Alternative-based-confirmation (ABC) has been introduced in Advanced ATP (AATP) in 1809 release of SAP S/4HANA. ABC is a functionality similar to plant substitution of SAP APO – global ATP (GATP) i.e if the material is not available in the sales order plant , then system automatically looks for its availability in other plants . Refer my blog in link https://blogs.sap.com/2018/10/28/alternative-based-confirmation-abc-of-advanced-atp-in-s4hana-1809-release-for-location-substitution-of-apo-gatp/ for the use cases of ABC and the features & limitations of ABC of 1809 release. This blog is to highlight some of new and enhanced features of ABC in last 1909 release of S/4HANA.

The most important enhancement in 1909 release is that ABC now works also for ‘Change’ of sales order apart from ‘Create’ sales order. Note that ABC of 1809 release used to work only at ‘Create’ sales order.

ABC is based on ‘Building rule’ and SAP has provided two new building rules in 1909 release in addition to only one building rule ‘Max_on_time_confirmation’ of 1809 release. Building rules have been described as below.

• FULL_CONFIRMATION : The plant which can confirm the requested quantity , then that plant is the valid alternative
• MAX_EARLIER_CONFIRMATION : The plant which can confirm the maximum of the requested quantity is the valid alternative
• ON_TIME_CONFIRMATION: The plant which can confirm the maximum quantity of the requested order quantity on the requested delivery date is the valid alternative

Building rules are set up with fiori app ‘ Configure substitution strategy’ as shown in below image.

A simple scenario with ‘FULL_CONFIRMATION’ is depicted in below image.

A sales order is being created (or changed) for material FG220 for requested quantity as 23 each.  However, Available-to-promise (ATP) quantity for that material FG220 in plant 1010 is nil , 10 and 30 in plants 1010, 1011and 1020 respectively. If the material is set with building rule ‘ FULL_CONFIRMATION’ , then the sales order should get confirmed with requested order quantity 23 with change of delivering plant from 1010 to 1020.

Now, we will see the relevant system set up in ABC for the above scenario. Material FG220 has been set up with building rule FULL_CONFIRMATION as in below image .

Next image shows the ATP quantity in 3 plants (quantity nil in plant 1010, 10 in plant 1011, 30 in plant 1020.

Now, a sales order is being created for material FG220 with requested quantity as 23 each in plant 1010. Now, as per the scenario and ABC set up, below image shows the sales order confirms the requested quantity in fill i.e 23 ea and the delivering plant is being changed from 1010 to 1020 as expected.

Scenario described in this blog is quite simple for better understanding.  Complex scenarios with combination (multiple) of building rules can also be modelled to meet the specific business requirements. ABC also provides ‘Tie breaker’ logic to decide the best alternative plant of multiple plants can confirm the requested quantity on requested date. Will discuss on ‘Tie breaker’ logic of ABC in next blog.