This blog post will help readers to understand the key differences between Stock Room Management (StRM) and Extended Warehouse Management (EWM).
Differences between Stock Room Management and EWM-Basic, EWM-Embedded Advanced and EWM on Decentralized on S/4 HANA are compared and listed here for developing better understanding amongst WMS selection decision makers.
In my previous blog,
"Should I migrate LE-WM to Stock Room Management?" I have captured the functional differences between Stock Room Management and LE-WM. This is a second blog in the same series to throw more light on its functional comparison with EWM.
Also refer my latest blog which provides deep insight into the options to be considered when the legacy LE-WM is found to be not compliant for stock room management (
What Options to Consider if Legacy LE-WM is Not Compliant for Stock Room Management during S/4HANA M...).
I have summarized the functional and key product differences in the below table based on various features and comparison parameters.
Features/Comparison parameters |
Stock Room Management (with HUM) |
Basic Embedded EWM on S/4 HANA |
Advanced EWM Embedded on S/4 HANA |
EWM Decentralized on S/4 HANA |
Architecture |
Part of S/4HANA ERP |
Part of S/4HANA ERP |
Part of S/4HANA ERP |
Separate Application on S/4HANA |
SAP Future Innovations |
Not supported |
Improvements limited to Basic features will be added in future S/4HANA versions |
Future Innovations for the warehouse capabilities will be delivered by SAP only for EWM component of S/4 HANA. |
License |
Included in the SAP S/4HANA Enterprise Management license. |
Advanced EWM will require the Classic SAP EWM Component License |
Futuristic Warehouse Modernization Outlook |
Very low |
Low |
High |
Very High |
Barcode Scanning/Mobile Execution |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Bin to Bin transfer |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Basic Inbound |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Basic Outbound |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Physical Inventory |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Complex Processes like process oriented or layout-oriented storage control |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Internal Warehouse Movements |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Wave Management |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Cross-docking |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Serial Numbers |
Yes through HUM |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
SSCC Numbering of HUs |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
MFS Support |
No |
No |
Yes, with restrictions |
Yes |
WM-PP Interface (Production Integration) |
Basic Integration |
1. Delivery-based Integration
2. Advanced Production Integration
3. Direct Production Integration
4. MES-Driven Staging |
1. Delivery-based Integration
2. Advanced Production Integration
3. Direct Production Integration
4. MES-Driven Staging |
1. Delivery Based Integration
2. Advanced Production Integration
3. MES-Driven Staging |
WM-QM Integration
(Quality Management Integration) |
Basic |
All major QM integration scenarios covered.
Basic EWM is integrated into Quality Management (QM) using inspection lots of origin 17. |
All major QM integration scenarios covered. |
All major QM integration scenarios covered. |
Physical Inventory |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Integration with S/4H Core |
Very tight ERP integration |
Tight ERP integration |
Tight ERP integration |
Robust ERP-Interfacing mechanism |
WM-SAP TM Integration |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Technical Migration Complexity from Old SAP WM |
Low |
Medium |
Medium |
Medium to High |
Complexity of warehouse supported |
Low complexity |
Medium |
Medium to High complex |
High to very high complex |
Recommended for |
Small size warehouses with manual operations without any advanced requirements and having pre-defined set of lean processes e.g.:
- Quick adoption of legacy Classical SAP WM managed manual warehouses without any process changes
- Small warehouses e.g. Affiliates managed small warehouses, MRO warehouse or stores with bin to bin transfer need |
Small to medium size warehouses requiring full stock transparency and control
- Small Raw Material warehouses
- Medium size, own operated distribution centers with less complexity of operations |
For medium to large warehouse requiring advanced & optimized warehousing features, typically for
- the medium complex distribution centers managed by own WMS with very limited MFS/ASRS
- Integration with small to medium production sites with less complex manufacturing Integration need in which the decoupling of WMS from production is not the core requirement. |
For all medium to very large complex warehouses with optimized warehousing features.
Best suited for the heavily automated warehouses for business models consisting of decoupling of WMS from MFG IT landscape-
- Production warehouses connected to local MES systems,
- SCM hubs
- Advanced and very large warehouses looking to implement Next-Gen technologies for warehouse automation (like IOT, Smart robots etc.) |
Conclusion
With all evaluating parameters mentioned in above comparison table, it is worthwhile to reiterate in this blog too that one should carefully evaluate all the warehouse key business parameters and requirements along with the long term business plan and based on this detailed evaluation business can take conscious decision on choosing specific WM solution (StRM vesrus EWM)in order to get best ROI from the IT investment of migrating to new age S/4 HANA release.
References
- Should I migrate from LE-WM to Stock Room Management? by Prakash Pol
- 2881166 – FAQ : Stock Room Management
- Chapter 2.12.3.2.1 Stock Room Management of the Feature Scope Description of SAP S/4HANA 2020 (You can find the link to the Feature Scope Description of SAP S/4HANA 2020 in the Product Documentation section)
- Note 2577428 – Road map for LE-WM in SAP S/4HANA
- 2270211- – S4TWL – Warehouse Management (WM)
