Rules-Based Availability Check Overview and Steps to Configure

Rules-Based Availability Check Overview and Steps to Configure

I think, RBA is one of the area in which we have highest number of questions posted on SCN.  I am posting this blog to consolidate my understanding/knowledge with RBA. Hope this blog will help our community members.

Introduction : An ordinary ATP check is restricted to the requested locationproduct and checks only the according timeseries. Using Rules Based Availability Check(RBA or RBATP) it is possible to substitute both the location and the product. In branched supply chain networks, rules-based ATP allows companies to take full advantage of multiple shipping assets to ship goods from alternative sites to customers. In addition, it permits certain products to be substituted as required to successfully satisfy customer demands. This is a functionality available in GATP

• Rules Based Availability Check is used to automatically or manually optimize the decision making process using predefined rules
• Rules Based Availability Check allows to react automatically to the incomplete availability of a product based on the following
  • Determining Alternative Locations: This automatically chooses one or more sources (= plants) from a list of supply sources that can be used to satisfy a product requirement.
  • Determining alternative products: This automatically allows to react to a shortage without producing or procuring the product. The alternative products can be chosen automatically from a predefined list.
  • Combination of above two methods
• Rule Based Availability Check can include basic methods as Product Availability Check and Product Allocation check per Product/Plant combination
• Rule Based Availability Check is activated via Check Instructions, triggered based on condition records maintained in APO and executed according to a
  predefined rule set.

Benefits of Rule Based Availability Check :

• Deliver product on time, right quantity to customer.
• Delivery product in most cost-effective way.
• Minimize order to delivery lead time.
• Leverage the full distribution network effortlessly.

Prerequisites: Following are the prerequisites for Rules Based ATP Check :

• Product and Location are transferred into APO along with setting up of necessary fields in ATP Tab in Product Master(/SAPAPO/MAT1)

• Check Control is setup for ATP group and Business Event combination.
• Set “Activate RBA” in the Check Instruction. Besides there are few additional(optional) settings which offers some additional functionality namely Start Immediately, Use Calculation Profile, Create Subitems and others. Please refer sample screen below.

        Go to SPRO>Advanced Planning and Optimization > Global Available-to-Promise (Global ATP) > General Settings > Maintain Check Instructions

Configuration Details: Using below SPRO Menu in APO,  Required configuration settings for Rules Based ATP Check can be done.

1. Field Catalog : With this activity, you can add new fields that you use for creating the condition tables. (/SAPCND/AO01)
2. Condition Table : In this activity, you create the condition tables used in the rule-based ATP check.(/SAPCND/AO03). You add fields from Field Catalog to create Condition Tables. FYI- Technical Name of Condition Table starts with /SAPCND/KOTO*
3. Access Sequence :  In this activity, you determine the access sequences. Using the access sequence, you determine:  Which condition tables are used to access the condition records. The sequence of these condition tables Which field contents are used as criteria for reading the condition tables. (/SAPCND/AO07). In Access Sequence, set the Exclusive indicator, only if you do not want the system to evaluate additional condition tables after the first successful access (not recommended to set the exclusive indicator).
4. Condition Type : In this step, you maintain the condition type and assign it to an access sequence. Condition types are used for determining rules in the rules-based availability check. (/SAPCND/AO06).
5. Maintain Rule Strategy : In this step, you maintain the rule strategy. The rule strategy determines the condition types and defines the sequence in which they are evaluated.
6. Assign Rule Strategy : In this activity, you determine the following activation parameters to determine the rule strategy:
   – Technical scenario (This is nothing but communication technique– EDI(DD)/Batch Input(BB)/Online Dialog(AA) etc)
   – Business transaction (Basically it is business context, You need to define a business transaction using VOV8 in the ECC system and assign it to an order type).
   – Action type (This corresponds to manipulation technique creating(A), changing(B), and copying(C))
7. Maintaining the Rules (using Integrated Rule Maintenance  /SAPAPO/RBA04):
   – Creating Product Substitution Rules : In this activity, you create the substitution chains for product substitution.
   – Defining the Rules Control : Using the rule control you can define the strategy. For example, the rule control determines whether the system checks the same product in different locations, or it checks a substitution product, first. Access Strategy is an important setting which you make in Rule Control.
   – Defining the Location Determination Procedure :  For the location determination procedure, you define a list of locations. During the availability check, SAP APO takes all listed locations   into account. If the requirement cannot be fulfilled in the original location, it is substituted by one of the alternative locations. Activity(refer below details) is assigned to Location Determination procedure for additional actions.
   – Calculation Profile: Allowed delays, Early confirmations, Consumption limit, Maximum number of partial deliveries etc.
   – Activity for Location Determination: In the Activity, you can maintain actions that are carried out if a determination is executed.  (Example – Override the Check mode with 050 to Z50 to allow different check instruction to use in ATP Check)
   – Maintaining Rules : The rule combines the possibility of location and product substitution with the rule control strategy. Location Determination Procedure, Product Determination Procedure, Calculation profile and Rule Control  are assigned to Rule.

  8. Creating the Rule Determination(/SAPCND/AO01) :  In the rule determination, you enter data for the key combination of a condition table and assign a rule to it.

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Additional Resources: 

Rules-Based Availability Check – SAP Library

Global Available To Promise (GATP) Overview

Rule Based ATP with Exclusive Rule Strategy

Please do let me know your comments/feedback/input if any.

Thank you

Satish Waghmare