This blog post explains how to control VAS relevance in standard EWM Inbound Process
Background: Certain customers would decide the applicability of VAS requirement only after a product has arrived at the warehouse. The same merchandise can be moved to final putaway directly without VAS step or it can also be moved first to a VAS work centre and then to final putaway. Hence, business needs to handle VAS as an optional step based on need determined during the Inbound/GR
This demands a control in SAP EWM wherein, when VAS is not required then the step of VAS must be skipped by system automatically. If it is required in some instances then VAS step must be taken to consideration and move merchandise to VAS work centre before final putaway, even though in both the cases the storage process is same and always contains VAS as a step
This document explains how these two possibilities can be achieved using standard VAS setup in SAP EWM for the same product
Highlight: This blog covers the following aspects
Variant 1 (Without VAS step)
Variant 2 (With VAS step)
Configuration Steps
Code Flow
Known Issue
Variant 1: VAS is unplanned & VAS order is not generated for Inbound Delivery
· Plant/Storage Loc./Warehouse – CP01
· Product – FG233
1. Create Inbound Delivery in ERP
Inbound Delivery Created and Distributed to EWM
2. IBD in EWM
VAS order was not planned, hence no VAS order generated automatically in EWM (Refer configuration step to understand the settings)
3. Unload & Goods Receipt in EWM
IBD content is packed in a HU
4. Follow-On task generated in EWM. After Unloading Step (IB01), Putaway is the next immediate step, VAS step is skipped
IB01: Unloading Step
VS02: Skipped
IB03: Final Putaway
VS02 step dedicated to perform VAS has been skipped automatically since their was no VAS order available for the IBD line item
Variant 2: VAS is originally unplanned but VAS is required when shipment arrives in warehouse, hence VAS order is generated manually for Inbound Delivery
· Plant/Storage Loc./Warehouse – CP01
· Product – FG233
1. Create Inbound Delivery in ERP
2. VAS requirement was not planned; hence no VAS Order was generated automatically. Now manually create VAS order with IBD reference
3. Create VAS order for IBD Item
VAS order created
4. Check the IBD, now it contains the VAS order
Once VAS order is created for the IBD item, this line item now becomes relevant for the VAS step.
For VAS order creation, Pack Spec determination is mandatory and this can be determined either manually by entering it during VAS order creation or through condition records (Refer step 3 for automatic determination)
5. Unload (Desktop)
Confirm Unloading Task,
6. Goods Receipt in EWM
7. Follow-On task Generated in EWM for VAS order step (VS02)
IB01: Unloading Step
VS02: VAS Step (Required Step)
IB03: Putaway
Conclusion: Both the variants contained identical product, settings and storage process assigned. This showcases how VAS order can be used as a switch to control the process flow in standard
Configuration Steps: Below are the minimum configuration setup required to run the variants
1. VAS Order Number Range
2. VAS relevance step (Critical)
VAS Order: “Do not create Automatically”. This would not generate VAS order automatically, hence user can decide when to perform VAS step optionally or not.
In case user decides to perform VAS step, he/she can create VAS order manually, once VAS order is generated system would generate the follow on task to VAS work center
3. Product Groups (VAS_Outbound):
Assign product group to required products (Even if it is assigned, VAS order will not be created, this would control the VAS step). Create Product Groups in SPRO as shown below,
4. Warehouse number VAS settings
5. Assign Product Group to product master
Assign this product group in step 2. If you wish to have all products into one group then you can also leave this field blank in product master and likewise match it by keeping product group in the VAS relevance settings as blank, this way it covers all products
6. Storage Process Setup
Make settings as “Rule Based” for VAS step .
Mandatory settings: if this setting is not made then the scenario does not work, refer code flow below. Lv_rule is the variable in the coding referring to rule-based settings, only when this setting is active then system enters the loop to pick up the right WOCR which further contains the POSC steps
7. Assign Storage Process to Process Type
Deactivation Allowed: This is one mandatory settings which is must to make the scenario work. This setting says that it is allowed to skip the VAS step in the storage process as required. If this setting is not made, then system assumes that VAS step cannot be skipped in any case, hence keeps moving all IBD's to work center making it mandatory
8. Code Flow for VAS check
Known Issue: Below was one of the issue encountered during the setup, If you get the below dump during VAS order creation (/SCWM/VAS_I) like below,
This dump is due to incorrect or inconsistent prerequisite ODM's which are not generated correctly and are required for VAS order creation.
Resolution:
Option 1: Activate the ODM in the below node,
Sometimes, even after following the option 1 system continues to give dump, this is due to improper generation of ODM's in the option 1 step which could happen due to inconsistency. In such cases we need to follow the step 2 which helps in force generation of inconsistency by regenerating the required ODM's
Option 2: If issue still persist, then force generate the ODM’s for the error component as shown below,
Force Generate all the nodes as shown below,
