Batch Determination

Step 6:

The Actual Derivation

Once the batch derivation configuration is done and the master data is set, the derivation is triggered at the point where it is defined for.

SAP issues messages of success or error or information when the derivation finishes. You can define in transaction code DVC8 – Batch derivation Event configuration, if you want such messages to be popped-up after the derivation.

Define Batch Determination

Batch Determination is used in inventory management, production, sales and distribution, warehouse management. It is used to select batches and allocate the same in a manufacturing order or in an outbound delivery or in a goods issue/goods transfer in inventory management.

In Production, Sales & Distribution, in inventory management or in warehouse management, batch determination is used to search and allocate batches for the components in production order/process order or to search and allocate the delivery batches in a customer based outbound delivery or to search for batches and allocate batches in goods issues.

The tools that batch determination uses is the determination condition techniques based on the condition tables, access sequence and strategy types. These condition types are enough to choose and allocate batches. Though additionally batch determination uses selection classes and its characteristics values to choose batches and/or uses sorting rules to choose sort batches while selection based on characteristics and its values.

We have already learnt in batch derivation documentation, how the search procedures condition techniques help in searching the sending batches and receiving batches and thus derive the transfer of characteristics values. Similarly you can use the search procedures techniques to search and select batches during batch determination.

SAP Batch Determination Condition Techniques

You can follow the steps as below to create Batch Search Procedure Techniques:

First Step – Create Batch Determination Condition tables

Batch determination condition tables once created become the key combination fields for searching batches. Eventually the condition records or search strategies are created as master data based on these key combinations. The Condition Tables are created separately for IM, Production, WM and Sales.

Second Step – Create Batch Determination Access sequence

Batch determination access sequences have multiple condition tables (key combinations) assigned in a sequence of priority. This facility allows you to create data for many key combinations so that even if the search of batches fails on the first key combination condition the rest in the priority would help in search. The Access Sequences are created separately for IM, Production, WM and Sales. The below screen-shot shows all the screens involved in the access sequence configuration.

Third Step – Create Batch Strategy Types

Batch Search Strategy holds multiple access sequences, though not assigned in any sequential priority. The assignment of the strategy types is separately for IM, Production, WM and Sales.

The strategy types or condition types are assigned in priority in the next step called “Batch Search Procedure Definition”.

The strategy type’s configuration holds the selection criteria and the sort rules used in batch determination techniques.

Strategy types are used ultimately to create the batch search master data or batch search condition record so that the system would know the exact level at which search for batches is to be carried out along with the selection/sort rules of these batches.

It is obvious that batch search strategy is used to search batches on certain rules, because you want to automate the process and do not want it to do it manually for each and every batch. Thus you have to aid the system in putting in a decision such as - search all the batches of a given plant or search all the batches of a given set of material at a plant or search batches for a given component or etc.

Additionally the system gets a help from the selection criteria or the sort rules to select and sort the batches for a characteristics value. Though the selection criteria and the sort rules are optional if the condition tables and the strategy types are enough to search and assign the batches

to the business objects. The selection and sort rules can be defined separately and assigned to the strategy type. See the explanation below:

Create Selection class (Optional in Batch Determination) – Selection class is used to help the system choose a certain batch based on the characteristics and their fixed values. Therefore when you create a selection in SAP using transaction code BMC1 (BMC2/BMC3).

You would then assign the selection class to the strategy and use the same in the condition record master data. In the condition records you need to enter the required fixed values against any class characteristics that you would want to use to search the batches.

Create Sort Rules (Optional in Batch Determination) – Sort Rules are used to help the system sort the batches for the given class characteristics. When you create the sort rules in Batch determination, you would select the characteristics on which you would want to sort the batches for selection and assignment to an object. The characteristics on which the sort rules are based upon (LAST_GR) is shown in the screen-shot below.

Fourth Step - Create a Batch Search procedure

A Batch Search procedure holds multiple strategy types assigned in sequential priority. The Batch search procedure thus becomes the final configuration which holds the total search configuration together. The Batch Search Procedures are created separately for IM, Production, WM and Sales.

Fifth Step - Batch Search Procedure Allocation and Check Activation

In this step you allocate the batch search procedure to the respective modules. In the case of inventory management, the Batch search procedures are assigned to the Movement types. In the case of production or process order, the batch search procedures are assigned to the production plants and order types. In the case of Sales and Distribution the Batch Search Procedures are assigned to the Sales Areas and Sales document type. In the case of Warehouse Management, the Batch Search procedures are assigned to the Warehouse number and they can be also assigned to the warehouse number + Movement type combination.

The below screen shot shows the batch search procedure assigned to various SAP logistical areas. There are 4 screens illustrated in one screen shot below.

Sixth Step – Creation of Batch Search Condition records or Batch Search Strategy

When the entire configuration for batch search condition techniques is done, you would create the Batch search condition records using varied transaction codes:

For Inventory management - MBC1 – Create, MBC2 – Change, MBC3 – Display For Production order/Process order - COB1 – Create, COB2 – Change, COB3 – Display For Sales and Distribution - VCH1 – Create, VCH2 – Change, VCH3 - Display

For Warehouse Management - LS51 – Create, LS52 – Change, LS53 – Display

The Batch Determination Search Strategy or Condition records can be created as below:

Step 1:

Enter the Strategy Type – For example C001 in Production order Scenario

Step 2:

Press Enter

Step 3: A Key combination is provided by the system to choose from. Choose a Key combination for which you want to create the condition record for. The Key combination in this case is Order type + Plant + Component.

Step 4: Enter the Values for the order type, plant and the component combination for which you want the system to search the batches during batch determination. Also enter the Validity Period for which the Batch Master Strategy would be valid and can be used by the system.

Enter the values of the following fields while creating the batch strategy master data or you can also have the values of these fields brought in from the “Batch strategy type configuration”

• Number of allowed Batch splits – Enter the allowed number of batch splits during batch determination. Batch splits specifies the number of batches that can be picked so as to satisfy the requirement quantity.

• Select the “Change allowed” indicator – If you want the number of batch splits to be flexible and it can be changed as per the situation, so as to satisfy the quantity required.

• Over delivery Allowed – If you select this indicator, the batch split can pick up batches whose batch quantity could possibly exceed the requirement quantity.

• UOM to display the batch quantities in, during the batch determination process. It could be in stock keeping UOM or in unit of entry of the document.

• Select the “Dialog for Batch determination” – If the batch determination is run in the foreground and if you want the results of batch determination to pulled-up in a dialog box, you should select this indicator. Forget this indicator if batch determination is always carried out in the background.

• Routines – You can assign Routines to help in quantity proposal. If there is no special routine that you have created for batch determination then you can set this field with a default value as “1”. Routines in SAP would carry out certain functions. For example you can write a routine to select the batches in batch determination based on your own special rules and logics which cannot be covered by search procedures, selection classes and sort rules.

• Selection Type – Specifies the following options which are self explainable.

Immediate selection according to selection criteria N No selection at beginning of batch determination O Selection with no selection criteria

F Selection criteria cannot be changed in batch determination

Step 5: If you are working with selection classes, you can assign the characteristics values for which you want the system to select the batches during batch determination as shown in the screen shot below.

If you are working with Sort rules as well, you can assign a sort rule (create the sort rule before you create the Batch Search Strategy).

Illustration of Batch Determination Condition Technique Configuration

This particular Illustration of Batch determination condition techniques configuration is shown for SAP PP/PPPI.

Step 4: Create Batch Search Procedure

0010 CO0001 10 ZP01 (Existing Standard SAP Batch Search Strategy) 0010 ZP0001 10 ZP01 (Assign here - Batch Search Strategy Z001)

Pre-requisite for SAP Batch Determination in SAP PP/WM

When you want to use batch determination in SAP PP/WM you should also use the “Batch Entry” Field in MRP3 View:

For the Batch Determination to work in production order for the components, you should have a value for the “batch entry” field. The values if set to “3” will carry out batch determination automatically and if set to “blank” will not carry out batch determination for the components in the production.

In document Sap Batch Management (Page 41-51)