Technical Articles
Distribution of Packing Instructions as Packaging Specifications in EWM
Introduction:
The most of the times, it is common requirement to create the packing instructions in the ERP and the packaging specifications in EWM. Since these two activities will have the same functionality, it would be better to have common approach/solution to reduce the effort of creating these packing instructions/packaging specifications. The ERP and EWM systems are always in sync whenever there are changes done to the packing instructions.
Note – This blog post was configured and tested on SAP S/4 1909 Embedded.
This functionality doesn’t require any configurations and may require the implementations of the BADIs based on the business requirement. SAP has already implemented few of these BADIs.
Advantages:
- The effort will be less since the packing instructions will be used as a source for packaging specifications.
- Avoid duplications of the activities and the effort.
- No scope for data mismatch between the packing instructions and the packaging specifications.
Deployments:
- Decentralized EWM and Embedded SAP S/4HANA 1909 Onwards.
- Application Component – SCM-BAS-PAK-PS
Prerequisites:
- Refer the OSS note
Activities:
Note – Be cautious while importing/activating the BC sets.
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BC Sets Import – Transaction Code SCPR3
- Download the attachments (zip files) attached in the OSS note 2485458
- Unzip the relevant BC sets files based on your system. Use ‘S4 BC sets’ for S/4 related BC Set activations
- Run the transaction code SCPR3 and then menu option: BC set –> Upload (Shift + F8) or click on Upload Icon. The system pops up with a dialog box, select the unzipped files one at a time.
- The system displays some message and press ‘Continue’
- After successful Import, the system displays the below pop up message.
- Assign a transport request when the system prompts with a pop up.
- Click on the Consistency Check (Execute) Icon or press Shift+F1 to check the activation status.
- Repeat the above steps for all the 5 files attached in the zip file.
- The system shows all the BC sets in the left side panel as imported.
- Download the attachments (zip files) attached in the OSS note 2485458
- Activate the uploaded BC sets
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Run the transaction code SE38 and enter the program name ‘SCPR_ACTIVATE_SBCSETS’ and click on Execute button.
- Enter the BC set name imported earlier and click on execute.
After execution, the system displays activation status.
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- Validate the business function LOG_SCM_EWM_INT status
- Run the transaction code SFW5 and search the business function.
- Run the transaction code SFW5 and search the business function.
- Enable Packaging Specification field in CFM1
- Run the transaction code SE38 and enter the program name RCIFCUST and click on Execute.
- Run the program RCIFIGEN after the first step. After executing both the programs, the packaging specification checkbox appears in CFM1.
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Testing:
- Create a packing instruction – POP1
- Run the transaction code POP1 and enter the packing instruction.
- Save the packing instruction with all the required information.
- Run the transaction code POP1 and enter the packing instruction.
- Create CIF Integration Model – CFM1
- Create the integration model with the below information and selecting the checkbox for packaging specification.
- Execute the integration model, then the system displays the below screen with the number of packaging specifications.
- Click on Generate IM button to generate the integration model.
- Create the integration model with the below information and selecting the checkbox for packaging specification.
- Activate the CIF Integration Model – CFM2
- Run the transaction code CFM2 and enter the below information.
- Click on Execute button to display the below screen.
- Double click on APO application to display the below screen.
- Select the integration model and then click on Active/Inactive. The New Status will be changed to Active.
- Click on Start to trigger the integration model. If there are no errors, the data will be transmitted to the EWM system.
- Run the transaction code CFM2 and enter the below information.
- Verify the packaging specification in EWM system
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- Run the transaction code /N/SCWM/PACKSPEC and enter the packing instruction distributed from the ERP system.
- Click on Execute. The system display the below information.
- Click on Display Icon to display the packaging information.
- Run the transaction code /N/SCWM/PACKSPEC and enter the packing instruction distributed from the ERP system.
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Observations:
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- The distributed packaging specification is inactive status (Mostly a BADI exists for this to activate after the distribution. Need a more analysis).
- After initial transfer, the standard implemented BADI automatically distributes the packing instructions whenever the changes are saved.
References:
- Packing with Packing Instructions
- Detailed Information – Distribution of Packing Instructions as Packaging Specifications
- Technical Information – Distribution of Packing Instructions as Packaging Specifications
- 2779323 – Distribution of ERP Packing Instructions to EWM Packaging Specifications
Conclusion:
With this functionality, the packing related information in ERP and EWM is always sync. This will reduce the effort of creating the packaging specifications and packing instructions separately.
If there are any changes done to the packing instructions, the system automatically syncs them with the EWM packaging specifications.
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Do you have any further comments related to this topic? Do share them in the comments sections below without any hesitation. You can also ask questions in the SAP EWM Master Data Community Q & A Section
Note – All the images are created by me and free to use/share.
Thanks for your feedback and support for the previous articles.
Happy reading.
Regards,
Shiva
Great Document and beautiful explation. Document gives very good insight.
Thank you 🙏
The information was really useful.Great explanation and detail step helps a lot in understanding SAP EVM AND ERP..Keep the good work and post more useful topics like this
Thank you 🙏
It makes sense to add that it works well only in simple cases. Structure of these object is different, therefore it is not possible to have a proper mapping. Distribution on ERP side is not so good as for example material master, there are relative big gaps in the implementation of the interface.
If we keep thinking like this, then SAP never comes to know these limitations. Unless we find them and highlight them, it would be difficult to get these addressed. You can refer to reply provided by Moin.
SAP Knows it, we communicated it during the project. And I am not talking about issues which are possible to solve with a BAdi. SAP is focused on UPD I guess, and therefore gaps in the PS distribution won't be solved.
Hello,
A couple of BAdIs are available for data mapping. In the ERP side one could use the BAdI cif_enhance_packspec to manipulate the packaging instructions data (the complete Packaging Instruction data is available for manipulation).
On the SCM side, the BAdI /scwm/cif_ps_inbound could be used to manipulate the various parts of the packspec like (Header, Level, Content and Element). If no mapping is done in this BAdI, the logic uses the default values like 'SAP' for Packaging Specification group, 'LS01' for Level Set and 'LT01' for Level Type.
To enhance the condition records, BAdI /SCWM/CIF_PS_SCM_CT_ENHANCE could be used. Check the fallback implementation for this BAdI and it allows custom mapping at two levels, one is the condition tables mapping between ECC and SCM and the second is the field level mapping. The default implementation has hardcoded values. You can build a custom table/BRF+ Table etc.. to map the condition table between ECC and EWM. To map the fields, the fallback class of the BAdI uses a custom helper class to do custom mapping between ERP and SCM. The fallback class can provide a cue on how to do field level mapping. The standard does the mapping between plant and SLoc with warehouse, material to product, vendors and customers to BP etc.
Depending on your landscape, you can activate the BAdI Implementations for BAdI /SCWM/CIF_PS_CONDITION_PROCESS. By default the BAdi Implementation /SCWM/CIF_PS_SCM_CONDTECH is activated which is meant for EWM (The result is the Condition technique table entries that EWM understands). If you are on a SNC(ICH) system, you can activate the BAdI implementation (/SCWM/CIF_SNC_CONDITION). The result is the the condition table entries that SNC understands.
Regarding having "InActive" Packaging Specifications, since you did not implement any custom mapping in the BAdI (neither in ERP or the SCM BAdI), the system would have determined the standard delivered PS group "SAP". I believe the standard delivered customizing for the PS Group "SAP" is not to activate the PackSpec automatically (IMG: Packaging Specification -> Define Packaging Specification Group). That is why your packspec was not "Active".
The tool is only a framework for transferring the packaging instruction data. However, when the provided BAdIs are used, the framework becomes a highly flexible and efficient tool.
Thanks for the detailed information. It is good to know such enhancements and the improvements provided by SAP.
Let me deep dive into it and try updating this post.
"If there are any changes done to the packing instructions, the system automatically syncs them with the EWM packaging specifications."
Any suggestions on how to achieve it.
We are using embedded EWM.
Hello Mageshwaran,
When the BTE is activated, the online transfer of packaging instructions should happen automatically. It happens when the packaging instruction data is changed at either of the 2 places:
1. When the packaging instruction is changed in POP2 or
2. When the condition is changed in POF2.
Best Regards,
Moinuddin
Great. Ver nicely explained. Thanks Shivakumar.
Thanks Surendra.
Hi Shiva
Have created a vendor specific pack spec but the issue is suppose i have 5 line items in IBD so i want 5 new HU's to be created but at present only one HU's is getting created for all line items. my packspec is not based on products since business doesnt want to create the huge master data . Is there any option through which we can map this