1.1 Validity Area 

Dangerous goods regulations are a national law, that is, every country has its 

own dangerous goods regulations. However, to achieve harmonization between 

the countries, many countries have been able to agree upon a set of dangerous 

goods regulations. The term validity areas was introduced to be able to satisfy 

these regulations agreed between countries. You must define these validity areas 


Technical Information About Validity Areas 

EE 

Path in Customizing: Environment, Health & Safety • Dangerous Goods Management 

• Basic Data and Master Data • Common Settings • Specify Validity Areas 

EE 


EE 

Table: TCG93 

Start Customizing. An overview of the validity areas already created is initially 

displayed (see Figure 9.1). 

Figure 9.1 Maintaining Validity Areas 

If you want to create a new regulation, click the button. Enter “REGION” 

under VAreaCat for the requirements of Dangerous Goods Management. Also, 

enter the new validity area and a description. Now select the row with the required 

regulation (Val. area column). Double-click the Assign Validity Area/Country 

folder. The individual countries associated with this selected regulation are now 

displayed. The same applies here if you want to create new entries — you must 

first click the button. Geographically speaking, the validity areas cover a 

group of countries or regions that support a common Dangerous Goods Management. 

Validity areas can extend over countries, but also over states or regions. 

318 


Dangerous Goods Master Data 9.1 

In principle, you must therefore enter dangerous goods data for each of these 

validity areas. In this case, the system checks to see whether a certain country 

exists in several validity areas or not. You may no longer delete dangerous goods 

areas that have been used once. If a country appears in a group a second time, you 

will receive an error message. 

9.1.2 Mode-of-Transport Category 

Another control indicator in Dangerous Goods Management is the mode-of-transport 

category. It ultimately indicates the mode of transport you use to dispatch 

your materials. You can use a base mode-of-transport category to combine all modeof-transport 

categories in order to keep the maintenance effort involved as low as 

possible. 

Technical Information About the Mode-of-Transport Category 

EE 


• Basic Data and Master Data • Common Settings • Specify Mode-of-Transport 

Category 

EE 


EE 

Table: THM151 and THM152 (language-based name) 

If you differentiate according to several modes of transport, for example, temperature-controlled 

trucks, articulated trucks, and so on, maintain these here and assign 

them to the base mode-of-transport category “01” (Road). The valid base mode-oftransport 

categories are displayed in the maintenance screen in Figure 9.2. 

Figure 9.2 Mode-of-Transport Categories and Valid Base Mode-of-Transport Categories 


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9 


The mode of transport has a significant impact on Dangerous Goods Management 

because there are different dangerous goods regulations. The regulation for the 

carriage of dangerous goods by road (ADR) contains different rules and provisions 

than the regulation for the carriage of dangerous goods by air. There is even a distinction 

here as to whether it is a passenger airplane (IATA-P regulation) or a cargo 

airplane (IATA-C regulation). You should also refer to Section 3.5 in this case. 

9.1.3 Maintaining Master Data 

As a basic principle, you must meticulously maintain the master data for Dangerous 

Goods Management. The consequences could be fatal if you print incorrect 

declarations for your materials on your shipping documents. The dangerous goods 

data is stored in the dangerous goods master record. 


DGP1: Create Dangerous Goods Master 

DGP1: Change Dangerous Goods Master 

DGP3: Display Dangerous Goods Master 

DGR1: Displaying DG Master Data 

When you call the dangerous goods master data, not only must you provide the 

material number as the key definition, you must also specify the Regulation. Figure 

9.3 lists the regulations available in the SAP system. 

Figure 9.3 Initial Screen for Maintaining Dangerous Goods Master Data 

320 


Basic Settings for the Dangerous Goods Check 9.2 

The regulation is linked to a mode of transport and the validity area through 

Customizing. 

Technical Information About the Dangerous Goods Regulation 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 



• Basic Data and Master Data • Common Settings • Specify Dangerous 

Goods Regulations 

Specific Transaction: HMCR 

Table: THM_063 

The dangerous goods master record is therefore directly assigned to a mode of 

transport and validity area. The master record contains a wealth of information 

that describes the dangerous good. This information is required to perform the 

necessary checks within the dangerous goods regulations and print complete information 

on the shipping documents. Dangerous goods data is also contained in the 

Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) messages that you exchange with your business 

partner. If this information provided by the standard SAP system is not sufficient, 

you can add some fields to the dangerous goods master record. To do this, you set 

up your own tabs where you can maintain the additional fields. 

Because the EH&S component not only develops Dangerous Goods Management 

for shipments, but must also cover the areas of product safety, hazardous substance 

management, waste management, occupational health, industrial hygiene, 

and safety, you can imagine that EH&S is a powerful and perhaps also a complex 

component. For this reason, I will discuss the most important areas to enable you 

to conduct some analyses if any errors occur in Dangerous Goods Management. 

Very often, shipping departments are not even responsible for maintaining this 

data; instead, this is the task of the officer responsible for preventing risks inherent 

in the carriage of dangerous goods. 

9.2 Basic Settings for the Dangerous Goods Check 

You can perform dangerous goods checks either in the sales and distribution document 

(customer inquiry, customer quotation, sales order, scheduling agreement or 

contract), delivery document, or shipment document. You can use these checks to 


321

9 


verify whether your order can be carried out for a specific mode of transport and 

for the corresponding countries (departure, transit, and destination countries) in 

accordance with dangerous goods provisions. You must store checking rules for 

this purpose. These checking rules are irrespective of whether it is a sales and distribution, 

delivery, or shipment document. 

9.2.1 Activating the Dangerous Goods Check 

You need to perform some steps to activate the dangerous goods check with its 

rules. In the first step, you must activate the dangerous goods check generally. 

Technical Information About Activating the Dangerous Goods Check 

EE 

EE 

EE 


• Dangerous Goods Checks and Dangerous Goods Documents/EDI • Dangerous 

Goods Checks • Activate Dangerous Goods Checks 

Specific Transaction: DGA1 

Table: TDGA1 

Here (see Figure 9.4), you simply set which function module (FM for activation 

check) is called and chosen to implement the dangerous goods check. Enter the 

standard SAP component here or program your own function module and enter 

it. Activate the check in the Checks active checkbox. If you want all of the items 

in the delivery document to be transferred to the dangerous goods check, leave 

the Dls rel. for checks checkbox blank. Set this checkbox only if you want the 

materials with a dangerous goods indicator profile to be checked (see Section 9.3). 

You maintain this profile in the DG indicator profile field on the Basic data 2 

tab (see Figure 9.5). Set the Templ. mat. proc. active checkbox if you want to 

perform the dangerous goods check once using a material. This variant will not 

be dealt with here. 

Figure 9.4 Activating the Dangerous Goods Check 

322 



Figure 9.5 Dangerous Goods Relevance in the Material Master 

9.2.2 Function Modules for Activating the Dangerous Goods Check 

In the second step, you must decide whether you want to perform the dangerous 

goods checks with your own function modules or whether you want to use the standard 

SAP function modules. I will use the standard SAP function modules here. 

A total of five function modules are provided: 

HAZMAT_CHK_VARIOUS checks the documents for completeness. If information 

is missing to perform the dangerous goods check, an error is already issued at this 

point. You will find more details about the information required in Sections 9.3 

and 9.4. 

HAZMAT_CHK_MOT checks whether transport is actually allowed for the corresponding 

mode-of-transport category. There is an indicator for this purpose in the 

dangerous goods master data. You will find it in the Not apprvd field (Transport 

not permitted) on the Classification tab. 

Particular attention is paid to substances that are poisonous by inhalation (gases 

and liquids of packing level I). HAZMAT_CHK_PIH checks the Hazd.Zone (hazard 

zone) field for this on the Exceptions tab. However, this regulation only applies to 

Regulation 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR-49, U.S. dangerous goods 

transport regulations). 

DG63_CHK_INIT_HEADER is solely used as an initialization module for header 

check methods (for example, mixed loading checks). This function module must 

be placed in the sequence before the check methods. 

DG63_CHK_MLOAD simply checks whether materials may be loaded together. 


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9 


9.2.3 Dangerous Goods Check Method 

In the third step, you assign a dangerous goods check method to these function 

modules. 

Technical Information About the Dangerous Goods Check Method 

EE 



Goods Checks • Specify Dangerous Goods Check Methods 

EE 


EE 

Table: TDGA5 

If you use your own function modules, you must enter the necessary details here 


Figure 9.6 Assignment Between Dangerous Goods Check Method and Function Module 

The Check Method Type (CMTpe column) solely indicates whether this is a header 

check method (method “02”), a header initialization method (method “03”), or an 

indicator determination within the framework of the dangerous goods documents/ 

EDI (method “01”). 

9.2.4 Usage Profile 

The fourth step involves defining a usage profile. Here, you specify when you 

want a check method to be performed. It therefore makes sense to perform check 

method 3 for regulation CFR-49 for the U.S. only. If you do not specify a usage 

profile for a check method, the check method will always be performed. 

Technical Information About the Dangerous Goods Check Method 

EE 



Goods Checks • Specify Usage Profiles for Dangerous Goods Check Methods 

324 



EE 


EE 

Table: TDGA7 

Figure 9.7 Assigning Usage Check Profiles to Check Methods 

Figure 9.7 shows the assignment. You assign the check method a mode-of-transport 

category and a validity area, for which you want this check to be carried out. 

The validity area plays a special role. You must define whether the specified validity 

area is assigned to the departure country, transit country, destination country, 

or a combination of the three country types, that is, which role the validity area 

plays. The options are also shown in Figure 9.7. 

9.2.5 Dangerous Goods Check Schema 

In the fifth step, you now define a dangerous goods check schema. Here, you define 

the sequence in which you want the individual check methods to be performed 

and which system response is to be executed. 

Technical Information About the Dangerous Goods Check Schema 

EE 

EE 




Goods Checks • Specify Dangerous Goods Check Schemas 

EE 


EE 

Table: TDGB3 

When you start Customizing, you initially get an overview of the check schemas 

already created. You only receive detailed information about the check schema 


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9 


when you select one and double-click the Assignment Check Schema/Check 

Methods folder (see Figure 9.8). 

Figure 9.8 Assigning Check Methods to a Check Schema 

The individual check methods (see Figure 9.6) now appear in sequence. The check 

method with the HAZMAT_CHK_VARIOUS function module must appear in the 

first position in the sequence, and the method with the DG63_CHK_INIT_HEADER 

module must appear before other header check methods in the sequence. 

If the check is negative, for example, if the dangerous goods regulations were violated 

due to the settings and rules, you can issue a specific message, which you 

define in the RespType, Message class, and MsgNo columns. 

Set the DocBlk checkbox if you want to lock the document from further processing 

in the event of a negative outcome. The SaCoPr checkbox (Save Collective 

Processing) indicates whether the negative document should nevertheless be saved 

if the document creation was called in the background or in the collective processing. 

You set the third checkbox, SaOnli, if, despite a negative dangerous goods 

check, you want to save the document when this is created online (for example, 

VL01N, manually creating an individual delivery document). 

The sixth step involves using the dangerous goods check schema. Here, you separately 

define when you want which schema to be performed for the sales, delivery, 

and shipment document. This point is described in Sections 9.3 and 9.4. 

Technical Information About Assigning the Dangerous Goods Check Schema 

EE 



Goods Checks • Assign Dangerous Goods Check Schemas 

EE 


326 


Dangerous Goods Check in the Delivery Document 9.3 

EE 

Table: TDGB9 for sales document 

TDGB5 for delivery documents (shipping documents) 

TDGB7 for shipment documents 

The seventh and last step is to define the Dangerous Goods (DG) check schema 

determination routine. Here, you simply define which function module you call 

for which organizational unit. This function module will perform the DG check 

schema determination routine. This is discussed in detail in Sections 9.3 and 9.4. 

You have now laid the basic foundations to perform a dangerous goods check. You must 

now maintain your hazardous substance master data in a way that a corresponding 

check can be carried out. This topic is introduced, using an example, in Section 9.3. 

9.3 Dangerous Goods Check in the Delivery Document 

You can perform dangerous goods checks either in the sales, delivery, or shipment 

document. This section discusses the dangerous goods check in the delivery document. 

To perform the check, the dangerous goods master record that depends on 

the mode of transport and validity area must be read. In the second part of this section, 

I show you how this information is determined from the delivery document 

and which settings are required. In the third part, I deal with some examples. 

9.3.1 Activating the Dangerous Goods Check for Delivery Documents 

You must first specify for which delivery documents you want a dangerous goods 

check performed on. 


EE 



Goods Checks • Assign Dangerous Goods Check Schemas • Assign Dangerous 

Goods Check Schemas for Shipping Documents 

EE 


EE 

Table: TDGB5 

Start Customizing and maintain the sales document category (“J” = delivery document, 

“T” = return delivery), delivery type, and dangerous goods check schema for 

your sales organization (see Figure 9.9). 


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9 


Figure 9.9 Activating the Dangerous Goods Check Using the Check Schema 

In this example of the “OGGE” sales organization (SOrg. column), I have assigned 

Chk schema “1” to the “J” delivery document category (ShpDocCat column) and 

the “LF” Deliv.type. 

In the second step, you must define the DG check schema determination routine 

for your shipping documents. 

Technical Information About the DG Check Schema Determination Routine 

EE 



Goods Checks • Assign DG Check Schema Determination Routines • Assign 

for Sales and Shipping Documents 

EE 


EE 

Table: TDGA3 

I have opted here for the standard SAP determination routine (“HAZMAT_CHK_ 

FIND_SCHEMA” check schema determination routine) and assigned this to the 

“OGGE” sales organization (SOrg. column) (see Figure 9.10). 

Figure 9.10 Assigning a DG Check Schema Determination Routine for Each Sales Organization 

9.3.2 Determining the Data for Performing the Dangerous Goods Check 

Certain data is required in the delivery document to ensure that the correct settings 

for performing the dangerous goods check and for determining the correct dangerous 

goods master data in the delivery document are implemented in Customizing. 

328 



Dangerous Goods Indicator Profile 

You must first declare the material itself as dangerous goods. You implement this 

setting on the Basic data 2 tab using the DG indicator profile (see Figure 9.5). 

Technical Information About the Dangerous Goods Indicator Profile 

EE 

EE 



• Dangerous Goods Checks and Dangerous Goods Documents/EDI • Common 

Settings • Specify Indicator Profiles for the Material Master 

EE 


EE 

Table: TDG41 

You set the dangerous goods indicator profile in Customizing (see Figure 9.11). If 

the material must be classified generally as dangerous goods, set the checkbox in 

the DG column. If you want the material to be included in the dangerous goods 

check, set the checkbox in the Chk column. Finally, set the Doc checkbox if dangerous 

goods information for this material has to be printed on the delivery and 

shipment documents. 

Figure 9.11 Indicator Profiles for Dangerous Goods in the Material Master 

Determining the Date for Selecting the Validity Period 

Dangerous goods master data has a validity period. This validity period is very often 

unlimited; however, there are also situations where the validity of master records 

must be limited because a change to the dangerous goods regulations has been 

announced. You can implement the changes in advance in the live system and 

give the new entries a starting validity period accordingly. You must now define 

which date from the delivery document you want to use to select the validity of 

the dangerous goods record. 


329

9 


Technical Information About Determining the Date 

EE 

EE 

EE 



Settings • Specify Date for Determination of DG Master Data 

Specific Transaction: DGCI (“J” sales document category for delivery documents and 

“T” for returns) 

Table: TDG43 

Start Customizing. As the sales document category, enter “J” for delivery documents 

and “T” for returns). Then select the relevant radio button to specify which 

date to use to select the valid dangerous goods master records (for example, current 

date, goods issue date, picking date, loading date, or per user exit). 

Identifying Countries for Determining the Validity Area 

A validity area is required to read the dangerous goods master data. This depends 

on the country. In this case, we differentiate between three categories of countries: 

departure country, transit countries, and destination country. The dangerous goods 

check is performed for a shipment for all countries involved. 

The departure country is determined from the shipping point address; for more 

information, refer to Section 2.1.5. If the address is not maintained, you must 

maintain the country directly (in the Location area). 

The destination country is also easily determined from the ship-to party’s address. 

If you also deal with transit countries, determining them is a little more complicated 

and depends on different criteria. In the first case, you have specified a route 

with route stages in your delivery document. You must define a transit country 

table in this case and set the Take transit country table into acc. checkbox in the 

route (see Figure 9.12). 

You maintain the transit country table in Customizing. 

Technical Information About the Transit Country Table 

EE 

Path in Customizing: Environment, Health & Safety • Dangerous Goods 

Management • Dangerous Goods Checks and Dangerous Goods Documents/EDI 

• Common Settings • Specify Transit Countries 

EE 


EE 

Tables: TDGT1 and TDGT2 

330 



Figure 9.12 Checkbox for Determining Transit Countries 

Start Customizing. An overview is initially displayed where you can define the 

departure country and destination country (see Figure 9.13). 

Figure 9.13 Defining Transit Countries, Part 1 of 2 

You can also assign a specific route to this combination of departure and destination 

country. The dangerous goods check first reads the data using all three criteria 

that come from the route stage. If an entry is not found, the data is read without a 

route. If an entry is then not found, the data is taken from the header of the route 

and read once more using all three criteria. If, again, no entry is found, the data is 

read again without a route. 

If you have maintained the two or three criteria, select this row and double-click 

the Assignment of Transit Countries folder. A new screen is displayed (see Figure 

9.14). 


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9 


Figure 9.14 Defining Transit Countries, Part 2 of 2 

You can now maintain your transit countries here. Serially number the entries in the 

column within a country (Counter column) because different shipping legs may be performed 

in the transit country itself (preliminary, main, and subsequent leg). You maintain 

these legs in the Leg ID column. You specify the sequence of countries passed through 

with their leg indicators in the Sequence column. All that remains now is the indicator 

in the Sea/air column. If sea or air traffic is involved, you can specify here whether the 

sea/air traffic relates to the destination (ID “02”) or departure country (ID “01”). 

Maintain all involved transit countries like this and save your entries. 

The second case is easier: you did not define any stages in the route. The transit 

countries are now generally read, regardless of whether the Take transit country 

table into acc. indicator is set in the route definition or not. 

A special case that occurs in determining the transit countries is if the shipment is 

national (the departure country and destination country are the same). The transit 

country table is only read in this special case if the Take transit country table 

into acc. indicator is set in the route header. 

Identifying the Shipping Type for Determining the Mode-of-Transport Category 

Another criterion is required to read the dangerous goods master data — the modeof-transport 

category. The mode-of-transport category is defined in the shipping 

type (for more information, refer to Section 12.3). The shipping type must therefore 

be determined for the dangerous goods check. You then assign this shipping 

type to a country (departure, transit, and destination). 

There are different cases, in turn, in determining the shipping type. In the first 

case, you use a route with stages in your delivery document. You determine the 

transit countries as explained earlier. If there is only one stage in the route, all 

transit countries are assigned the shipping type from this stage. If the departure 

country (from the shipping point) is not the same as the departure country from 

332 



the route stage, the departure country from the shipping point is assigned the 

shipping type from the route stage, unless you stored your own shipping type for 

the preliminary leg in the route header. The same applies for the destination country. 

If the destination country of the ship-to party is not the same as the destination 

country from the route stage, the destination country of the ship-to party is 

assigned the shipping type from the route stage, unless you maintained a shipping 

type for the subsequent leg in the route header. 

If there are several stages in the route, the transit countries are assigned to the route 

stages. Because each route stage has a shipping type, the corresponding shipping type 

can therefore be assigned to each transit country. When determining the departure and 

destination country, the process runs as if only one route stage were defined. Only this 

time, the comparison takes place with the first stage from the route for the departure 

country and with the last stage from the route for the destination country. 

The second case involves routes without stages. If the departure country and destination 

country are the same, the SAP system assumes that the delivery is national 

and the country is assigned all of the shipping types that were defined in the route. 

If the departure country and destination country are different, the system assumes 

that this is an international delivery. 

The departure country in this case is assigned the shipping type from the preliminary 

leg if it was defined; otherwise, it is assigned the shipping type from the main 

leg. The destination country is assigned the shipping type from the subsequent leg. 

If this has not been maintained, the destination country is assigned the shipping 

type from the main leg. The transit countries are assigned the shipping type from 

the main leg, unless you maintain the shipping type in the transit country table. 

If no transit countries are generally found, the departure country and destination 

country are assigned the shipping type from the main leg. 

If the shipping type from the main leg is assigned to the sea or air traffic mode-oftransport 

category, and you set the Sea/air indicator in the transit country table, 

this mode-of-transport category is also used for this country. If you did not set the 

indicator in the transit country table, the departure country and destination country 

of the shipping is assigned to the mode-of-transport category for sea/air. 

You have now established the validity area using the countries (departure, transit, 

and destination) and the corresponding dangerous goods regulation using the 

country and the mode-of-transport category and are now able to determine the 

correct dangerous goods master data. 


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9 


9.3.3 Examples 

I have entered a sales order with 500 units for a container that contains peroxide. 

The dangerous goods master record has not yet been released. After saving, 

the dangerous goods check log is issued (see Figure 9.15). 

Figure 9.15 Dangerous Goods Check Log After Saving 

This note indicates that the dangerous goods master record entered before has not 

yet been released for the dangerous goods check. Click the 

button. A 

comprehensive and detailed log is displayed (see Figure 9.16). 

Figure 9.16 Log for Dangerous Goods Check 

334 



All of the values required for determining the dangerous goods master data and 

the results of individual dangerous goods check methods are logged here. 

Save the delivery document in the dialog box from Figure 9.15. Now release the 

dangerous goods master record. To do this, call Transaction DGP2. Select the 

Classification tab and scroll to the right-hand margin of the screen. The processing 

status (ProcStatuscolumn) appears in one of the last columns there. The possible 

input values are displayed in Figure 9.17. 

Figure 9.17 Processing Status of Dangerous Goods Master Record 

Now set the status to “10” and save the dangerous goods master record. Call the 

delivery document again (using Transaction VL02N, Change Delivery Document). 

Select the function from the Edit • Dangerous Goods Check menu option. A dialog 

box containing a new message now appears (see Figure 9.18). 

Figure 9.18 Dialog Box After Successful Dangerous Goods Check 

For the check, select the function from the Goto • Header • Loading menu option. 

The Contains DG indicator is set here. This field is not ready for input and cannot 

be manually changed (see Figure 9.19). 


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9 


Figure 9.19 Dangerous Goods Indicator in the Delivery Document Header 

Go to the overview again, choose the item and select Goto • Item • Load and 

Transport from the menu option. The dangerous goods indicator profile (DGProfile 

field) as seen in Figure 9.20, was taken from the material master record. The 

material is now identified as dangerous goods. 

Figure 9.20 Dangerous Goods Profile in Delivery Document Item 

As another example in the dangerous goods master record, I set the indicator that 

signifies that transport using this mode of transport is not approved (see Figure 

9.21). 

Figure 9.21 Not Approved Indicator 

336 


Dangerous Goods Check in the Shipment Document 9.4 

I save this setting and start the dangerous goods check again in the delivery document. 

I now get an error message again (see Figure 9.22). 

Figure 9.22 Error Log After New Dangerous Goods Check 

If you want to perform additional checks, you must develop the corresponding 

function modules for this purpose yourself. Naturally, this is where the developer 

is required. Take the function just described as an example. The HAZMAT_CHK_ 

MOT function module, which checks the “Not apprvd” indicator, merely consists 

of four lines of code (see Listing 9.1) 

CLEAR E_REACT. 

IF NOT I_DGTMD_REC-DGTNA IS INITIAL. 

* if dgtna is not initial, the mode of transport category is not 

* permissible; in this case we set the returncode true which means that 

* the reaction which is specified in customizing, will be processed 

E_REACT = ‘X’. 

ENDIF. 

Listing 9.1 Function Module as an Example of a Dangerous Goods Check 

If you have created your function module, maintain it in the dangerous goods 

check method and arrange the check method in the required dangerous goods 

check schema. 

9.4 Dangerous Goods Check in the Shipment Document 

As was already mentioned at the beginning of this chapter, you can also perform 

dangerous goods checks in the shipment document. The first part of this section 

will show you how to activate this check for shipment documents. To be able 

to perform the dangerous goods check, the dangerous goods master record that 

depends on the mode of transport and validity area must be read. The second part 

of this section will explain how you determine this information from the shipment 

document and which settings are required. The third part is dedicated to illustrating 

some examples. 


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9 


9.4.1 Activating the Dangerous Goods Check 

for Shipment Documents 

You must first specify which shipment documents you want a dangerous goods 

check performed on. 


EE 


• Dangerous Goods Checks and Dangerous Goods Documents/EDI • 

Dangerous Goods Check • Assign Dangerous Goods Check Schemas • Assign DG 

Check Schemas for Shipment Documents 

EE 


EE 

Table: TDGB7 

Start Customizing. Maintain the dangerous goods check schema for your transportation 

planning point and shipment type (see Figure 9.23). 

Figure 9.23 Activating the Dangerous Goods Check for Shipment Documents 

The SAP system automatically inserts sales document category “8.” 

In the second step, you must define the DG check schema determination routine 

for your shipment documents, as seen in Figure 9.24. 

Technical Information About the DG Check Schema Determination Routine 

EE 



Goods Checks • Assign DG Check Schema Determination Routines • Assign 

for Shipment Documents 

EE 


EE 

Table: TDGA9 

338 



Figure 9.24 DG Check Schema Determination Routine for Each Transportation Planning Point 

I have chosen the standard SAP determination routine here (“HAZMAT_CHK_ 

FIND_SCHEMA” check schema determination routine) and assigned this to the 

“OGWB” transportation planning point (TrspPlanPt column). 

9.4.2 Determining the Data for Performing the Dangerous Goods Check 

Certain data is required in the shipment document to ensure that the correct 

settings for performing the dangerous goods check and for determining the 

correct dangerous goods master data in the shipment document are implemented 


Determining the Date for Selecting the Validity Period 

As you have already learned with the delivery document, dangerous goods master 

data has a validity period. You must now define which date from the shipment 

document you want to use to select the validity of the dangerous goods record. 

Technical Information About Determining the Date 

EE 

EE 

EE 



Settings • Specify Date for Determining of DG Master Data 

Specific Transaction: DGCI 

Table: TDG43 

Start Customizing. At the sales document category, enter an “8” for shipment documents. 

Then select the relevant radio button to specify which date to use to select 

the valid dangerous goods master records. 


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Identifying Countries for Determining the Validity Area 

A validity area is required to read the dangerous goods master data. This depends 

on the country. In this case, we differentiate between three categories of countries: 

departure country, transit countries, and destination country. The dangerous goods 

check is performed for a shipment for all countries involved. 

The departure country is determined from the address of the departure point of the 

first shipment leg (see Section 13.2), while the destination country is determined 

from the address of the destination point of the last shipment leg. 

Transit countries are determined from the address of each additional point. In the 

following cases, however, the transit countries are determined from the transit 

country table: 

EE 

EE 

EE 

There is no route in the shipment header. 

There is a route in the shipment header but there are no route stages. 

There is a route in the shipment header with route stages. The Take transit 

country table into acc. checkbox is set in the route header. 

The system first tries to determine the transit countries using all three criteria 

(route, departure country, and destination country). If no entries are found, a new 

attempt without a route is made to find the transit countries. These access attempts 

are first performed with the route from the shipment header and the departure 

country and destination country from the shipment legs (stages). If nothing is 

found, the same is attempted with the departure country and destination country 

from the shipment document. 

Identifying the Shipping Type for Determining the Mode-of-Transport Category 

In exactly the same way as for the delivery document, the mode-of-transport category 

is required for the shipment document as an additional criterion to read 

the dangerous goods master data. The mode-of-transport category is defined in 

the shipping type (for more information, refer to Section 12.3). The shipping type 

must therefore be determined for the dangerous goods check. You then assign this 

shipping type to a country (departure, transit, and destination country). 

For the countries from the shipment stages, the route is assigned from the stage 

itself. A distinction is made for the transit countries as to whether only an individual 

stage or several stages are created in the shipment document. If you have 

340 



a shipment with only one stage, the shipping type from the stage is assigned to 

all transit countries. If the shipment has several stages, the transit countries are 

assigned to the shipment legs. You can now assign the shipping type from each 

relevant transit leg to the transit countries. 

9.4.3 Examples 

I will take the delivery document from the previous example (see Section 9.3.3) 

and create a shipment. When selecting the delivery documents, I set the Only 

Delivs with Danger. Goods checkbox. After I save, nothing initially happens. 

The stages are only determined when the “Planning” status is set in the shipment 

document and I can perform the dangerous goods check. Because I have used the 

same example, the error whereby the shipment cannot be performed occurs again 


Figure 9.25 Error Log for Dangerous Goods Check in Shipment Document 

However, the situation here is a little different to the one in the delivery document. 

Because there was already something wrong with the dangerous goods check in 

the delivery document, you must first change the dangerous goods master record. 

You must then perform a new dangerous goods check on the delivery document 

and, in the last step, remove the delivery document from the shipment and select 

it again. Only then is the dangerous goods block removed in the shipment header. 

You can see the block on the Dng.goods tab. You can set the “Planning” status 

again to create the stages. 

If you now reset the indicator again in the dangerous goods master record and do 

not allow the shipment for this mode-of-transport category, you get a new error 

message (see Figure 9.26). 


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9 


Figure 9.26 Error in the Dangerous Goods Check in the Shipment Document 

If you select the 

button, you get a similar log to the one you already saw 


9.5 Dangerous Goods Documents 

You must document the shipment of dangerous goods in a very specific way (in 

accordance with dangerous goods regulations). The driver must be given information 

about first aid measures in the event of accidents. Material safety data sheets 

and tremcards are printed and issued to the carrier. The time and effort involved 

in maintaining these dangerous goods documents is quite substantial, as they must 

partly be available in several languages. 

At this point, I am merely going to consider the documents that are required for 

the shipment of dangerous goods. The most important shipping papers and documents 

have already been prepared by the SAP system for Dangerous Goods Management 

and are ready for use. These are primarily the delivery note, packing list, 

and tremcard. 

Texts relating specifically to dangerous goods are printed on these documents. 

The individual texts are saved as phrases in the EH&S component. SAP software 

designed phrase management to maintain these language-dependent texts. All standard 

texts that are printed on dangerous goods documents are managed here. 

However, supporting texts are also created for fields in the dangerous goods master 

record. If you want to maintain values for a certain field, you can display a 

selection of phrases (phrase set) for this field. These are then simultaneously used 

for the printout. 

9.5.1 Activating the Phrase Assignment 

You must activate the phrase assignment as such. To do this, start Transaction 

CGCZ or select the Logistics • Environment, Health and Safety • Basic Data • 

342 


Dangerous Goods Documents 9.5 

Tools • Match Up Master Data path from the SAP menu. An overview with different 

checkboxes is displayed (see Figure 9.27). 

Figure 9.27 Activating the Phrase Assignment 

The delivery note and packing list are already provided with dangerous goods 

texts in the standard SAP system. These are the SAPscript forms RVDELNOTE for 

delivery notes (output type LD00) and SD_PACKING_LIST for packing lists (output 

type PL00). You create both documents using output control (for more information, 

refer to Chapter 10, Shipping Papers and Documents). To ensure that the corresponding 

function modules for determining the texts are activated, you must set 

the Doc checkbox in the dangerous goods indicator profile (see Figure 9.11). 

You can also print out the tremcards using output control (output type TRM). The 

tremcards contain written instructions for the driver or crew about which firstaid 

measures they must carry out if an accident occurs. The tremcards can also be 

issued to possible rescue workers to initiate corresponding countermeasures. You 

must set the Customizing for the tremcards in Product Safety. SAP software provides 

comprehensive documentation for tremcards. 

You can “phrase” the contents for most fields from the dangerous goods master 

record that are copied into the shipping document. The phrasing process can 

roughly be described as follows: you know the field for which you want to specify 

certain values. This field is defined in a specific database table or structure. You create 

each value, which you want to maintain in this field, as an individual phrase. 

You can save dangerous goods texts for this phrase. 

To ensure that you get the possible input values, when you go to this type of field 

with your cursor and expand the input values, you must assign all values (that is, 

phrases) to this field of a phrase set. Then assign the phrase set to the field. 


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9.5.2 Phrase Set 

An example will illustrate this point: the dangerous goods master file contains the 

field Hazard Note 1. In the Phrase Set to Characteristic Assignment (Transaction 

CGAB, see Figure 9.28), you assign the “SAP_EHS_1022_026_DAIN” Phrase set 

to this field with the “PDAIN1” Fld name (Hazard Note 1) from the “DGTM2” 

Table/Structure. 

Figure 9.28 Assigning a Phrase Set to the Field in the Master Record 

9.5.3 Assigning Phrases to a Phrase Set 

You can now assign the individual phrases to this phrase set (Transaction CG1B). 

Specify the corresponding phrase set and display the phrases for this (see Figure 

9.29). 

Figure 9.29 Phrases for a Phrase Set 

In this example, note the phrase “N03.00700230” with the text “Toxic by inhalation.” 

You edit the phrase itself in Transaction CG12. You can also create new 

phrases using this transaction. 

I now call the dangerous goods master, select the Printed Texts tab and scroll to 

the Haz note 1 field (see Figure 9.30). 

344 


Summary 9.6 

Figure 9.30 Dangerous Goods Master Record, Haz note 1 Field 

“Toxic by inhalation” is maintained here in the form of the “CUST- N03.00700230” 

phrase. If I now select the icon to display the whole field selection, the phrases 

that were defined for this field using the phrase set are displayed (see Figure 

9.31). 

Figure 9.31 Possible Phrases Assigned to a Field 

This example has given you a little insight into phrase management. A major part 

of the texts that are printed on dangerous goods documents or delivery notes and 

packing lists are determined using this phrasing technique. 

In the standard SAP system, the dangerous goods data is also integrated into the 

IDoc processing (for example, EDI processing with your business partners). The 

EDI process is discussed in Chapter 16, EDI and IDocs, while output control is covered 

in Chapter 10, Shipping Papers and Documents. 

9.6 Summary 

This chapter described Dangerous Goods Management in general terms for the 

shipping and transport process. The first part discussed the basic principles of 

Dangerous Goods Management. You can find these again in the master data and 



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9 


The second part dealt with dangerous goods checks. The primary intention was 

to show you how to find the correct dangerous goods master data and which prerequisites 

you must provide in the process to find and use the correct and valid 

dangerous goods regulation. The standard SAP system simply provides examples 

here that you can copy to develop your own dangerous goods checks. 

The last part briefly covered the printing of dangerous goods data. The main focus 

here is phrase management, which is used to determine the individual dangerous 

goods texts. 

346 


At one time or another in every subprocess, it is necessary to print information, 

such as labels for handling units, delivery notes, and packing lists. 

This chapter describes the settings you need to make in the system to enable 

printing, and explains how you can create and manage your printouts. 

10 Shipping Papers and Documents 

Printouts are required to complete individual tasks throughout the entire process 

chain. Paperless picking and Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) document transfer 

notwithstanding, statutory requirements sometimes make it necessary to print 

documents and papers. In the case of dangerous goods, for example, the carrier 

has to have an exact declaration of the materials he is to carry. Printed documents 

are also required for customs processing purposes in the case of export transactions 

outside the European Union (EU). Pallets are another example; even though 

the relevant data is transferred to the goods recipient by EDI, pallets still have to 

have a label that uniquely identifies each one. 

In the SAP system, a document (such as a delivery note or an export declaration) is 

referred to as output. This chapter also uses the term output and avoids the terms 

printout and document as much as possible. SAP software opted to use output 

because the documents in question are not only printed, but are also transferred in 

the form of EDI messages. EDI output has its own format, but is created by means 

of the output determination function. 

The output control function is based on the condition technique in sales and is 

the same for all messages. The sole exception is the printing process for pick lists, 

which was dealt with in Chapter 7, Picking. The basis of output is the delivery 

document, the group, or the handling unit. There is a separate output control process 

for each of these three objects. 

The first part of this chapter will look at the relevant Customizing settings in detail. 

Then, you will learn how to handle the output in the delivery document; in other 

words, how to create it manually, how to print it if required, how to send it, and 

how to repeat it. The final part of the chapter deals with printer determination. 


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10 

Shipping Papers and Documents 

10.1 Standard SAP Printouts 

Several printouts come as standard with the SAP software. You can extend these 

standard printouts in any way you like and incorporate them into the output determination 

process. I will now give you an overview of the output determination 

function before moving on to a more detailed description. 

To process deliveries and transports, you have to create output in the delivery 

document that is then presented to the carrier in printed form. You will also have 

to print output for other purposes, such as to identify pallets and boxes, and you 

will have to send output to your partners by fax, e-mail, and EDI. A message ID is 

assigned to these various forms of output; in SAP terminology, this is the output 

type. Thus, the delivery document has its own output type, just like the packing 

list and the pallet label. The most important output types in the SAP standard are 

summarized in Tables 10.1 to 10.3. 

Output Type 

ET01 

LD00 

LD01 

PL00 

SA00 

SPAT 

TRM 

WA00 

WABS 

WB00 

Description 

Material label 

Delivery document 

Delivery document in accordance with VDA4994 

Packing list 

Shipping order in accordance with VDA standard 

Shipping order 

Tremcard 

Material tag 

Goods receipt/issue slip 

Goods receipt/issue slip in accordance with VDA standard 

Table 10.1 Overview of Standard Output Types Provided by SAP Software for Delivery Documents 

Output Type 

Description 

0001 Shipping unit 

KEP6 

Express service label 

Table 10.2 Overview of Standard Output Types Provided by SAP Software for Handling Units 

348 


Output Determination 10.2 

Output Type 

LL00 

SK00 

Description 

Freight list 

Combined pick list 

SK01 Combined pick list 1 

Table 10.3 Overview of Standard Output Types Provided by SAP Software for Delivery Groups 

At first glance, the overall output control function in the SAP system seems somewhat 

confusing, especially for readers who are new to the SAP system. Therefore, I 

will go step by step through the individual settings and the options associated with 

each one. 

It is usually developers who make the Customizing settings, and they also usually 

make any necessary adjustments to the print templates and programs. Many companies 

also use their own in-house print programs. An introduction to ABAP/4 and 

SAPScript (these are the programming languages and tools that are used to create 

print programs) is beyond the scope of this book, but there are numerous other 

books on programming in this area. 

10.2 Output Determination 

Group the output types that you require in your process to form an output determination 

procedure. Then, if the output in question belongs to the delivery document, 

assign this procedure to a delivery type. However, because not every output type 

is required in every delivery document, you can specify for each output type the 

conditions under which this output is set in the delivery document. These criteria 

are specified in the condition tables. If you have multiple criteria, group your 

criteria together in order of priority to form an access sequence. Lastly, assign this 

access sequence to an output type. Figure 10.1 shows an overview of the output 

determination concept. 


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Output 

Determination 

Procedure 

Output 

Types 

Access 

Sequence 

Condition 

Tables 

WB00 

0005 

006 

V10000 

LD00 

PL00 

Z001 

Z002 

001 

012 

etc. 

etc. 

etc. 

Output Determination per 

- Delivery 

- Group 

- Handling Unit 

Figure 10.1 Overview of the Output Determination Concept 

10.2.1 Condition Tables 

Let us now look at the condition tables. In these tables, you specify when output 

is determined. These criteria are usually very comprehensive; for example, they 

can apply to the delivery type or the shipping point. Of course, you also have the 

option to refine your criteria up to the goods recipient stage. SAP software provides 

a small number of preset tables, such as condition table 009, whose only 

criterion is the delivery type. Using the condition transactions, set the delivery 

type “L5” here. This ensures that, as a rule, output is determined when you create 

a delivery document with delivery type “L5.” Condition table 010 is a little more 

specific; it contains the shipping point and route criteria. Figure 10.2 illustrates the 

settings for this condition table. 

On the right-hand side of the screen, you can see a number of other fields that you 

can assign as determination criteria to your output type. If you create your own 

condition tables, these have to have the prefix “9” to ensure that they do not enter 

SAP software’s internal namespace. 

350 



Figure 10.2 Condition Table for the Shipping Point and Route Criteria 

Technical Information About Condition Tables 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 


Path in Customizing for outbound deliveries: Logistics Execution • Shipping • Basic 

Shipping Functions • Output Control • Output Determination • Maintain Output 

Determination for Outbound Deliveries • Maintain Condition Tables 

Path in Customizing for handling units: Logistics Execution • Shipping • Basic Shipping 

Functions • Output Control • Output Determination • Maintain Output 

Determination for Handling Units • Maintain Condition Tables 

Path in Customizing for groups: Logistics Execution • Shipping • Basic Shipping 

Functions • Output Control • Output Determination • Maintain Output Determination 

for Groups • Maintain Condition Tables 

EE 

Specific Transaction: V/60 for outbound deliveries 

V/94 for handling units 

V/G2 for groups 

EE 

Application: V2 for outbound deliveries 

V6 for groups 

V5 for handling units 

EE 

Table: – 

You maintain the condition table in the same way every time, regardless of whether 

the output is based on the delivery document, a delivery group, or the handling 

unit. 


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10.2.2 Access Sequence 

The next step is to group together your condition tables to form a logical sequence. 

The system uses the corresponding fields in the delivery document to attempt to 

determine an entry in the individual condition tables. An access sequence is used to 

impose a logical order on these condition tables. 

Open Customizing for access sequences. You will see an overview of all of 

the access sequences preset by the SAP system. If you define your own access 

sequences, these have to have the prefix “Z.” In our example, I have created the 

access sequence “Z002.” Select the row that contains Z002 and click on Accesses 

in the left-hand part of the screen. The system now displays all accesses, which you 

can now adapt to your requirements in whatever way you like (see Figure 10.3). 

Figure 10.3 Overview of the Condition Tables in an Access Sequence 

You have the option to program conditions for any access sequence, and I will 

explain more about this later. An important item on this screen is the Exclusive 

checkbox. If this box is checked, the SAP system stops the determination process 

for valid output records at the first output it finds, and stops the access sequence 

process. 


EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 




Determination for Outbound Deliveries • Maintain Access Sequences 



Determination for Handling Units • Maintain Access Sequences 



for Groups • Maintain Access Sequences 

352 



EE 


EE 

Application: V2 for outbound deliveries and groups 


V5 for groups 

EE 

Table: T682I (condition used = B) 

10.2.3 Output Type 

Now, assign this access sequence to an output type. Output types have a wide range 

of parameters, which you can view in more detail in the system if you need to. As 

before, if you define new output types, make sure to prefix these with “Z.” 

As an example, let us look at the packing list to which the access sequence “Z002” 

is assigned. In Customizing, screen for output determination maintenance, select 

the output type “PL00” (PL stands for packing list), and click on the icon. The 

screen shown in Figure 10.4 opens. 

Figure 10.4 Control Parameters for the Output Type 

This screen shows a number of tab pages on which you can set the parameters 

for this output type. On the General data tab page, for example, you can specify 

whether or not the output in question can be changed manually after it has been 

created in the system, and whether or not the output can be sent (“issued”) multiple 

times. 


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The Default values tab page contains individual fields that control when output is 

created and not created. For example, you can specify the send time of the output. 

One option here is to edit the output after the delivery document has been saved. 

In our example, I have chosen direct output to the printer. 

The Time tab page allows you to control when output is not created and when it 

is not permitted. From this tab page, you can also call up a user exit that specifies 

the output creation time itself. 

Technical Information About Output Types 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 




Determination for Outbound Deliveries • Maintain Output Types 



Determination for Handling Units • Maintain Output Types 



for Groups • Maintain Output Types 

EE 

Specific Transaction: V/34 for outbound deliveries 

V/97 for handling units 

V/G6 for groups 

EE 



V5 for groups 

EE 

Table: T685B 

It would go beyond the scope of this book to describe all of the output type parameters. 

The important thing is that you become familiar with the main ones. 

10.2.4 Output Determination Procedure 

Once all your output types are ready, group them together to form an output determination 

procedure. As before, you have the option here to specify a condition that 

determines when the output is taken into account. There is also a checkbox that 

lets you specify whether this output type is automatically determined or not. If 

you do not select this option, you will have to trigger the output type yourself. 

354 



Technical Information About the Output Determination Procedure 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 




Determination for Outbound Deliveries •Maintain Output Determination Procedure 



Determination for Handling Units • Maintain Output Determination Procedure 



for Groups • Maintain Output Determination Procedure 

EE 


EE 



V5 for groups 

EE 

Table: T683, T683S, and T683T (name) 

10.2.5 Determining the Output Determination Procedure 

Lastly, assign the output determination procedure to a delivery type or a delivery 

note item type. This is a simple assignment procedure. 

Technical Information About Assigning the Output Determination Procedure to the 

Delivery 

EE 



Determination for Outbound Deliveries • Assign Output Determination Procedures 

EE 

Specific Transaction: V/71 

EE 

EE 

Application: V2 

Table: TVLK or TVLP (in both tables, stored in the KALSM field) 

If you defined output types on the basis of handling units, the output determination 

procedure is assigned to a packaging material type (see Chapter 8, Packing). 


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Packaging Material Type 

EE 



Determination for Handling Units • Assign Output Determination Procedures 

EE 


EE 

EE 


Table: TVTY (stored in the KALSM field) 

If you use groups or wave picks in your work, you can also assign your pricing 

procedures for each group type. 


Group Type 

EE 



Determination for Groups • Assign Output Determination Procedures 

EE 


EE 

EE 


Table: TVTY (stored in the KALSM field) 

10.2.6 Requirements in the Output Determination Procedure 

You also have the option of programming your own requirements. When you do 

this, you can exclude a specific access sequence using all of the options of a user 

exit. 

Technical Information About Conditions 

EE 


Shipping Functions • Output Control • Output Determination • Define Requirements 

EE 


EE 

Table: TFRM, group indicator PBEN 

If you define your own requirements, a supporting program is available so you 

can program them. A requirement is defined using a three-digit numeric key. The 

generated program has the program name LB61Bnnn (nnn stands for the number 

of the requirement). 

356 


Output in the Delivery Document 10.3 

You are now familiar with the various options within the system settings for output 

determination. Let us move on to look at output from the viewpoint of the end user. 

10.3 Output in the Delivery Document 

Output is created either in the delivery document, for a handling unit (package 

or pallet) or for a group of delivery documents. Let us take a detailed look at the 

conditions for output determination and the functions that you can execute using 

the output type in the delivery document. These functions are representative of 

the output for the handling unit and the group, as the procedure here is not very 

different from that in the delivery document. 

10.3.1 Maintaining Conditions for Output Determination 

The first question that you have to answer and specify in the SAP system is when 

you expect specific output. You enter the answer to this question in the form of a 

condition, using the rules that you defined previously. 

1. Start function 

Start Transaction VV21 or select the following path from the SAP menu: Logistics 

• Sales and Distribution • Master Data • Output • Shipping • Create. 

2. Select output type 

You are now shown a screen in which you have to enter the output type. For 

the purposes of our example, I selected output type “LD00” (delivery note). 

Press Enter or click on the 

button. 

Figure 10.5 Selecting the Criteria for Printing a Delivery Note 

3. Select condition table 

As you can see in Figure 10.5, you are now shown a selection of possible criteria 

from which you have to choose the ones you need. In this case, I chose 


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10 


the Sales Organization/Delivery Type combination; in other words, in general, 

I need a delivery note for specific delivery types and for each sales organization. 

4. Enter your output determination criteria 

Press Enter or click on the icon. You are now shown the screen in Figure 

10.6, which allows you to input your criteria. 

Maintain your data under Sales Organization and Delivery Type. If you want to 

be able to print the delivery note, enter “1” under Medium. Other options are 

to enter “7” if you want to send the output by e-mail or “2” to be able to fax it 

from within the SAP system. The Date/Time column is also important, as you 

use it to specify when the output is created. It only makes sense to print a delivery 

note once all processes are completed. Enter the value “3” to specify that 

the output is printed either manually or by means of non-SAP programs. Enter 

“4” if you want to print the output immediately once the delivery document is 

saved. The values “1” and “2” refer to printing via batch programs. Lastly, enter 

the language in which the output is created. If you do not specify a language, 

the system attempts to create the output in the delivery language. 

Figure 10.6 Entering Your Criteria In Order to Determine the Output Type 

5. Print parameters 

Now click the button. In the screen that opens (see Figure 10.7), 

enter your printer name under Output Device. In our example, I have entered 

“LOCL” for now, as the printer determination process is described later. Under 

Number of messages, enter “1” if you require simple output of the delivery 

note without any copies. Set the Print immediately and Release after output 

options here, too. 

6. Save entries 

Save your entries. The system displays a message informing you that the condition 

records have been saved. 

358 



Figure 10.7 Parameters for Printing and Printer Determination 

10.3.2 Example of Output Processing 

For the purposes of our example, I have created a new sales order and an accompanying 

delivery document. I now select Extras • Delivery Output • Header from 

the menu bar. The system then displays an overview screen that shows the output 

that was found using the output determination procedure (see Figure 10.8). 

Figure 10.8 Overview of the Output Types Found 

The yellow traffic-light icon ( ) indicates that the Output type LD00 has not 

yet been printed (medium: “Print output”). If you want to print this output now, 

select the row with the output type in question and click the button. 

The system now displays the screen that enables you to specify additional information 


Set the Dispatch time to “Send immediately (when application is saved).” Now 

click the Back button or the icon. This takes you back to the overview screen. 

Select the row again and click on the 

button. The screen shown 

in Figure 10.10 then opens. 


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10 


Figure 10.9 Additional Printer Control Data 

Figure 10.10 Entering Printer-Specific Criteria 

I have deactivated the Print immediately option here, as I want to show you how 

spool printing works. Click the Back button again to return to the overview screen. 

Now save the delivery document. If you call up the overview screen again at this 

point (Transaction VL02N or VL03N), you will see that the traffic-light icon has 

changed to green (see Figure 10.11). 

Figure 10.11 Overview Screen After Output Type LD00 Is Printed Successfully 

Open Transaction SP01 to display the spool file (see Figure 10.12). Your delivery 

document is included here. 

360 



Figure 10.12 Overview of Spool File 

Check the checkbox at the start of the row and select the display function by 

clicking the icon. The delivery document is now displayed (see Figure 10.13). 

Figure 10.13 Delivery Document Display from Within the Spool File 

10.3.3 Output Determination Analysis 

If the output type that you expected was not generated, you can use an analysis 

tool to identify any problem that may have occurred. Start Transaction VL02N 

(Change Delivery Document) and go to the overview screen about the generated 

output types (see Figure 10.11). Choose Goto • Determin.analysis from the 

menu bar. Now, the left-hand side of the screen displays all possible output types 

that are associated with the corresponding output determination procedure (see 

Figure 10.14). 


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10 


Figure 10.14 Overview of Output Types from the Determination Log 

The right-hand side of the screen shows an overview of the output determination 

results. Output type LD00 from our example has the status “Output found.” 

If I now click on output type LD01, for example, which was not found, the details 

of the output type are displayed. In such cases, the SAP system uses the term “Condition 

type,” which means the output type. Double-click on access sequence 5. 

The system now displays the analysis (see Figure 10.15). You can see here that the 

SAP system attempted to find an output type using the correct criteria — namely, 

sales organization OGGE and goods recipient OG1001. The only thing missing is 

the determination criteria for the output type (Transaction VV21). The error text 

“Output not found” identifies this missing entry. 

Figure 10.15 Detailed Analysis Expanded to Show Output Type 

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Output Per Handling Unit and Group 10.4 

10.3.4 Repeat Printout for Output 

If you want to repeat an item of output (for printing, this means to reprint it, and 

for EDI, to resend it), select the message type in question in the overview screen 

(see Figure 10.11). Click on the 

button. The screen shown in Figure 

10.16 opens. 

Figure 10.16 Overview of Output Types After An Output Type Is Repeated. 

The SAP system uses the same output type to create another entry in the output 

table of the delivery document. Select the new output and use it as described 

earlier. 

10.4 Output Per Handling Unit and Group 

You now know how to get to the output control functions in delivery documents. 

In the case of handling units, proceed as follows. 

If you have already created your handling units in the delivery document, click on 

the icon. The Packaging screen opens (see Figure 8.12). Select a handling unit 

and select Extras • Output from the function bar. You now see the same screen 

that you already know from delivery documents (see Figure 10.8 as an example). 

To create and print output within a group (this can also be a wave pick), select 

either Transaction VG02 to change it, or Transaction VG03 to display it. Enter your 

group number. Click on the button. The screen that opens is the same as that 

in Figure 10.8, as before. 

In this section, you have learned to track, print, and repeat your output. The next 

task is to find the correct printer. 


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10 


10.5 Printer Determination 

Shipping documents and labels are not always printed centrally at one location; 

in many cases, they are printed directly at the location of the person responsible 

or at the shipping point’s shared printer. Several printer-related options can be set 

in the SAP system. If the SAP standard is not sufficient for your purposes, you can 

use SAP’s user exits. 

Nonetheless, you do still make the basic settings in Customizing. First, specify the 

criteria for each output type that are used to determine the printer. Start the Customizing 

either for outbound deliveries, handling units, or groups. In our example, 

I have again selected the output type LD00 for outbound deliveries. The screen 

shown in Figure 10.4 then opens. Select the tab page Print in this screen. You can 

see the Print param. field here; in our example, this field is prepopulated with 

“Shipping point.” Take a look at the input options for this field to see the criteria 

on which printer determination can depend (see Figure 10.17). 

Figure 10.17 Criteria for Printer Determination for Outbound Deliveries 

You can specify the printer right down to the level of the user. In our example, I 

have chosen Shipping point as the criterion. 

Next, you have to assign the printer name to the criteria you selected here. Choose 

this function in Customizing. First, you are shown three folders in which you can 

set your printer parameters for shipping, special shipping functions (such as picking 

lists), and groups. For the purposes of our example, select Shipping (V2). The 

364 


Printer Determination 10.5 

system then displays all of the output types defined for shipping. Double-click on 

Delivery note (LD00) (see Figure 10.18). 

Figure 10.18 Overview of All Output Types in the Shipping (V2) Folder 

You are now shown a new overview of all shipping points and their assigned printers. 

Scroll down to the shipping point you require if you want to view or modify 

the printer assignment, or if you want to set the printer assignment for a new shipping 

point, click the button. In our example, I set the printer assignment 

for the new Shipping point “OGM1.” The screen shown in Figure 10.19 opens. 

Figure 10.19 Entering Printer Parameters for a Selected Shipping Point 

Enter the printer name in the OutputDevice field. You can also assign a three-part 

name that identifies the printout in the SAP spool file. Here, I have selected the 


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10 


name “OGM1 LD00 Delivery note.” Check the Print immed. checkbox if you want 

to print directly to your printer. If you want the output to be deleted from the SAP 

spool file after printing, check the Rel. after print checkbox. Lastly, if you want a 

cover sheet to be printed before the main document, fill in the SAP cover page, 

Recipient, Department, and Text fields as appropriate. Save your entries. 

If you activate printer determination in the way previously stated, you may not specify 

any printer parameters in your condition (see Figures 10.6 and 10.7), as these override 

your Customizing settings. 

Technical Information About the Printer Determination 

EE 

EE 

EE 


Shipping Functions • Output Control • Define print parameters shipping 

Specific Transaction: VP01SHP 

Table: TNADx (x represents a serial number, such as “5” for printer determination per 

shipping point) 

In our example, I create a new sales order and the delivery note. I now view the 

output determination screen (see Figure 10.8) and select the 

button. The screen shown in Figure 10.20 opens. 

Figure 10.20 Printer Determination Settings Made in Customizing As Shown in the Delivery Note 

The printer parameters are copied over from Customizing. In the delivery note, I 

change the print time to “When delivery note is saved” and save this setting. If you 

take a look at the spool file (see Figure 10.21), you can see the information copied 

over from the Customizing here, too. 

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Summary 10.6 

Figure 10.21 Print Output Title in the SAP Spool File 

As you can see in this example, output determination can be set independent of 

printer determination. The same process is used for output and printer determination 

for handling units and groups. 

10.6 Summary 

This chapter looked at print control for delivery notes, handling units, and groups. 

The following is a summary of the individual steps that you have to take in the 

SAP system: 

1. Specify in Customizing the printouts and documents that you require for your 

delivery notes, handling units, and groups 

2. Specify the print activation criteria in Customizing 

3. Specify the printer determination criteria in Customizing 

4. Use the condition technique to enter information into the print activation criteria 

Once the output and printer are determined, the entire output control process 

can be modified manually. You can also use the determination analysis function to 

investigate the situation if the results are not what you expected. 


367


In the delivery document, a status is kept for each individual step in the 

shipping process, which indicates the current phase of the subprocess. This 

chapter presents all of the individual statuses and shows you how you can 

monitor your subprocesses via the delivery monitor. 

11 Status Tracking 

Based on the delivery document, shipping processing includes some processes, 

such as picking and packing, that contain a status in the delivery document with 

which you can identify whether this process has been initiated or is already 

completed. 

This chapter describes the subprocesses that can be traced via the status and which 

values the corresponding status can have. In addition, it introduces you to the 

delivery monitor with which you can determine the work list for a specific subprocess 

and monitor your processes with respect to their progress in time. 

11.1 Description of Statuses 

Chapter 5, Delivery Documents, showed you a figure that I would like to reintroduce 

at this point (Figure 11.1). This figure illustrates the subprocesses supported 

by the SAP system. 

The status of a shipping subprocess initially indicates whether the subprocess is 

carried out or not. If it is carried out it must be distinguished whether the process 

has already been started or not. If it has been started it is distinguished whether 

the process has been carried out partially or completely. A status may be valid for 

items or entire delivery documents. 


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11 

Status Tracking 

Sales Order 


In Sales Order: 

Plant Determination 

Route Determination 

Shipping Point Determination ... 

Monitoring of Due Deliveries 

Creation of Deliveries 

Goods 

Issue 

Shipping 

Papers 

Packing 

Picking 

Delivery 

Note 

Figure 11.1 Overview of Shipping Subprocesses 

A delivery document has two items: Item 1 is fully picked, Item 2 only partially. Consequently, 

the complete picking status (in the delivery header) is only “processed 

partially.” 

Therefore, the individual status of a process in the delivery items and the overall 

status in the delivery header are connected. The status itself is illustrated with a 

figure. If no figure is set, the activity that the status represents is not relevant. The 

“A” figure indicates that the corresponding subprocess has not been started. If the 

activity is partially completed, the “B” figure is set. Only if the activity is entirely 

completed, does the figure change to “C.” 

I use a table to explain the interaction between the individual item statuses and the 

overall statuses in the header. The following rules generally apply: 

EE 

EE 

If the subprocess for each item has not been started, the overall process has 

“not yet started“ at the header level. 

If the subprocesses for all items have been completed, the overall process is also 

completed at the header level. 

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Description of Statuses 11.1 

EE 

EE 

Only items that are relevant for this subprocess are considered. 

All other combinations within the individual items indicate that the overall process 

has been partially completed. 

Table 11.1 gives an overview of the possible combinations. 

Var. 1 Var. 2 Var. 3 Var. 4 Var. 5 Var. 6 Var. 7 Var. 8 

Header status A B B C A B C blank 

Status Item 1 A A C C blank blank blank blank 

Status Item 2 A A B C A C C blank 

Status Item 3 A C C C A A C blank 

Table 11.1 Overview of Interaction of the Statuses at Header and Item Level 

Furthermore, there are statuses that are less relevant for shipping, for example, 

billing status or credit check status. This also includes statuses that only exist in 

the delivery header but not for the item, for example, the transportation planning 

status. 

In the delivery document there are different screens to view the status. An overview 

of all statuses can be found in the overview screen in the Status Overview 

tab (see Figure 11.2). 

Figure 11.2 Overview of all Statuses in the Delivery Document 


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To go to the detail screen in the delivery header, select the path Goto • Header 

• Processing in the menu bar or click on the icon. In this screen all delivery 

header statuses are displayed, including a short description (see Figure 11.3). 

Figure 11.3 Overview of all Statuses in the Delivery Header 

Similar to the overview screen for the delivery header, there also exists a status 

overview for each item. From the overview screen you can go to the status by 

selecting the respective item and using the path Goto • Item • Processing in the 

menu bar. A screen as shown in Figure 11.4 will be displayed. 

Figure 11.4 Overview of all Statuses in the Delivery Item 

372 



11.1.1 Shipping-Specific Statuses 

Shipping-specific statuses describe the corresponding subprocess, which can be 

considered as shipping activities. I present the statuses in the commonly used 

sequence of the individual subprocesses. 

Picking Status 

The Picking status indicates the status of the picking process. The status is valid for 

the item and as the overall status in the delivery header. In principle, the status 

can have the values listed in Table 11.2. 

Status 

Blank 

A 

B 

C 

Description 

Not delivery-relevant (for example, text item) 

Not yet picked 

Picking started, but not completed 

Fully picked 

Table 11.2 Values of the Picking Status 

Here, it must be distinguished whether Warehouse Management (WM) or lean 

WM is used in the warehouse or not. If WM or lean WM is used, the picking status 

is set to value “C” after a transport request has been created. Now, the WM status 

is indicated showing the picking progress. 

Directly after a picking quantity has been entered in the item, the status changes to 

“B” or “C,” if the picking quantity corresponds to the wanted delivery quantity. If 

it remains set at “B,” and picking is completed with a subset due to missing stocks 

or other reasons, the delivery quantity must be adjusted to the picking quantity to 

change the status to “C” (see Section 7.4). 

Due to rounding differences between the delivery quantity unit and the WM 

quantity unit, it is possible that the picking quantity and the delivery quantity are 

identical and the picking status is still “B.” This problem can generally be solved by 

selecting the corresponding item and then the path Edit • Copy Picked Quantity 

as Deliv. Quantity in the menu bar. Here, you must be particularly careful to not 

complete correct partial pickings. 


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User exit 

Should this problem occur on a frequent basis, the SAP Extension V50PSTAT must be 

activated. More details on this user exit can be found in Section 7.4.5. With this extension 

you can adjust both quantities in case of rounding differences. 

If you work with batch split items in the delivery document, the superitem is not relevant 

for picking any longer. Now, the batch split items assume tracking of the picking 

status (see Figure 11.5). 

Figure 11.5 Picking Status for Subitems 

WM Status 

If you use WM or lean WM for picking, the WM status supersedes the picking 

status. When a transfer order has been created, the picking status changes immediately 

from “A“ to “C“ and the WM status from “A“ to “B.“ When the transport 

request is fully confirmed, the WM status changes to “C.“ 

If, however, the transfer order was confirmed with a difference, that is, the quantity 

requested could not be picked, the picking status changes from “C“ to “B“ and 

the WM status from “B“ to “C.“ In summary, combinations, as shown in Table 11.3, 

are possible (provided WM or lean WM is used). 

374 



Picking 

Status 

WM 

Status 

Description 

Blank Blank Not delivery-relevant or WM-relevant (for example, text item) 

A A No current transfer order created 

C B Transport request created, but not confirmed yet 

C C Transport request fully confirmed 

B C Transport request confirmed with differences 

Table 11.3 Values of a WM Status in Combination with the Picking Status 

“Picking” Confirmation Status 

The confirmation status provides information on the confirmation status of picking 

quantities. Normally, this status is only deployed when neither WM nor lean 

WM is used for picking. You can create picking confirmation requirements for 

each shipping point. In this case, you must confirm the goods picked by using the 

delivery document. 

Here, the fact that the confirmation status is set to “C” after a transfer order from 

WM or lean WM has been confirmed is an exception. The values that the confirmation 

status can have are shown in Table 11.4. 

Status 

Blank 

A 

B 

C 

Description 

Not subject to confirmation 

Picking not yet confirmed 

Picking partially confirmed 

Picking fully confirmed 

Table 11.4 Values of the Picking Confirmation Status 

Packing Status 

If you pack using the SAP system, the packing process can also be traced via the 

packing status. Table 11.5 compiles the corresponding statuses and the respective 

descriptions. 


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11 


Status 

Blank 

A 

B 

C 

D 

Description 

Not yet packed, but packing not mandatory 

Item or delivery requires packing; packing has not yet been started 

Items packed partially 

Items packed completely 

Only available at the header level: One or more empty handling units were 

created, but not packed yet 

Table 11.5 Values of the Packing Status 

For the packing status at the header level, there is one more status value than at 

item level: packing status “D.” If the required handling units have already been 

created in the delivery document and nothing has been packed so far, the status 

at the header level is set to “D.” 

Transportation Planning Status 

If you use transportation planning during your shipping process (see Chapter 12, 

Shipment), the status of the transportation creation can be traced with the transportation 

planning status. The status is only indicated at header level of the delivery 

document. The values available for this status are listed in Table 11.6. 

Status 

Blank 

A 

B 

C 

Description 

Delivery document not provided for transportation planning 

Delivery document relevant for transportation planning, but not yet processed 

Transportation partially created for this delivery document (only applies for 

transportation chain — preliminary leg, main leg, etc.) 

Transportation creation completed 

Table 11.6 Values of the Transportation Planning Status 

Goods Issue Status 

The goods issue posting is the last function in the shipping process (see Chapter 

17, Goods Issue). The goods issue status provides information on if the materials 

have already left the plant and if the goods issue has been posted. The goods 

issue is posted for the entire delivery document which means that the status “B“ 

376 



provided in the SAP documentation is virtually omitted. This status is provided at 

the header and item level. Table 11.7 shows the meanings of the individual status 

values. 

Status 

Blank 

A 

B 

C 

Description 

Delivery document (for example, mere service) or delivery item is not relevant 

for goods issue posting (for example, text item) 

Relevant for goods issue posting, but not implemented yet 

Goods issue posting implemented partially 

Goods issue posting completed 

Table 11.7 Values of the Goods Issue Status 

11.1.2 Non-Shipping-Specific Statuses 

There are some non-shipping-specific statuses that may influence individual 

processes. 

Overall Status of Credit Checks 

At the delivery header level, the overall status of credit checks provides information 

on credit checks. As a prerequisite, Credit Management in the SAP system must 

be used. If the credit check revealed that a specific credit limit arranged with the 

customer has been exceeded, the status is set to prevent further processing of the 

delivery document. 

Billing Status 

After goods issue posting (if goods issue is relevant) the sales order delivered is 

usually billed. The billing status indicates whether a bill has already been created. 

If you have to correct documents or processes in the shipping process (due to 

errors in the shipping and transport processes that were detected too late), corrections 

are very complex when the bill has been created. 

Billing Status for Internal Billing 

If a goods delivery is not delivered to a customer, but to one of your off-premises 

warehouses or are transferred to another plant (stock transport order), these val- 


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11 


ues can be internally billed between the plants. The billing status, internal billing, 

replaces the billing status. 

POD Status 

The last status to present is the POD status. POD stands for “Proof of Delivery.” You 

can agree with your off-premises warehouses or even with your customers that 

receipt of shipped materials must be confirmed by the ship-to party (customer or 

your own plant). When the receipt with the correct quantity of all materials was 

confirmed, the POD status is set. Only when the POD status is set, will billing be 

possible. POD processing is activated in the customer master. 

11.1.3 User-Specific Status 

In addition to the SAP standard statuses described, there are five additional status 

fields at the header and item level that can be used individually. To set these status 

fields, SAP software has developed two user exits. 

Using the include module LV50PFZA you can set five status fields, UVP01 to 

UVP05. One example is described in subroutine USEREXIT_SET_STATUS_VBUP. 

You can overwrite this example with your own solution. 

Include module RV45PFZA is required for the status fields, UVK01 to UVK05 at 

the delivery header level. Use subroutine USEREXIT_SET_STATUS_VBUK here. 

11.2 Delivery Monitor 

To monitor the entire shipping process, to detect backlogs and delivery documents 

left at some point in the process, and to gain a general overview of the total volume 

generated during the previous days, the delivery monitor can be used. Start the 

delivery monitor via Transaction VL06O or via the SAP menu using the path Logistics 

• Logistics Execution • Information System • Shipping • Lists of Outb. 

Deliveries • Outbound Delivery Monitor. As shown in Figure 11.6, a selection 

screen is displayed in which you can select from various lists. 

378 


Delivery Monitor 11.2 

Figure 11.6 List and Selection Options in the Delivery Monitor 

With regard to our statuses, the following delivery documents are displayed: 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 

For Picking 

All picking-relevant delivery documents are displayed for which picking needs 

to be performed. The SAP system has set the selection to picking status “A” or 

“B.” Delivery documents for which the entire goods issue was posted (goods 

issue status “C”) are not selected. 

For Confirmation 

All delivery documents with compulsory confirmation are listed which have 

not been confirmed yet. The SAP system has set the selection to confirmation 

status “A” or “B.” Delivery documents for which the entire goods issue was 

posted (goods issue status “C”) are not selected. 

For Loading 

All delivery documents that have not been posted for goods issue are displayed, 

that is, their goods issue status is not “C.” 

For Goods Issue 

All delivery documents that have not been posted for goods issue are displayed, 

that is, their goods issue status is not “C.” However, the following requirements 

must be met for selection: The picking status must either be blank (not relevant 

for picking) or set to “C” (fully picked), the confirmation status must either 

be blank (not subject to confirmation) or set to “C” (fully confirmed), and the 

WM status must be blank (not WM-relevant) or set to “C” (fully picked in WM 


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EE 

EE 

EE 

or lean WM). All processes that are implemented prior to goods issue posting 

must be fully completed. 

For Transportation Planning 

All delivery documents that are relevant for transport with transportation planning 

status “A” or “B” are displayed. Delivery documents for which the entire 

goods issue was posted (goods issue status “C”) are not selected. Status selection 

can be changed manually. 

List Outbound Deliveries 

All delivery documents independent of their status are displayed. This list can 

be used for evaluations (for example, the quantities loaded on the previous 

day). 

For Distribution 

All delivery documents picked via a decentralized WM system are displayed 

here. The decentralized WM system is a warehouse management system managed 

with SAP software, which, however, is not integrated in the running SAP 

system, but works autonomously. Note the topmost row for all options. Here, 

you can determine whether you want to select outbound deliveries, inbound 

deliveries, or both. My example is limited to outbound deliveries. 

For example, if you select List Outbound Deliveries, a selection screen very similar 

for all functions is displayed (see Figure 11.7). 

Figure 11.7 Selection Screen for the Delivery Monitor 

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Delivery Monitor 11.2 

Enter your selection. In my example, all delivery documents from Shipping Point 

“OGM1” for which goods issue was planned between April 1, 2007, and May 31, 

2007, are displayed. 

In this program, you can specify a variant for recurring selection criteria. For specifying, 

managing, or selecting variants refer to Section 5.3.2. 

In the initial screen (see Figure 11.6), click the 

button to display the 

SAP standard variant on the right side of the functions. This cannot be modified 

to your specific needs. 

Start the delivery monitor after you have specified your selection criteria. An overview 

screen is displayed after you have selected your delivery documents (see 

Figure 11.8). 

Figure 11.8 List of all Outbound Deliveries Selected 

Only in rare cases is the information provided by the SAP system in its standard 

delivery monitor sufficient. However, you can define and save your own layout, 

which can be retrieved for each new list. Refer to Section 5.3.2 for creating and 

modifying list layouts. 

User Exit 

In connection with the delivery monitor, SAP software provides two function modules 

from Extension V50Q0001. The first function module, EXIT_SAPLV50Q_001, is a user 

exit that can be used to fill fields in the display. For this purpose, you must use include 

ZXV50QU01, which has already been created. 

The second function module, EXIT_SAPLV50Q_002, with include ZXV50QU02, can be 

used to create additional message types. 


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11.3 Summary 

This chapter introduced the delivery monitor. Due to the different statuses that a 

subprocess can have within the shipping activities, you can trace and monitor the 

entire shipping process via the delivery monitor. This chapter also explained the 

values the statuses can accept in the delivery document. 

382 


In the SAP system, the shipment document is used to map the shipment 

of goods to the ship-to party. This chapter will present the structure and 

creation of shipment documents and the basic principles of various functions, 

such as partner determination, texts, and routes. 

12 Shipment 

Shipment documents are sales documents that map the shipment of materials to 

one or more ship-to parties. Until now, only delivery documents that form the 

basis for certain activities resulting in the loading of ordered materials were presented. 

However, a delivery document does not always constitute a physical transport 

— in many cases several delivery documents are handled in one shipment. 

The first part of this chapter describes the structure of shipment documents and 

explains the creation options provided by the SAP system. You will get to know 

the different shipment types (for example, preliminary, main, subsequent, and 

direct leg as well as sea freight, air freight, and so on) and how you can map them 

in your system. 

In shipment documents, deadlines are maintained and traced. This chapter explains 

the individual deadlines and their determination. Like in delivery documents, you 

can also enter partners and texts. How this is implemented and which Customizing 

entries must be made is described in this chapter as well. 

Finally, this chapter addresses the influence of routes on the creation and implementation 

of shipments and presents the interface required for working with an 

external transportation planning system. 

12.1 Shipment Documents 

Shipment documents, which are also referred to as shipment in the SAP system, 

are used to determine data relating to transfer as well as to plan and monitor shipments. 

One or more delivery documents are assigned to the shipment. 


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12 

Shipment 

At this point, you must note the following terms: Shipments are carried out to transport 

goods from your enterprise or warehouse to the ship-to party, whereas transport requests 

(from Warehouse Manager [WM] or lean WM) are used for shipments within the warehouse. 

I recommend adopting this terminology. In the shipment document, shipment 

is mapped. I have also come across the terms forwarding instruction or shipping order. 

These also refer to the shipment document. You must therefore differentiate between 

shipment and transport request. 

12.1.1 Shipment Document Tasks 

Often, and particularly in larger enterprises, the departments that process delivery 

documents and shipment documents are separated. Figure 12.1 illustrates typical 

tasks that must be carried out to implement shipments. 

For example, if the forwarding agent has not yet been determined (because the 

customer has not defined a specific forwarding agent), the MRP controller must 

find a suitable forwarding agent. He must know in advance the shipping quantity 

and when the goods are supposed to be collected and shipped. Forwarding companies 

usually calculate loading meters or weight, in rare cases also volume (very 

often for air freights if, in comparison, the volume is higher than the weight). The 

deadlines must also be taken into account, in particular the date when the ship-to 

party must receive the material. 

In many cases, enterprises conclude outline agreements with forwarding agents. 

Pending shipments are increasingly shipped via Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) 

to the forwarding agent. This EDI output contains all information required by the 

forwarding company to implement on-time shipments and prepare the labeling of 

trucks or containers for possible shipment of dangerous goods. 

Some shipments are not forwarded to the ship-to party directly, but to load transfer 

points or cross-docking stations first. For this purpose, the routes may have to 

be adjusted and legs determined. MRP and implementation of a shipment may 

be more complex if materials are shipped via sea freight or air freight. Customs 

offices, ports of departure (either sea port or airport), and ports of destination must 

be considered in leg planning. 

384 


Shipment Documents 12.1 

Determining and 

Commissioning 

Forwarding Agent 

Planning 

Deadlines 

Determining 

Routes, 

Stages, and 

Legs 

Recording 

Texts and 

Remarks 

Generating 

Output, Printing 

Shipping Papers 

Tasks in 

Shipment Processing 

Determining, 

Registering, and 

Loading of 

Means of 

Transport 

Posting Goods 

Issue 

Determining 

and Settling 

Shipment 

Costs 

Creating 

Invoices for 

Deliveries 

Figure 12.1 Overview of Shipment Processing Tasks 

Texts and further information required for processing are entered in the shipment. 

When the truck is at the gate for loading, information about the vehicle and driver 

are recorded and entered in the shipment. The shipping papers are either printed 

now or are already prepared for handing over to the driver. In some cases, goods 

issue posting is implemented by the shipment processing employee when the 

materials have left the shipping point. 

When shipment is finally completed, and materials have left the company, you can 

calculate the shipment costs. The shipment costs calculated can be forwarded to 

your Accounting department. You can issue credit memos if you and the forwarding 

agent have agreed on a credit memo process for shipment settlement. You can 

also bill your customer for the shipment. 

When you compare the individual tasks of delivery documents (for instance, picking, 

batch determination, accept and coordinate actual delivery quantities, enter 

packaging data, etc.) with shipment documents, significant differences can be 

observed between them. 


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12 

Shipment 

12.1.2 Structure of Shipment Documents 

For tasks which must be carried out to implement shipments, special departments 

exist that have specific organizational structures within the enterprise. These are 

called transportation planning points. In Section 2.1.7 you can find the definition 

for this unit and the information required for creating specific transportation planning 

points. 

The transportation planning point is assigned to a company code. This assignment 

is required if shipment costs are calculated via the SAP system and transferred to 

the Accounting department. Moreover, the transportation planning point has its 

own address. Further characteristics are not recorded for the transportation planning 

point. Each shipment document is allocated to a transport planning point. 

Delivery documents form the basis for shipment creation. As delivery documents 

come from different sources (for example, sales orders, stock transport orders, 

project deliveries, subcontractor special stock) you can also map shipments for 

each source document. You can bundle several delivery documents in one shipment, 

whereas this is only recommended if the delivery documents match logistically 

(for example, same route, same ship-to party). The structure of shipment 

documents in the SAP system can easily be derived from this information. 

Like all other documents, shipment documents contain header data, which can be 

found in the shipment header (see Figure 12.2). In the shipment header you can 

find general information that is valid for the entire shipment independent of the 

delivery documents. This includes, for example, deadlines for tracking individual 

activities, duration, and distances of the entire shipment, forwarding agent (there 

may be exceptions for multilevel shipments with various forwarding agents) as 

well as accumulated weights and volumes. 

Shipment items do not actually exist, but delivery documents assume the task of 

an item. Each delivery document that is mapped in a shipment constitutes a shipment 

item. 

Another special function for shipment documents is the stage. Stages form a leg 

between a starting point and an end point. For individual shipment, which starts 

at a shipping point and ends at the ship-to party, a stage would be generated in 

the shipment. The shipping point would be the starting point and the ship-to party 

would be the end point. If you bundle several delivery documents, each ship-to 

party would constitute a new end point, whereas the starting point of a stage is 

the end point of the previous stage. 

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Shipment Document 

Header 

Items: 

Delivery 80004812 

Delivery 80004913 

Stages: 

From Shipping Point 

to Ship-To Party 1 

From Ship-To Party 1 

to Ship-To Party 2 

Deadlines, 

Partners, 

Texts, 

Statuses, 

Duration and Distances, 

Dangerous Goods, 

Additional Data, 

Total Weight, 

etc. 

Addresses, 

Itinerary, 

Single Weights and Volumes, 

etc. 

Starting Point, 

Destination Point, 

Duration and Distances, 

Partners, 

Deadlines, 

etc. 

Figure 12.2 Structure of Delivery Documents in the SAP System 

If these five delivery documents are processed in one shipment, a shipment header is 

generated. The shipment includes five items (as a total of five delivery documents are 

available) and three stages (Stage 1 from shipping point to E. Winzig in Munich, Stage 

2 from E. Winzig in Munich to A. Klein in Augsburg, and Stage 3 from A. Klein in Augsburg 

to F. Groß in Ingolstadt). 

Delivery Document Number 

Ship-To Party 

80014649 A. Klein, Augsburg 

80014652 F. Groß, Ingolstadt 


80014655 E. Winzig, Munich 


The processes (see Figure 12.1) carried out at a transportation planning point must 

be indicated in the shipment document. Because these processes are different (for 


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Shipment 

example, domestic shipments, sea freights) they are controlled via the shipment 

type. The tasks controlled by the shipment type can be found in Figure 12.3. 

Assignment of Numbers 

Text Types to 

Determine Texts 

Saving 

Shipment Characteristics 

(Mode of Transport, 

Forwarding Agent, etc.) 

Creating Output 

(EDI, Papers) 

Shipment Type 

Determining 

Shipment Stages 

Scheduling Planned 

Dates and Actual Dates 

Loading and 

Packing 

Figure 12.3 Overview of the Functions for Each Shipment Type 

User Exit 

A user exit is provided to change field attributes in the shipment document. For example, 

fields that are not required can be hidden or set to “Not ready for input” or to 

“Input required.” This involves SAP enhancement V56BMOD, function module EXIT_ 

SAPLV56B_001, and include ZXV56U34. 

12.1.3 Shipment Types 

Prior to presenting the individual tasks of each shipment type, I will explain the 

shipment scenarios supported by SAP. The simplest case is the individual shipment. 

For individual shipment there is only one point of departure and one point of 

destination. Generally, the shipping point is the point of departure and the shipto 

party is the point of destination. The shipment may consist of several delivery 

documents, but has only one ship-to party. For a delivery document only one 

shipment document can be generated, which is carried out via a specific mode of 

transport and one forwarding agent. 

The shipment type predefined by the SAP system is “0001” (see Figure 12.4). For 

the shipment completion type, “1” (loaded outbound shipment) was entered. 

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In process control, “1” (individual shipment using one mode of transport) was 

entered as well. In this case, the individual shipment is a direct leg (Leg indicator 

is “4”). 

Figure 12.4 Characteristics of Individual Shipments 

Technical Information About the Shipment Type 

EE 

EE 


Path in Customizing: Logistics Execution • Transportation • Shipments • Define 

Shipment Types 

EE 


EE 

Table: TVTK and TVTKT (language-dependent name) 

In some cases, for example, for shipment types, the shipment type is not shown even 

if the field including all its valid values is expanded. You only see the description. To 

avoid this problem, you must set the 4 places shipment type as a prefix to the respective 

name “0001 Individual Shipment” as shown in Figure 12.5. Another option to display 

additional IDs is to check the Show key in all dropdown lists checkbox via the icon, 

the Options path, and the Experts tab. There are usually identical names for different 

shipment types. In that case, you hardly ever find the correct shipment type. 

Another frequently used variant is the collective shipment. Collective shipments 

have one or more points of departure and one or more points of destination. If 

several points of destination are involved, the shipment document includes several 

delivery documents and different ship-to parties. In case of several points of 

departure, for example, loading will be performed at different shipping points. 

Usually, one forwarding agent is involved. 


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Shipment 

Figure 12.5 Input of Shipment Types when Creating a Shipment Document 

In the SAP system, the shipment type “0002” is predefined. Initially, the only difference 

in Customizing is in Process Control. Here, “3” (collective shipment using 

one mode of transport) is entered. 

For transportation chains the process is more complex. A transportation chain is 

characterized by several shipments and possibly different forwarding agents. Usually, 

this includes sea and air freights, as shown in Figure 12.6. 

Shipment 1 

Deliveries 1 and 2 

Shipment 2 

Delivery 3 

Shipment 1: From 

Shipping Point Munich 

to Hamburg Port 


Central Warehouse 

Stuttgart to Hamburg 

Port 

Shipment 3 

Deliveries 1, 2, and 3 


Hamburg Port to Sydney 

Port 


Sydney Port to Ship-To 

Party in Sydney 



Party in Melbourne 



Party in Perth 

Shipment 4 

Delivery 1 

Shipment 5 

Delivery 2 

Shipment 6 

Delivery 3 

Figure 12.6 Diagram of a Transportation Chain Including Preliminary, Main, and Subsequent Leg 

390 



The preliminary leg has “1” (preliminary leg) as the Leg indicator. In the SAP standard, 

you can find shipment type “0004” (preliminary leg by road). In preliminary 

legs, several deliveries are collected at a specific point in advance (in our example, 

Hamburg port) for further collective shipment. 

This further collective shipment is called main leg with the Leg indicator, “2” (main 

leg). Here as well, the SAP system provides predefined shipment types that depend 

on the mode of transport, for example, “0005” (main leg by sea). In this case, all 

deliveries are jointly shipped from Hamburg port to Sydney port (Australia). 

From the port of destination, the deliveries are finally transferred to the ship-to 

party. This shipment type is called subsequent leg. At this point, you determine 

shipments in a logistically useful manner with regard to ship-to parties. The subsequent 

leg has Leg indicator, “3” (subsequent leg). The SAP system predefined 

this shipment type as “0006.” 

There is another transportation scenario I want to mention at this point: empty 

return shipment to the plant. This process can also be implemented with a specific 

shipment type. “Empty outbound shipment” must be entered as the shipment 

completion type here. 

Using the shipment types, various processes can be set. Refer to Figure 12.3 for 

this purpose. Each shipment document is identified via a number. This document 

number is determined or defined either internally (after its creation in the SAP 

system) or externally (manual input). 

The shipment completion type only indicates whether shipments are loaded or 

empty. Usually, this problem only occurs if you use your own vehicles in the 

enterprise. In many cases, the vehicles return empty after the material was shipped 

to the customer. 

For leg determination, refer to Section 13.2. I have already mentioned the leg indicator. 

It only indicates whether it is a preliminary, main, subsequent, or direct leg. 

But you also control processes that you already know from delivery documents: 

Shipment documents also have empty texts. You can assign output types to shipments. 

Partner determination must be defined for each shipment type. You can 

specify a shipping type for this shipment type. These functions are explained in the 

following sections. 

I have already explained that delivery documents are selected and bundled in shipments. 

There are certainly processes in your enterprise for which no shipments are 


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Shipment 

made. In this case it is useful to not enable shipment creation for these delivery 

documents. They are not relevant for transport. 

Transport relevance depends on three different objects: delivery type, delivery 

item type (at least one item type must be relevant for transport), and route. All 

three objects must be relevant for transport. If just one object is not relevant, 

shipment cannot be created for this delivery document. The transport relevance 

is maintained in Customizing. Figure 12.7 shows the transport relevance for each 

route. This figure also applies to delivery type and delivery item type. 

Figure 12.7 Setting the Transport Relevance for Each Route 

Check the boxes in the Rel. for transport column if you want to create shipment 

documents for the respective route, delivery type, or delivery item type. If 

no transport relevance is set, the transport planning status remains empty in the 

delivery document. If the box is checked, the transportation planning status is set 

to “A” upon creation of the delivery document. 

Technical Information About the Transport Relevance 

EE 

Path in Customizing: Logistics Execution • Transportation • Shipments • Maintain 

Transportation Relevance 

EE 


EE 

Table: TVLK for each delivery type, TDIIX field, TVLP for each delivery item type, 

TPREL field, and TVRO for each route, TDIIX field 

You are now familiar with all of the basic settings required for creating a shipment 

document, transport planning point, and shipment type. Let us continue with the 

creation of shipments. 

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Creation of Shipments 12.2 

12.2 Creation of Shipments 

Before describing the creation of shipments in detail, I will give an overview of the 

options provided in the SAP system. 

12.2.1 Creating Individual Shipment Documents Manually 

Initially, you have the option of creating a shipment document manually. For this 

purpose, you can call the function with Transaction VT01N or via the following 

menu path: Logistics • Logistics Execution • Transportation • Transportation 

Planning • Create • Single Documents. The initial screen (see Figure 12.8) is 

displayed where you have to determine the TransportationPlanningPt and the 

Shipment type. 

Figure 12.8 Initial Screen for Creating an Individual Shipment Document 

In the second step, you have to select the delivery documents that you want to 

include in this shipment. Select the 

button to display a comprehensive 

selection screen (see Figure 12.9). 

Figure 12.9 Comprehensive Selection Screen for Delivery Documents Due for Shipment 


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Shipment 

Section 12.3 describes how you can fill this selection screen, how you can display 

your relevant fields and their contents via a variant, and how you can assign this 

variant to your user master. A new overview (see Figure 12.10) opens when one 

or more delivery documents are selected. 

Figure 12.10 Overview of Selected Delivery Documents 

First, this screen appears to be very complex. Section 12.3 describes how selected 

delivery documents are accepted, removed, or added, and how delivery documents 

are shifted from other shipments, if required. 

To go to the normal view of the shipment document, click on the 


icon (see 

In the upper part of the screen there are five tabs: 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 

Processing 

This tab provides the most important information from the shipment header as 

well as the shipment document status. 

Identification 

Here, the shipment number is shown if it has already been assigned, as well as 

further external identifications and the shipment route. 

Shipment cost calculation 

This tab includes control information required for shipment cost settlement. 

Control 

Here the most important characteristics defined in Customizing for the shipment 

type can be viewed. 

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EE 

Administration 

This tab gives a brief overview of who created the shipment document and 

when it was last modified. 

Figure 12.11 Normal Overview of the Shipment Document 

In addition, in the lower half of the screen, other tabs can be found which are 

described in greater detail in the following sections. 

Save your shipment document via the icon. The SAP system will then provide 

the number of the saved shipment documents. 

User Exit 

During processing and saving, two function modules run that can be used to update 

your own tables. This is SAP enhancement V56USVDO. The function module EXIT_SAP- 

LV56U_005 with include ZXV56U10 provided here is called during shipment document 

processing to prepare or directly save own tables. 

Moreover, you can use SAP enhancement V56USVDP in combination with function 

module EXIT_SAPLV56U_004 and include ZXV56U11. This function module is called 

when the SAP standard tables are prepared for saving. You can now either update and 

save your own tables or make changes in your shipment document. You must be particularly 

careful as changes in the shipment document are not checked for plausibility 

again. 


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Shipment 


Processing Using Work Lists 

To create shipment documents via collective processing, start Transaction VT04 

or select the following path: Logistics • Logistics Execution • Transportation 

• Transportation Planning • Create • Collective Processing. A selection 

screen is displayed (see Figure 12.12). Set the radio button to Create outgoing 

shipments. 

Figure 12.12 Selection Screen for Collective Processing 

Note that in this screen some processing rules must initially be determined. The 

first rule affects selection. To select delivery documents that you want to process, 

you must create a variant including your selection criteria. If such a variant already 

exists, you can enter it in Selection variant. If no variant exists, enter the name 

of your future selection variant and click on the 

button behind it. Enter 

your selection criteria and then save your variant. For variant maintenance refer 

to Section 5.3.2. 

The second rule determines which delivery documents can be bundled in one 

shipment document. These are called grouping criteria. Here as well, a variant is 

created. Name the variant (for example, “Augsburg”) and select the but- 

396 



ton behind it. A comprehensive maintenance screen for grouping criteria is now 

displayed (see Figure 12.13). 

Figure 12.13 Criteria for Grouping Delivery Documents in One Shipment Document 

Let us start with the grouping criteria. The following five fields are already displayed: 

Shipping point/Receiving Pt, Loading Point, Number of ship-to party, 

Route, and Number fwd. agent. You now have to consider a scenario with which 

criteria you want to group your delivery documents. For example, if you want to 

group your delivery documents via the routes and shipping points, you have to 

check the corresponding boxes and click on the icon. In my example, I selected 

the icon behind route and a new screen is displayed (see Figure 12.14). 

Here, you can enter the routes to be grouped. In my example, all delivery documents 

with routes, “OGDE01,” “OGDE02,” and “OGDE03,” are grouped in one 

shipment document. If your find additional delivery documents with routes, 

“OGAT01” and “OGAT02”, they can also be grouped, but for another shipment. 

These two groups may not be mixed. 


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Shipment 

Figure 12.14 Criteria for Grouping Delivery Documents 

Using the icon you can select further criteria (masked, single values, etc.). 

Finally, I have selected Ignore all other values. If the system finds delivery documents 

with routes that are not indicated here, they are ignored. Press Enter to 

accept the values entered. You then return to the maintenance screen (see Figure 

12.13). 

If these five fields are not sufficient, place the cursor on the For more criteria: use 

F4 help field. By opening this field, additional fields are provided for selection (see 

Figure 12.15). Select a field and press the Enter key. The field is transferred to the 

selection mask in Figure 12.13 and selected directly. 

If you require more than one criterion for bundling (for example, shipping point 

and route), the selection criteria are linked via the relationship. 

Continue with sort criteria. If various delivery documents were selected and transferred 

to the shipment document, the delivery documents can be sorted according 

to specific criteria. The advantage of this sorting is that you can gain a better 

overview for stage creation. Moreover, you can search for delivery documents in 

your transportation planning according to your sorting. 

398 



Figure 12.15 Possible Fields Available for Selection 

In my example, I selected sorting according to the destination of the ship-to party. 

Thus, all delivery documents with the same destination can be viewed. Expand 

the options of all sorting fields and select the respective field. Press Enter to accept 

the field as sorting criterion. In addition, you can decide whether you want to sort 

the delivery documents upward or downward ( icon for upward and icon 

for downward). 

The last criterion is the capacity limit. If you want to create shipment documents 

only up to a certain value (weight, volume, or number of delivery documents), you 

can only select delivery documents until this value is exceeded. All other delivery 

documents that are not suitable any longer, can only be considered for the next 

collective run. Finally, save your variant. 

Lastly, you now have to enter your parameters, which would also be required for 

manual creation of a shipment document. Enter the variant name behind Data and 

options (see Figure 12.12) and click on the button again. You are shown 

a screen that allows you to input your default parameters (see Figure 12.16). 

The minimum settings you must make are Transportation planning point and 

Shipping type. All criteria that are included in these two settings are automatically 

transferred to the variant (for example, the shipping type is derived from 

the shipment type and set). All fields set here can be filled with content, which is 

transferred for the shipment to be created. Save your variant. 


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Shipment 

Figure 12.16 Specifying Parameters Required for Shipment Creation 

If you always work with the same individual variants, you can save the entire 

setting as a “higher-level variant.” Having entered your variants and information 

in the selection screen, go to the menu path Goto • Variants • Save as Variant. 

Here, you can save the entire selection screen as a variant and retrieve this variant 

at any time. 

Start Transaction VT04 and enter all variants. First, click on the Simulation (do 

not save) radio button and request a detailed log. When you have entered all data 

and variants, start the program to display the result (see Figure 12.17). 

If errors occurred during the collective creation of shipments, you can expand the 

respective message by clicking on the symbol. Restart collective processing if 

the results were satisfactory, and select the Do not save if error radio button. As 

shown in Figure 12.18, the log is now displayed in the upper half of the screen. 

Using the log, you can display shipment documents and your delivery documents 

by placing the cursor on the respective row with the shipment document or delivery 

document number and clicking on the 

button. To directly change 

or delete shipments, use the 

button. 

400 



Figure 12.17 Log After Creation of Shipment Documents 

Figure 12.18 Log After Collective Run 


Processing Using Work Lists and Batch Jobs 

The second collective processing option to create shipment documents is a batch 

job. For this purpose, use Transaction VT07 or the following menu path: Logistics 

• Logistics Execution • Transportation • Transportation Planning • Create • 

Collective Processing in Background. This function is recommended if you create 

more than just a few shipments every day. 


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Shipment 

Initially, your variants are displayed in a small pop-up window (see Figure 

12.19). 

Figure 12.19 Selecting Batch Variant Prior to Start of Collective Run 

If the required variant is not available, you must create it by clicking on the 

button. In the first pop-up, enter the variant name behind Create variant and click 

the button. A second pop-up opens as shown in Figure 12.20. 

Figure 12.20 Selecting the Selection Screens for Your Variant 

Click on the For All Selection Screens radio button and click the 

The system displays the same screen as shown in Figure 12.12. 

button. 

If the required variant already exists, select it and click on the button. 

You have started a batch run. The result can only be displayed if you search for 

the respective spool entry. To do this, call the spool (for example, via Transaction 

SP01). For your user ID, you can find it in the Title of the batch run (in Figure 

12.21, for example, “LIST1S LOCL RV56TRGN_OGA”). 

402 



Figure 12.21 View of Spool File for Searching the Log of the Collective Run 

Check the Spool no. checkbox, and click on the 


button to view the log (see 

Figure 12.22 Log of the Collective Run from the Spool File 

There is another option to view the logs of batch runs. For example, if your batch 

runs are scheduled regularly, it is not required to proceed via the spool file, but 

simply call Transaction VT05 or select menu path Logistics • Logistics Execution 

• Transportation • Transportation Planning • Lists and Logs • Logs. First, a 

selection screen is displayed to find your logs (see Figure 12.23). 

As you usually do not know the collective run number (you would have to retrieve 

the collective run number from the log in the spool file), select the date or user ID 

that was used to start the batch run. To start the selection process, press F8 or click 

on the icon. The screen shown in Figure 12.18 reopens. 


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Shipment 

Figure 12.23 Selection of Logs via Collective Runs 

These three options can be used to create shipment documents. To enable an optimal 

combination of delivery documents for shipments, the delivery documents 

must be specified as precisely as possible and selected respectively. 

12.3 Selecting the Delivery Documents 

Selecting the delivery documents that you want to group in shipments is absolutely 

essential for the optimum utilization of your shipments. But there are also 

special processing procedures that often require special handling and transportation 

planning. This includes, for example, transportation of hazardous goods, thermal 

shipments (shipments with temperature-controlled trucks), or cases in which 

the customer ordered a full truck load. 

To mark these processes and select them retroactively, SAP software provides various 

features in the delivery documents. Some of these features are already set during 

sales order entry. 

An important feature to classify deliveries is the means of transport type. In the 

sales order, you already determine the means of transport for the shipment. This 

feature is not further specified, but relates to the highest level for means of transport. 

Typical means of transport types would be, for example, trucks, ships, or 

airplanes (see Figure 12.24). 

The means of transport types cannot be specified in the SAP standard via master 

data or other Customizing settings. You either enter your information manually, 

or program a small routine in the user exit during entry of the sales order or the 

delivery document if you want to make use of this field and define your own 

determination strategy. 

404 


Selecting the Delivery Documents 12.3 

Figure 12.24 Definition of Packing Material Types 

Technical Information About Means of Transport 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 


Path in Customizing: Logistics Execution • Shipping • Packing • Define Packing 



Table: TVTY and TVTY T (language-dependent name) 

You can find the field in the sales order by viewing the Shipping tab at header 

data level. If it has already been entered, this field is copied to the header of the 

delivery document. In the delivery document, this field can also be found in the 

header data, in the Shipment tab. 

Another option to classify shipments is provided in the Shipping type field. In this 

special case, I have to quote the definition from the SAP standard help: “Shipping 

type (for example, by road or rail) that has been selected for the transportation 

of the goods for the shipment leg.” The description of means of transport type, 

is, however: “Key which specifies how the goods are transported.” However, both 

fields basically say the same thing. 

For me, the only difference between the two fields is that they can both determine 

the shipping type for the route. This feature is then automatically proposed during 

creation of a shipment document. Therefore, selecting the shipping type in 

advance is recommended. 


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Shipment 

Technical Information About the Shipping Type 

EE 

EE 


Path in Customizing: Logistics Execution • Transportation • Basic Transportation 

Functions • Routes • Define Routes • Define Shipping Types 

EE 


EE 

Table: T173 and T173T (language-dependent name) 

First, you have to define the shipping type if the default settings provided by the 

SAP system are not sufficient. For the sake of simplicity, copy a similar shipping 

type. A mode of transport must be assigned to this shipping type. Enter a corresponding 

value in the Mode of transport column. The mode of transport indicates 

whether the shipping type is by road, by train, by mail, or postal services, by 

sea or air, and so on. The shipment cost settlement also depends on the shipping 

type, but you do not have to create pricing procedures for each shipping type. 

Instead, you can combine similar shipping types for pricing procedures via the 

Shipping type group field (see Figure 12.25). 

Figure 12.25 Defining Shipping Types 

You can create further modes of transport if the SAP standard version is not 

sufficient. 

Technical Information About the Mode of Transport 

EE 

EE 



Functions • Routes • Define Routes • Define Modes of Transport 

EE 


EE 

Table: TVTR and TVTRT (language-dependent name) 

406 



Figure 12.26 Defining Shipping Types via the Route 

You can determine the shipping type in the route (see Figure 12.26). The shipping 

type is not automatically found either in the sales order or delivery document, 

but is not determined until shipment. Just like the means of transport type, this 

process is manually controlled or executed with specific algorithms that you have 

programmed in user exits. 

A third criterion to classify your materials that are supposed to ship is the special 

processing indicator. This field enables you to indicate that your shipment requires 

special processing or consideration. You can also use this indicator for your shipment 

cost settlement. A special indicator could be, for example, if the truck has to 

have a tail-lift and thus may only have a certain height (due to the maximum gate 

height at the ship-to party), and so on. 

Technical Information About the Special Processing Indicator 

EE 

EE 



Functions • Define Special Processing Indicator 

EE 


EE 

Table: TVSAK and TVSAKT (language-dependent name) 

Here, all options are provided for the creation of further criteria (see Figure 12.27). 

Figure 12.27 Definition of the Special Processing Indicator 


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Shipment 

The special processing indicator must be entered manually in the sales order or 

delivery document. You can store this indicator in the route (as for shipping types) 

so that the indicator is copied to the shipment document. Note, however, that the 

same route can also be found via other ship-to parties. You have to decide whether 

the special processing indicator is also valid for this case. If certain customers 

require a special processing for shipment, initiate another route determination 

(special route only for this customer). Now, assign the special processing indicator 

to this route. 

In the delivery document, all fields in the delivery header are maintained in the 

Shipment tab (see Figure 12.28). All three (strictly speaking, four) fields are displayed: 

MnsTransTy, Ship.type, and SpecProcId. The fourth field is Shp.Cond. 

Figure 12.28 Description of Shipment for Selecting Delivery Documents 

So far, I have not had a customer that observed this SAP specification. In most cases, 

a wide variety of indicators is used, shipping types are defined as shipping conditions, 

special processing indicators as shipping types, and so on. 

As only shipping conditions from the customer master can be predefined during 

the entry of sales orders, and all other fields must be entered manually or via 

user exits, you should consider carefully for which process steps the indicator is 

required and what you want to control. 

All of these indicators can be used to select your delivery documents or to create, 

bundle, or separate your shipments. For example, if you have to plan a thermal 

shipment, you can view all delivery documents due that must be processed using a 

temperature-controlled truck. If you have to settle shipment surcharges with your 

forwarding agent because special shipment requirements have to be met (truck 

with a tail-lift), you can bundle shipments that have the same requirements. 

408 



Figure 12.9 shows some selection criteria that must be filled to select delivery documents. 

Usually, employees in the Shipping department always use the same selection 

criteria, sometimes employees are responsible for one route or country only. 

These employees can predefine a fixed variant in their user master, which is automatically 

used in Transaction VT01N. This involves the TSV parameter. You can 

install this parameter yourself by selecting the path System • User Profile • Own 

Data via the menu bar. Click on the Parameter tab and enter the value “TSV” in 

Parameter ID and your variant name in Parameter value (here “AUGSBURG”). 

Figure 12.29 Defining Own Selection via Your User ID 

In addition, maintain your transportation planning point via Parameter ID, “TDP” 

(here »OGWB«), and your most frequently used shipment type via “TSH” (here 

set to “0001”). When you now start Transaction VT01N, your selection is directly 

displayed with the correct values (see Figure 12.30). 

Figure 12.30 Call of Transaction VT01N (Create Individual Shipment) 

After Parameter Maintenance in User ID 

To conclude this section, I will explain how selected delivery documents can be 

removed or transferred from other shipment documents that already exist. Start 


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Shipment 

your selection by clicking the button (see Figure 12.30). In the selection 

mask, change your predefined criteria as required. Start the selection via the 

icon. In the upper half of the overview screen, the delivery documents selected 

can be viewed (see Figure 12.31). 

Figure 12.31 Overview of Delivery Documents Selected 

To remove a delivery document, select it (for example, “80014650”) and click the 

icon. Or place the cursor on the delivery document, hold the left mouse button 

pressed, and drag the delivery document to the lower half of the screen (see 


Figure 12.32 Removed Delivery Documents are Displayed in the Lower Half of the Screen 

If you want to transfer a delivery document that is not assigned from the lower 

half of the screen, either place the cursor on the respective delivery document, 

hold the left mouse button pressed, and drag the delivery document to the upper 

half of the screen, or select the delivery document and click on the icon. 

410 



Another useful variant for transportation planning is to combine one or more 

already existing shipments with new shipments. Click on the button. In 

the first pop-up window, a selection screen is displayed. If you know the current 

shipment number, scroll to the Shipment number field and enter your current 

shipment or select any other combination to find your shipment. After you start 

your selection, a second pop-up opens in which all shipments found are displayed. 

Select the shipments wanted and restart. Now, the shipment selected and the current 

shipment are displayed on the screen (see Figure 12.33) 

Figure 12.33 Two Shipment Documents and Delivery Documents That Are Not Assigned 

Now move delivery document “80014653” to shipment “1261” (place the cursor on 

the delivery document, hold the left mouse button pressed, and drag to the shipment). 

Subsequently, drag the delivery document to Königsbrunn that is not assigned 

into the shipment that is indicated above. You now have a new shipment with two 

delivery documents, one to Augsburg and one to Königsbrunn, and the current shipment 

“1261” has three delivery documents, all to Munich (see Figure 12.34) 

Finally, you must save your changes. The system displays a message informing 

you that two shipments were saved and that their shipment numbers are 1261 

and 1262. 

This function can only be executed in the early stages of a shipment. The same 

function can also be used for already-existing shipments. Using Transaction VT02N, 

call the first shipment that you want to change. Implement the individual steps as 

described earlier. 


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Shipment 

Figure 12.34 Overview after Transportation Planning 

This section provided a detailed description of the selection options for delivery 

documents that can be used to create shipments. Now, I will explain further shipment 

functions which you partially already know from delivery documents. 

12.4 Shipping Deadlines in Shipment 

As in the delivery document, the shipment document contains detailed transportation 

planning. For this purpose, shipping deadlines are required that determine 

when a certain process has to start for on-time delivery to the customer. This section 

presents the individual deadlines and explains how they can be determined 

by copying them from the delivery document. These deadlines are integrated in 

the shipment document as so-called planned dates. For this purpose, the actual 

dates are entered in the subsequent business process which results in a certain status 

accordingly. The actual dates, the meaning of their status, and which functions 

can be combined with this status, are explained in Chapter 14, Shipment Status. 

The following shipping deadlines are recorded in the shipment document: 

EE 

EE 

EE 

Check-in 

The check-in date indicates, when the truck is supposed to arrive at the delivering 

plant. In most cases, the driver reports to the guard service for check-in. 

Loading start 

Loading start indicates employees when loading of goods has to start. 

Loading end 

The loading end date specifies when the goods have to be completely loaded. 

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Shipping Deadlines in Shipment 12.4 

EE 

EE 

EE 

Shipment completion 

Drivers have to be provided with all delivery notes for the implementation of 

shipment. The shipment completion date provides information about when the 

delivery notes are supposed to be handed over to the driver. 

Shipment start 

The shipment start date indicates when the truck is supposed to leave the delivering 

plant. 

Shipment end 

The shipment end date is the requested delivery date of the customer, that is, 

when the truck is supposed to arrive at the customer in order to enable on-time 

receipt of goods. 

You can now implement your shipping scheduling manually or view the values 

from the delivery documents. For this purpose, SAP software provides a specific 

copy routine that must be defined in Customizing at the shipment type level. For 

this purpose, set copy routine, „8“ (see Figure 12.35). 

Figure 12.35 Setting Copy Routine for Dates of Each Shipment Type 

This SAP copy routine sets planned shipping dates according to the following three 

rules: 

1. The earliest loading date from the delivery documents is transferred to check-in 

and loading start. 

2. The last planned goods issue date is transferred to loading end, shipment completion, 

and shipment start. 

3. The last delivery date is transferred to shipment end. 

Additionally, you can also define your own copy routines (as a kind of user exit). 

To do this, in the maintenance screen you have to add a new copy routine to the 

shipment types. Click on the button (see Figure 12.35). The form routines 

already defined (copy routines) are displayed. Select your own routine by entering 

a new number between 500 and 999. In form routine FV56Cnnn (nnn stands for 

the number selected for this form routine), program your own copy algorithms. 


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Shipment 

User Exit 

In addition, SAP software provides the enhancement V56FCOPY. Here, all options to 

copy data and copy them in the respective fields of the shipment document are provided. 

To do this, select function module EXIT_SAPLV56F_010 with include ZXV56U15. 

The shipping dates in the shipment documents are determined by clicking on the 

button (see Figure 12.36). According to copy routine 8, the individual 

deadlines from the delivery documents are now transferred. 

Figure 12.36 Shipping Deadlines in Shipment Documents 

Moreover, you can implement a more detailed planning of your shipment activities. 

This topic, however, would go far beyond the scope of this book. 

12.5 Partner Determination 

In the SAP system, all persons, companies, customers, service providers, or vendors, 

which are involved in the business processes, are referred to as a partner. In 

shipment processing, for example, this would be the forwarding agent, the carrier, 

and the insurance company. 

The data of the partners involved must be recorded as master data. For the forwarding 

agent or the carrier, the data must be maintained in the vendor master 

414 



file. These partners assume certain functions within the shipment process, which 

are identified with a function identification or partner identification (for example, 

“FA” for forwarding agent). 

Section 3.2 provides a detailed description on partner functions in relation to the 

customer master file. This section explains how you must set the SAP system in 

order to find and determine the partners required for your process in the shipment 

document. 

Technical Information About the Partner Function 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 



Functions • Partner Control • Set Up Partner Determination for Shipments 

Specific Transaction: Also via VOPA, select partner object shipment and click on the 

Partner functions button. 

Table: TPAR and TPART (short names) 

First, determine which partner functions are required for your shipment processing 

and whether the functions provided by SAP standard are sufficient. After you 

have determined the required functions, combine all necessary functions to form 

a bundle, namely, the so-called partner determination procedure. Figure 12.37 displays 

the SAP standard partner functions. 

Figure 12.37 Overview of Standard Partner Functions Provided by 

SAP for Shipment Document Header 


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Shipment 

Technical Information About the Partner Determination Procedure 

EE 

EE 

EE 




Specific Transaction: Also via VOPA, subsequently select partner object shipment and 

click on the Partner determination procedure button 

EE 

Table: TVPG (partner object, field, PAOBJ = “N” ) 

If you have to add new partner functions and assign this partner function to a 

partner determination procedure, refer to Section 6.3. 

Technical Information About Assigning Partner Functions 

to Partner Determination Procedures 

EE 

EE 

EE 




click on the Partner determination procedure button; select procedure and click on 

the Functions in procedure button 

Table: TPAER 

Finally, assign this partner function procedure to the shipment document (for each 

shipment type) (see Figure 12.38). 

Figure 12.38 Assignment of Partner Function Procedure to Shipment Type 

Technical Information About Assigning Partner Functions to Shipment Types 

EE 

EE 

EE 




click on the Partner determination procedure button; select procedure and click on 

the Functions assignment button 

Table: TVTK, stored in the PARGR field 

416 



These settings are available via Customizing, but you can also use Transaction VOPA 

from previous releases. However, the screens differ from the figures shown here. 

In many cases, the forwarding agent has already been determined when the shipment 

document is created; for example, if the customer defined a specific forwarding 

agent or if outline agreements were concluded with your forwarding agents for 

certain routes. Therefore, you can store the forwarding agent directly as a partner 

function in the master data. This partner is copied to the delivery document via the 

sales order. To transfer the partner from the delivery document to the shipment 

document, the correct copy routine must be activated. 

Via Customizing, you determine which copy routine must be activated for the 

shipment type. Figure 12.39 shows the screen for the copy routine maintenance. 

I entered “10” here. This routine enables you to copy the forwarding agent and 

deadlines from the delivery document. 

Figure 12.39 Copy Routine for Partners in Shipment Documents 

In the delivery document, you can find the partner by selecting the Partner tab at 

header level (see Figure 12.40). 

Figure 12.40 Forwarding Agent as Partner Function in Delivery Documents 

Now, create the shipment document for this delivery and set the status to Planning 

at the header level (Deadlines tab) to transfer the forwarding agent to the 

respective field (see Figure 12.41). 


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Shipment 

Figure 12.41 The Forwarding Agent Field at the Header Level in Shipment Documents 

In addition, the forwarding agent is now also listed as a partner on the Partner 

tab (see Figure 12.42). 

Figure 12.42 Forwarding Agent as a Partner in Shipment Documents 

12.6 Texts in Shipment 

In addition to the strictly defined data in the individual shipment document fields, 

there is information that does not require any encryption or definition. This includes 

texts, in which information and remarks can be entered. In contrast to delivery documents, 

texts are only used at the header level in shipment documents. 

418 


Texts in Shipment 12.6 

Here as well, the individual texts are distinguished via the text type. The text variety 

in shipment documents, however, is less versatile than in delivery documents 

(see Figure 12.43 for various shipment text types). Each text type is characterized 

by a four-digit key, the so-called text ID. 

Figure 12.43 Overview of Text Types Provided by SAP Software for Shipment Documents 

In the shipment document itself, you cannot determine the text type that is hidden 

behind a text, but only the description in the respective language you logged 

on to the system. 

Describe the text type by repeating the text type in the first four places of the description, 

for example, “0001 Forwarder’s order.” That way, the text type is displayed via the 

description. 

To display all possible text types provided in the SAP system for shipment documents, 

start Transaction VOTXN (in older releases VOTX). Now select Shipment. 

Next, click on the button. All text types set for the selected object VTTK 

(shipment header) in the SAP system are displayed. 

As you might not use all text types for your specific requirements or if you require 

further specific text types that are not available here, you can define further texts 

via Customizing. These text IDs always start with „Z“ so that you can recognize 

immediately whether the text type is an SAP standard or was customized to your 

requirements. 

The texts required for specific shipment types are combined in one text determination 

procedure. This determination procedure is allocated with an identification 


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12 

Shipment 

number. In turn, this procedure number is assigned to a shipment type. Thus it is 

determined which text type can be used for which shipment type. 

The shipment text types are not transferred from delivery documents. The reason 

for this is that several delivery documents are bundled to one shipment. The SAP 

system would not recognize which delivery documents should be used to transfer 

the respective texts. 

If you have to define new text types, the text ID should always start with “Z.” 

In my example, I create a text for loading and name the text ID “ZVLA.” Go to 

Customizing or start Transaction VOTXN. Select Shipment via the radio button. 

Press F5 or click on the 

button. Select a similar text, for example, text 

ID „0003 Header note,“ and click on the icon or press F6. Overwrite the text 

ID by entering “ZVLA” and enter “Loading instructions” in ID Description (see 


Figure 12.44 Text Type Newly Added to Shipment Document 

Technical Information About the Text Type 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 



Functions • Text Control • Define Text Types 


Table: TTXID (text object = “VTTK”) and TTXIT (language-dependent name) 

Save the new text ID via the icon. Note, however, that this text ID is available clientindependent. 

Therefore, it can be used by all clients installed on your SAP system. Coordination 

is required to avoid possible random proliferation of text types. 

Check which text determination procedure is used for the shipment types that 

require loading instructions. If it is an SAP standard procedure, overwrite this 

text determination procedure and add a new one starting with “Z.” If a customer- 

420 


Texts in Shipment 12.6 

specific procedure was already assigned to the shipment type (starts with “Z”), 

remember the name of this text determination procedure (see Figure 12.45). In 

this example, the “03” text determination procedure is assigned to the “0001” 

shipment type. 

Figure 12.45 Assignment of Text Determination Procedure to Shipment Types 

Technical Information About the Text Determination Procedure 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 



Functions • Text Control • Define and Assign Text Determination Procedures 


Table: TTXG (text object = “VTTK”) and TTXGT (language-dependent short name) 

Now click on Textprocedure in the left half of the screen. Select the new or old 

text procedure (in this example, “03”) and click on the icon to copy it. A new 

screen is displayed where you can maintain the new text procedure. In this example, 

the new text determination procedure is given the name „ZL.“ Press Enter, 

and select Copy all in the pop-up window that is now displayed. 

Save your entries. Click on the Back button once or press F3 to return to the 

text determination procedures overview. The text determination procedure “ZL” 

should now be displayed. 

Select “ZL” and double-click on Text ID’s in Textprocedure. There you can find 

the text IDs copied from the 03 text determination procedure (see Figure 12.46). 

Now add the new text ID, “ZVLA,” behind the header note with the sequential 

number 35. Click on the button and enter “35” in Sequential number 

and “ZVLA” in ID. Save your entries. 


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12 

Shipment 

Figure 12.46 New Text IDs Generated During Copying 

Finally, assign this text determination procedure to your shipment type. Open 

the Text Procedure Assignment folder on the left side of the overview screen. 

Maintain the new text determination procedure in the wanted shipment type (see 

Figure 12.47). In this example, overwrite “03” and enter the new “ZL” text determination 

procedure. 

Figure 12.47 Assignment of Text Determination Procedure to Shipment Types 

Usually, you have to create a suitable shipment type for the procedure described 

earlier and assign it to the new text determination procedure accordingly. Changing 

the settings in the SAP standard version is not recommended. 

The texts can be found in shipment in the Texts tab. For text maintenance (enter, 

change, or delete texts) refer to Section 6.4. Some functions, however, are not 

available: 

EE 

EE 

You cannot upload texts from a Word file to the SAP system. 

The analysis function for text determination is not available. 

422 


Routes 12.7 

Generally, the process for texts in shipment documents is easier to handle than in 

delivery documents. The processing on the screen, however, is identical for both 

document types. 

12.7 Routes 

Section 5.6 already introduced the description and determination of routes. The 

route does not only have the function for selecting pending deliveries, but is a fundamental 

basis to create and plan shipments in the SAP system. You can use routes 

to determine the itinerary (leg), means of transport (for example, truck, train, 

airplane, or ship), and intermediate stops to transport your goods. The route can 

have a fixed departure point (generally the shipping point) and a destination point 

(ship-to party, distribution points, ports, etc.). The routes enable you to implement 

transport scheduling (when does the truck have to leave at the latest to arrive at 

the customer on time). 

Figure 12.48 Information that Can Be Stored in the Route 

This chapter explained the creation of shipment documents and how you can use 

information from the route (as seen in Figure 12.48). The route can influence the 

creation of shipment documents as follows: 


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12 

Shipment 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 

Distance between departure point and destination point 

If the route has a predefined departure point (for example, shipping point) and 

destination point (for example, port, customs office, load transfer point), you 

can maintain the distance (fields Distance) in the route. Refer to Section 13.2 to 

predefine departure point and destination point. 

Transportation chains 

To process multilevel transports (transportation chains), you can determine the 

relevant information in the route and set it as relevant for transport. For example, 

an overseas delivery is pending and you plan the initial transport from 

the shipping point to the port. In a second shipment document, you map the 

overseas transport from the port to the port of destination. In the third and last 

shipment document, you plan the transport from the port of destination to the 

ship-to party. This involves a preliminary, main, and subsequent leg. 

Maximum allowed total weight 

You can enter a maximum allowed total weight for the route. If this value is 

exceeded, a warning message is displayed (Allowed total weight field). 

Shipping types 

In the shipment document, you can specify the shipping type in the route (Shipping 

type, Shipping type VL, and Shipping type NL fields). 

Definition of forwarding agents 

You can define a forwarding agent (service provider field) already in the route. 

This definition will be transferred to the shipment document. 

The information entered for a route is not transferred to the shipment document 

header. You can also transfer information up to the stage level. Section 13.2 introduces 

the stages. 

I defined a route for a customer in Australia. For the preliminary leg, I entered the shipping 

type (Shipping type preliminary leg field) “01” (truck) (shipment to port). The 

main leg (Shipping type field) specifies the sea freight. When the goods arrived at the 

port of destination, the subsequent leg has to be started (shipping type subsequent 

leg field). I created a sales order and a delivery document that found Route OGDEHH 

based on the transportation zone of the ship-to party. 

I create a shipment document (see Figure 12.49) for the preliminary leg from the 

shipping point to the port of departure. Now I call Transaction VT01N and select 

the deliveries to Australia. I define “0004 preliminary leg by road” as the shipment 

type. 

424 


Routes 12.7 

Figure 12.49 Creating a Shipment Document for the Preliminary Leg 

Now you must select the delivery documents. The delivery selected is transferred 

to the shipment document. View the header details (see Figure 12.50). 

Figure 12.50 Overview of the Preliminary Leg Shipment Document Created 

Now, click on the 

button. A pop-up window is displayed in which 

you must specify the port of departure (more precisely, the departure point of this 

route or shipment document) (see Figure 12.51). 

Figure 12.51 Pop-up to Specify the Port of Destination 


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12 

Shipment 

Enter the destination point for this preliminary leg shipment and press Enter. 

Navigate to the Stages tab to check your entries. Here, you can find both the 

departure point (that is, the shipping point from the delivery document) and the 

port of destination (see Figure 12.52). 

Figure 12.52 Overview of the Shipment Document After Entry of Port of Destination 

Save the preliminary leg shipment. In the delivery document, the transportation 

planning status has changed to “B” (see Figure 12.53). 

Figure 12.53 Transportation Planning Status after Completion of Preliminary Leg 

The same procedure applies for the creation of the main leg (ensure that the correct 

shipment type is entered). In the SAP standard, the main leg by sea is defined as 

the “0005” shipment type. Finally, you create the subsequent leg. Upon completion, 

the transportation planning status changes to “C” in the delivery document. 

All three shipment documents can also be created using collective processing 

(Transaction VT04) (see Figure 12.12). Select a selection variant and click on the 

426 


Routes 12.7 

button. Maintain your variants to select the delivery document(s) wanted 

and save them. Then, click on the 

button. The screen 

is expanded now (see Figure 12.54). As a minimum requirement, maintain the 

attributes, Data and options, for the preliminary, main, and subsequent leg. 

Figure 12.54 Selection, Data, and Options via Collective Processing for Transportation Chains 

Start collective processing. The system now displays the log for this leg (see Figure 

12.55). A total of three shipments were created. 

Figure 12.55 Log for Collective Processing for Creating Transportation Chains 

I explained how routes can influence the creation of shipment documents. How 

shipment documents can be influenced using route information is explained in 

Section 13.2. This includes, for example, information on how you can process different 

ship-to parties for a certain sold-to party (major customer) within only one 

route and how you can integrate load transfer points (cross-docking stations). 


427

12 

Shipment 

12.8 External Transportation Planning System 

A totally different method to create shipment documents is the external transportation 

planning system. Whereas the SAP system can only select delivery documents 

that meet certain specifications, an external transportation planning system can plan 

in a more dynamic manner. For example, I got to know an external planning system 

that used a route planner to group delivery documents pending so that the routes are 

optimized with an utilization of the vehicles by almost 100% and an optimization of 

the route distances. This results in 20–30 % savings in transportation costs. 

If such an external planning system is certified by SAP software, you can connect 

the systems with just a few technical and organizational settings. For this purpose, 

SAP software has developed TPS (Transportation Planning System) to guarantee a 

standardized and integrated process implementation. This chapter, however, only 

refers to the organizational settings. 

SAP 

Transportation or Tour 

Planning System 

Creating and 

Processing 

Delivery 

Documents 

Planning Pool 

for Delivery 

Documents 

IDOCs Delivery Documents 

List of all Delivery 

Documents for External 


Planning 

Transportation or 

Route Planning 

Creating 

and 

Processing 

Shipments 

Function 

Module for 

IDOCs 

Transports 

IDOCs Shipment Documents 


or Routes 

Figure 12.56 Functionality between SAP and an External Transportation Planning System via TPS 

Figure 12.56 illustrates the process. In the SAP system, the delivery documents are 

sent to the external TPS via IDocs. There, the delivery documents are planned as 

428 


External Transportation Planning System 12.8 

routes, and subsequently sent back to the SAP system via IDocs, where shipment 

documents are created. Parallel to this process, it may be necessary to transfer 

master data to the external TPS to consider, for example, goods receiving hours 

of the ship-to party. 

If the shipment document has been created via the external TPS, the users of the 

SAP system are responsible for maintenance and further processing. Prints and 

documents are also created in the SAP system. 

A fixed transportation planning point is assigned to the external TPS to create 

shipment documents. Because the TPS is implemented via ALE technology and 

the asynchronous Remote Function Call (RFC), TPS has a logical name. This name 

is assigned to the transportation planning point. 

Settings can be made in the Customizing. The individual points can be accessed via 

Logistics Execution • Transportation • Interfaces • External Transportation 

Planning Systems. Here, you have to set the technical connection and the process 

flow. The individual steps are displayed in Figure 12.57. 

Figure 12.57 Individual Steps for Setting an External Transportation Planning System 

As I only refer to the process and not to the technical settings, the first step is to 

assign the transportation planning point to an external system, because the organizational 

unit for the creation of shipment documents is mandatory (see Section 

12.2.1). Moreover, at this point you have to specify with which number range the 

shipment documents are supposed to be created. 

Once the shipment documented is created, you have to define which changes 

may be implemented in the shipment document. There are only a few options: 

no restrictions for possible changes or no allowance to change fields relevant for 

planning. 

To send delivery documents to the external planning system, you must maintain 

and set the “TPS0” output type for this process. If you require your own output 


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12 

Shipment 

type, refer to Chapter 10, Shipping Papers and Documents, for the maintenance of 

output determination procedures and output types. 

In a similar manner, master data must be sent from the SAP system to the external 

TPS. In the SAP world, this data is called location master data. The data is mandatory, 

if, for example, the external transportation planning system has to recalculate 

routes (optimized according to geographic and topographic data). 

Menu Path to the External Transportation Planning System 

Logistics • Logistics Execution • Transportation • Transportation Planning • External 

Planning System. Here, you have additional selection options. 


VT60: Using this transaction, master data is sent from the SAP system to the external 

planning system. 

BD21: Send changed material master data 

VT61: Transfer delivery documents to TPS 

SAP software advises not to select and sort delivery documents according to geographic 

or other special factors for the creation of shipments. External route planning 

systems are specialized on this issue, and it is not provided in the SAP system. 

If you want to use such a planning system, you have to work with the TPS system 

or plan and develop your own interface. For this purpose, the corresponding 

BAPIs are provided to create shipments. 

12.9 Summary 

The shipment document is another document in the shipping process. Using the 

shipment document, you map a shipment within the SAP system. Several shipment 

types are provided for this purpose (for example, preliminary leg, combined 

shipment, or main leg). Individual shipments can be determined manually or via 

collective processing (online or batch variant). Many functions that you map in 

the shipment document have already been explained for delivery documents (text 

determination, partner determination, routes, shipping date, and so on). 

Chapter 13, Other Shipment Functions, describes two specific functions that are 

only available in the shipment document. 

430 


Compared to the usual sales documents, the shipment document has one 

special feature: different stages. This chapter explains the tasks of these 

stages, describes the packing process, and introduces the important topic of 

shipment cost settlement with forwarding agents. 

13 Other Shipment Functions 

Chapter 12, Shipment, described the tasks and structure of a shipment document, 

as well as some functions, such as, partner determination, texts, tasks of routes, 

and so on. But the shipment document also has another function: It is the basis 

for the cost settlement with forwarding agents. 

You can use the SAP system to settle your freight and, depending on the agreement 

with your forwarding agent, even use the credit memo procedure, if necessary. 

This chapter focuses on the shipment cost settlement because this topic is 

very complex, and many people mistakenly believe that “SAP does not provide 

this function.” But shipment cost settlement provides more functions than you 

may think. 

However, before dealing with shipment cost settlement, it is necessary that you 

understand the stages of the shipment documents and their functionality, because 

the stages also interfere with shipment cost settlement. Stages are legs that are 

marked by a departure point and destination. Usually, they are automatically 

determined by the SAP system. There are numerous options to how stages can be 

created. These options will also be described in detail. 

An entire chapter already deals with packing, so I only briefly touch upon its function 

in this chapter. I will only introduce the specific characteristics that refer to 

packing in the shipment document, and the options at shipment document level. 


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13 

Other Shipment Functions 

13.1 Packing 

Chapter 8, Packing, already dealt with packing processes. It also introduced which 

settings have to be made in Customizing and which requirements must be met for 

the master data to use the packing functions in the SAP system. You can pack your 

material using different packing elements (for example, pallets, wire baskets) and 

store the respective packing information in the delivery document. That means 

you can determine how many packing elements your delivery consists of. You can 

print the respective labels via the output determination. 

13.1.1 Multilevel Packing in the Delivery and Shipment Documents 

You can also store multilevel packing in the delivery document, for example, first pack 

your material into boxes then load the boxes onto a packing element. As long as you 

always deliver fully loaded packing elements per each delivery document and don’t 

fill partial pallets with material from other delivery documents (that have the same 

ship-to party), the functions as described in Chapter 8 are definitely sufficient. 

But experiences with customers showed that often one delivery item is one delivery, 

that is, if the customer orders different items from you, you must create different 

sales orders and therefore create one delivery document for each sales order. 

This scenario can often be found in the automotive industry. In that industry, it 

is often useful not only to use the packing function in the delivery document but 

also at the shipment document level. Especially, if you handle several delivery 

documents (with one order item each) in one transport in order to have a full 

truckload. 

Another real-life example is overseas exports. In this case, the packing elements 

per delivery document are often packed in one container. If several delivery documents 

are in one container, the container can be packed in a shipment document. 

This is also called multilevel packing. 

If you handle small quantities and use a service agent that distributes the goods 

(for example, courier services, express delivery companies, and parcel services), 

create one transport and load individual items from different delivery documents 

to one packing element. 

If you decided to pack pallets at the shipment level, the respective setup is shown 


432 


Packing 13.1 

You must decide whether you want to select the same packing level in the delivery 

documents or in the shipment documents. This must be explained in greater detail. 

If you have three packing levels, “unpacked,” “material packed to boxes,” and “boxes 

packed to pallets,” you cannot pack pallets in one delivery document and pack other 

items from another delivery document to this pallet. This also doesn’t work in shipment 

documents. Figure 13.1 illustrates this situation. 

Delivery Document 1 Delivery Document 2 Delivery Document 3 

Packing in 

Delivery 

Documents: 

Pallet 1 

Pallet 2 

Box 1 

Box 2 

Not Packed 

Box 3 

Packing in 

Shipment 

Documents: 

Pallet 1 

Pallet 1 

Figure 13.1 Packing Items from Different Document Levels to the 

Same Pallet Is Not Possible 

Delivery Document 1 Delivery Document 2 Delivery Document 3 

Packing in 

Delivery 

Documents: 

Not Packed 

Box 1 

Not Packed 

Box 2 

Box 3 

Packing in 

Shipment 

Documents: 

Pallet 1 

Pallet 1 

Pallet 1 

Pallet 2 

Figure 13.2 Correct Packing in Delivery and Shipment Documents 


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13 


13.1.2 Example 

I created three sales orders. In the first sales order, the customer ordered 150 merchandising 

T-shirts labeled “Brewery.” He also ordered 1,200 bottles of wheat beer (Weizenbier). 

A few hours later, the same customer ordered another 200 bottles of unfiltered 

wheat beer. 

Let us start with the first delivery document with 1,200 bottles of clear wheat beer. 

They remain unpacked. 800 bottles to one europallet (maximum number for one 

europallet) and the remaining 400 bottles to a partial pallet are packed later in the 

shipment document. 

In the second order, 150 merchandising T-shirts were ordered. They are packed 

in five boxes, that is, each box contains 30 T-shirts. These boxes are packed at the 

delivery document level using the packing function (see Figure 13.3). 

Figure 13.3 Distribution of the Ordered Items to a Total of Five Boxes 

I know that the third order with 200 bottles of the other beer easily fits on the partial 

pallet from the first delivery. This also applies to the five boxes with T-shirts. 

Therefore, I do not pack the 200 bottles in the delivery document but in the shipment 

document at a later stage. Now, I can create the shipment document that 

includes the three delivery documents and save this document. 

Then, I call the overview via Transaction VT02N (Change the Shipment). The 

screen shown in Figure 13.4 is displayed. 

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Packing 13.1 

Figure 13.4 Overview of All Delivery Documents in the Shipment Document 

To pack, click on the icon or go to the path Goto • Means of transport and 

packaging matl via the menu bar. The screen where you usually process the packing 

opens. Select the Pack Material tab. In the lower part of the screen, you can 

find the materials to pack (see Figure 13.5). 

Figure 13.5 Display of the Material To Pack from a Total of Two Delivery Documents 

Now, I pack the 800 bottles from Item 2 on a pallet and then the remaining 600 

bottles from Items 1 to 3 on another pallet. Now, I change to the Pack HUs tab. 

Here, you can see the “unpacked” boxes with the T-shirts (see Figure 13.6). 


435

13 


Figure 13.6 Display of the Boxes Still to Pack 

Moreover, you can see the europallets in the lower half of the screen. They are 

highlighted in dark and cannot be selected in the lower half of the screen. If the 

system setting was such that pallets could be further packed (for instance, in containers), 

both pallet items could be selected. 

Now, select all five boxes with the numbers 552 to 556, and in the upper part of 

the screen, select the pallet that you want to pack the boxes on. Finally, click on 

the icon. 

If you want to obtain an overview of all packing data, click on 

SSCC numbers are displayed (see Figure 13.7). 

. Two pallets with 

Figure 13.7 Overview After Packing 

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Packing 13.1 

On the first pallet, there are 800 bottles from Delivery 80014663. The second pallet 

contains a total of 600 bottles with different delivery documents and different 

batches. At this stage, you can change the quantities on the pallets once again. 

However, you cannot change the quantity of the boxes because they were packed 

in the delivery document. But the second pallet also contains the five boxes. In 

Figure 13.7, Box “552” is shown expanded so that you can see its content. 

Boxes or items in the delivery document that you packed in the shipment document 

cannot be changed in the delivery document. You get a message that the items were 

packed in the shipment document and first have to be unpacked there in order to be 

changed. 

13.1.3 Usage of Means of Transport 

Another special feature that is often used in the shipment document is the specification 

of means of transport. This may refer, for example, to containers or vehicles. 

In many cases, only the means of transport are defined that are not packed via the 

packing function. One empty handling unit remains in the shipment document. 

But this is quite useful, because this enables you to store data that refers to the 

means of transport and cannot be found in the shipment document, for instance, 

the driver or the license plate number of the truck. 

Technical Information About Means of Transport 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 


Path in Customizing: Logistics Execution • Shipping • Packing • Define Packaging 



Table: TVTY and TVTY T (language-dependent short name) 

To use this function, you must first set up a means of transport category. Use the 

categories that are predefined by the SAP system. If they are not sufficient, define 

specific means of transport categories. They should start with “Z.” Figure 13.8 illustrates 

the settings for a means of transport category. 


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13 


Figure 13.8 Definition of a Means of Transport Category 

Under Pack. matl cat., it is important that you enter an “A” for “Means of transport.” 

In the next step, you must create a material master record with the material 

type, “VEKP,” for the means of transportation. At this stage, please refer to Section 

8.1, which provides more information on how you can define packaging material 

types. In the Packag.mat. type field, enter the means of transport category previously 

defined. In my example, the value “SMI1” must be entered. 

If you want to fill the means of transport and run a plausibility check of this process, 

you must assign your packaging materials to a PM material group. Then you 

must assign this PM material group to a means of transport category via Customizing. 

This process is also described in Section 8.1. 

Using Transaction VT02N, call a shipment document that you want to change. Navigate 

to the packing screen. In the Packaging materials column, enter the means of transport 

that are defined in your material master. In my example, I previously specified the material 

master with the material number “OGTLKW” as the means of transport. Now press 

the Enter key once. The current status can be found in Figure 13.9. 

Double-click on the means of transport. Then the master data of this handling 

unit (here, means of transport are also defined as handling units in the shipment 

document) is displayed. Select the Means of transp. data tab (see Figure 13.10). 

For example, enter the license plate number of the truck or the container number. 

Additionally, I added the driver’s name and his nationality as well as the length 

loaded (loading meters) of the truck. 

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Packing 13.1 

Figure 13.9 Packing Overview Screen Having Entered the Means of Transport 

Figure 13.10 Input Mask for Specific Data for Means of Transport 

This information is only used for information. Using Transaction HUMO, you can 

search for the HU identifications to quickly obtain information if you have any 

inquiries on this transport. 

If it is useful to fill your means of transport using the packing function at this stage 

depends on your business cases. Often, one shipment document corresponds to 

one truck. If you also ship your materials in containers and one shipment document 

includes several containers, it may be useful to pack your containers to 

obtain the exact content information for each container. But you must enter a 

truck as an empty handling unit to add vehicle data. 


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13 


13.2 Stages 

Stages were already mentioned in the introduction as a special feature in shipment 

documents. If you work with the follow-up process, shipment cost settlement, you 

must use stages. Because the shipment document can consist of several delivery 

documents and different ship-to parties, you can map the legs that are to be covered 

in stages. 

For example, by defining an itinerary for the ship-to parties you specify that the 

leg starts at your shipping point and ends at the first ship-to party. The second 

leg starts at the first and ends at the second ship-to party, and so on. If you load 

at more than one shipping point, for instance, the first leg may start at the first 

shipping point and end at the second shipping point. The second leg starts to the 

ship-to party and therefore starts at the second shipping point. If you handle the 

transport with your customer via cross-docking stations, the ship-to party of your 

delivery is the cross-docking station (also referred to as the load transfer point). If 

you handle export business, the first leg can run to the border crossing where the 

second leg starts. The second leg then ends at the last border crossing and the last 

leg runs to the final ship-to party. 

You can assign specific information to each stage or already define a route. You 

can use a specific forwarding agent for each stage. This enables you to work with 

different forwarding agents for one transport. You can schedule the stages separately, 

as well as record weight, volume, and distances. Stages can be relevant for 

shipment cost settlements. 

You can also assign the respective delivery documents to each stage. This enables 

you to distribute your shipment costs to any delivery document, if necessary. This 

settlement is usually used if you have your own vehicles and you want to allocate 

your costs to the deliveries. 

Each stage has a leg indicator. It indicates whether the stage is a preliminary, main, 

subsequent, direct, or return leg. You already know these terms from the shipment 

type. In this chapter, they have the same meaning. 

You go to the stages by selecting the Stages tab in the shipment document (for an 

example, see Figure 13.11). 

440 


Stages 13.2 

Figure 13.11 Overview Screen of the Stages Defined in the Shipment Document 

To add the stages to your shipment document, you have the following three 

options: 

EE 

EE 

EE 

to manually enter the individual legs 

to determine the legs automatically 

to copy the legs from the route definition 

User Exit 

Moreover, you can determine the legs using SAP enhancement V56SLDET after the SAP 

standard has performed the leg determination. For this purpose, you can call the function 

module, EXIT_SAPLV56S_001, with include ZXV56U13. You can then determine the leg 

in the include. 

Provided are four sample delivery documents to introduce all three options. They 

can be found in Table 13.1. 

Delivery 

Document No. 

Postal Code of the 


Shipping 

Point 

Postal Code of 

the Ship-To Party 

Destination of 

the Ship-To Party 

80014665 80808 OGM1 86199 Augsburg 

80014666 80808 OGM1 86343 Königsbrunn 

80014667 82008 OGMS 88763 München 

80014668 82008 OGMS 86199 Augsburg 

Table 13.1 Delivery Documents for the Stage Determination Examples 

For the shipment, the delivery documents are sorted as follows: The shipment 

starts at Shipping Point OGM1 and continues to Shipping Point OGMS. If you 


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13 


have completed the loading of your materials at the second shipping point, the 

first ship-to party is in 88763 München (Munich), the second in 86199 Augsburg, 

and the last in 86343 Königsbrunn. At this point, the shipment ends. 

For sorting the delivery documents, move them in the overview so that you obtain 

the respective sequence (see Figure 13.12). You can move them by placing the cursor 

on the delivery document, keeping the left mouse button pressed, and dragging 

the document to the desired position. 

Figure 13.12 Overview of the Sample Delivery Documents 

Although SAP uses the terms stage and leg, I will always talk of stages in the 

examples. 

13.2.1 Manually Creating Stages 

To create stages, manually is the easiest, but also the most time-consuming way. 

You enter your stages manually in the shipment document and define for each 

stage one departure point and one destination. In the overview, go to the Stages 

tab. Usually, no stages are added at the beginning so that no already-existing stages 

will be displayed (see Figure 13.13). 

Figure 13.13 Overview of the Stages Tab 

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Stages 13.2 

Start with the first stage and click on the icon. Now, a pop-up window is displayed 

where you add the departure point and destination For our example, enter 

Shipping Point “OGM1” as the departure point, “OGMS” as the destination, and 

“OG0001” as the service agent (Spedition Brummer) (see Figure 13.14). 

Figure 13.14 Entering the Information for a Manual Stage 

In the pop-up window, you can see that you have several options to enter locations, 

for example, shipping points (as is the case for our example), customers, 

plants and storage locations, vendors, or transport connection points. 

Now, press the Enter key and the data of the shipping points is transferred (see 


User Exit 

If you want to automatically determine the distance between the start and destination 

of a stage, you can use SAP enhancement V56DISTZ. Here, the function module, EXIT_ 

SAPLSTAG_001 with include ZXV56U23, is provided. But you must define a specific 

routine to determine the distance because SAP software does not provide a solution 

for this purpose. 


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Figure 13.15 Transfer of the Entered Information for the Stage 

As you can see, other tabs are provided to add information for this stage. In the 

Duration and Distance tab (see Figure 13.16), you can add times and distances 

between the two locations. 

Figure 13.16 Duration and Distance of a Stage 

You can store information for the shipment cost settlement in the Shipment cst 

cal tab. You can also store specific partners for the stage in the Partner tab. Click 

on the button. Then the stage is transferred to the shipment document. 

Now, click on the icon to enter the second stage. The same pop-up window is 

displayed. Now, enter Shipping Point “OGMS” as the departure point and the first 

ship-to party, “OG1001,” as the destination. Press the Enter key and the screen 

shown in Figure 13.17 is displayed. 

Continue in the same way and add the following two stages: Stage 3 from the 

“OG1001” ship-to party to the “OG2001”ship-to party and Stage 4 from “3002” to 

“3002.” Finally, the overview screen as shown in Figure 13.18 is displayed. 

444 


Stages 13.2 

Figure 13.17 Departure Point and Destination for the Second Stage 

Figure 13.18 Overview of the Stages Created Completely Manually 

Now, assign the respective delivery documents to your individual stages. For 

example, select the first stage and click on the 

button. A screen is displayed 

where all delivery documents are assigned to the stage (see Figure 13.19). 

But actually, you move the two delivery documents, “80014665” and “80014666,” 

from the “OGM1” shipping point to the “OGMS” shipping point. 

Select the two delivery documents that are not moved to the stage, and click on 

the 

button. Then, the delivery documents are displayed in the lower 

half of the screen and no longer assigned to this stage. Now, click on the 

button. Assign all delivery documents to the second stage (From the second shipping 

point up to the first ship-to party in Munich, all delivery documents are “on 

board”). Assign the respective delivery documents to the remaining stages in the 

same way. Having assigned everything, save your entries. 


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Figure 13.19 Assigning Delivery Documents to a Stage 

If you set the “Planning” status at a later stage, the leg may be determined anew. As a 

precaution, take a look at the Determine legs tab. In general, if only manual stages are 

supposed to be accepted, here, “Blank: No legs to be determined” must be set. You can 

set this indicator at the shipment type (see also Figure 12.4). 

If you entered the value that can be seen in Figure 13.20, a new leg determination 

is run. If you want to enter the specifications manually with the figure, “1,” you 

cannot determine your manual stages directly. 

Figure 13.20 Several Statuses of the Control Tab 

First, set the “Planning” status. The system will then create stages. Reset the status. 

Now, delete all stages and enter them manually as described earlier. Then, set the 

status to “Planned” again. A pop-up window is displayed and asks you whether 

you want to rerun the leg determination. Specify via the checkbox that no new leg 

determination is required. 

446 


Stages 13.2 

Another variant of the “Blank” leg determination category is the “0” category. If 

you assigned the “0” category to your shipment type, you must specify the individual 

stages manually, but the delivery documents are automatically assigned to 

the individual stages. I can skip an example here, because the manual processes 

were described in detail. 

13.2.2 Automatic Leg Determination 

Usually, legs are determined automatically. Compared to the manual procedure, 

this procedure is used more commonly. This automatism, however, does not mean 

that the SAP system optimizes the legs according to distances, but only generates 

the legs according to the sequence of the delivery documents. 

Legs Determined According to Departure Point and Itinerary 

You can use several options to automatically determine legs. The most frequently 

used rule is rule “1”: Legs are determined according to departure point and itinerary. 

This rule defines that your truck must first stop at all shipping points and then 

approaches your customers from the last shipping point. 

To run this determination, click on the Planning button in the Deadlines tab. 

Now, a pop-up window is displayed that shows the sequence of the individual 

locations where the truck must stop (see Figure 13.21). This may still be changed 

at this point. 

Figure 13.21 Proposal of the Itinerary of the Individual Shipping Points and Ship-To Parties 

Click on the icon. The status changes to “Planned,” and the text “Leg determination 

executed” are displayed. The stages including the respective delivery 


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13 


documents were successfully generated. Now, have a look at the stages (see Figure 

13.22). 

Figure 13.22 Stages in the Shipment Document Generated Automatically 

The stage that contains all delivery documents is referred to as the main leg and 

therefore gets the leg indicator “2.” The stages upstream of the main leg are the 

preliminary legs (leg indicator “1”), and the stages downstream of the main leg are 

the subsequent legs (leg indicator “3”). 

This leg determination has one special feature. If you define a manual main leg, for 

example, the railroad track from Munich to Nuremberg, the system defines the last 

stage from the shipping points to Munich station as the preliminary leg, and the 

first stage from Nuremberg station to the ship-to parties as the subsequent leg. 

Preliminary Legs Determined per Loading Point, Subsequent Leg per 

Destination 

Another variant to determine the stages is the leg determination category “2”: Prelim. 

Leg per loading point, subsqnt leg per ship-to pty. You must define this determination 

category in the shipment type and maintain the shipping types respectively 


Figure 13.23 Maintaining the Leg Determination per Shipment Type 

448 


Stages 13.2 

Do not manually intervene in the SAP system when it determines the legs. This 

way, the system creates a direct leg for each delivery document with exactly the 

departure points and destinations you defined in the delivery document. A stage 

is created for delivery document “80014665,” with shipping point “OGM1” as the 

departure point and ship-to party “OG2001” in Augsburg as the destination. 

Now, create the shipment and set the “Planning” status. Select the Stages tab (see 


Figure 13.24 Stages Generated without Manual Intervention for Leg Determination Category “2” 

However, this leg determination category is only useful if you work with a defined 

main leg. For example, you usually transport all materials with a truck to the 

station and repack everything to a train. At the destination, everything is again 

repacked to a truck for shipment to the individual ship-to parties. The example 

illustrates this process. 

Again, start with the overview screen and select the Stages tab. Create a main leg 

manually, for example, the railroad track from Munich to Nuremberg (this is only 

an example). To do this, use the Points field. “Munich” is the departure point and 

“Nuernberg” the destination point. Click on the button. Your overview 

should now look like the one in Figure 13.25. 

Figure 13.25 Manual Definition of a Main Leg, in this Case the Railroad Track from Munich to 

Nuremberg 

Click on the 

button, or set the “Planning“ status. Now, two preliminary 

legs and three subsequent legs are generated (see Figure 13.26). The two 


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13 


preliminary legs derive from the two shipping points, “OGM1” and “OGMS,” the 

three subsequent legs from the fact that there are three different ship-to parties 

indicated in the delivery documents. 

Figure 13.26 Generating Preliminary and Subsequent Legs After the Manual Definition of the 

Main Leg 

All delivery documents were assigned to the main leg, the respective assignments 

were made for the preliminary and subsequent legs. 

This leg determination category is only useful if you don’t require any shipping documents 

and papers for the different legs. For instance, if you have to print specific railroad 

shipping documents and forwarding instructions for the preliminary or subsequent leg, 

you must use the transportation chain. In the transportation chain, separate shipment 

documents for main, preliminary, and subsequent legs do exist. Therefore, you can also 

print shipping documents for each transport. 

Preliminary Leg per Delivery Document, Subsequent Leg per Delivery 

Document 

The second-to-last variant, leg determination category “3,” can be compared with 

category “2” that was described previously. But preliminary and subsequent legs 

are not combined per shipping point or ship-to party (no data is consolidated), but 

each delivery document is assigned to a stage. The same example, directly with the 

manual definition of the railroad track from Munich to Nuremberg as the main leg, 

has the result shown in Figure 13.27. 

For the last category, leg determination “4,” refer to category “1.” However, for 

category “4” preliminary and subsequent legs depend on the specification of a 

shipping type in the shipment header. If you don’t define a shipping type for the 

preliminary leg, they are not created in the shipment document. 

450 


Stages 13.2 

Figure 13.27 Determination of the Stages After Having Entered the Main Leg Manually According 

to Leg Determination Category “3” 

13.2.3 Leg Determination via the Route 

Some customers generally process the materials via load transfer points. Some 

large DIY stores and retail chains have specific points which are used for delivery, 

so-called load transfer points. But there are also transports that are always processed 

using the same border post. For you, the delivery ends at cross-docking 

stations, your customer is responsible for further distribution. The ship-to party 

is the end user that also accepts the goods. The cross-docking station can also be 

defined via the route. 

If your customers use their own shipment processing, assign a defined transportation 

zone to these customers so that the respective “specific route” can be found 

(see Section 5.6). For the specific route, define an end point, border point, or similar 

point. Process these special cases additionally via a defined shipment type so 

that you can make the respective settings for stage determination (leg determination 

category, “Blank” or “0”). An example illustrates this situation. 

1. I defined a new transportation zone: “OGDEUP0001” named “Transport connection 

point Augsburg.” 

2. I add the transportation zone to the customer master record of a customer in 

Ingolstadt (see Figure 13.28). 

3. Now, I define a transport connection point (Transaction 0VTD or via the path 

Logistics Execution • Shipping • Basic Shipping Functions • Routes • 

Define Routes • Define Transportation Connection Points in Customizing). 

This is a load transfer point. As the reference address, I entered the same customer 

with the branch in Augsburg. I only use this customer as reference for 

the address data (see Figure 13.29). 


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Figure 13.28 New Special Route for the Customer Selected 

Figure 13.29 Defining the Transport Connection Point for the Load Transfer Point in Augsburg 

4. Now, I define a departure point named “OGM1.” For this departure point, I also 

enter the shipping point, “OGM1,” as reference. 

5. Now I combine the two newly defined points to a stage in a new route. First, 

the route is specified (route “OGDEU1”). Having entered the route, I open the 

route stages folder on the left half of the screen and then add the stage (see 


6. At this point you can see that the stage starts with the shipping point, “OGM1,” 

and ends at the destination point, “AUGSBURG.” 

7. Then I specify the route determination via the new transportation zone, “OGDE- 

UP0001.” 

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Stages 13.2 

Figure 13.30 Definition of a Route Stage 

8. Now, I create a sales order and the delivery document (see Figure 13.31). 

Figure 13.31 Delivery Document with the New Route, OGDEU1 

9. To create the shipment document, I make my selection in relation to the new 

route and therefore similar delivery documents are combined in one shipment. 

I set the “Planning” status. The system displays the message that an automatic 

leg determination is not provided. That is correct, but the stage has been used 

from the route (see Figure 13.32). 

Keep an eye on the Determine legs control, “Blank,” and Adopt route, “Adopt all 

stages.” For example, if leg determination category “1” was activated, in addition 

to the direct leg for the load transfer point, a subsequent leg to the ship-to party 

would be generated. 


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Figure 13.32 Leg Determination from the Route in the Shipment Document 

These examples illustrate that, in connection with the stages in the shipment document, 

a wide range of combination options is available for the route definition and 

determination. First, you must only arrange all specific requirements of the transport 

system in an abstract structure of transportation zones, routes, stages, load transfer 

points, as well as preliminary, main, direct, subsequent legs, and so on. If shipment 

cost settlement follows, it is more difficult to find the optimum solution. 

13.3 Shipment Cost Settlement 

Using shipment cost settlement, you can calculate the costs that occurred for shipment. 

Usually, you have agreed upon shipment rates with your forwarding agents. 

The shipment rates can take different forms — the pricing scales may depend on 

distance, weight, or tariff zones agreed to with the forwarding agent. Two-dimensional 

pricing scales may also be agreed upon, for example, different weight scales 

for each tariff zone. 

Now, you must set your SAP system to consider these rules for calculating the 

individual shipment rates. Additionally, you can forward the shipment rates determined 

to your Accounting or Controlling department. You may also have an agreed 

upon credit memo procedure with your forwarding agent. This procedure can also 

be mapped with the SAP system. 

The basis for the entire shipment cost calculation is data from the shipment document, 

but the calculated shipment rates are stored in a document that is created 

454 


Shipment Cost Settlement 13.3 

particularly for this purpose, the shipment cost document. To calculate your shipments, 

you must create a shipment cost document. The shipment cost document 

has the following tasks: 

1. storing the shipment costs determined 

2. assigning the shipment costs to an account 

3. forwarding the shipment costs to the Accounting department 

4. settling the shipment costs with the forwarding agent 

I will mainly describe the logistic part of these processes — calculating the shipment 

costs. 

13.3.1 Structure of the Shipment Cost Document 

To use the right Customizing and to better understand the shipment cost calculation, 

I will introduce the structure of the shipment cost document and its relation to the 

shipment document. As with any sales document in the SAP system, the shipment 

cost document has three different levels that store data (see also Figure 13.33). 

Shipment Cost Document 

Header 

Item 1 

Subitem 1 

Status of the Entire Shipment Cost 

Document, 

Reference Data for the Shipment 

Document, 

Administration Information 

Control via Shipment Cost Type 

Status of the Shipment Cost Item, 

Pricing Procedure, 

Pricing Date, 

Tax Information, 

Settlement Data 

Control via Item Category 

Item 2 

Subitem 1 

Subitem 2 

Cost Categories Refer to 

Shipment Header, 

Shipment Stage, 

Load Transfer Point or 

Border Crossing 

Shipment Cost Calculation Result 

Calculation Base 

Figure 13.33 Structure of the Shipment Cost Document and Its Relation to the Shipment 

Document 


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Shipment Cost Document Header 

The header of the shipment document contains information that is generally valid 

for the entire document. In the header, you find the overall processing status but 

also administration information (for example, who created and last changed the 

document when) and reference data (to which shipment document does the shipment 

cost document refer). 

Because you can process different shipment types in the SAP system — for example, 

individual shipment, collective shipment, and transportation chains (preliminary, 

main, and subsequent leg) — you may also require different settlement procedures. 

Therefore, the shipment cost document contains a shipment cost type at 

the top level. 

Technical Information About the Shipment Cost Type 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 


Path in Customizing: Logistics Execution • Transportation • Shipment Costs• Shipment 

Cost Document • Shipment Cost Types and Item Categories (Define Shipment 

Cost Type Folder) 

Specific Transaction: T_56 

Table: TVTF and TVTFT (language-dependent name) 

The shipment cost type has general control parameters. On the one hand, they 

define a document number range for the shipment cost documents, and on the 

other hand, the status a shipment document must have before you can create a 

shipment cost document (see Figure 13.34). 

Figure 13.34 Control Parameters in a Shipment Cost Type 

Items in the Shipment Cost Documents 

The items of a shipment cost document contain the basic data that is required for 

calculating the freight (see Figure 13.35). The data may be the forwarding agent, 

456 



for example, with which you agreed upon the shipment rates (Forwarding agent 

field: enter the partner function under which the forwarding agent can be found 

in the shipment document) or the pricing date, that is, for which date a valid 

price is supposed to be found (Pricing date field). In contrast to all other sales 

documents, the items do not contain any calculations or prices. To ensure correct 

reference and calculation type, an item category must be used to differentiate the 

shipment cost items. 

Figure 13.35 Control Parameters in the Shipment Cost Item Category 

Technical Information About the Shipment Cost Item Category 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 



Cost Document • Shipment Cost Types and Item Categories (Define item 

categories Folder) 


Table: TVFT and TVFTT (language-dependent name) 

The shipment cost items refer to the shipment document header or to a shipment 

stage (see Recovery indicator in Figure 13.36). For example, if you must bill 

insurance costs or overhead rates for temperature-controlled and dangerous goods 

transports, special deliveries and so on, the costs or overhead rates and deductions 

refer to the entire shipment, that is, to information from the shipment header (“A” 

recovery indicator). But if you bill a shipment rate with reference to a load transfer 

point (“C” recovery indicator) or to distances, you must refer to the shipment stage 

(“B” recovery indicator) because only that contains the required information. 


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13 


Technical Information About the Assignment of Shipment Cost Types to Individual 

Shipment Cost Item Categories 

EE 

EE 

EE 


Cost Document • Shipment Cost Types and Item Categories (Assign Shipment 

Cost Types and Item Categories Folder) 


Table: TVFTK 

Figure 13.36 Assigning the Item Categories to a Shipment Cost Type 

For completion’s sake, I also mention the “D” recovery indicator that is used when 

you bill referring to the border control point. For each individual cost category, 

you specify the respective item category and the information whether this cost 

category or item category must be defined or is automatically calculated. Figure 

13.37 illustrates the relation between shipment cost type, item category, and cost 

category. 

Shipment Cost Type 0001 

Shipment Costs 

Cost Cat. 

Item Category 

Itm. 

Item Cat. 

B Leg 

Shipment Costs 0001 

Autom. 

1 

0001 

A Header 

General Costs 0002 

Autom. 

2 

0002 

A Header 

Insurance Costs 0003 

Manual 

3 

0003 

Figure 13.37 Relation Between Shipment Cost Type, Item Category, and Cost Category 

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As you can see from this illustration, you only use the shipment header and the 

stage as the basis for your shipment rates for individual shipments (one delivery 

document in one shipment document). Shipments that go beyond a border 

crossing or that are mapped via preliminary, main, and subsequent legs are more 

complex. Collective shipments or shipments for courier services, express delivery 

companies, and parcel services have a different item category and cost category 

combination. The individual shipment types can therefore be settled differently 

via the shipment cost type and are more transparent for the different processing. 

Shipment Cost Subitems 

Only in the shipment cost subitems can you find the determined prices. The total 

of all shipment cost subitems defines the overall costs for the shipment. There 

are specific calculation bases for shipment cost settlement that can be generally 

controlled via the cost category, but actually find the right base via the condition 

technique (see Figure 13.38). 

Examples for Calculation Bases 

Shipment Cost Item 

Prices, e.g. per Weight 

Leg 

Shipping Units 

Prices, e.g. per Package, 

Pallet, Lattice Box, etc. 


Delivery 

To 

____ 

____ 

____ 

Prices, e.g. per Ship-To 

Party 

Delivery Items 

Delivery 

Item 1: __ 

Item 2: __ 

Item 3: __ 

Prices, e.g. per Freight 

Class, Dangerous Goods 

Classes, etc. 

Figure 13.38 Overview of the Different Calculation Bases 


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13 


This example illustrates that you calculate prices using different levels of the shipment 

document, depending on how you agreed upon the prices with your forwarding 

agent. The calculation base can also be found in the Condition type. Here, 

you define the scale basis (for example, gross weight, net weight, volume, number 

of packages, prices per ship-to party, and dangerous goods classes). All possible 

condition types are combined via a pricing procedure. Section 13.3.2 provides 

more information on this topic. 

Try to structure your conditions with your forwarding agents as consistently as possible. 

If you have 100 forwarding agents with 100 different agreements and quantity scales, 

your settings in the SAP system will become too complex and unmanageable. If you 

consider using the SAP system for shipment cost settlement, use this opportunity to 

standardize and harmonize your shipment rates. 

Shipment Cost Relevance 

You cannot settle your shipment until it is set to shipment-relevant. For this purpose, 

go to the header and stage level. In the first step, you assign a defined shipment 

cost type to the shipment type in Customizing. In the second step, you 

specify which objects are set to shipment cost-relevant in the shipment document 

(see Figure 13.39). Place a checkmark in the respective Header, Leg, Load, and/or 

Bord.cross column to select the relevance. 

Figure 13.39 Shipment Cost Relevance for the Different Shipment Types 

Technical Information About the Shipment Cost Relevance 

EE 

EE 

EE 

Path in Customizing: Logistics Execution • Transportation • Shipment Costs • 

Shipment Cost Document • Shipment Cost Relevance and Default for Shipment 

Cost Type (Assign Shipment Cost Type to the Shipment Type Folder and Define 

Shipment Cost Relevance for Shipment Type Folder) 


Table: TVTK 

460 



These settings are the basis for settling your shipment documents. In the next 

step, you must set up your pricing procedures and enter your conditions in the 

SAP system. 

13.3.2 Shipment Cost Calculation 

However, before you can create a shipment cost document, you must enter your 

conditions in the SAP system that you agreed to with your forwarding agent. To 

use the condition system, you must perform the following steps: 

1. You must adjust the SAP system to your shipment cost calculation (Customizing). 

2. You must enter the shipment rates in your system. 

The entire shipment cost calculation is based on the SAP condition technique. The 

overview in Figure 13.40 illustrates the functionality of the condition technique. 

Pricing 

Procedure 

Condition 

Types 

Access 

Sequence 

Condition 

Tables 

SDFC00 

Standard 

Pricing 

Procedure 

FS00 Prices 

per Container 

FGE0 Rates 

per Weight 

FSP1 Lump 

Sums 

VSEL 

Handling Unit 

DIEN 

Service Agent 

etc. 

131 

130 

etc. 

etc. 

Pricing Procedure per 

-Item Procedure Group 

-Service Agent Procedure Group 

-Shipping Type Procedure Group 

per Transportation Planning Point 

Figure 13.40 Overview of the Operation Methods of the Shipment Cost Calculation 

Condition Tables: Determination Criteria for Your Shipment Rates 

As described for other areas of usage of the condition technique (for example, 

output determination, batch determination), I start with the condition tables. Your 

shipment rates that you agreed to with your forwarding agent depend on specific 


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criteria. One criterion is your forwarding agent as I assume that you have not 

agreed upon the same shipment rates with each forwarding agent. Other criteria, 

for example, may be your shipping points and your ship-to party or the tariff zone 

of your ship-to party. The longer the distance between your ship-to party and 

your shipping point is, the higher your shipment rates. If you have agreed upon 

overhead rates in addition to your shipment rates, for example, for temperaturecontrolled 

transports, you must select the field that you use to mark such a temperature-controlled 

transport as a criterion. You define the combination of the fields in 

these tables. In Customizing, the SAP system also refers to price dependencies. 

Technical Information About the Tables 

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Path in Customizing: Logistics Execution • Transportation • Shipment Costs • Pricing 

• Pricing Control • Define Price Dependencies (Condition Tables) 

Specific Transactions: T_05 to maintain the condition tables and TV24 to view the 

possible fields 

Start the Customizing function. A pop-up window is displayed where you must 

select whether you want to create, change, or view a table. You can also view all 

possible fields. If you create a new table, it must be between “501” and “999.” 

Enter your field combinations in the new table. Figure 13.41 shows the existing 

SAP Standard Table 113. 

Figure 13.41 Combination of Fields for the Existing Condition Table 113 

On the left side of the screen you can see the fields selected, and on the right side 

all fields from the field catalog that can be used. Having selected your fields, you 

462 



can place two checkmarks: With validity period and with release status. Using 

the validity period, you can define that all shipment agreements that refer to this 

table must have a validity period. This is quite useful because you can already enter 

the changes of your shipment rates at the time you get to know them, even if they 

apply at a later stage. If you set the checkmark for With release status, you can 

release each shipment rate separately. 

Access Sequence for Your Condition Tables 

When you have specified your determination criteria (tables) via the individual 

fields, you must define the sequence of the individual tables in the next step. The 

sequence for the access to the tables is referred to as the access sequence in the 

SAP system. You must specify an access sequence for each condition type (for 

example, overhead rates, domestic shipment rates, and shipment rates for overseas 

transports). In Customizing, you first specify the condition type, but you already 

define the access sequence in the condition type. 


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• Pricing Control • Define Access Sequences 


Table: T682 (Usage “A” and Application “F”) 

Start Customizing to define the access sequences. An overview of the access sequences 

already created is initially displayed (see Figure 13.42). If you must define specific 

access sequences, copy an existing sequence and name it beginning with “Z.” 

Figure 13.42 Overview Screen of the Access Sequences Already Created 


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Select an existing access sequence and open the Accesses folder (on the left side of 

the screen). Here, define the sequence of the individual tables in which you want 

to view your conditions and shipment rates (see Figure 13.43). 

Figure 13.43 Defining the Sequence for Processing the Individual Tables in an Access Sequence 

For this purpose, enter a sequence number in the AcNo and your table in the 

Table column. Do not use sequential numbers for the tables so you can add more 

tables at a later stage without any problems. If you set the Exclusive checkmark, 

the search is cancelled for this access sequence when the first condition is found 

within a condition type. In the Requiremnt column, you can specify a requirement 

for which the access with the respective table is supposed to be read. You 

must program the requirement using ABAP. For this purpose, place the curser 

on the Requirement column and expand this field. All requirements that have 

already been created are displayed. If you must define a specific requirement, 

select a free requirement and add it. The system automatically generates a form 

routine that you now must program for your demands. 

Condition Types 

In the third step, you specify your condition type. This function provides the most 

comprehensive setting options. In the SAP world, condition type refers, for example, 

to a price, maybe one only valid for domestic transports. Often, specific condition 

types are agreed for international transports because they are generally structured 

differently. Different price calculations are also used for sea freights and air 

freights. But overhead rates or deductions are specific condition types, too. 

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Technical Information About Condition Types 

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Pricing • Pricing Control • Define Condition Types 


Table: T685A (Application “F”) 

When you start Customizing, you initially get an overview of the condition types 

already created. If you define specific condition types, which is generally the case, 

the types must begin with “Z.” In this case, refer to a similar condition type already 

existing and copy it. For this purpose, select a row and click on the icon. On 

the next screen, first enter the new condition type and a short description. Fill 

or change each individual field according to your business process. Figure 13.44 

shows the overview screen. 

Figure 13.44 Overview of the Settings Options of a Condition Type 

First, enter the access sequence that you already defined in the Access sequence 

field. In the Cond. class field you define whether the conditions are overhead rates 

or deductions, (“A”), prices (“B”), or taxes (“D”). If you expand the field, you can 

view all possible entries. The Plus/minus field indicates whether the determined 


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amounts have a plus (“A”) or minus (“X”) sign. If the field is empty, you must assign 

the sign in the condition. In the Calculat.type field, you specify whether the condition 

is a fixed price (“B”) or, for example, a percentage value (“A”). Enter “F” in 

the Cond.category field, because in this case, it is a freight condition. In the last 

field of the Control Data 1 you define the Rounding rule. If you want to round 

the value determined commercially, leave the field empty. Enter “A” if the value 

determined is supposed to be rounded up, or “B” if it is supposed to be rounded 

down. 

In the next screen area, you can find the Calculation base field. This field defines 

the origin of the data that is required for the condition type. For this purpose, the 

following data sources are provided: delivery (“A”), delivery item (“B”), and shipping 

units (“C”), for example, pallets. The data from the shipment header and the 

stages is always available. If you leave the calculation base field empty, all data 

sources are made available. If you enter “A” for Delivery, a shipment cost subitem 

is generated for each individual delivery. The same applies to the delivery items 

and shipping units. If you use shipment rates, for example, that depend on the 

weight, the system uses the respective weights based on this figure. For example, 

if “B” for delivery item is entered, the weight from the delivery item is used. If you 

enter “D,” only a shipment cost subitem is generated. Here, information from the 

delivery, delivery item, and shipping units is not provided. In the Matrix maint. 

field you define the structure of the shipment rates. Sometimes, shipment rates 

may be multidimensional, for example, if they depend on distance and weight. If 

they only depend on one criterion, for example, on the weight, the shipment rates 

are one-dimensional. If you enter “1,” the rates are one-dimensional, if you enter 

“2,” they are two-dimensional. You may also enter “3,” but I’ve never seen that in 

real life. Leave the field empty if your shipment rates do not depend on any scales, 

or for defined overhead rates or deductions. 

If the basis of a specific shipment rate or of an overhead rate or deduction does not 

only depend on one delivery, delivery item, or shipping unit, but from a defined 

group (for example, only items with a dangerous goods indicator, or only items of 

a specified material group), the group indicator must be maintained. First check 

the Group condition checkbox if such a group condition type is processed. You 

must now define the rule which is used to accumulate the values for calculation. 

For this purpose, you must create a program that you can use to encode the rule. 

You define the program in the GrpCond. routine field. Finally, you must specify 

how the system has to handle rounding differences. Rounding differences occur 

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when accumulated values of the individual groups do not correspond to header 

values. Check the RoundDiffComp checkbox if the difference is supposed to be 

assigned to the largest item. 

Using the Manual entries field, specify whether the condition determined by the 

system or the condition you entered manually has priority. Let us start with the 

“B” figure: If the system has determined a condition, you must not change it manually. 

“C” means that a manual condition has priority over a condition determined 

by the system. “D” excludes any manual definition. If you leave the field empty or 

set an “A,” there are no restrictions. 

There are still some figures that are mainly set via a checkbox. If you set a checkmark 

in the Header condit. checkbox, the condition type is only valid for header 

conditions (for example, overhead rates and deductions, or taxes). The Amount/ 

percent checkbox is checked if you want to permit that the basic value or percentage 

in the document can be changed at a later stage. If you want to permit that 

the conversion factors in the shipment cost document can be changed to quantity 

units, check the Qty relation checkbox. 

If the condition type is an item condition, set the checkmark in the Item condition 

checkbox. If you permit that the entire condition type can be deleted from 

the shipment cost document, check the Delete checkbox. If you check the Value 

checkbox, the determined condition value can be changed. If you want to change 

the calculation base in the shipment cost document, you must check the Calculat. 

type checkbox. 

If you decided to specify validity periods for your shipment rates, in the condition 

type you can define whether these are specified or not at the manual entry. For 

this purpose, the fields valid from and Valid to are provided. The valid from field 

provides five options: If you leave the field empty, the system proposes the current 

date when you enter the shipment rate or condition. If you enter “1,” the system 

proposes the first day of the week, if “2” is entered, the first day of the month is 

proposed, and for “3” the first day of the year. If you enter “4,” you must specify 

the validity start manually. The options for the Valid to field are as follows: “0” 

means that the current date is set as the validity end, for “1” the end of the current 

month, and for “2” the end of the current year is used as the validity end. If you 

leave the field empty, the system proposes the date, December 31, 9999. Enter “5” 

if you want to define the validity end manually. 


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Pricing Procedure 

I introduced the essential characteristics of condition types. For the time being, the 

last step is to bring the condition types that are required for a specific freight into 

a correct and logical sequence. This sequence is stored in the pricing procedure. 

Technical Information About Pricing Procedures 

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• Pricing Control • Define and Assign Pricing Procedures 


Table: T683 (Usage “A” and Application “F”), T683S and T683T (language-dependent 

short name) 

As you can see in the Customizing menu path, at this point, the pricing procedure 

is defined as well as the determination and assignment of the correct sheet. First, 

however, I will describe the pricing procedure itself: If you start Customizing and 

select the Maintain pricing procedure item, you obtain an overview of the pricing 

procedures that already exist (see also Figure 13.45). 

Figure 13.45 Overview of the Pricing Procedures that Already Exist in the System 

According to your requirements, copy an existing procedure and rename the procedure. 

The new name must begin with “Z.” Now, you can view all individual 

condition types in the respective sequence (see Figure 13.46). 

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Figure 13.46 Pricing Procedure SDFC00 Provided as an SAP Standard 

Now select your condition types to a pricing procedure in your processing order. 

Therefore, the condition type is sequentially numbered in the columns, Step and 

Cntr. In most cases, special prices or condition types that are only used for specific 

cases are listed at the beginning. They are followed by the standard prices. The 

advantage of this is that the standard prices must not be searched if you immediately 

found a special price at the beginning. This procedure affects the system 

performance because the number of condition records for standard prices is probably 

considerably higher than the number of condition records for special prices. 

Then, the overhead rates and deductions are determined. Finally, a margin is determined, 

if required, as well as the sales tax (or input tax). 

For overhead rates or deductions that are expressed as a percentage, the From and 

To columns are used. They indicate that the basis is formed from a total of several 

condition types. Table 13.2 illustrates an abstract example. 

Step Condition Type Description From To 

100 ZFRA Shipment rates, prices 

200 ZGEF Defined overhead rate for dangerous goods 

300 ZWIN Overhead rate for winter transports 100 200 

Table 13.2 Example for the Determination of Overhead Rates Based on a Total of Different 

Condition Types 


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In this case, the ZWIN condition type is an overhead rate as a percentage that is 

added to the price. The price consists of the total of the actual shipment rate and 

a defined overhead rate for dangerous goods transports. However, the percentage 

overhead rate of a winter fee from the total of the two items is used. Therefore, 

in the From and To columns you select the first and the last condition type of a 

pricing procedure. 

Set the checkmark in the Manual column if you want to specify the condition 

type manually. Set the checkmark in the Mandatory column, if this condition 

type is mandatory. If the condition type is only used for statistics and not for the 

determination of the shipment costs, check the Statistics checkbox. The Print (= 

print the condition type) and Subtotal (a subtotal is supposed to be formed at this 

point) columns are not relevant for shipment cost settlement. The Requirement, 

AltCTy (Condition formula for alternative calculation type) and AltCBV (Alternative 

formula for condition base value) columns were already described for the 

condition type. 

In the condition procedure, you can use subtotals where you want (see Rows 300 

and 500 in Figure 13.46). For the percentage calculations, you can also refer to 

these subtotals. 

Determination Rules for Pricing Procedures 

Having defined the pricing procedure, you must now assign the procedure to a 

search strategy. Unfortunately, the determination is very complex and is often misunderstood. 

Usually, customers make only basic settings. But I will nevertheless 

briefly introduce the basic idea of the pricing procedure determination. 

Figure 13.47 provides a list with the criteria on which the determination of the 

correct pricing procedure depends. Here, a total of four criteria are considered: 

transportation planning point, item procedure group, service agent procedure 

group, and shipping type procedure group. 

Let us start with the item procedure group. As already mentioned (see Figure 13.35), 

items with a specific item category are created in the shipment cost document. 

These item categories can take different forms and have different effects on the 

shipment cost settlement. Add similar item categories in an item procedure group 

to determine the pricing procedure for each item category. 

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Planning 

Point 

Item 

Procedure 

Group 

Service 

Agent 

Procedure 

Group 

Shipping 

Type 

Procedure 

Group 

Pricing 

Procedure 

Depending on the Shipping Type 

From the Vendor Master of the Forwarding Agent 

Depending on the Item Category of the Shipment Cost Document 

Shipment Header 

Figure 13.47 Determining the Pricing Procedure for the Shipment Cost Determination 

Technical Information About Procedure Groups 

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Pricing • Pricing Control • Define and Assign Pricing Procedures 

Specific Transactions: T_71 (item procedure groups), T_70 (service agent procedure 

group), and T_72 (shipping type procedure group) 

Tables for the item procedure group: TVFCG and TVFCGT (language-dependent 

short name), assignment in TVFT (stored in Field FCGRP) 

Tables for the service agent procedure group: TVFCD and TVFCDT (languagedependent 

short name) 

Tables for the shipping type procedure group: TVFCV and TVFCVT (languagedependent 

short name), assignment in TVFT (stored in Field VSGRP) 

Start Customizing for the item procedure group. In the first step, you only define 

the item procedure groups if you don’t want to use the standard procedure groups. 

Describe the procedure group briefly. In the second step, you assign an item category 

to the procedure group. 

The service agent procedure group is only defined in Customizing. Then, in the service 

agent procedure group field of your forwarding agent, you add the service agent 

procedure group in the Control tab for your vendor (see Section 3.3). 

As is the case with item categories, in the third step, you add your shipping types 

to shipping type procedure groups. Similar shipping types have the same procedure 

group. If the entries from the SAP standard setting are insufficient for your pur- 


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poses, define the shipping type procedure group in the first part. Then assign the 

procedure group to your shipping types. 

When all three procedure groups are defined and set, list them in a row, and assign 

one pricing procedure per transportation planning point to these groups. When you 

start Customizing, the transportation planning points are displayed in the first screen. 

Select the required transportation planning point, and click on the Determine pricing 

procedure folder. The determination rules are now displayed (see Figure 13.48). 

Figure 13.48 Determination Rules per Transportation Planning Point for the Pricing Procedure 

You have now laid the basic foundations to settle your transports easy and without special 

features. Unfortunately, the shipment rates in the freight forwarding business have 

many special characteristics regarding the shipment cost settlement that are unusual 

for pricing (for instance, alternative pricing — by weight and by volume, or scale comparisons 

— if the prices are near a scale end, it might be more favorable to use the next 

higher scale if I simulate an increase of the shipment weight, and so on). I will explain 

these characteristics in greater detail at a later stage. 

Setting up and Maintaining Pricing Scales 

You can only settle shipment costs if the shipment rates are maintained in the 

system. To do this, I use an example that often occurs in real life: The prices are 

negotiated per tariff zone and weight. The shipment rates apply from the Munich 

shipping point (see Figure 13.49). 

The prices are scaled by weight up to 1,000 kg, 2,000 kg, 6,000 kg, 10,000 kg, and 

15,000 kg. The minimum price is provided in Minimum, and the maximum price in 

Maximum. The prices in the scales refer to 100 kg each, the minimum or maximum 

amount are absolute amounts. A fixed lump sum of 150 Euros is added to the shipment 

rates if the freight has to be transported with temperature-controlled trucks. 

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Tariff Zone 

Weight 

Tariff Zone 1 

Around 

Munich 

Tariff Zone 2 

e.g. to 

Augsburg 

Tariff Zone 3 

e.g. to 

Ingolstadt 

Tariff Zone 4 

e.g. to 

Nuremberg 

Minimum 

35.32 € 

38.28 € 43.51 € 45.67 € 

Up to 1,000 kg 

14.90 € 

19.56 € 23.43 € 26.92 € 


13.91 € 

14.77 € 22.66 € 26.69 € 


5.47 € 

5.93 € 10.53 € 11.77 € 

Up to 10,000 kg 

4.04 € 

4.33 € 8.10 € 9.10 € 

Up to 15,000 kg 

3.03 € 

3.64 € 7.04 € 

8.02 € 

Maximum 

545.40 € 

655.20 € 1,267.20 € 

1,443.60 € 

Price Agreement with Forwarding Agent Brummer: Prices apply per 100 kg, 

Minimum and Maximum Values: Price per Freight. 

Overhead Rate for Thermal Transport, Lump Sum per Shipment: 150.00 € 

Figure 13.49 Example of an Shipment Rate Agreed upon from Munich 

Before you can enter the prices in the SAP system, the scale must be stored in the 

system. A range of transactions was developed to maintain scales. 

Menu Path to Maintain Scales 

Logistics • Logistics Execution • Master Data • Transportation • Shipment Costs • 

Scales. Here, you can choose if you want to create or view the scale or change it using 

a template. Moreover, under List Scales, an evaluation is provided. 


VS01: Create a new scale 

VS04: Create a new scale using a template 

VS02: Change the existing scale 

VS04: View the existing scale 

VS06: List Scales 


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Call Transaction VS01 to maintain a new scale. For this purpose, the system first 

prompts you to enter the scale basis of your scale. In my example, I refer to the 

gross weight (Figure “D”). Expand the field to select the correct figure for the scale 

basis (see Figure 13.50). 

Figure 13.50 Selecting the Scale Basis for a New Scale 

Double-click on the desired scale basis. After the figure has been transferred, 

press the Enter key. An overview for scale maintenance is displayed (see Figure 

13.51). 

Figure 13.51 Defining Your Scale and Its Values 

In the Scale type field, you must define whether it is supposed to be a base (“A”), a 

to (“B”), or an equal scale (“X”). The Rounding rule indicates how the scale basis, 

in this case the gross weight, is supposed to be rounded before the shipment is 

474 



determined. In my example, I specified Rounding Rule “0007”. If the shipment 

total weight is, for example, 7,245.780 kg, the system rounds commercially to 10 

kg, that is, 7,250 kg is used for the further calculation. In the Scale unit of meas. 

field, you enter your scale unit, that is, “kg” in my example. I copied the scale from 

Figure 13.49. 

An important figure is hidden behind the scale which is indicated in the C column: 

the calculation type. Here, you define whether the shipment values for each scale 

value are absolute amounts (“A”, for example, a fixed amount) or relative amounts 

(“B”, for example, x Euros per n kg). 

In the Calculatn tab, you enter additional important parameters: Check the two 

checkboxes, Min. configurable and Max. config., if you want to place the respective 

minimum and maximum values in your scale. In the Price unit field, you 

specify the relative price for a defined scale basis, in this case, the price is per 

100 kg. The price calculated must now be rounded commercially (Rounding rule 

field). 

Figure 13.52 Other Parameters to Define Your Scale 

If you use a to scale, the calculation is completed after the last scale value has been 

used, 15,000 kg in my example. To reach maximum amounts, use a trick: define the 

last scale value as a number that can never be reached (for instance, 999,999 kg) and 

enter an absolute fixed amount there. Now, save the scale via the icon. The system 

provides the scale number that you will require at a later stage. 


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Setting up and Maintaining Tariff Zones 

In the next step, you must assign tariff zones to your forwarding agent with whom 

you agreed upon the shipment rates. In the shipment table (see Figure 13.49), the 

tariff zones agreed upon for Munich, Augsburg, Ingolstadt, and Nuremberg can 

be found. 

Technical Information About the Tariff Zones 

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Path in Customizing: Logistics Execution • Transportation • Shipment Costs • Basic 

Functions • Define and Assign Tariff Zones 

Specific transactions: T_76 

Tables: TVFTZ 

Start Customizing and define your tariff zones. I decided to name the zones according 

to the “OGDEnn” procedure; nn stands for the first characters of the postal 

code (see also Figure 13.53). 

Figure 13.53 Defining the Tariff Zones 

Save your entries. Assign the tariff zones to your forwarding agent if the zones are 

only valid for one forwarding agent. First, define the organizational key to assign 

the tariff zones. Double-click on the respective folder (second top folder in the 

left half of the screen). In this example, I generally specify the tariff zones for each 

forwarding agent and shipping type (see Figure 13.54). 

Figure 13.54 Organizational Key for Assigning the Tariff Zones 

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Basically, you can define specific tariff zones for each combination of transportation 

planning points, forwarding agents (service agents), shipping types, and 

destination countries. Save the organizational key, and select it for the next step. 

Double-click on the Assign tariff zone to organizational key folder. Now, assign 

the postal codes (from/to) to your tariff zones (see Figure 13.55). 

Figure 13.55 Assigning the Tariff Zones to the Postal Codes 

Maintaining Shipment Rates 

Now, enter your prices. Start Transaction TK11 to enter new prices. The system 

prompts you to enter a condition type. In my example, I created the “ZOG1” 

condition type. Press the Enter key. An overview of the possible combinations is 

displayed. The combinations are the tables you previously defined in the specified 

order of your access sequence (see Figure 13.56). 

Figure 13.56 Key Combinations to Maintain Your Shipment Rates 

I choose the third combination consisting of forwarding agent, departure country, 

postal code of the shipping point, and the tariff zone. Press the Enter key again. 

A new overview screen opens (see Figure 13.57). 


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Figure 13.57 Overview Screen for the Shipment Rates Maintenance, Part 1 

Enter your combination in the header — the vendor number of your forwarding 

agent in the Service agent field, in this example “OG0001” for Spedition Brummer. 

Germany (“DE”) is the Country of departure, “80808” is the Departure 

post. code of the OGM1 shipping point. In the TfZDt (tariff zone of the destination 

country) column, enter the tariff zones that you previously defined. Now 

press the Enter key once. The validity period is provided in the definition of the 

ZOG1 condition type. 

Select the “OGDE85” tariff zone and click on the icon. Now, a pop-up window 

opens and prompts you to enter the scale number. Enter “111.” You can also define 

a new scale at this point. 

Press the Enter key. The individual scale values are now displayed. Enter your 

shipment rates for each scale value (see Figure 13.58). 

Figure 13.58 Shipment Prices for Each Scale Value 

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Save the scale and repeat the shipment rate maintenance for the remaining tariff 

zones until all shipment rates are entered. Here, an upload, for example, from 

an Excel table, is desirable, but is not provided in the SAP standard. Creating a 

respective upload program to allow for a quicker import of shipment tables is 

recommended. 

Creating Shipment Cost Documents 

You have now laid the foundations to settle transports. Therefore, I now introduce 

how you can manually create shipment cost documents. 

For this purpose, I created a shipment (see Figure 13.59). The goods are directly delivered 

to Munich (postal code: 88763), which is in the “OGDE88” tariff zone. The total 

weight of the delivery is 7,260 kg. 

From the column of Tariff Zone 1 around Munich in Figure 13.49, you copy the value 

up to 10,000 kg: 4.04 Euros per 100 kg. Therefore, the shipment rate is 293.30 Euros 

excluding taxes (4.04 Euros per 100 kg * 7,260 kg). 

Figure 13.59 Sample Shipment for Calculating the Shipment Rates 

Menu Path for the Shipment Cost Documents 

Logistics • Logistics Execution • Transportation • Shipment Costs. Here, you can 

choose if you want to create, change, or view the shipment cost document. In addition, 

under Lists and Logs, an evaluation is provided. 


VI01: Create single documents 

VI02: Change single documents 

VI03: View single documents 

VI04: Create shipment cost documents via collective processing 


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VI05: Change shipment cost documents via collective processing 

VI06: Create shipment cost documents via collective processing in the background 

VI07: Change shipment cost documents via collective processing in the background 

Start Transaction VI01 to create a single document. In the Shipment Number 

field, enter the number of the shipment to be determined, as seen in Figure 13.60. 

You can manually specify the Ship. cost type, but the most useful method is to 

let the system specify the shipment cost type. Therefore, leave the field empty. 

Because the shipment rates are provided with a validity period, the conditions 

with the validity period that corresponds to the Pricing date are read. The Settlement 

date is important for accounting. You can post documents into another 

settlement period if this period has not been completed yet. 

Figure 13.60 Initial Screen for the Manual Creation of Shipment Cost Documents 

Press the Enter key. The overview screen with the determined price opens (see 

Figure 13.61). As already calculated in the previous example, the total price is 

293.30 Euros. 

Figure 13.61 Overview Screen with the Calculated Total Price 

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At this point, I will also describe how you can navigate to the price analysis if the 

desired price is not provided. The price analysis enables you to determine exactly 

which criteria found which condition types. Select the item that you want to analyze, 

and click on the icon. Now, detailed information about the item is displayed 

(see Figure 13.62). In the upper half of the screen, you can find numerous 

tabs for the respective item. 

Figure 13.62 Display of the Shipment Cost Item 

Because the actual shipment cost calculation is in the subitem, you must work with 

the lower half of the screen. Here, it is referred to as Delivery “80014671.” Select 

this subitem, and click on the icon. The pricing procedure with the condition 

types found is provided (see Figure 13.63). 

Figure 13.63 Pricing Procedure with the Condition Types Found 


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The price from the “ZOG1” condition type was used, namely, 4.04 Euros per 100 

kg. Some rows below, the tax amount of 16% was determined for the net freight. 

If you select the row that contains Condition Type “ZOG1” and click on the 

button, the program displays the currently used condition rate, 

including the complete scale. But if you click on the 

button, the program 

displays complete structure of the pricing procedure (see Figure 13.64). 

Figure 13.64 Analysis of the Complete Pricing 

On the left half of the screen, you can find the condition types in the “ZOG001” 

pricing procedure. Expand the individual folders up to the point that you want to 

analyze. On the right half of the screen, the respective information is displayed. 

Figure 13.64 shows that the price from the “ZOG1” condition type was used. The 

access sequence contains four tables in total. The sequence with the number, “30,” 

has found the condition. The individual values of the fields are shown on the right. 

This function enables you to check why a desired price has not been determined. 

Return to the item screen (see Figure 13.62). Click on the icon at the item level 

(in the upper part of the screen). Then, the pricing screen at the item level opens. 

Using this screen, you can manually define conditions. If you want to specify, for 

example, a lump sum (for example, a lump sum of 100 Euros via Condition Type 

„FB10“), enter the sum in the next empty row (see Figure 13.65). 

Press the Enter key once, and the system adds the condition type at the right position 

(according to the pricing procedure) (see Figure 13.66). 

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Figure 13.65 Specifying Manual Conditions 

Figure 13.66 Pricing Procedure After the Manual Condition Has Been Specified 

Return to the complete overview and save this document. The SAP system displays 

a shipment cost document number. For checking purposes, view the shipment 

(Transaction VT03N), and select the Shipm. cst cal tab (see Figure 13.67). 

Figure 13.67 Shipment Cost Calculation Tab in the Shipment Header 


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Here, the current status (Status “C,” completely processed) is shown. Because a 

one-to-one relationship exists between the shipment document and the shipment 

cost document, you can directly navigate to the shipment cost document using the 

button. 

Break-Weight Settlement, Selecting the Lowest Price 

Compared to the pricing in sales documents, shipment cost calculations have some 

special features. The break-weight settlement is one of the special features. It can 

be best explained using an example: Take a look at the scale already known (Figure 

13.49). Assume that you have a delivery with a total weight of 5,800 kg for 

Tariff Zone 1. For a value up to 6,000 kg it is settled with 5.47 Euros per 100 kg. 

Therefore, a shipment value of 317.26 Euros is determined. But, if the delivery 

weighed 300 kg more, namely, 6,100 kg, the freight would be calculated using the 

next scale, 4.04 Euros per 100 kg (scale up to 10,000 kg). Therefore, a shipment 

value of 246.44 Euros would be determined. You see immediately that, due to the 

change to the next higher scale, a lower shipment value can be determined. Often, 

agreements are made with forwarding agents that in such cases an increase of the 

total weight can be simulated in order to benefit from lower prices. The SAP system 

refers to these cases as break-weight calculations. 

The SAP system uses a trick to map this function. You implement a second condition 

type that refers to an existing condition type. Therefore, you don’t require the 

shipment scales again for the second condition type. Then, you define an exclusion 

procedure between the two condition types that makes sure that the more favorable 

type is used. You can also use the exclusion procedure if you generally want 

to compare several condition types. 

Copy a second condition type from the original condition type, in my example 

“ZOG2.” In the Master data area, for the new condition type, you enter the condition 

type to which the second refers (for example, “ZOG1”) in the RefConType 

field. Additionally, you must set an “F” in the Ref/Application field. This indicates 

that the reference is a freight condition (see also Figure 13.68). 

Figure 13.68 Second Condition Type for the Break-Weight Calculation 

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Save the condition type. On the left side in the same screen, expand the Scales for 

condition types folder (see Figure 13.69). If you assigned defined scales in the original 

condition type, they would also be displayed. In my example, I didn’t assign defined 

scales. But, nevertheless, we check the break-weight (BW) calculation checkbox. 

Figure 13.69 Break-Weight Calculation Figure in the Scale 

of the Second Condition Type 

Save these entries. Now, in the pricing procedure, position the second condition 

type directly after the type you want to refer to (see Figure 13.70). 

Figure 13.70 The Two Condition Types for the Break-Weight Calculation 

Condition Exclusion Procedure 

In the second step, you must define an exclusion procedure for the two condition 

types. Start with a Condition exclusion group. Call Customizing, and create a new 

condition exclusion group that starts with “Z.” 

Technical Information About Condition Exclusion Groups 

EE 

EE 



• Pricing Control • Condition Exclusion • Condition Exclusion for Groups of 

Conditions 

EE 



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13 


EE 

EE 

EE 

Table: T684 (Usage “A” and Application “F”) and T684T (language-dependent name) 

Table: T684G for the assignment between the condition types and condition exclusion 

group (Usage “A,” Application “F”) 

Table: T684S for the condition exclusion procedure (Usage “A,” Application “F”) 

Figure 13.71, I created the “ZOGS” group as an example. Now, assign the two 

condition types, “ZOG1” and “ZOG2,” to the condition exclusion group (see Figure 

13.72). 

Figure 13.71 Condition Exclusion Group for the Break-Weight Calculation 

Figure 13.72 Assigning the Condition Types to a Condition Exclusion Group 

In the last step, you must define how the system is supposed to manage the situation 

if valid condition records are found in both condition types. If you want to use 

this function, you must first select your pricing procedure and then the Exclusion 

folder. A screen as shown in Figure 13.73 opens. 

486 



Figure 13.73 Procedures Within the Exclusion Group 

Add the procedure. Enter “A” in the Condition exclusion procedure (condition 

exclusion procedure) column if the lowest price is supposed to be used when a 

valid condition has been found for the two condition types. “E” means that the 

highest price is supposed to be found. This is usually the case for air freights when 

the prices are compared for volume or weight dependencies (10 pallets with low 

weight are probably more expensive than one single heavy pallet). You can also 

control prices within the same condition type. If you enter “B,” the most favorable 

condition is used. If you also compare the exclusion groups with each other, enter 

“C” if the more favorable exclusion group should be used, otherwise enter “F.” 

In my example, I entered “A” as well as the respective condition exclusion group 

in the Exclusion Group 1 column. 

Again, I created a shipment with a total weight of 5,808 kg (see Figure 13.74). 

Figure 13.74 Sample Shipment with 5,808 kg 

According to the defined scale, shipment costs of 317.70 Euros would incur. 

Now, I start Transaction VI01, and create the shipment cost document (see Figure 

13.75). 


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Figure 13.75 Break-Weight Calculation in the Pricing Procedure 

Because the rounding is set to 10 kg, the system’s lowest limit in the next scale 

is 6,004.9 kg. At a scale price of 4.04 Euros per 100 kg, the price is now 242.60 

Euros. The pricing overview indicates that the two prices were determined, but 

due to the exclusion procedure the lower price is used for further calculation. 

I explained the basic principles of shipment cost calculation. If you want to use the 

shipment cost settlement, the biggest problem you have to solve is the analysis of 

how you can implement your specific requirements in a pricing procedure. A book 

cannot describe the implementation. This situation requires detailed examination. 

Record all parameters and defined dependencies and try to combine them in units 

to keep a manageable number of condition types. Try to form specific pricing procedures 

for each mode of transport that you can easily control via the shipping 

type procedure group. 

Creating Shipment Cost Documents via Collective Processing 

Finally, I will briefly introduce how you can create shipment cost documents. I 

described how you can manually create a single shipment cost document. Using 

Transaction VI04, you can start collective processing. For this purpose, a wide 

range of parameters are provided that you can use to select your shipment documents 


For this case, refer to Section 5.3.2. The functions are similar, at least regarding the 

creation of variants and execution of this function. Having started the function, an 

overview of all shipments that can be settled opens (see Figure 13.77). 

488 



Figure 13.76 Part of the Selection Screen for the Creation of Shipment Cost Documents via 

Collective Processing 

Figure 13.77 Overview of All Shipments to Settle 

Place a checkmark in the checkbox at the beginning of the row of each shipment 

that you want to determine. Then, start the function via the F8 key or by clicking 

on the icon. In Section 5.3.2 I described how you can modify the list screen to 

your specific needs. 

After startup, a message is displayed that indicates whether shipment cost documents 

have been created and whether a log has been generated. Click on the 

button to view the log (see Figure 13.78). 


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13 


Figure 13.78 Log for the Shipment Cost Calculation via Collective Processing 

Creating Shipment Cost Documents in the Background 

Using Transaction VI06, you can start the creation of shipment cost documents. 

Please refer to Section 5.3.3 regarding this topic. 

Finally, I want to mention the option that you can forward your shipment costs to 

your Accounting department after they have been calculated. To do this, you must 

activate or set the account determination in your shipment cost settlement. Here, 

you must coordinate with your Accounting department which accounts should be 

posted in which cases. I omitted this topic because it involves many accounting 

issues that I cannot describe in this book for reasons of space. I also must omit the 

credit memo procedure with forwarding agents. To do this, you must store your 

purchasing parameters to create an order for each shipment type. Here, we would 

also leave the shipment process and come to the purchase order handling. 

13.4 Summary 

This chapter introduced the structure of the stages within shipment documents 

as well as shipment cost settlement. It also described the special features that you 

need to take into account for packing at the shipment level or the delivery and 

shipment level. Special functions (outputs within a shipment) as well as the different 

statuses and activity profiles are described in the following chapters. 

490 


To plan and implement your shipments, you can trace the individual steps 

(planning, loading, shipment completion, concluding). This chapter presents 

the individual status information in the shipment document. It also 

covers how automatic activities can be initiated when certain statuses have 

been reached. 

14 Shipment Status 

Chapter 12, Shipment, and Chapter 13, Other Shipment Functions, presented the 

individual functions that can be used to implement shipments. These functions 

are executed for specific work steps. The status in the shipment document provides 

information about the current status of the work steps, for example, planning, 

check-in, loading, completing, starting, and concluding shipment. For this purpose, 

additional evaluation functions that are very similar to the delivery monitor 

(see Section 11.2) are provided. Using these, shipment documents that have 

reached a certain status and have to be further processed can be selected. 

The first section of this chapter describes the individual statuses. The second section 

provides a description of the so-called activity profiles. In the SAP system, 

activity profiles are used to define whether specific activities are implemented 

when a certain status has been reached. This includes predefined activities, for 

example, to create and implement specific output types in the shipment document, 

define certain fields in the shipment document for entry in a pop-up window, 

implement goods issue posting, or initiate billing. Which Customizing settings are 

required to assign these activities to a specific status are also explained. 

14.1 Shipment Status 

In Section 12.4, scheduling individual work steps was explained (see Figure 14.1). 

Here, the individual work steps are displayed that are concluded by clicking the 

corresponding button to set the current status for the shipment document during 


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14 

Shipment Status 

processing. Here, a distinction is made between planned dates and actual dates. If 

an actual date is set, the corresponding status is set as well. 

Figure 14.1 Overview of Individual Statuses in the Shipment Document 

14.1.1 Overview of Possible Statuses 

You can set the following completion dates (under Execution, right side of the 

screen, on the lower Deadlines tab) and the respective statuses: 

EE 

EE 

EE 

Planning 

The planning status is the first status that can be set after creation of a shipment 

document. It indicates that the shipment was reported to the forwarding agent. 

The overall status is set to “1” in the shipment document. 

Check-in 

The check-in status indicates that the truck has arrived at the delivering plant. 

In most cases, the driver reports to the guard service for check-in. The overall 

status changes to “2.” 

Loading start 

The loading start status is generally set by warehouse employees when loading 

of goods has been started. The overall status changes to “3.” 

492 


Shipment Status 14.1 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 

Loading end 

The loading end status is set by warehouse employees when the goods have 

been loaded completely. The overall status changes to “4.” 


Drivers have to be provided with all delivery notes for the implementation of 

the shipment. When these were compiled and handed over to the driver, the 

employees set the shipment completion status. The date entered gives information 

about when the delivery notes were handed over to the driver. The overall 

status changes to “5.” 


When the truck has left the delivering plant, the date or shipment start status is 

set. The overall status changes to “6.” 

Shipment end 

The shipment end status is set when the truck has arrived at the customer. In 

most cases, however, the exact date is not known. For this reason, my customers, 

for example, have often set this status together with the shipment start. 

The shipment end status is also the last status that can be set. The overall status 

changes to “7.” 

14.1.2 Setting the Status in the Shipment Document 

Click on the corresponding button (for example, 

), if you want to set 

this status. Date and time are automatically set; in addition, the button is provided 

with a . The overall status (the field can be found in the upper half of the screen, 

see Figure 14.1) is also set (for example, ). 

The traffic light behind the Overall status field is red, if only status “1 Planning” 

is set. From status “2 Check-in” to the “4 Loading end” status the traffic light is yellow. 

As of the “5 Shipment completion” status, the traffic light is set to green. 

You can also enter the date and time manually. In this case it is not required to click 

on the button to set the status. If you have to make changes in the shipment document 

retroactively, click on the respective button to reset the status. Date and time 

are deleted. In this case, bear the dates and times in mind before you delete them. 

After you have made your changes, enter the original date and time again. 

You do not have to set all statuses if they are not required for processing your 

shipment. It may be possible that you do not require the statuses, “1 Planning,” 


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14 


“5 Shipment completion,” and “7 Shipment end.” If you have programs in your 

system that query the status of a shipment document, it is recommended to not 

only query the exact status, but also the preceding statuses. If the “5 Shipment 

completion” status was set, the statuses, “1 Planning” to “4 Loading end,” are set 

as well. 

Statuses are only available at the shipment header level. For stages or individual 

delivery items no statuses are updated. The only exception would be the status for 

shipment cost settlement. This can be set at the shipment header or stage level. 

When the shipment costs for a shipment or stage were calculated, the status is set 

to “C” (fully settled). If it has not been settled yet, the status is set to “A.” If the 

shipment is not shipment cost-relevant, the status is empty. 

For each stage, however, you can determine the date and time, when the driver 

had started the stage or leg, and when he has arrived at his destination. A status is 

not set, however. This information is only informal and can be analyzed to record 

the on-time delivery of the forwarding agent. For this purpose, the exact times of 

your forwarding agent are required, too (see Section 13.2.1). 

Customizing settings are not necessary for statuses, as these are predefined. In the 

SAP system you can implement a specific action for each status. These actions are 

controlled via the activity profile. 

14.2 Activity Profiles 

If you set a specific status in your shipment document, you can automatically 

execute a certain activity via the SAP system. These settings are controlled via 

activity profiles. 

The following activities can be defined in such a profile: 

EE 

EE 

EE 

A pop-up window can be generated including fields that you want to record for 

this status (for example, the driver’s name after check-in or shipment completion). 

The pop-up window is displayed when you click on the respective button. 

You can generate a log. Here, all errors or warning messages are logged that 

occurred during activity processing. 

You can implement goods issue posting or start it in a batch job. 

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Activity Profiles 14.2 

EE 

EE 

EE 

You can trigger billing of delivery documents for this shipment. 

You can generate delivery items for your shipment’s packaging material. 

You can generate output that either relates to shipment, packaging material 

(handling unit) in the shipment, delivery documents, packaging material from 

the delivery document, or billing. 


Activity profiles are determined for each shipment type and every single status 

separately. Hence, you can define seven different activity profiles for each shipment 

type. The activity profile is only executed if the exact status is set. 

If, for example, the activity is defined for status, “4 Loading end,” and this status is not 

set, but the subsequent “5 Shipment completion” status, the activities defined for the “4 

Loading end” status are not implemented. If you set two statuses (“4 Loading end” and 

“5 Shipment completion”) in one working step, the defined activities are executed. 

Technical Information About the Activity Profile 

EE 

Path in Customizing: Logistics Execution • Transportation • Shipments • Define 

and Assign Activity Profiles 

EE 


EE 

Table: TVTK 

Start Customizing. An overview is displayed, including all shipment types (vertical) 

and all statuses (horizontal) (see Figure 14.2). 

Figure 14.2 Overview of the Activity Profiles for Each Shipment Type 


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To create a new activity profile, enter a profile name for the wanted shipment type 

and the respective status. You can also use mnemonic names for your profiles, for 

example, “0001 – 05”. Profile “0001” stands for the shipment type and “05” for 

status 5 (for shipment completion). To change the existing profile, place the cursor 

on the wanted profile. 

Click on the button. The maintenance screen for the profile opens. As the 

maintenance screen is very comprehensive, only the first part is displayed in Figure 

14.3. 

Figure 14.3 Part 1 of the Maintenance Screen for an Activity Profile 

If specific fields are supposed to be maintained in the shipment document when 

you set the status, check the Dialog box for fast entry during setting of status 

checkbox. Click on the button to select the fields wanted. The field selection 

is illustrated in Figure 14.4. 

Select the fields that are Rdy for input, that you only want to view (Displ. only), 

or that you must check (Req.fld). After having selected your fields, click on the 

button. You have the option to check your selection with regard to plausibility. 

For this purpose, click on the button. 

You can also assign your entries to specific means of transport. For this purpose, 

first add the two fields, Packaging mat. type and Packaging materials, to your 

activity profile. 

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Figure 14.4 Field Selection for the Fast Entry During Setting of StatusPop-up Window 

If errors or warning messages occur when your status is being saved, you combine 

the errors in a log. Determine how to proceed with this log: You either disable each 

log (Do not issue log [even if there are errors or warnings] radio button), or 

you enable logging and displaying only of errors and warnings (Issue log if errors 

or warnings occur radio button), or you view each log (Always issue log after 

save radio button). If you want to save a log and call it via Transaction VT05 later, 

check the Save Log (Display Using Transaction VT05) checkbox. 


Another activity available for selection is to carry out goods issue posting (see Figure 

14.5). Initially, you have to decide whether you want to carry out the goods 

issue posting when the status is set (No goods issue posting radio button). If you 


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want to do so, there are two options available: You either carry out goods issue 

posting immediately (Carry out goods issue posting during save radio button) 

or via a batch job (Carry out goods issue posting in background radio button). 

In the latter case, you have to create a variant for this batch job (see Figure 14.6). 

Figure 14.6 Variant Maintenance for Carrying Out Goods Issue Posting in a Batch Job 

Variant maintenance will not be explained in detail at this point. If the variant is 

created for Program RV56BPGI, refer to Section 5.3.3. Here, batch variant maintenance 

is described in greater detail. Creating batch variants should, in some cases, 

be coordinated with your system administrators. 

Additional functions are available, for example, trigger billing. For this purpose, 

check the Carry out billing checkbox. If you want to generate delivery items for 

your packaging materials and means of transport (because you manage stocks), 

check Generate delivery item for HUs. 

You have comprehensive options for handling output. You can generate specific 

output types when you have set a specific status (see Figure 14.7). These outputs 

may relate to: 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 

Shipment; shipment outputs always relate to the entire shipment and cannot 

be defined for each stage. 

Shipment deliveries; this involves output at the delivery header level 

Handling Units in shipment or in delivery documents 

Billing, if already available 

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Check the respective checkbox (Shipment, Handling unit [from shipment], 

Handling unit [from delivery], or Billing), and define your output type. Click 

on the icon to generate several output types (see Figure 14.8). 

In the Transmission Medium field you have to enter whether this is a Print output 

(“1”), an EDI output (“6”), or a Special function (“8”, for example, IDoc processing. 

In the Processing mode field you have to enter how the output is supposed to 

be processed. A “1” indicates that the output is directly processed after saving the 

shipment document. This must be the first processing, that is, no re-processing. 

“2” indicates that the output is supposed to be repeated. “3” indicates that an 

incorrect output is supposed to be repeated. 

Figure 14.8 Generating Several Output Types 


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I have explained all activities that can be automatically implemented after setting 

a specific status in the SAP system. If you want to use your own tables or addons 

in your system when a specific status has been reached, you can control your 

functions via an output type. Virtually all of my customers use this solution. Custom 

“pseudo print programs” are created that do not print a single row, but are 

controlled like a print program. In reality, specific functions are executed in these 

“print programs,” for example, Z tables are filled and the next status may already 

be set (for this purpose, specific function modules are available to set specific statuses). 

The use of such a program allows for a multitude of options. 

It is much better, however, to use existing user exits, which the SAP system provides 

during shipment processing. You only have to query the status for which 

you want to execute the activity. SAP software offers two function modules with 

enhancement V56FSTAT. 

The first function module, EXIT_SAPLV56F_011 with include ZXV56U16, is called 

before the activities that relate to the implemented status change are executed in 

the SAP standard. You can therefore influence these processes in advance. 

The second function module, EXIT_SAPLV56F_012 with include ZXV56U35, is 

only called after the standard activities for the implemented status change have 

been processed. Therefore, your specific processes can be based on the result of 

the status change. 


Finally, I want to give an example for the pop-up window described previously 

that you can use to enter specific fields. Call Transaction VT02N, and, for example, 

set the “5 Shipment completion” status by clicking on the 

button 

(see Figure 14.1). The relevant pop-up window (see excerpt in Figure 14.4) is displayed 

as shown in Figure 14.9. 

In my example, the external identification (External ID 1 field) and Fwd. Agent 

field are defined as required fields. Thus, I have to make entries in these fields (in 

external ID, for example, the truck’s license plate number “GmDx128” and in the 

forwarding agent field the vendor number “OG0001” of the forwarding company). 

The Container ID field is only displayed and not ready for input. The Addit. text 

1 field is ready for input, but input is not mandatory. 

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Figure 14.9 Pop-up Window for Input of Wanted Fields After Setting a Specific Status 

Click on the button to transfer the entries made to the shipment document. 

The individual fields are then included in the overview (see Figure 14.10). 

Figure 14.10 Overview of the Shipment Document After the Entry of Fields 

After the Shipment completion status is set, the fields, Forwarding agent and 

External ID 1, are transferred to the shipment document. Finally, save your 

entries. 


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14.3 Summary 

This chapter has explained the various statuses and their meaning for the shipment 

document, as well as how they are set. Via your system, you can execute specific 

activities automatically for each of these statuses. For this purpose, you have to set 

the activities via the Customizing and assign them to a shipment type and a specific 

status via activity profiles. 

502 


To carry out shipments, you need to print out information, such as bills of 

lading, shipping orders, or loading lists. This chapter will present the system 

settings that are required and explains how you can create and control 

print outputs in shipment documents. 

15 Transport Papers and Documents 

Printouts are required to carry out shipments. Paperless organization and Electronic 

Data Interchange (EDI) document transfer notwithstanding, statutory 

requirements still sometimes make it necessary to provide the truck driver with 

documents and papers. In the case of dangerous goods, for example, the driver 

has to have an exact declaration of the materials loaded. Some countries require 

loading lists that indicate which materials are carried in the different means of 

transport (such as containers). But customers also claim loading and packing lists 

to carry out better incoming goods inspections. Pallets are another example: Even 

though the relevant data is transferred to the ship-to party by EDI, pallets still have 

to have a label that uniquely identifies each one. 

In the SAP system, a document (shipping order, CMR bill of lading, etc.) is referred 

to as an output. Outputs are generated via the setting in the output determination 

or control. 

Chapter 10, Shipping Papers and Documents, already describes the complete output 

control. This chapter will only detail the differences that you must consider when 

you process outputs in shipment documents. The basis of an output is either the 

shipment document or the shipment handling unit. There is a separate output 

control process for each of these two objects. 

The first section will look at the relevant Customizing settings in more detail. In 

the second section, you will learn how to handle outputs in the shipment document; 

in other words, how to create them manually, how to print them if required, 

how to send them, and how to repeat them. The final section deals with printer 

determination. Because these functions are very similar to those of delivery documents, 

I will always refer to Chapter 10, Shipping Papers and Documents. 


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Transport Papers and Documents 

15.1 Standard SAP Printouts 

Within the scope of shipment processing, SAP software provides some standard 

print outputs. You can extend these standard printouts in any way you like and 

integrate them into the output determination process. But first, a brief overview 

of output determination. 

To process shipments, you have to generate output in the shipment document 

that is then handed over to the driver in printed form. You will also have to print 

outputs for other purposes, for instance, to identify pallets and containers, and 

you will have to send outputs to your forwarding agent by fax, e-mail, and EDI. A 

message ID is assigned to these various forms of output; in SAP terminology, this 

is the output type. Therefore, the shipping order has its own output type, just like 

the loading list and the pallet label. The most important output types provided by 

the SAP system as standards are illustrated in Figure 15.1. 

General Shipment 

Document (ALTR) 

Loading List 

CMR Bill of Lading 

Shipping Order 

Output Types 

in Shipment 

Bill of Lading for 

Railroad Traffic 

Shipping Note 

Air Waybill (AWB) 

Figure 15.1 Overview of Output Types Provided by SAP for Shipment Documents 

15.2 Output Determination 

You can assign multiple output types to one shipment document. All output types 

required for the respective processing (for example, by road, by train, sea freight, 

or air freight) are combined in an output determination procedure. This output 

determination procedure is assigned to a shipment type. However, because you do 

504 



not require each output type in each shipment document, you can specify for each 

output type the conditions under which this output is included in the shipment 

document. These criteria are specified in the condition tables. If you have multiple 

criteria, group your criteria in order of priority to form an access sequence. Finally, 

assign the access sequence to an output type. Figure 15.2 shows an overview of 

this function. 

Output 

Determination 

Procedure 

Output 

Types 

Access 

Sequence 

Condition 

Tables 

WABS 

0002 

006 

V7AUTO 

SPAT 

SHAD 

0004 

0007 

001 

012 

etc. 

etc. 

etc. 

Output Determination per 

- Shipment Type 

Figure 15.2 Overview of the Output Determination Structure 

15.2.1 Condition Tables 

Let us now look at the condition tables. In these condition tables, you specify when 

output is supposed to be determined. For shipment documents, these criteria are 

generally limited to only a few fields, for example, transportation planning point, 

shipment type, shipping type, or special processing indicators. Of course, you can 

also refine your criteria up to the forwarding agent level. 

The procedure of how you can make your settings in the condition tables is 

described in Section 10.2.1. 

Technical Information About Output Determination for Shipments 

EE 

EE 

EE 

Path in Customizing for outbound deliveries: Logistics Execution • Transportation • 

Basic Transportation Functions • Output Control • Maintain Output Determination 

for Shipments 

Application: V7 for shipments 

For further details refer to Chapter 10, Shipping Papers and Documents 


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15.2.2 Access Sequence 

The next step is to group your condition tables to form a logical sequence. The 

system uses the corresponding fields in the shipment document to determine an 

entry in the individual condition tables. An access sequence is used to impose a logical 

order on these condition tables. 

15.2.3 Output Type 

Now, assign this access sequence to an output type. Output types have a wide range 

of parameters, which you can view in more detail in the system if required. As 

before, if you define new output types, make sure to prefix these with “Z.” For this 

purpose, simply copy a similar output type already existing. 

Refer to Section 10.2.3. for settings that can be made for output types. 

15.2.4 Output Determination Procedure 

Once all your output types are ready, group them together to form an output 

determination procedure. As before, you have the option to specify a condition that 

determines when the output is supposed to be considered. There is also a checkbox 

where you can specify whether this output type is supposed to be automatically 

determined or not. If you do not select the automatic determination, you will 

have to trigger the output type yourself (see also Section 15.3). 

Figure 15.3 Output Types Within the Output Determination Procedure V7AUTO, 

Sorted by Access Sequence (Step) 

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Output In Shipment Documents 15.3 

15.2.5 Determining the Output Determination Procedure 

Finally, assign the output determination procedure to a shipment type. This is a 

simple assignment procedure (see Figure 15.4). Concurrently, you can also directly 

assign a specific, recurrent output type to the shipment type, independent of any 

criteria. 

Figure 15.4 Assignment of Output Determination Procedure to a Shipment Type 

Chapter 10, Shipping Papers and Documents, describes how you can maintain conditions 

for output determination and create output for handling units. 

You are now familiar with the various options of the system settings for output 

determination. Let us now move on to outputs from the point of view of end 

users. 

15.3 Output In Shipment Documents 

I created a new shipment document and selected Goto • Output in the menu bar. 

The system then displays an overview screen that shows the output that was found 

using the output determination procedure (see Figure 15.5). If output type wanted 

is not displayed, you can enter it in the Output type column. 


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Figure 15.5 Overview Screen of Output in the Shipment Document 

The yellow traffic light icon ( ) indicates that the “CMR1” Output type has not 

yet been printed (Medium: “1 Print output”). If you want to print this output, 

select the row with the output type required and click on the button. 

The system now displays the screen with the additional specifications (see Figure 

10.9). 

Set the dispatch time to “4 send immediately.” Now click on the Back button or 

the icon. You then return to the overview screen. Select the row again and click 

on the 

button. The screen shown in Figure 10.10 then opens. 

I have deactivated the Print immediately option here, as I want to show you how 

spool printing works. Click on the Back button again to return to the overview 

screen. Now save the shipment document. If you call up the overview screen again 

at this point (Transaction VT02N or VT03N), you will see that the traffic light icon 

has changed to green. 

Open Transaction SP01 to display the spool file (see Figure 15.6). Here, your shipment 

document can be found. 

Figure 15.6 Overview of the Spool File 

Check the checkbox at the start of the row and select the display function via the 

icon. The CMR bill of lading is now displayed (see Figure 15.7). 

508 


Printer Determination 15.4 

Figure 15.7 Display of the CRM Bill of Lading from the Spool File 

If you want to repeat an output (for printing, this means to reprint it, and for EDI, 

to resend it), select the output type in question in the overview screen (see Figure 

15.5). Click on the button. The output type selected is recreated. For the 

second output type, the same procedure applies as for the first one. 

You can avoid manual input by working with activity profiles. Depending on the 

status set, you can automatically print your output or send EDI output. Activity 

profiles are described in greater detail in Section 14.2. 

You now know how you can get to output control functions in shipment documents. 

For further details on handling units refer to Chapter 10, Shipping Papers 

and Documents. 

15.4 Printer Determination 

Shipping documents are not always printed centrally at one location; in many 

cases, they are printed directly at the location of the person responsible or at the 

transportation planning point’s shared printer. If the SAP standard is not sufficient 

for your purposes, you can ultimately use SAP software’s user exits. 

Assign your printer’s name to your transportation planning point. Select the function 

in Customizing. Initially, a folder is displayed in which you can set the print 

parameters for your shipment. Select the Transport (V7) folder. The system then 


509

15 


displays all defined output types. For example, double-click on the CMR Bill of 

Lading (CMR1) (see Figure 15.8). 

Figure 15.8 Overview of All Output Types in the “Transport” (V7) Folder 

You are now shown a new overview of all transportation planning points and 

their assigned printers. Scroll down to the required transportation planning point 

if you want to view or modify the printer assignment, or if you want to set the 

printer assignment for a new transportation planning point, click on the 

button. A new overview screen to maintain new printer assignments opens (see 

Figure 15.9). 

Figure 15.9 Entering Printer Parameters for a Transportation Planning Point Selected 

510 


Summary 15.5 

Enter the printer name in the OutputDevice field. You can also assign a threepart 

name that you can use to indentify the printout in the SAP spool file. Here, I 

have selected the name, “OGM1 CMR1 Transport.” Check the Print immediately 

checkbox if you want to print directly to your printer. If you want to delete the 

output in the SAP spool file after printing, check the Release after print checkbox. 

If a cover sheet is supposed to be printed in front of the main document, fill 

in the SAP cover page, Recipient, Department, and Text fields as appropriate. 

Save your entries. 

Technical Information About Printer Determination 

Path in Customizing for outbound deliveries: Logistics Execution • Transportation • 

Basic Transportation Functions • Output Control • Define Print Parameters Shipment 

I have not described printer determination in greater detail at this point. If you 

want to learn more about printer determination, refer to Section 10.5 for delivery 

documents. The settings are identical to a large extent, however, they are at the 

shipment document level and not at the delivery document level. 

15.5 Summary 

This chapter illustrated print control for shipment documents. The following is 

a summary of the individual steps that you have to take in the SAP system and 

which are very similar to delivery documents: 

1. Specify in Customizing the printouts and documents that you require for your 

shipment documents 

2. Specify the print activation criteria in Customizing 

3. Specify the printer determination criteria in Customizing 

4. Use the condition technique to enter information in print activation criteria 

Once the output and printer are determined, the entire output control process can 

be modified manually. 


511


Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) processes describe the exchange of business 

data between two partners. This chapter shows you how to trigger EDI 

processes from within your delivery documents and shipment documents, 

and explains the process that starts when you receive EDI data. 

16 EDI and IDocs 

The practice of exchanging business data between two partners using electronic 

means (commonly referred to as EDI) has been used for many decades. SAP software 

provided EDI solutions as early as the R/2 system and further developed 

these in R/3. As time went on, worldwide standards were agreed on so that the 

content and business scenarios in the data exchange process did not have to be 

set up every time. 

There are predefined standard agreements for a range of business scenarios. For 

example, if you want to send your partner price lists for the materials that you 

offer, you use the PRICAT standard; if, on the other hand, you want to inform your 

forwarding agent or external warehouse management company about an upcoming 

delivery, you use SHPORD. Every scenario has a name, which is called the EDI 

output type. In this chapter, you will learn about the EDI output types that the SAP 

system provides for the various delivery and shipment documents. 

Often, subsystems and converters are used that generate the EDI outputs by 

default. In the case of outbound outputs, however, the data has to come from the 

SAP system, and with inbound outputs, the data has to enter the SAP system and 

be processed there. 

The SAP system uses its own standard to standardize this communication with the 

subsystems: the Intermediate Document (IDoc) interface. This chapter contains a 

section on how IDocs are structured, and how you can organize the process of data 

transfer between SAP software, IDoc, EDI converters, and your partners. 

In the final section of this chapter, you will learn how to manage your interface 

and to identify data transfers that contain errors. 


513

16 

EDI and IDocs 

16.1 EDI for Delivery Document 

For the purposes of the shipping and transport scenarios described in this book, the 

delivery and shipment documents are the basis of outbound EDI outputs. Inbound 

EDI outputs create or update information in the delivery document or shipment document. 

First, let us look at the EDI outputs from and to the delivery documents. 

If you think about who you have to deal with when you want to electronically send 

information from your delivery documents, you will identify the following partners: 

your goods recipient, your forwarding agent, and, possibly, your external warehouse 

management company. To your goods recipient, you will want to send information 

about the deliveries that he will receive from you; to your forwarding agent, data on 

the quantities he must schedule for transport; and to your external warehouse manager, 

information about which materials he is to pick and prepare for delivery. 

If we now look at the inbound EDI outputs, there are only two classic use cases: 

your forwarding agent confirms that he will handle the shipping process, and your 

warehouse manager confirms the quantities picked. The following are examples of 

the output types that are supported in the SAP standard: 

EE 

EE 

EE 

Send shipping notification: outbound, output type DESADV 

Confirm received delivery: inbound, output type RECADV 

Send and activate forecast delivery schedule: inbound, output type DELFOR 

Outbound EDI outputs are managed in the delivery document by means of the 

output determination function. In your output, you define an output type that 

is marked as an EDI output in the Transmission Medium field on the Default 

values tab. In this field, enter “6” for “EDI” (see Figure 16.1), or if the processes in 

question uses IDocs only, enter “8” here (special function). 

Figure 16.1 Settings for an EDI Output Type 

514 


EDI for Delivery Document 16.1 

Also, enter the partner function under which a partner profile can be searched. 

“Output Type” is used simply to indicate that the output in question is an EDI 

output. However, the information about the partner to which it should be sent is 

contained in the delivery document under the partner function specified here. This 

creates a link between the output type and the partner in the delivery document. 

Now, open the Processing routines folder for this output type and enter RSNAS- 

TED in the Program field and EDI_PROCESSING in the FORM routine field (see 

Figure 16.2). 

Figure 16.2 Defining EDI Processing Routines 

Do not forget to maintain an access sequence and associated conditions for this 

output type. Chapter 10, Shipping Papers and Documents, discusses the more 

advanced Customizing steps and explains how to create and maintain condition 

records. If the EDI output was sent after you saved your delivery document, the 

status of this output type is set to green (see Figure 16.3). 

Figure 16.3 Status of EDI Output in Delivery Document 

You open the outputs by starting Transaction VL02N (Change Delivery Document) 

or VL03N (Display Delivery Document). Now select the following function from 

the menu bar: Extras • Delivery Output • Header. How to manage output types 

has already been described in Chapter 10, Shipping Papers and Documents. 


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16 

EDI and IDocs 

You are now able manage the EDI outputs that belong to your delivery document 

and you are now aware of the special settings that you have to pay particular attention 

to. 

The output processing process for the shipment document is basically the same as 

that for the delivery document. 

16.2 EDI for Shipment Document 

Because the system also provides output control on the transport level, you have 

the same options with shipment documents to send EDI outputs using output control 

and to generate IDoc data records. SAP software also supports inbound EDI 

outputs for shipment documents, which means that the shipment document with 

the corresponding EDI output type can be updated. 

However, in shipment documents, you will usually deal with one partner only — your 

forwarding agent. In some cases, you may deal with your external warehouse manager 

if, for example, the forwarding agent is contracted by the warehouse manager. 

The following are examples of the output types that are supported in the SAP 

standard: 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 

Shipping order to your warehouse manager: outbound, output type SHPORD 

Transfer order to your forwarding agent: outbound, output type IFTMIN 

Shipping confirmation from forwarding agent: inbound, output type SHPCON 

Notification to forwarding agent: outbound, output type CARNOT 

Shipment creation by your partner: inbound, output type SHPADV 

Shipment modification by your partner: inbound, output type SHPMNT 

As before, outbound EDI outputs are managed in the shipment document by 

means of the output determination function. The work steps you need to take to 

define an output type and assign it to an output determination schema are similar 

to those you take for the delivery document output type. In your output determination 

schema, you define an output type that is marked as an EDI output. As 

before, you do this in the Transmission Medium field on the Default values tab. 

Enter “6” for “EDI” (see Figure 16.4) and enter the partner function under which a 

partner profile can be searched. In the case of shipment documents, this is usually 

your forwarding agent. “Output Type” is used simply to indicate that the output in 

516 


IDocs 16.3 

question is an EDI output. However, the information about the partner to which it 

should be sent is contained in the shipment document under the partner function 

specified here. This creates a link between the output type and the partner in the 

shipment document. 

Figure 16.4 EDI Settings for Shipment Document 

Now, open the Processing routines folder for this output type and enter the same 

values that you did for the delivery document. The same applies here as before; 

that is, remember to maintain the access sequence and the conditions. You can 

open the outputs by starting Transaction VT02N (Change Shipment Document) 

or VT03N (Display Shipment Document). Now select Goto • Output from the 

menu bar. 

You can now manage the EDI outputs that belong to your shipment document and 

you are now aware of the special settings that you have to pay particular attention 

to. To be able to understand and track EDI outputs, however, you also have to be 

familiar with the structure of IDocs. 

16.3 IDocs 

You need IDoc Processing even when sending EDI outputs. In its broadest sense, 

the term IDoc refers to a document that is stored in an SAP database table for the 

purposes of further processing. 

16.3.1 Outbound IDoc Outputs 

Outbound IDoc outputs are written by SAP to this database table. The sub-systems 

and external systems that handle further processing “help themselves” from the 

big IDocs “pot.” Figure 16.5 shows an overview of the individual process steps for 

outbound IDocs. 


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16 

EDI and IDocs 

Indirect Way via Output Control 

Direct Way from the Application to the 

Interface 

SAP Application 

e.g. Delivery or Shipment Processing 



Document 

NAST: Output 

Processing 

IDoc 

NAST 

Entry 

IDoc Interface 

IDoc 

External Successor System 

Figure 16.5 Process Overview for Outbound IDocs 

Note that there is a difference between indirect and direct IDoc creation. With 

direct IDoc creation, the IDoc is generated from within the application and transferred 

to the IDoc interface by means of the MASTER_IDOC_DISTRIBUTE. With 

indirect IDoc creation, on the other hand, output control is used. 

16.3.2 Inbound IDoc Outputs 

In the case of inbound IDoc outputs, all subsystems and external systems write IDocs 

to the big SAP database. A process code, which is assigned to an IDoc type and the 

partner profile, is used on the SAP software side to call a function module, which 

in turn handles the further processing of the IDoc, creates any new entities that are 

required, and makes the corresponding changes in the sales document. Figure 16.6 

shows an overview of the processing steps for an inbound IDoc output. 

There is both direct and indirect processing for inbound IDoc outputs, too. Both 

processing types are basically the same as those in outbound processing, except 

that the indirect process for inbound outputs runs via the SAP workflow and not 

output control. 

518 


IDocs 16.3 

Indirect Way via the SAP Business 

Workflow 

Direct Way via Function Modules into 

the Document 





Document 

Workflow 

Document 

IDoc 

IDoc Interface 

IDoc 

External Successor System 

Figure 16.6 Process Overview for Inbound IDocs 

16.3.3 Structure of an IDoc 

In general, when the term “IDoc” is used, it means an (electronic) document. The SAP 

system has standardized this kind of document, and also given it a specific task. 

IDoc Type, Output Type 

This task is correctly referred to as the IDoc type. The IDoc type can take on the task 

of reporting a shipment to the forwarding agent, for example, IDoc type SHPMNT. 

Once the forwarding agent has accepted the shipment order, he can confirm this 

using the IDoc type SHPCON. To ensure that you do not have to set up separate 

agreements with every partner, the SAP system has standardized the content of 

the IDocs. For example, the SHPMNT IDoc type always has the same structure, 

regardless of which forwarding agent you are dealing with. 

Segments in the IDoc 

As just indicated, IDocs have a specific structure. Related data, such as data on 

address, packaging, and dangerous goods, is grouped together in the IDoc itself. 


519

16 

EDI and IDocs 

These groups of related data are called segments. Therefore, an IDoc consist of several 

segments. Some segments are mandatory in the IDoc (such as address data), 

while others are optional (such as dangerous goods data, which is not required if 

the goods in question are not dangerous). 

These segments have a special name: the segment type. They have a fixed order 

within an IDoc type and can be nested. The same segment can occur multiple 

times; for example, the segment type “Packaging data” could have multiple subordinate 

segment types called “Packaging data per handling unit.” 

Start Transaction WE30 in order to view an IDoc type. The system will ask you for an 

object type, which means the IDoc type or the basic IDoc type. Open this field. The 

system then generates a list of several possible IDoc types. You can see in Figure 16.7 

that 1,198 basic IDoc types are set in the system. 

Figure 16.7 Overview of All IDoc Types 

As before, the same IDoc types can occur here several times, as IDoc types are 

adjusted at regular intervals and attain a new release level (for example, the IDoc 

type SHPMNT has five instances, SHPMNT01 to SHPMNT05). Therefore, agree 

with your EDI or IDoc partner on the release level that you will use, as well as the 

IDoc type and EDI output. In our example, we choose the SHPMENT01 IDoc type. 

Select the Basic type radio button and start the transaction by clicking on the 

icon. The system then displays the parent segment E1EDK31 (see Figure 16.8). 

520 


IDocs 16.3 

Figure 16.8 Parent Segment for IDoc Type SHPMNT01 

Now expand the whole structure by clicking on the icon. You are now shown 

all segments along with their order and hierarchies (see Figure 16.9). 

Figure 16.9 Overview of All Segments of an IDoc Type 

When you double-click on a segment, the system displays a pop-up informing you 

how this segment is used. This information is known as the Segment attributes. 

For example, you can specify whether the segment is mandatory or optional, how 

often it can be repeated, and what the next-highest segment (parent segment) is 



521

16 

EDI and IDocs 

Figure 16.10 Attributes of an Individual Segment 

icon to view general infor- 

Alternatively, in the segment overview, click on the 

mation on the IDoc type (see Figure 16.11). 

Figure 16.11 Header Information for Segment Header 

You can use Transaction WE31 to view the structure of individual segments. In our 

example, we choose the segment E1EDT05 (see Figure 16.12). 

As you can see in the figure, we have reached the lowest level of an IDoc type on 

the field level. In spite of IDoc processing, the SAP system is an open system, and 

you have the option of modifying the Customizing to create your own segments. 

These segments then have to have the prefix “Z” and can be easily incorporated 

into the existing process. To process this data, the relevant user exits are used at 

the appropriate points in the IDoc processing process. 

522 


IDocs 16.3 

Figure 16.12 Structure of an Individual Segment 

16.3.4 Partner Profile 

The next question is: how is this IDoc type processed? The first thing you need to 

do is create a partner profile for your EDI and IDoc partners. To do this, besides 

some technical data, you also have to specify a process code. This process code 

expresses what you intend do to with this partner. Start the partner profile process 

using Transaction WE20. On the Message Control tab, link the output type to the 

process code for each individual IDoc type that you have agreed with this partner 


The process code is permanently linked to a program (function module) that is 

called when an IDoc comes in or when an IDoc is created by means of the output 

type. The following is a simplified description of how an outbound IDoc is 

processed. 

An output is created in the sales document. This output type is set as an EDI output. 

Then, the system searches for a partner profile for the individual partner roles 

in the document. In doing so, it searches for a process code for this output type. 

Once it finds this process code, the processing program for this process code is 

called, and this program creates the IDoc. After the IDoc is created, the status of 

the output is set to green in the sales document. 


523

16 

EDI and IDocs 

Figure 16.13 Link Between Output Type and Process Code 

16.4 Errors in EDI Outputs 

You can use Transaction WE05 to track your IDocs, determine whether errors 

have occurred, and see which IDocs have been created and processed. Every IDoc 

is assigned a status for this purpose. Also, every IDoc is assigned an identification 

number called the IDoc number. 

Start Transaction WE05. The selection screen shown in Figure 16.14 opens. 

Figure 16.14 Selecting From Your IDocs 

524 


Errors in EDI Outputs 16.4 

More selection options are available to you on the Additional and EDI tabs. To 

start the selection process, press F8 or click on the icon. An overview screen 

opens (see Figure 16.15). 

Figure 16.15 Overview Screen of All Selected IDocs 

All outbound and inbound IDocs are shown on the left-hand side of the screen. 

These are further subdivided by output type. The right-hand side of the screen 

contains information on each IDoc. The Status column lets you see quickly and 

easily whether something has gone wrong. There are approximately 75 statuses, 

so we cannot describe them all here. 

Simply double-click on an IDoc number to see the same screen again, but for your 

selected IDoc number. Now, open the Data records folder in the left-hand side 

of the screen. You can keep opening folders until all segments are visible. Doubleclick 

on a segment to display the fields and their content for the selected segment 

in the right-hand side of the screen (see Figure 16.16). 

You can use Transaction WE46 to search for field content when you do not know 

the IDoc number. However, in this case you have to know the names of the segments 

and their fields. 

Transaction WE19 is also worth a mention. With this transaction, you can view 

and modify segment contents. With these modified segments, you can then execute 

a syntax check and test the inbound processing process again. However, note 

that the individual steps of this transaction are intended more for the developer, 

and technical details are required. For example, you can specify a function module 

and use it to test the segments. 


525

16 

EDI and IDocs 

Figure 16.16 Fields and Content for a Segment 

Also, you have the option to save information to the partner profiles about who is 

to receive a notification if an error occurs during IDoc processing. This is a useful 

option here, as a number of different persons may be responsible for the individual 

customers. 

16.5 Summary 

EDI and IDoc processing has becoming an essential part of delivery and shipment 

processes. The first two sections of this chapter described how to process EDI and 

IDoc outputs in the delivery document and the shipment document. 

The third section contained an overview of the structure of an IDoc. It also looked 

at the process flows of IDocs and described the information that needs to be maintained 

when you want to integrate new EDI partners into the system. In the final 

part of the chapter, we looked at status tracking in EDI and IDoc processing. 

526 


You will learn how to perform and cancel the different options for the 

last activity in the shipping process –goods issue posting. This chapter will 

introduce you to retroactive delivery split and provide a brief explanation 

of account determination for goods issue posting. 

17 Goods Issue 

Goods issue is the final step in the shipping process. The Goods issue posting (often 

also called the GI posting) is performed when materials leave your plant. They are 

posted from your stock on a quantity and a value basis. You have several options 

for performing goods issue. These are described in the first section. 

For whatever reason, you may need to reset or cancel goods issue. This is usually 

due to problems in billing (data must be corrected retroactively in the sales 

order or the delivery document) or quantity corrections in the delivery document 

(if these are noticed early enough). I will describe the cancellation of goods issue 

posting and also the limits beyond which cancellation is no longer possible. 

In some cases, the delivery document must be split before goods issue posting 

can be performed. There are various reasons for this that occur at different points 

along the shipping process. Split means that certain items in an existing delivery 

document are extracted and used to create a new delivery document. This section 

will describe the things you need to pay attention to when performing this 

function. 

The final section will provide a brief description of account determination. While 

it does not apply directly to the shipping process, you should have some understanding 

of this subject in order to better understand goods issue posting. It is not 

only quantities that are posted, but also values, which are then forwarded to your 

company’s accounting department. 


527

17 

Goods Issue 

17.1 Types of Goods Issue Posting 

Goods issue posting is the final action within shipping processing, when the materials 

have left your plant. The delivery document forms the basis for the goods issue 

posting. But the posting is not only used to reduce your stock by the delivered 

quantity, it is also used to adjust the balance sheet account values (valuated stock) 

in your accounting department. 

Further actions are also performed via the integrated processes in the SAP system. 

Requirements transferred to your materials planning must also be reduced (see 

Section 5.8.4). The history and the status of the sequential numbers (see Section 

6.7) are updated. Goods issue posting is defined in the document flow of your 

sales/delivery document. The status in these documents is adjusted accordingly. 

Billing for the shipped materials is released with the creation of the billing work 

list. If you have activated proof of delivery, the proof of delivery processing work 

list is updated. 

You can see that goods issue posting involves many different activities. But certain 

conditions must also be met in order to perform the posting without any problems. 

If, for example, you are using picking in Warehouse Management (WM), 

then the transfer order must be confirmed fully in WM. The picking and packing 

quantities must agree with the delivery quantities if the items in your delivery 

document are relevant for picking, confirmation, and packing. 

You have the following options for performing goods issue posting: 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 

Post goods issue manually for an individual delivery document. 

Choose collective processing in order to perform goods issue posting for several 

delivery documents. 

Choose collective processing as a batch job that performs the goods issue postings. 

From this point, you have no further influence over the postings. 

Post all delivery documents for a shipment either manually or via an activity 

profile. 

The different options are described in the following sections. 

528 


Types of Goods Issue Posting 17.1 

17.1.1 Manual Goods Issue Posting of a Single Delivery Document 

The manual variant is the simplest option for performing goods issue posting for 

a delivery document. 

Performing a GI Posting 

Start Transaction VL02N (Change delivery document), or select the following from 

the SAP menu: Logistics • Sales and Distribution • Shipping and Transportation 

• Post Goods Issue • Outbound Delivery Single Document. In the Outbound 

Delivery field, enter the delivery document that you want to post goods 

issue to and click on the button (see Figure 17.1). 

Figure 17.1 Performing an Individual Goods Issue Posting Manually 

The system immediately displays an error log if the conditions for goods issue 

posting are not met or if errors occurred during processing (as displayed in Figure 

17.2, for example). 

Figure 17.2 Error Log After an Attempt to Perform Goods Issue Posting 

If goods issue posting is performed without any errors, you are merely informed 

that posting has been performed for your document. Just to be safe, take another 

look at the overview for your delivery document (Transaction VL03N) and select 

the Goods Movement Data (see Figure 17.3). 


529

17 

Goods Issue 

Figure 17.3 Overall Status for the Goods Issue Posting in the Delivery Header 

Click on the icon to display the document flow. You will see the document number 

for your goods issue posting (see Figure 17.4). 

Figure 17.4 Document Flow for Your Delivery Document After Goods Issue Posting 

Goods Issue or Material Document 

You can view the goods issue document by placing the cursor over the line of the 

goods issue posting in your document flow and clicking on the 

button. 

If you don’t know the document number, however, you can also use Transaction 

MB03 to display the goods issue document (see Figure 17.5). 

530 



The Mat. Slip field of the material document displays your delivery document 

number and the Mvt field displays the movement type with which your material 

was posted. 

Place the cursor over an individual item and click on the 

information on the document item (see Figure 17.6). 

icon to display detailed 

Figure 17.5 Material Document for Goods Issue Posting 

Figure 17.6 Detail Information on a Document Item for Goods Issue Posting 

The Quantity in tab displays with what quantity (field: Unit of Entry) your material 

was posted, from which Plant and Stor. loc. and in which Batch. The Account 

Assignment section shows which G/L account no. the posting was made to, as 

well as information on the goods recipient or the customer. 

Clicking on the icon, on the other hand, displays detailed information from the 

document header (see Figure 17.7). 


531

17 

Goods Issue 

Figure 17.7 Detailed Information in the Document Header 

The document header only provides a few statistical details, that is, when, by 

whom and at what date the goods issue document was created. The Trans./Ev. 

Type “WL” is fixed and identifies this posting document as a goods issue posting. 

Actual Goods Issue Date 

You have the option to specify the date of the goods issue in the delivery document. 

If there is a delay, for example, and you are unable to perform the GI posting 

until a few days after, you can specify the actual goods issue date in the header 

of the delivery document. This means that the material document has three dates: 

the creation date (when your material document was created), the goods issue date 

(when your materials left the plant), and the posting date (the posting period in 

which your posting is made to the G/L accounts). 

17.1.2 Performing Goods Issue Posting Collectively 

In many cases, you may have many delivery documents per day for which you 

want to perform goods issue posting. It would be too time-consuming to perform 

posting individually for each of these delivery documents. Collective processing 

is the solution if you need to perform goods issue manually for several delivery 

documents simultaneously. 

Selecting the Delivery Documents 

Collective processing provides you with various options for selecting the delivery 

documents for which goods issue posting needs to be performed (see Figure 17.8). 

You can, for example, enter a shipment document number so that the system dis- 

532 



plays all of the delivery documents contained in that shipment. Or you can select 

by goods issue date in the delivery document, as displayed in Figure 17.8. Start 

Transaction VL06G or select the following path: Logistics • Sales and Distribution 

• Shipping and Transportation • Post Goods Issue • Collective Processing 

Via Outbound Delivery Monitor. Enter your selection and start the function by 

pressing the F8 key or clicking on the icon. The system displays an overview of 

all selected delivery documents (see Figure 17.9). 

Figure 17.8 Selecting Delivery Documents for Goods Issue Posting 

Figure 17.9 Selected Delivery Documents Due for GI Posting 

This is where you have the option to select additional functions. You could select 

Item view, for example, in order to view the individual items in the delivery 

document. You can sort the delivery documents. You can double-click on a delivery 

document number to display the full delivery document (branches to Transaction 

VL03N). If you still want to make changes in the delivery document, flag the 

checkbox at the beginning of the line and choose the change function icon. You 


533

17 

Goods Issue 

also have the option to create your own layout for this overview screen and to 

include more fields from the delivery document. 

Performing the GI Postings 

You perform the goods issue postings by selecting the required delivery documents 

and flagging them using the checkbox at the beginning of the line. In Figure 17.9, 

I want to perform goods issue for the last two delivery documents. Click on the 

button. The system displays a pop-up window in which you can 

enter the actual goods issue date. As a rule, this should be the current date. If you 

are performing goods issue postings retroactively (because the posting could not 

be performed on previous days), then this is where you can enter the date the 

materials really left your plant. This makes sense if you generate statistics to track 

reliability of your deliveries. You don’t want to enter data that would indicate a 

delay in delivery that did not actually occur. 

You can confirm the proposed date or change it. Press the Enter key. The system 

displays a message on the bottom line of the screen, informing you of how many 

deliveries have been posted successfully and how many could not be posted. In 

the event of postings containing errors (the corresponding delivery documents are 

highlighted in a different color in the overview), click on the icon. The system 

display a log (see Figure 17.10). 

Figure 17.10 Log for Collective Processing of a Goods Issue Posting 

You must now amend incorrect delivery documents containing, or correct any, 

errors that have prevented GI posting from being performed. 

Performing GI Posting in the Background 

If you are sure of your selected delivery documents, you can click on the 

button in the selection screen (Figure 17.8). In this case, the 

system does not display an overview screen, but requests your print parameters 

534 



for the log, as well as the execution time. The system schedules a background job 

that adopts the selection criteria and performs the goods issue postings. 

You can start the job overview from the menu via System • Services • Jobs • Job 

Overview. Select your jobs. The system displays the job that performed the goods 

issue postings (see Figure 17.11). 

Figure 17.11 Display of All Background Jobs 

The column Ln indicates that a log was created. Flag the checkbox in front of 

this job and click on the button. The system branches to the spool overview. 

Select your log by flagging the checkbox at the start of the line and displaying 

the log icon. The system displays the same log, albeit in a different format 


Figure 17.12 Displaying the GI Log from Background Processing with a Batch Job 


535

17 

Goods Issue 

In this latter option of performing goods issue in collective processing via background 

processing, I have already described the third variant for performing goods 

issue posting, that is, via a batch job. 

17.1.3 Performing Goods Issue Posting in a Batch Job 

The third option of posting goods issues is via a batch job. Start Transaction VL23 

or select the following path: Logistics • Sales and Distribution • Shipping and 

Transportation • Post Goods Issue • Schedule Background Processing. The 

system displays an overview screen of the selection variants you have already created 


Figure 17.13 Selection of Previously Created Variants for the Batch Job for Goods Issue Posting 

If you want to create a new variant, click on the button. To change an 

existing variant, click on the button. When you create a variant, the system 

displays a pop-up requesting that you enter a name for your new variant. You 

then select the proposed screen or all selection screens. The system then provides 

you with the proposed selection screen from Figure 17.8. Section 5.3.3 already 

described the subsequent process flow (saving of the batch variant, starting or 

scheduling a batch job). The procedure for working with batch jobs is the same as 

if you were using this method to create delivery documents. 

The batch job performed receives a name. You can use this name to find this job 

again in the job overview (see Figure 17.11). This is where you can see whether the 

job ran correctly and without errors or whether a log was created or even whether 

the job was terminated. Section 17.1.2 already described the job overview. 

17.2 Cancelling a Goods Issue 

You have the option to completely cancel the goods issue posting for a delivery 

document. The function and tasks involved in Cancelling are exactly the same as 

536 


Cancelling a Goods Issue 17.2 

those as for a goods issue posting, but with the opposite effect. Warehouse stock 

is completely restored (including the interim storage area, if WM is activated), the 

values posted to the G/L accounts are posted back from the original goods issue 

document and all status values, requirements, sequential numbers, etc., are reset 

to their state as it was before goods issue posting was performed. 

There are preconditions that must be met in order to perform cancellation for a 

goods issue posting: The sales order must not be billed or the stock transport order 

must not yet be settled (intercompany billing). If you still want to cancel the goods 

issue, you must also completely cancel the billing for this delivery document. 

17.2.1 Performing a GI Cancellation 

You can only cancel the goods issue posting for the entire delivery document. It 

is not possible to cancel partial quantities or just individual items in the delivery 

document. You start the cancellation using Transaction VL09 or via the menu 

path: Logistics • Sales and Distribution • Shipping and Transportation • Post 

Goods Issue • Cancellation/Reversal. The system first displays a small selection 

screen in which you can select the delivery documents you wish to cancel (see 


Figure 17.14 Selection Screen for Selecting Delivery Documents When Cancelling a GI Posting 

You can select the delivery documents for cancellation using various criteria. In 

this example, I decided on delivery document “80014639” and entered it directly 

in the field Inbound / outbound delivery. Click on the icon or press the F8 

key. Cancellation is not performed yet. The system first just displays the selected 

delivery documents (see Figure 17.15). 


537

17 

Goods Issue 

Figure 17.15 Overview of Delivery Documents Selected When Cancelling a GI Posting 

Choose your delivery documents by selecting them in the first column. To select all 

delivery documents, click the icon. The icon resets your selections. Now click 

on the 

button. The system displays a pop-up that asks you whether 

you really want to cancel the GI posting. Confirm cancellation by clicking the 

icon. Confirm cancellation by clicking the icon. The system now issues a message 

informing you that the GI posting has been cancelled successfully. If not, it 

issues an error log (see Figure 17.16). 

Figure 17.16 Error Log for Cancelling a GI Posting 

If you need to assign a certain posting date, first select the 

button from 

the overview screen (see Figure 17.15). The system displays a pop-up in which you 

can assign the posting date‚ that is, the date on which the posting should be made 

in accounting. Enter the date and confirm it by clicking the icon again. 

If the GI posting was successfully cancelled for your delivery document, the cancellation 

document will be entered in the document flow (see Figure 17.17). 

538 


Cancelling a Goods Issue 17.2 

Figure 17.17 Document Flow After Cancellation of a GI Posting 

17.2.2 GI Cancellation Document 

If you place the cursor over the document with document type “RE goods deliv. 

rev.,” for example, and click on the 

button, the system will display 

your cancellation material document (see Figure 17.18). 

Figure 17.18 Cancellation Document for Material Posting 

Movement type “602” (column MvT) indicates that a cancellation was performed 

here. The GI posting itself is performed with movement type “601.” The cancellation 

movement type in the SAP system is always 1 greater (i.e., “602”). 


539

17 

Goods Issue 

You can now make corrections to your delivery document. Depending on the 

corrections you are making, you will also have to reset other activities (if you are 

using WM, you can reset the transfer order using LT0G, you can empty and delete 

handling units, etc.). 

17.3 Retroactive Delivery Split 

One task that is useful at several points of your shipping process, but which is 

often performed shortly before goods issue posting, is the Retroactive delivery split. 

There are several reasons for performing a delivery split retroactively. For example, 

during loading you might notice that not all items fit on the truck and you will 

have to leave behind some materials or load them onto a different truck. 

One reason might be if you have too many items in your delivery document and the 

goods issue posting cannot be performed. The database for the accounting document 

only has three digits for item numbers. For each item in the delivery document, you 

have at least two items in the accounting document, a debit posting and a credit 

posting. If accruals are also being formed, there can be three accounting items per 

delivery item. You can see how 350 or more items in a delivery document can cause 

problems in the accounting document, making it impossible to perform the GI posting. 

Cases like these can also require retroactive delivery splits. 

While the delivery split may sound simple, unfortunately it is not a program that 

is easy to understand and it does not always provide the result that you hoped 

for. Therefore, I recommend that you only use the retroactive delivery split when 

absolutely necessary. You can call the function with Transaction VLSP or via the 

menu path: Logistics • Sales and Distribution • Shipping and Transportation 

• Outbound Delivery • Change • Subsequent Outbound Delivery Split. 

The outbound delivery split is used to split an existing delivery document into 

at least two parts. While the original delivery document is retained, it no longer 

retains the split items. The split items form at least one new delivery document. 

17.3.1 Prerequisites for a Retroactive Delivery Split 

The delivery split requires comprehensive Customizing settings that create a split profile. 

It’s easy to see why this is required when looking at the conditions that must be 

met for retroactive delivery splits. But first there are a few basic conditions: 

540 


Retroactive Delivery Split 17.3 

EE 

EE 

You cannot split outbound deliveries if you have picking performed for them 

in a decentral WM. 

Your delivery document must not have goods issue status “B” or “C,” and it 

must not have billing status “B” or “C.” According to the SAP documentation: 

“... no goods movement posted and not billed.” If you have already performed 

the goods movement and then cancelled it immediately afterward, the GI status 

is set back to “A” and you can perform the delivery split even though a goods 

movement has already been performed. 

Other conditions for performing the retroactive delivery split at the delivery item 

level are: 

EE 

EE 

EE 

If you have activated WM and the item is partially picked, then the quantity 

remaining in the original delivery document must be at least as great as the 

quantity picked in WM. 

You must not have assigned any sequential numbers to the delivery item. 

The item must not have an inspection lot from Quality Management. 

As you can see from these conditions, a retroactive delivery split is not without its 

problems — especially if you have already packed items. In this case, the remaining 

quantity cannot become lower than the quantity that is already packed. You 

can, however, specify that packages be taken into account as a splitting rule. 

If the delivery document has already been included in a shipment document, the 

following conditions apply: 

EE 

EE 

EE 

If the shipment has already been processed (status “Completed”), no delivery 

split can be performed. 

If the shipment document was created by an external transportation planning 

system (see Section 12.8), the original delivery document cannot be removed 

from the existing shipment document and the newly created delivery document 

cannot be included in a shipment document. 

Shipping units at the shipment level cannot be split. They remain on the original 

shipment. 

This becomes much more complicated if packing has been performed within the 

delivery document (e.g., boxes) and the boxes have been packed at the shipment 

level onto palettes or into containers. Because a split is usually only possible at the 

highest packing level (e.g., palets, containers), but you want to split some boxes 


541

17 

Goods Issue 

into a second delivery document, you can use the corresponding split rules to configure 

the upper packaging level as a “planned packaging” level. In this case, you 

can split at a lower level (i.e., the quantities per box). Caution: The split doesn’t 

do any unpacking. 

Delivery documents that are combined in groups can be split without any problems 

(except those that have been created for picking waves). If groups have been 

created, a separate group is assigned to the new delivery document. Caution: If the 

groups were created for two-stage picking in WM, the delivery documents they 

contain cannot be split either. 

17.3.2 Splitting Rules in the Split Profile 

You can define splitting rules in Customizing in a split profile. 

Technical Information About the Split Profile 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 

EE 


Path in Customizing: Logistics Execution • Shipping • Deliveries • Subsequent 

Delivery Split 

Specific Transaction: OVDSP 

Table: TVDSS and TVDSST (language-dependent name) 

Table: TVDSP (combination of split profile and delivery type) 

Start Customizing. The system displays a screen in which the section on the right 

lists the existing split profile (see Figure 17.19). 

Figure 17.19 Overview of Existing Split Profiles 

Select a split profile and click on the icon. The system will now display the configured 

values (see Figure 17.20). When creating your own split profile, your new 

profile name should start with “Z.” To do this, first copy an existing split profile. 

542 



This is where you will find most of the entries that specify how the system reacts to 

the conditions in the event of a split. Enter a clear, unambiguous name in the Text 

field. Split items form one or more new delivery documents. These are combined 

into a group. In the Group type rslt field, you specify the group type in which 

delivery documents will be combined. 

Figure 17.20 Options for Configuring a Split Profile 

If you have also entered a group type in the Grp type remndr field, then the original 

delivery document is also placed in a group. If no entry is made here, no group 

is created. If both group types are identical, then all delivery documents (the original 

and the new ones) are combined in a single group unless the original delivery 

document was already in a group. Flag the ResultInWMGroup checkbox if you 

want to include the new delivery documents in the same group used for two-stage 

picking in WM. Flag the InclRmdrInWMGrp checkbox if you want to include the 

remainder in a group for two-stage picking. 

If you want to include the newly created delivery documents in the same shipment 

document that contains the original delivery document, flag the Result in Shpmnt 

checkbox. The option for the split remainder behaves in a similar manner as the 

InclRmdrInShpmt checkbox. 

You should not flag this checkbox if you have transportation chains (e.g., preliminary, 

main, and subsequent leg) and your delivery item is packed into several 

shipments, but with different quantities and means of transport or packaging 

materials. When it is selected, the system attempts to distribute the split quantities 

between the packaging materials. If you deactivate this function (flag the HU chain 

deactivated checkbox), the packaging data is not taken into account. 


543

17 

Goods Issue 

The planned packaging level was already explained. In the Planned HU active at 

field, you can define the level the packaging data is not taken into account. You 

can specify a shipping point in the Ship. point - output field. It only serves as the 

basis for some functions within the delivery split (e.g., output determination). 

Save your split profile. Now double-click on the per delivery type folder. This is 

where you combine the delivery type with the split profile (see Figure 17.21). 

Figure 17.21 Combination of Split Profile and Delivery Type 

17.3.3 Parameters for Creating the New Delivery Document 

This is where you define what the original document and the new delivery documents 

should look like after the split. For example, if you flag the Del. 0 Item 

checkbox, then all of the items that no longer have quantities as a result of the 

delivery split are deleted in the delivery document. Or if you want to number the 

delivery items in the newly created delivery document, flag the Renumber items 

checkbox. If your customer doesn’t allow partial delivery, but you still have to 

perform the split (which means a delivery split for the original document), do not 

flag the No.PrtDlvs. If you set this indicator, it is not possible to set a delivery 

split if the customer does not allow partial delivery. The ComplDeliv checkbox 

behaves in a similar manner. If your customer requires a complete delivery, and 

the check for the delivery split is not deactivated (by flagging this checkbox), then 

no delivery split can be performed. 

You can now make the settings for the split profile and group type combination in 

the same way as for the split profile and delivery type combination. 


Call the delivery split transaction. The system first displays a screen in which you 

must provide information regarding the delivery split (see Figure 17.22). 

544 



I have entered the shipping point and the delivery document. You enter the split profile 

in the lower section of the screen. Start the function. The system now displays the 

delivery items and packages at the upper and lower level (see Figure 17.23). 

Figure 17.22 Selection Screen for Retroactive Delivery Split 

Figure 17.23 Overview of All Items in the Delivery Document Including the Handling Units 

The higher-level packages have the SSCC number (here: palettes), while the lowerlevel 

packages are the boxes with the three-digit numbering. 


545

17 

Goods Issue 

To split a partial quantity, enter a quantity (e.g., 400 units) in Split quantity. 

Now flag the checkbox at the start of the line (see Figure 17.24) and click on the 

button. The result is displayed in Figure 17.25. 

Figure 17.24 Example of Splitting a Partial Quantity 

Figure 17.25 Split Result for a Partial Quantity 

Of the original quantity of 1,600 units, 1,200 units remain on the original delivery 

document and the split 400 units are adopted in a new delivery document. Click 

on the button. The system issues the following message: 

The overview now displays the old and the new delivery document (see Figure 

17.26). 

Figure 17.26 Result After Saving the Delivery Split 

546 



17.3.5 Delivery Split in Several Delivery Documents 

I will now use an example to demonstrate how to create several delivery splits. 

Your delivery document consists of two items. One item is indicated as a batch 

split. Both items are unpacked. You call the retroactive delivery split (see Figure 

17.27). 

Figure 17.27 Overview Before the Delivery Split 

You flag the checkbox for the batch split item and select the 

The system displays the screen shown in Figure 17.28. 

button. 

Figure 17.28 Overview After the First Split 

Now click on the icon. This sets the split counter one higher. You now select 

the next item via the checkbox and click the 

button again. The system 

now displays a third delivery document (see Figure 17.29). 

It makes the most sense to perform a delivery split when no packaging data has 

been created yet and the delivery document has not yet been included in a shipment 

document — unless you are using simple packaging and only one shipment 

document. In this case, you can use the checkbox to select the package, not the 

individual item. 


547

17 

Goods Issue 

Figure 17.29 Overview After the Second Split 

For reasons of space, it is not possible to demonstrate all variants by means of 

examples, and thereby cover all of the possible settings that you can make in the 

split profile. Once you understand how retroactive delivery split works, it is simple 

to experiment with it (in a test system). 

17.4 Account Determination 

While goods issue postings update stocks at the plant level, they also post the 

material with its current value to the G/L accounts. In other words, GI postings 

are part of the value flow, as well as the quantity flow. It is very important to 

recognize that your stocks are evaluated in your G/L accounts in the accounting 

department and that every goods receipt and issue posting also involves a posting 

to your G/L account. 

Account determination has little to do with shipping and transportation process, but 

I will describe it briefly for the purpose of completeness. In rare cases, Customizing 

is performed by Shipping and Logistics employees. The settings to be made 

are in neither Financial Accounting nor Inventory Management. 

17.4.1 Chart of Accounts 

Account determination itself is not easy to understand and requires an understanding 

of the organizational structures in your accounting department. For example, 

you must know your Chart of accounts, because the chart of accounts is the first 

548 


Account Determination 17.4 

instance on which your account determination is based. You store your valid chart 

of accounts in your company code. 

17.4.2 Valuation Grouping Code 

The next instance upon which your account determination is based is the Valuation 

grouping code. Even if you have defined a chart of accounts at the company 

code level, you can still configure a different account determination at the plant 

level. A valuation group is assigned to the plant and the valuation grouping code 

is assigned to the valuation group. This provides you with the option to combine 

different plants with the same account determination using this valuation grouping 

code. 

17.4.3 Transaction Key for the Movement Type 

Your chart of accounts is now defined. The third step is to include a Transaction key 

in account determination. The transaction key is firmly defined by the SAP system. 

You cannot create a transaction key of your own. Every movement type and every 

transaction in the invoice check has posting records that you can apply universally. 

This universal application is expressed via the transaction keys. 

17.4.4 Key for the Posting Transaction 

Another key is now defined for this transaction key in combination with the movement 

type. This is the key for the corresponding posting transaction. In the event 

of a goods issue posting, they key would be “stock or utilization posting.” 

17.4.5 Account Modification 

Because it is not clear which offsetting account is used for the stock account, it 

is necessary to include another indicator for the posting transaction for a goods 

issue posting — Account modification. A posting from stock is usually made against 

a stock change account, but scrapping, for example, is posted against a different 

offsetting account. For a consignment withdrawal, the offsetting posting is performed 

against consignment liabilities. 


549

17 

Goods Issue 

17.4.6 Valuation Class per Material 

The final option for influencing account determination is via the material itself. 

You can assign a Valuation class to the material and thereby influence account 

determination. For example, you are sure to manage your value-based stock in 

different accounts, depending on whether it is trading goods or self-manufactured 

goods. Even though you use the same transaction key and posting transaction for 

the goods issue posting, the two materials need to be handled differently. 

You make these settings in Customizing using the menu path: Materials Management 

• Valuation and Account Assignment • Account Determination • 

Account Determination without Wizard • Configure Automatic Postings. You 

can access the same functions using Transaction OMWB. You will notice that at 

this point the system leaves LES. 

17.4.7 Configuring Account Determination 

If, however, you do start the transaction, if only to take a look, the system may 

first display valuation areas. If this happens, cancel by clicking the Cancel button. 

Now click on the 

button. The system displays all of the transaction 

keys (see Figure 17.30). 

Figure 17.30 Overview of All Transaction Keys 

550 



Place the cursor over the transaction key “BSX” and click on the icon. The system 

asks you to enter your Chart of Accounts. You then press the Enter key and 

the system branches to the G/L accounts (see Figure 17.31). 

Figure 17.31 Overview of G/L Account Determination Based on the Valuation Class 

In my example from Figure 17.5, you find the material with number “OGB10001.” 

You now look at the material master record on the Accounting 1 tab. This is where 

you can see the Valuation Class field (see Figure 17.32). 

Figure 17.32 Valuation Class, Maintained in the Material Master 


551

17 

Goods Issue 

With this valuation class “7920,” you now search for the corresponding account 

“792000” in Figure 17.31. 

17.4.8 Accounting Document 

You can view the Accounting document itself by clicking on the 

button from the material document (see Figure 17.5). The system displays a popup. 

Select the accounting document (see Figure 17.33) and click on the icon. 

Figure 17.33 Pop-up for Documents from Accounting 

The system displays a document from accounting (see Figure 17.34). 

Figure 17.34 Document from Accounting for GI Posting 

552 



17.4.9 Account Determination Simulation 

The value-based issue is posted from G/L account 792000. 

Finally, I would like to demonstrate the Account determination simulation function. 

Restart Customizing or Transaction OMWB. Or, you can click on the button 

instead. Now enter your Plant, your Material number, and the Movement 

type “601.” Place the curser over “WL goods issue / delivery” and click on the 

button. Click on the 

button. The system provides you with 

a precise analysis of G/L account determination for the specified material (see Figure 

17.35). 

Figure 17.35 Overview of Account Simulation 

This function can sometimes be extremely helpful when errors occur in the G/L 

accounts at the time of goods issue posting. 


553

17 

Goods Issue 

17.5 Summary 

This final chapter shows you how to perform goods issue postings for your delivery 

documents. We differentiate between individual manual GI postings per delivery 

document and collective processing with various options. You can, however, 

also select and post the delivery documents via a batch job. 

Every posting can be cancelled immediately, as with goods issue posting. I have 

already described the specific things you need to consider in the second section 

of this chapter. 

One rarely utilized function that is used before the goods issue posting is the retroactive 

delivery split. However, all kinds of additional conditions apply to this 

function. You can also create very complicated split profiles. These are rules for 

system behavior when you are performing a retroactive delivery split. I was not 

able to describe all of these in detail, but the brief example provided enabled you 

to learn about the workings of a delivery split. 

Finally, I described account determination. However, because this is a function 

from financial accounting or materials management, and is not directly connected 

to shipping and transportation of your materials, I only introduced the most 

important features of account determination. 

554 


Author 

Since 1989, Othmar Gau has focused on SAP logistics solutions. 

He has worked as an IT consultant and developer for SAP 

Logistics since 1997. Othmar specializes in Warehouse Management, 

SD, and Transportation Management with SAP Logistics 

Execution System (LES). In numerous customer projects, he got 

to know many problems based on which he developed appropriate 

solutions. 


555


Index 

0-items 

Retroactive delivery split, 544 

A 

Access sequence, 352 

Batch determination, 211 

For shipment document, 505, 506 

Output determination, 352, 506 

Packing instructions, 307 

Shipment cost settlement, 463 

Text determination, 199 

Account assignment category 

Per schedule line category, 73 

Account determination 

GI posting, 548 

Account determination simulation, 552 

Accounting document, 552 

Activity profile, 494 

Assign, 495 

Maintain, 496 

Additional data 

Customer master file, 51, 55 

Material master file, 46 

Address 

Company code, 25 

Customer master file, 53 

Plant, 27 

Purchase order, 94 

Sales order, 67 

Storage location, 29 

ADR 

Dangerous goods regulations, 320 

Air traffic 

Transit country, 332 

Alternative unit of measure, 45 

Analysis function 


ATP availability check 

Sample cases, 167 

ATP check, 163 

Availability check, 162 

In the delivery document, 111 


Scheduling in delivery document, 179 

Available To Promise (ATP), 163 

B 

Backward scheduling, 162, 184 

Base mode-of-transport category, 319 

Base unit of measure, 45, 46 

Basic data 


Basic IDoc type, 520 

Batch 

Capture in transfer order, 271 

Batch classification, 216 



Background processing, 212 

Condition table, 210 

In delivery document, 111, 218 

Log in delivery document, 220 

Per order item category, 70 

Strategy type, 212 

Batch item 

Packing relevance, 283 

Batch job 

Create for GI posting, 536 

Batch management, 57, 207 

Batch master data maintenance 

Transaction, 60 

Batch master file, 57 

Batch master maintenance 


Batch search procedure, 213 

Batch search strategy, 209 

Batch split, 217 

Confirmation of transfer order, 272 

Batch split item, 115, 223 

After picking, 243 

Batch status, 58 

Batch variant 

Shipment creation, 402 

Billing 


557

Index 

In activity profile, 498 

Outputs in activity profile, 498 

Billing status, 377 

internal billing, 378 

Bill-to party, 52 

Bin location 

In material master, 265 

Blocked stock, 163 

Break-weight settlement, 484 

Business transaction type, 204 

C 

Calculation base 


Calculation type 

Scale, 475 


Cancellation 

Goods issue posting, 536 

Capacity limit 


CARNOT, 516 

Carrier, 414 

Certificate or origin, 205 

CFR-49 


Chart of accounts 

For account determination, 548 

Check-in 

In shipment document, 412, 492 

Checking rule, 163 

Check method type 

Dangerous goods check, 324 

Check profile 

Packing instruction, 311 

Classification 

Of the batch, 215 

Dangerous goods master file, 60 

Client, 25 

Collective processing 


Transportation chain, 427 

Collective run number, 136 


Collective shipment, 389 

Combination of characteristic values 


Commercial/import code number, 203, 205 

Communication channel 

Output determination, 366 

Output type in shipment document, 508 

Company code 


Definition, 25 

In-stock transport order, 99 

Complete delivery 


Sales order entry, 78 

Completeness check 


Components 


Condition, 482 

Copying texts, 199 

Execution of picking, 241 

In access sequence, 352 

Output determination shipment, 507 

Condition category 


Condition class 


Condition exclusion group, 485 

Condition exclusion procedure, 487 

Condition record 



Condition system 


Condition table 


For shipment document, 505 

Message determination, 350, 505 


Condition type 

Price analysis, 481 

Shipment cost settlement, 460, 464 

Confirmation 

Complete transfer order, 270 

Delivery monitor, 379 

Of transfer orders, 270 

Picking quantity, 244 

558 


Index 

Transfer order items, 270 

Transport order, 240 

Confirmation requirement 

Picking, 240 

User exit, 240 

Confirmation status, 375 

Consignment 

Fill-up, 85 

Pickup, 87 

Processing, 85 

Return, 88 

Store, 85 

Withdrawal, 86 

Conversion Factor 

unit of measure, 45, 46 

Copy control, 138 

For a delivery item, 140 

Copy requirement, 139 

Sales order delivery type, 138 

Copy routine 

Deadlines in shipment document, 413 

Partner function in shipment document, 

417 

Country key 


Plant, 27 

Country of origin, 204 

Credit check 

Overall status, 377 

Currency key 


Customer 

As transportation connection point in a 

route, 150 

Customer master 

Delivering plant, 147 


Additional data, 51, 55 

Company code data, 51 

Defining views, 50 

General data, 50, 53 

Organizational level, 50 

Sales area data, 51 

Customer master record maintenance 


Customer-material info record, 146 


D 

Dangerous goods, 59 


Activate, 322 

Activating in shipment document, 338 

In delivery document, 327 

In shipment document, 337 

Dangerous goods check log 


Dangerous goods check method 


Dangerous goods check schema 


For delivery document, 327 

Dangerous goods flag 


Dangerous goods indicator profile, 329 


Dangerous goods management profile 


Dangerous goods master data, 317 


Dangerous goods master record 

Release, 334 

Dangerous goods regulation, 59 


Dangerous goods rule 


Dangerous goods storage class 


Data transfer 

For creating delivery documents, 140 

Item fields in the delivery document, 141 

Date 

In shipment stage, 494 

Status in shipment document, 493 

Date/time 

In output determination, 358 

Delete 

Conditions, 467 

Deletion flag 


DELFOR, 514 





559

Index 



Stock transport order entry, 99 

Delivery 

Free-of-charge, 91 


Automatic per order type, 69 



Delivery combination, 172 

Delivery creation date 

Rule for calculating a default value, 122 

Delivery date 

In schedule line, 81 


Suggestion per order type, 69 

Delivery document, 103 

Adding items, 119 

Background creation, 125 


Creating, 115 

Creating individual documents manually, 

116 

Creation in a collective run, 122 

Creation in batch mode, 134 

Remove from shipment document, 409 

Serial number, 228 

Transfer to shipment document, 410 

Delivery document creation 


Delivery header, 105 


Delivery item, 105 

Delivery item category, 110 


Determination, 112 

Delivery item type 

Text determination procedure, 195 

Delivery monitor, 178, 276, 378 

Selection options, 380 

Delivery note 

With dangerous goods data, 343 

Delivery priority 



Delivery quantity 

Picking status, 373 

Delivery relevance 



Delivery scheduling, 179 

Delivery split, 173 

For different partner functions, 174 

Delivery tolerance 


Delivery type 

Creating a delivery document, 117 



Incompletion procedure, 188 


Partner determination procedure, 193 

Per order type, 68 


Delvery split 

For different warehouse numbers, 175 

Department 


Departure country 

Dangerous goods check in delivery document, 

330 

Dangerous goods check in shipment document, 

340 

Departure point 


340 

For stages, 443 

DESADV, 514 

Destination 

For stages, 443 

Destination country 


330 

Dangerous goods check in the shipment 

document, 340 

Destination point 


340 

In preliminary leg, 426 

Determination of loading time, 182, 183 

Determination of time required for picking 

and packing, 180 

Determination rule 


560 


Index 

Determination type 


Determining the shipping type 


332 

DG63_CHK_INIT_HEADER, 323, 326 

DG63_CHK_MLOAD, 323 

DG check schema determination routine 

For delivery documents, 328 

For shipment documents, 338 

Difference indicator 

In lean WM, 260 

Difference quantity 

Transfer order item, 272 

Direct leg, 440 

Definition in shipment type, 389 

Dispatch time 


Display 

Of custom layouts, 130 

Distance 

In route, 424 

Distribution 

Warehouse management system, 380 

Distribution channel 

Assigning to sales organization, 39 


Division 

assigning to sales organization, 40 



Document flow, 65, 530 

Stock transport order, 93 

Document header 

Material document, 531 

Document item, 67 

Document number 

Sales document, 64 

Document status, 65 

Document type 


Domestic mode of transportation, 203 

Door, 244 


Determination by route, 248 

Determination by ship-to party, 247 

Determination rule, 246 

E 

EAN, 47 

EDI output 

Delivery document settings, 514 

For delivery document, 514 

For shipment document, 516 

EDI_PROCESSING, 515 

Entrances, 229 

Equipment category 


Error log 

Collective processing GI posting, 534 


During save of shipment, 497 

Extending the delivery document, 120 

Foreign trade, 206 

For goods issue posting, 529 

European Article Number (EAN), 47 

Exclusion procedure 


EXIT_SAPLSTAG_001, 443 

EXIT_SAPLV02V_001, 97 



EXIT_SAPLV50P_001, 273 

EXIT_SAPLV50Q_001, 381 

EXIT_SAPLV50Q_002, 381 

EXIT_SAPLV56B_001, 388 

EXIT_SAPLV56F_010, 414 



EXIT_SAPLV56S_001, 441 

EXIT_SAPLV56U_004, 395 

EXIT_SAPLV56U_005, 395 

EXIT_SAPMV53W_001, 280 



Expiration date, 215 

Export customs office, 203 

Export declaration, 205 

Export procedure, 204 

External transportation planning system, 428 

Extrastat, 205 


561

Index 

F 

Fast entry 

During setting of status, 496 

F code profile 

Creating a delivery document in the background, 

135 

Field catalog 


Fields 

Determine in shipment document, 496 

Field selection 

For fast entry, 496 

Filter 

In custom layouts, 130 

Final destination 

In a route, 150 

Fixed bin locations 


Forwarding agent 


Forward scheduling, 162, 184 

FTCn, 206 

FV45Cnnn 

For creating delivery documents, 140 

FV50UZXX, 190 

G 

Generate HUs 


Goods issue 

In pick list, 379 

Goods issue date, 534 


Goods issue document, 530 

Goods issue interim storage 


Goods issue posting, 104, 528 


Background, 534 

Batch job, 536 

Collective processing, 532 


Single document, 529 

Goods issue status, 376 

Goods movement data 


Goods receipt posting 

For returns orders, 90 

Goods receipt processing time, 165 

Goods receiving hour 

Of a goods receiving point, 159 

Goods receiving hours 


Maintaining a time scheme, 160 

Taking into consideration in sales order, 

161 

Goods receiving point 


For a ship-to party, 159 

Gross weight 


Group 

Of delivery documents, 275 

Of the collective run, 137 

Group condition 


Group condition routine 


Group creation, 275 

Group formation 


Group indicator 


Grouping criteria 


Group number, 276 


136 

Group type, 275, 356 


H 

Handling Unit (HU) 

Adjust quantities, 301 

Create full HUs, 295 

Delete, 300 

Empty, 300 

Individual packing, 292 


562 


Index 

Pack from the tree structure, 297 

Handling Unit monitor, 314 

HAZMAT_CHK_ACTIVE, 322 

HAZMAT_CHK_FIND_SCHEMA, 328, 339 

HAZMAT_CHK_MOT, 323 

HAZMAT_CHK_PIH, 323 

HAZMAT_CHK_VARIOUS, 323, 326 

Header check methods 


Header condition 


Header data 

Shipment document, 386 

Header status 


Header text, 193 

Hidden columns 

List variant, 127 

History 


HUMO, 315 

HU type 

Per packaging material type, 287 

I 

IATA-C 


IATA-P 


IDoc creation 

Direct, 518 

IDoc number, 524 

IDoc output 

Inbound, 518 

Outbound, 517 

IDoc processing, 517 

Indirect, 518 

IDoc type, 519 

IFTMIN, 516 

Immediate delivery flag, 69 

Incompletion check, 185 


Incompletion group, 187 

Incompletion procedure, 187 

Incompletion status group, 185 

Individual shipment, 388 

In-house production time, 165 

Interim storage areas, 34 

Intrastat, 202, 205 

Item 


Item category, 107 


Third-party order, 83 

Item category determination 


Item category group, 84, 112 

Packaging material, 303 

Item category usage, 114 

Item condition, 467 

Item data 

In the material document, 531 

Item generation 

Packing, 302 

Item number 


Item numbering 


Item procedure group, 470, 471 

Item text, 193 

Itinerary, 440 

J 

Job overview 


K 

KOBRA, 205 

L 

Labeling 


Language 


Language ID 

Copying texts, 199 

Language key 


563

Index 


Plant, 27 

Layout 

Selecting, 129 

User-specific, 128 

Lean WM, 254 

Bin location in the material master, 265 

Picking area, 265 

Legal controls, 202 

Leg determination 

According to departure point and itinerary, 

447 

Leg indicator, 391, 440, 448 

For the transit country, 332 

Per shipment type, 389 

LE_SHP_DELIVERY_PROC, 121, 142 

LE_SHP_TAB_CUST_HEAD, 106 

LE_SHP_TAB_CUST_ITEM, 106 

LE_SHP_TAB_CUST_OVER, 105 

List variant 

Creation, 127 

Loading date, 181, 183 


Loading end 



Loading group 



Determination of loading time, 182 

Shipping point determination, 145 

Loading point, 245 

Assigning to shipping point, 32 



Loading start 


In the shipment document, 492 

Status in the shipment document, 492 

Loading time, 180, 182 

Load transfer point, 451 


route, 150 

Log 


Creating a delivery document in a collective 

run, 126 


136 


Shipment creation via batch, 403 

Logging in to system, 25 

LV45Cnnn 

Copy requirement, 139 

LV50PFZA, 378 

M 

Main leg, 391, 440, 448 


333 

Maintaining dangerous goods master data 


Maintain text 


Manual entries 


Material availability date, 162 

Material group 

Packaging materials, 287 

Material item usage, 302 


Additional data, 46 

Basic data, 44 

Defining organizational level, 44 

Defining views, 44 

Plant, 49 

Sales data, 48 

Storage location data, 49 

Material master maintenance 

Transactions, 44 

Material master record 


Material staging date, 180 

Matrix maintenance 


Maximum 

Shipment values, 475 

Maximum number of partial delieries 


MD04 Stock/Requirements Overview, 166 

Means of transport, 437 

Category, 437 

564 


Index 

Type, 404 

Medium 


Minimum quantity 


Minimum values 


Mixed loading 


Mode of transport, 406 



Movement type 



In material document, 531 

Multilevel packing, 298 

MV50AFZ1, 121, 142 

MV50AFZ2, 224 

MV50AFZ3 

Confirmation requirement, 240 

MV50AFZZ, 224 

Storage location determination, 236 

N 

Net weight 


Number assignment 

For handling units, 287 

Number of messages 


Number of packages in the delivery 

document, 297 

Number range 

Delivery document, 107 

SSCC numbers, 290 

Transfer order, 256 

O 

One-step Procedure 

stock transport order, 98 

Order combination, 171 


In customer master, 173 


Order header, 67 

Order item Category 

per schedule line category, 73 

Order type, 93 

Consignment fill-up, 85 

Consignment pickup, 87 

Consignment return, 88 

Consignment withdrawal, 86 


Free-of-charge delivery, 91 

Free-of-charge subsequent delivery, 91 


Returns, 90 

Standard order, 74 

Third-party order, 82 

Organizational key 

Tariff zones assignment, 476 

Organizational level 



Organizational structure 

Logistic, 23 

Sales and accounting, 37 

Warehouse-related, 33 

Organizational unit 


Distribution channel, 39 

Division, 40 

Loading point, 31 

Plant, 26 

Sales group, 42 

Sales office, 41 

Sales organization, 38 

Shipping point, 29 

Storage area, 35 

Storage bin, 36 


Storage type, 34 

Transportation planning point, 32 

Warehouse number, 34 

Output 

Determination using conditions, 357 

For each delivery group, 363 

For each handling unit, 509 


565

Index 


Output via activity profile, 509 

Per handling unit, 363 

Output control 


Output determination 

Condition table, 350, 505 

Key combination, 358 

Output determination procedure, 354, 506 

Output type, 353, 506 

Output determination procedure 

Assignment to delivery item, 507 

Assignment to delivery type, 507 

Assignment to shipment type, 507 

Assign to delivery item, 355 

Assign to delivery type, 355 

Assign to handling unit, 355 




Output device 


Output type 

As a user exit, 500 

Assignment to shipment type, 507 

Default values, 354 

General data, 353 


In SAP standard, 348 




Process in shipment document, 507 

Repeat in shipment document, 509 

Standard output type, 504 

Time, 354 

Overall status 


Overdelivery 


In customer master, 252 


Over delivery tolerance 


Overhead rates or deductions 

Pricing procedure, 469 

P 

Packaging 



As means of transport, 438 

Generate delivery items, 301 


Proposal for packing, 294 

Packaging material type, 285 

Assigning packaging material group, 288 


In the material master, 290 

Packing, 104 


Multilevel, 298 

Packing instruction determination procedure, 

308 

Packing instructions 


Combination of characteristic values, 305 

Maintenance, 310 

Packing transaction profile, 309 

Packing list 

With dangerous goods data, 343 

Packing proposal 


In the sales order, 314 

Packing-relevance, 111 

Packing relevance per delivery item category, 

282 

Packing requirements, 283 

Packing status, 376 

Packing transaction profile 


Packing weight 

Maximum allowed per handling unit, 290 

Partial delivery 

Maximum for each delivery item, 253 

Partial delivery flag 


Partial delivery indicator 


Partial quantities 

Distribute to handling units, 295 

Partner determination 


566 


Index 

Partner determination procedure, 192 


Partner function, 190 

Customer master file, 51, 55 


EDI output type, 515 


Partner functions 


Partner identification, 190 


Partner profile, 523 

Partner type, 191 

Special stock partner, 86 

Pass, 229 

Payer, 52 

Phrase, 344 

In the phrase set, 344 

Phrase management, 342 

Phrase set, 344 

Phrase set attribute assignment, 344 

Phrasing assignment 

Activation, 342 

Picked quantity, 242 

Batch split item, 243 

Picking, 104, 235 

Delivery documents relevant for picking, 

379 

Picking area 


In the material master, 265 

Picking lists 

In lean WM, 257, 261 

Print code, 262 

Printer pool, 261 

Sort profile, 262 

Spool code, 261 

Picking quantity 

Entry in delivery document, 242 

Picking status, 373 

Transfer as delivery quantity, 243 

Picking relevance, 111, 239 

Picking status, 242, 373 


Picking storage location 


Planned delivery time, 165 

Planned order, 163 

Planned packaging level, 544 

Planning 


Plant 

Assigning to company code, 26 


route, 150 




Plant determination 


Plant —> delivering plant, 80 

Plus/minus 


PM material group 

For means of transport, 438 

POD, 79 

PO date 


POD status, 378 

PO number of the customer 


Port 


route, 150 

Posting transaction 

Key for account determination, 549 

Preference calculation 

Export data, 202 

Preference situation, 204 

Preliminary leg, 391, 440 


333 

Price analysis 1, 481 

Price dependency, 462 

Price unit 



Printer 

Assignment to transportation planning 

point, 509 

Printer assignment 



567

Index 


Printer determination, 364, 509 



Printer name 

For output in shipment document, 511 

Print parameter 


Print parameters, 364 

Process code, 518, 523 

Process control 


Processing mode 


Processing routine 

For EDI outputs, 515 

Processing status 

Dangerous goods master record, 335 

Processing time, 49 

Of the purchasing department, 165 

Production order, 163 

Proof of delivery 


Proof of delivery —> LEB, 79 

Provision of materials for subcontract order, 

66 

Purchase order, 163 


run, 130 


Purchase order header, 94 

Purchase requisition, 163 

Purchasing group 


Purchasing organization 


Q 

Quality inspection stock, 163 

R 

Railway station 


route, 150 

RECADV, 514 

Receiving plant 

As ship-to party, 95 

In-stock transport order, 94, 100 

Receiving point 


Recovery indicator 

Shipment costs, 457 

Reference condition type, 484 

Region of origin, 204 

Registration, 229 

At entrance, 231 

During checkout, 232 

Regulation 

Dangerous goods master data, 320 

Regulations for transporting dangerous 

goods, 317 

Release status 


Replenishment delivery, 92 

Replenishment lead time, 164 

Required delivery date, 162 

In schedule line, 82 


Requirement 


Requirements overview, 166 

Reservation, 163 

Return leg, 440 

Returns flag 


Returns order, 90 

RF 


RLAUTA10, 273 

RLAUTA11, 273 

RLVSDR40 


Role 


135 

Rounding difference 


Rounding quantity 


Rounding rule, 474 

568 


Index 

Shipment cost calculation, 475 


Route 


330 

Dangerous goods check in the shipment 

document, 340 

Definition, 149, 154 

Definition of forwarding agent, 424 

Definition of shipping type, 424 

Determination of loading time, 182 

Determination of transit time, 183 



Maximum allowed total weight, 424 

Preliminary, main, and subsequent leg, 424 


Time required for picking and packing, 180 

Route determination, 150 


Example in sales order, 158 

New determination in delivery document, 

151 

Transportation zone, 151 

Transport group, 152 

Route section, 150 

Route stage, 452 

RSNASTED, 515 

RV45PFZA, 378 

RV56BPGI, 498 

RVV50TOP, 130 

S 

Safety stock, 163 

Sales area 


Sales document 


Sales group 



Sales office 

Assigning to sales area, 41 

Assigning to sales group, 42 




Document header, 67 

Overview screen, 77 

Partners tab, 79 

Schedule Lines tab, 81 

Shipping tab, 77 

Texts tab, 79 

Sales order entry 


Sales order number 


Sales order stock, 165 

Sales organization 

Assigning to plant, 38 


In output type, 358 


SAP workflow, 518 

Scale basis 

Scale, 474 

Scale type, 474 

Scale unit of measure, 475 

Schedule line, 68, 71 

Schedule line category, 71 

Structure, 71 

Scheduling 


Sea traffic 

Transit country, 332 

Section 


Segment 

IDocs, 520 

Segment attribute, 521 

Segment type, 520 

Selecting orders due for shipping 

Using a variant, 125 

Selection 

Sales orders due for shipping, 122 

Selection criteria 



run, 123 

Selection date 


Selection variant 


569

Index 


run, 124 

Creation, 124 


Entry in the delivery document, 228 

Serial number management, 225 

Serial number master record, 226 

Serial number profile, 225 

Service agent procedure group, 470, 471 

Setup time, 49 

Shelf life expiration date 

Batch master file, 58 

Shipment 

Output in activity profile, 498 




Shipment completion type, 391 


Shipment cost document, 455 

Create in batch run, 490 

Create manually, 480 

Via collective processing, 488 

Shipment cost document number, 483 

Shipment cost item category, 457 

Shipment cost relevance, 460 



Shipment cost subitem, 459 

Shipment cost type, 456 

Shipment creation 

In batch job, 401 

Logs, 403 


Creation via collective processing, 396 

Exchange within shipments, 411 

Header data, 386 

Item data, 386 

Manual creation, 393 


Stage, 386 

Shipment end 



Shipment processing, 409 

Shipment relevance, 107 




Shipment type, 388 


Shipping company, 52 

Vendor master file, 56 

Shipping condition 



Per order type, 69 



Shipping deadlines 


Shipping instructions 


Text type, 79 

Shipping point, 104 



route, 150 



330 

Determination of time required for picking 

and packing, 180 



Shipping point determination 


Example, 148 

Loading group, 145 

Shipping condition, 144 


Shipping scheduling 


Shipping type, 405 

In route, 407 


Shipping type procedure group, 470, 471 

Ship-to party, 52 


330 


SHPADV, 516 

570 


Index 

SHPCON, 516 

SHPMNT, 516 

SHPORD, 516 

Size/dimensions, 46 

Sold-to party, 52 


Sort criteria 

Creation of shipment documents, 398 

Sorting 


Special processing indicator, 407 

Special stock account, 85 

Special stock partner, 86 

Split profile, 540, 542 

Splitting rule, 542 

SSCC code 


SSCC number 

Search for, 315 

SSCC numbers 

Number range, 290 

Stackability factor, 290 

Stage 

Create manually, 442 

Date and time start/end, 494 


Determine automatically, 447 

Determine via routes, 451 


Staging area, 244, 249 


Determination by route/storage condition, 

250 

Determination by ship-to party/storage 

condition, 249 

Standard order 


Start destination 


Status 

In delivery header, 372 

In delivery item, 372 

Of an IDoc, 524 

Reset in shipment document, 493 

Sales document, 65 

Set in shipment document, 493 

Status FTCn, 206 

Status group 

Incompletion check, 185 

Step 


Stock in transfer, 163 

Stocks 


Stock situation 

In an ATP check, 163 



run, 130 

Cross-company code, 100 

Definition, 92, 94 


Shipping tab, 100 

Storage area 


Storage bin 


Dynamic, 36 

Storage class 


Storage condition 



Storage location 


Assignment to lean WM, 255 





Storage location determination, 111 

Rule, 236 

Setting, 238 

Storage condition, 237 

Strategies, 236 

User exit, 236 

Storage type 



Storage unit, 36 

Storage unit number, 36 

Storage unit type, 36 

Strategy scheme 



571

Index 

Strategy type 


Subitem 



Subsequent delivery 

Free-of-charge, 91 

Subsequent leg, 391, 440 


333 

Substance properties, 317 

Substance rating 


Substances poisonous by inhalation 


Subtotal 



Superordinate item, 114 

Supplementary unit, 204 

T 

Tax 


Text 





Text determination procedure assignment, 

200 

Text ID 


Text identification, 194 

Text type, 194 




Shipping instructions, 79 

Third-party order 


Time 

In shipment stage, 494 


Time required for picking and packing, 180 

Tolerance limit 

Overdelivery and underdelivery, 253 

Unlimited, 253 

Total replenishment lead time, 165 

Total weight in the delivery document, 297 

TPS, 428 

Transaction key 

BSX, 550 

For account determination, 549, 550 

Transaction type 

In material document, 532 

Transfer order 

Create, 267 

Create by delivery time, 280 

create with a shipment, 279 

Creation for a group, 279 

Creation in the background, 273 


Permit manual creation, 259 

Transfer order confirmation 


Transit country 


330 


340 

Transit country table, 330 


Transit time, 180, 183 

Transmission medium 

Output in activity profile, 499 

Transport, 104 

Transportation chain, 390 

Create via collective processing, 426 

Manual creation, 424 


Transportation connection point, 150 

Transportation lead time, 180, 183 

Transportation planning, 411 

Transportation planning date, 183 

Transportation planning point, 386 



With TPS, 429 

Transportation planning status, 376, 380 


Transportation planning system, 428 

572 


Index 

Transportation scheduling, 179 

Transportation zone, 451 

Assignment to shipping point, 152 



For route determination, 151 

Per plant, 95 

Transport connection point, 451 

Transport group 




Transport relevance, 392 

Transport request 

Vs. shipment document, 384 

WM status, 374 

Transport requests, 384 

Tree structure 

Pack, 297 

Tremcards, 343 

Two-step procedure 


U 

Underdelivery 



Unit of measure 


Unloading point 



Usage profile 


User exit, 105, 106, 121, 130, 142, 190, 248, 

250 

USEREXIT_BATCH_DETERMINATION, 224 

USEREXIT_BATCH_QUAN_ALLOCATION, 

224 

USEREXIT_LGORT_DETERMINATION, 236 

USEREXIT_LIPS-KOQUI_DETERMINE, 240 

USEREXIT_MOVE_FIELD_TO_LIKP, 142 

USEREXIT_MOVE_FIELD_TO_LIPS, 142 

USEREXIT_SAVE_DOCUMENT, 142 

USEREXIT_SAVE_DOCUMENT_PREPARE, 

142 

USEREXIT_SET_STATUS_VBUK, 378 

USEREXIT_SET_STATUS_VBUP, 378 

V 

V02V0001, 97 

V02V0003, 248, 250 

V02V0004, 250 

V50PPCAT, 273 

V50PSTAT, 374 

V50Q0001, 381 

V50R_USEREXITS, 130 

V50UC_CHECK_EXAMPLE, 190 

V50UC_CHECK_SLLST, 190 

V53W0001, 280 

V56BMOD, 388 

V56DISTZ, 443 

V56FCOPY, 414 

V56FSTAT, 500 

V56SLDET, 441 

V56USVDO, 395 

V56USVDP, 395 

Validity area 


Validity area category, 318 

Validity period 


For a dangerous goods master record, 329, 

339 

Shipment rates, 467 

Valuation class 

For account determination, 550 

Valuation grouping code 

Account determination, 549 

Variant 

Batch job GI posting, 536 

Creation, 124 

Selecting orders due for shipping, 124 

Variant name, 124 

Vendor master file, 56 

Vendor master maintenance 


Versandstellenfindung, 143 

Views 


573

Index 



VL10BATCH, 134, 137 

Volume 


Volume calculation 


Volume unit, 45 

W 

Warehouse number 

Assignment to storage location, 264 

Creating for lean WM, 256 



Warning message 


Water pollution class 


Wave pick, 274 

Monitor, 278 

Number, 274 


Weight calculation 


Weight group 



Weight scales 

For route determination in the delivery document, 

153 

Weight unit, 45 

WM group 


WM status, 266, 373 

Work steps 


Z 

Zero quantity Permitted 

in the delivery document, 111 

ZXKWLU01, 280 

ZXKWLU02, 280 

ZXKWLU03, 280 

ZXTBFU01, 248 

ZXTBFU02, 250 

ZXV50QU01, 381 

ZXV50QU02, 381 

ZXV50U07, 273 

ZXV56U10, 395 

ZXV56U11, 395 

ZXV56U13, 441 

ZXV56U15, 414 

ZXV56U16, 500 

ZXV56U23, 443 

ZXV56U34, 388 

ZXV56U35, 500 

ZXVBFU01, 97 

574 


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