Product Information
Improvements in KANBAN Stock transfer in embedded Extended warehouse management (EWM) in S/4HANA 2020 Release
KANBAN Process for Stock transfer was simplified in embedded Extended warehouse management (EWM) in SAP S/4HANA 1909 release as described in my blog in link https://blogs.sap.com/2020/03/09/new-kanban-replenishment-strategy-in-embedded-extended-warehouse-management-of-s-4hana-1909-release-to-improve-production-and-warehouse-efficiency/ . My present blog is to discuss on the further improvements / enhancements on the same in S/4HANA 2020 release.
Display of Material document of Inventory management from EWM on Kanban Board
Typical process flow diagrams for ‘KANBAN single step Stock transfer’ for embedded EWM on S/4HANA releases (prior to 1909 and 1909 release) are depicted in below images. Prior to 1909 release, an outbound delivery was a pre-requisite. Process was simplified in 1909 release by eliminating outbound delivery, as is evident from below images.
Now in S/4HANA 2020 release, the integration between inventory management (IM) of S/4HANA with embedded EWM has further been improved / enhanced. Below image is a screenshot from S/4HANA 2020 release of transaction PK13N when a KANBAN container is set to FULL (green in the picture). As of 1909 release, we can only see the warehouse task marked as (A).
Now in 2020 release,
- Corresponding Material document number of Inventory management (IM) of S/4HANA marked as (B) and Warehouse document (Posting change) of EWM marked as (C) are also displayed
- Direct navigation to material document or warehouse document is possible. Below images show the corresponding documents (B) and (C) , on double clicking the respective fields.
Posting of different quantity
Till 1909 release, only the pre-set KANBAN quantity can be posted. Below error message “Exception code required in warehouse task unless actual = target quantity” appears in 1909 release, if a different quantity is tried to be posted.
It is now possible in S/4HANA 2020 release to post a different quantity w.r.t the pre-set KANBAN quantity as shown in below image.
All these enhancements will provide
- Simpler replenishment of KANBAN containers
- Direct navigation to KANBAN Posting change document of EWM and Material document of inventory management
- Easier troubleshooting
- Improved usability
And ensures SAP’s approach towards “Seamless integration between inventory management and embedded EWM in S/4HANA”.
Note that the information provided in this blog are based on my personal tests and insights on S/4HANA. I will write series of blogs for innovations on S/4HANA 2020 release with special focus on Advanced ATP, EWM, TM and YL . So, please stay tuned and inform your feedback, comments, views.
We are in the middle of the design of a “greenfield” solution for a food services organization utilizing SAP S/4HANA 1909. The business scenario is that they want to accomplish ATP against a material. For example, a Butterfinger bar. They purchase the Butterfinger bars via cases. They sell and store in inventory (SAP EWM) the Butterfinger bars via (1) cases, (2) Packs, and (3) Each.
What is best practice for this solution. Topics being considered:
1> Separate cases and create a separate SKU for each AUOM
2> Implement Decoupling in Advances EWM
3> new Functionality in 2020 Release
Nice Kanban features and process simplification. Can be possible to link a "returnable" handling unit with a Kanban card? Often handling unit is the kanban card. With this kind of link, a empty handling unit can trigger a Kanban to empty status, ...
Dear Mrinal
We have an issue with this new optimized solution.
In a scenario where Kanban stock in PSA is consumed against cost center, when you set the container to empty, EWM generates 2 tasks.
1 for the kanban replenishment
1 for the PSA stock consumption
If there’s a stock shortage in warehouse, both tasks creations are failed, container status is ERROR.
Can you confirm it’s not a customizing problem and indeed a regression ?
We’ve opened an incident at SAP support service.
Than you.
Marc