Personal Insights
Decentralized EWM on S/4HANA – Deployment , transfer of master data & transaction data and functionalities
My previous blog on decentralized EWM on S/4HANA as in URL https://blogs.sap.com/2019/05/06/decentral-extended-warehouse-management-ewm-on-s4hana-features-deployment-options-and-migration/ highlights the release of new Decentralized EWM on S/4HANA.This blog is aimed to provide more details on it and its initial set up.
First of all , new decentralized EWM is the same S/4HANA box which needs to be set (or flagged) as ‘EWM is Decentralized’ in IMG path SCM Extended warehouse management ->Extended warehouse management->Enable Decentralized EWM.
It is very important to note the SAP documentation on that IMG path which states “no other applications in SAP S/4HANA, such as PP, SD, or MM, will be used in the same client for the decentral warehouse-managed stock.” i.e ERP functionalities should not be carried in this decentralized EWM system.
Decentralized EWM on S/4HANA 1909 can be interfaced with ERP, either with ECC 6.0 Ehp 3 (or higher) or S/4HANA 1610 (or higher) as in below image. Refer SAP note 2871189 for more details.
There are some differences in transfer of master data from ERP to new decentralized EWM on S/4HANA as captured in below image. In present (or classic) decentralized EWM on NW or SCM , master data (Material , customer, vendor etc) is transferred to decentralized EWM through Core Interface (CIF), however ALE / IDOC or web service needs to be used to transfer material , batch , customer , vendor etc . However same CIF is to be used to transfer Packaging instruction.
SAP has provided an integration guide with note 2840129. There may be errors like in below image while trying to create customer (Business partner) in decentralized EWM on S/4HANA.
System is trying to create internal number range for the customer /BP as in above image . However, customers may prefer to have the same number also in decentralized EWM for customer or vendor number in ERP i.e the number range should be external in EWM. So, the number ranges may need to be fine tuned depending on the specific requirement .
As per the simplification in S/4HANA, customers / vendors are accessed through transaction BP (Business partner). Note that customers / vendors are still created in S/4HANA in same ERP tables( KNA1 for customer and LFA1 for vendor) along with BP table BUT000. So, the number ranges for the customer (/ vendor) and business partner need to be aligned for business partner grouping and customer (vendor) account group in EWM IMG menu paths as below
- Cross application components->SAP Business partner->Basic settings->Number ranges and groupings->Define groupings and assign number ranges
- Logistic general->Business partner->Customers->Control->Define and assign customer number ranges->Define Number Ranges for Customer Master
The above error is rectified by maintaining the number range set as external in decentralized EWM in above menu paths corresponding to customer / vendor number of ERP side. Number range for vendor also needs to be set up in same way. Logic for creation of business partner in decentralized EWM can be found in form DETERMINE_BP_GROUP of program SAPLVV02 .
Transaction data is transferred (bi-directional) through the same queued RFC in decentralized EWM on S/4HANA as shown above in 3rd image. Transaction document also looks the same as in embedded or classic decentralized EWM. Refer the below image for an inbound delivery in decentralized EWM on S/4HANA.
However, note that the functionalities in decentralized EWM on S/4HANA are not exactly the same as in embedded EWM or classic decentralized EWM 9.5 on NW or SCM. Refer note 2840129 for more details on differences.
Hello Mrinal,
is it possible to migrate from EWM Version 9.1 to decentral EWM on S/4HANA ?
Regards Markus
Hi Markus,
Yes, EWM 9.1 can be migrated to decentral EWM on S/4HANA . In these cases,ECC / ERP version is relevant . Refer the note 2871189 for the compatible ECC version for decentral EWM on S/4HANA.
Regards,
Mrinal
Hi Experts,
what could be the reason to not continue with CIF and instead use ALE/idoc?
"There are some differences in transfer of master data from ERP to new decentralized EWM on S/4HANA as captured in below image. In present (or classic) decentralized EWM on NW or SCM , master data (Material , customer, vendor etc) is transferred to decentralized EWM through Core Interface (CIF), however ALE / IDOC or web service needs to be used to transfer material , batch , customer , vendor etc ."
Does ALE/Idoc provide more flexibility to select which fields are copied to De-central EWM (HANA)?
Thanks for the response.
Manish Bhavsar
Hi Manish,
Yes, ALE / IDOC provides the "flexibility to select which fields are copied to De-central EWM on S/4HANA" . Probably (not sure) , it will be through Web service in the long run similar to TM on S/4HANA as in my blog https://blogs.sap.com/2020/04/04/sap-transportation-management-tm-on-s-4hana-deployment-options-features-and-migration/.
With regards,
Mrinal
Hi All,
As per our recent implementation / migration experience of DEWM with 1909 and 2020 below are the key points we observed:
transaction BD53 or report /SPE/R_DEC_EWM_REDUCE_MESSTYPE.
SAP provide recommend two methods for master data replication:
a. ALE
b. Data Replication Frame Work (DRF) - only if you do not use ALE Communication.
Refer SAP NetWeaver Document Version: 2.5 - 2020-04-02 for more details (section 6 & 8)
BR,
Srabanjit
Hi Mrinal,
Do we have any alternate/different way than QRFC, to transfer transaction data?
Thanks, Gopi
Hi Gopi,
Sorry for delayed reply. As far as I know, QRFC is still to be used for transfer of transacton data.
With regards,
Mrinal
Hi Mrinal
How about the migration from EWM 9.5 to decentral EWM on S/4HANA, is this complete migration of EWM 9.5 master and transnational data just like an upgrade or kind of fresh implementation like maser data, open stock and open transactions?
Thank you
Regards
Ramesh
Hi Ramesh,
It is not like a fresh implementation, but a migration to a different system. Migration tool supports migration of customizing , local master data, stock etc . Transaction data is not migrated.
With regards,
Mrinal
Hi Ramesh,
we do have an ECC and before moving to S/4HANA we need to setup an EWM+TM.
Can we start with both of them on the latest release as decentralized, and later perform the migration from ECC to S/4HANA while switching EWM and TM to centralized ?
Best
Luigi
Hi Lurgi,
Instance with Decentralized EWM can not be used with other applications (say SD, MM etc).
Regards,
Mrinal
Hi Mrinal,
If we install a S/4 Hana client and configure the EWM as decentralized, within the same client, can we integrate this decentralized EWM with S/4 Hana ERP (MM, SD, LE) information within the same client instance? Or we shall install stand alone instance for decentralized EWM?
Appreciate for your comment.
Hi,
of course - NOT. Selecting in the client that the EWM is decentralized, clearly means that in this client no other application is used.
Brgds
Juergen
Hi All,
Is it possible to have one S/4 ERP running a warehouse on embedded eWM and another warehouse on a decentralized eWM?
Not able to find a solution for this kind of deployment in any of the documentations or notes from SAP.
Thanks!
KR
Hi Kumar,
Warehouse is determined based on storage location . Hence , one warehouse can be in embedded EWM and another warehouse can be on decentral EWM on S/4HANA. You may refer my below blog
https://blogs.sap.com/2019/05/06/decentral-extended-warehouse-management-ewm-on-s4hana-features-deployment-options-and-migration/
But, the same instance of Decentral EWM can not be used as an embedded EWM.
With regards,
Mrinal
Hi Mrinal,
We need to know SOAMANAGER set up for S4 TM with decentral EWM( EWM on different client) . Please let us know where we can find it .
Regards,
sanjit
Hi Sanjit,
Refer attachment in note 2933925.
Regards,
Mrinal
Thanks Mrinal.
Regards,
Sanjit
Hi Mrinal,
First, many tanx for your blogs ^^
i've read in this blog (https://blogs.sap.com/2020/11/05/integration-non-sap-erp-and-sap-s-4hana-ewm-by-idoc/) that integration by IDoc is not a supported within S/4HANA EWM.
is there another solution to integrate a non-SAP ERP with a decentralized EWM? and what is the best option?
Regards
Khabir
Hi Mrinal,
Is it possible that say a warehouse has been set up in embedded EWM in S4 and later on there is a realization that there is a performance issue and we want to now switch that same warehouse to decentralize taking into account that transactions have already been performed?
Same question of say starting from Decentralize EWM on S4 and switching our warehouse to embedded in S4 later?
Kind regards,
P
Hi Shirley,
In our recent implementation we face similar challenge, but identified during Initial build stage. Hence we have to move out config and master data. No transactional data!
As per that experience there are options:
BR,
Srabanjit
Hi Shirley,
The procedure for migration to DEWM has to be followed and no transaction data can be migrated (as Srabanjit has stated).
With regards,
Mrinal
Dear EWM Experts
Please help me out with your suggestions...
At present, we are using SAP ECC 6.0 EHP7 & Decentralized EWM 9.4 Now we are planning to move into S/4 HANA 2022.
All core SAP modules(SD/MM/PP/QM/FI) we are planning to migrate into S/4 HANA 2022 go live by this year-end as phase-1 and go for Embedded EWM by next year mid as phase-2.
Please let me know what are the Pros and Cons - Do a Go-live of the Embedded EWM solution in the second phase.
Please let me know the complete process and what we need to do once core sap modules are migrated into S/4 HANA. As an ECC EWM Decentralized system owner, what are the prerequisites and post processings need to do?
Thanks & Regards,
Ram
Hi Guys
How do we CIF classes and characteristics in decentralized S4HANA2023 ?
Thanks
Sundar