Repacking a Handling unit: A kind of Tautomerism

[shailesh_mishra5]

Purpose of this blog:

The purpose of writing this blog is to understand a simple process of what is Repacking and why repacking is required and how it is conducted in a HU-WM managed location.

 

Motivation of this blog:

There are many kinds of scenarios in which business is required to conduct repacking in a warehouse .

Suppose a shipment in warehouse arrives in some boxes ( first handling unit). After the GR some of theses shipments are transferred to containers (second handling unit). Business wants to repacking in one single step. Transfer the qty of BOX into another BOX or transfer the BOX qty into a Container.

 



 

 

Also there may be case where warehouse storage type is SU managed, storage location is WM+HU managed, there exits a ''Multi Batch HU'' a kind of inhomogeneous Handling Unit( Handling units containing multiple batches of same materials or HU with multiple Quants).In this case, it may required to conduct repacking if business wants to pick a specific HU Batch. Well in this case, a Pick HU by LH01 can be used but I will touch pick HU or picking unit creation in my latter blogs

The concept of Repacking a handling unit is analogous to a concept in Organic Chemistry called '' Tatotomerism'' which is kind of a chemical reaction in which the Skeleton of Compound remains unchanged but the position of Proton and electrons changes. We are not going to understand here Tautomerism, only analogy 🙂



 

Similarly, in Handling unit, when we conduct repacking the total quantities per material that are unpacked and packed are identical(Same). Repacking = Unpack+Pack, like number 3= 1+2. Total quantity remains the same in a HU.

SAP generic definition is:

''Repacking involves making transfer postings for material quantities from handling units into other handling units, where the total quantities per material that are unpacked and packed are identical. You can do this by using the Create and Process Handling Units function (transaction HU02).

Well, when SAP writes in Help.SAP, it is very implicit and we need to replicate a scenario to understand this in deep.

 

Lets understand the Repacking of a handling unit in a diagram explained below.

 



 

 

 

 

Prerequisite to carry repacking in WM Storage Type.

1. Storage type should have no Putaway Strategy.


2. Storage type should have no Storage Unit Activation.


3. Storage type should have no Capacity indicator set

Before you carry out HU02, the above prerequisite needs to be met else you will get an error while running HU02 which is shown as error in Red circle.

 

I am trying to run HU02 in storage type 200 and lets see what error Sap triggers.



If you see the storage type configuration of 200, here we find the Put away strategy is R, hence it is disallowing to run HU02. Hence this is not a suitable storage type to conduct repacking.

 



 

Generally in standard SAP, 923 is the interim packaging area where we conduct Repacking.

Technical reason is that in HU-managed storage locations, materials can be managed in HUs only. Mixed stock (stock made up of packed and non-packed materials within the same storage location) is not supported.

 

So to conduct Repacking you are required to move the Handling unit to suitable storage type where you can do unpacking and packing by LT09 explained in above diagram.

Now, lets test a repack an HU which is already in 923 Interim storage area.

 

1. Call HU02. Handling unit is available with FG qty=3 pcs

2) Go to the Total content field.



 

4) Now, I conducting repacking. I have changed 3 qty into 1 Pcs.

 



 

5) It can be observed that the partial Qty( To be packed qty is 2), however the total qty remains the same, which is equal to 3 pcs.

 



 

6) Now, insert the Packaging material in the top screen and press enter. New Handling unit will be created, in our case new HU is 2000025201.  After this, select the New HU and the material to be packed( 1 pcs) and lick on Pack Button.

 



 

7) In Total content, you can observe that handling units have been packed with 1 qty and 2 qty= Total 3 pcs. So, we split the 1 HU with 2 HUS.

 



 

8) At last, save the HU02 and in background a transfer order is generated. I would post a scenario where there is material document + Transfer order generated when we steal some stock directly from partner storage location( Repacking allows excess qty to repack)



 

9) If you observe the Transfer order, you will find the source and destination storage bin with the respective New Storage Unit. TO of 2 pcs.



 

Last but not the least the critical configuration for HU is required to be set up.



 

Here is the repacking process in HU02. I hope it is not so boring to read and understand. Please share your views or if any corrections required.

In the next blog, I will touch Unpacking and packing functionality with addition of FG directly from partner storage location. (How HU02 steals stock directly from partner storage location.)

 

Best regards

Shailesh Mishra