This Blog is mainly on SAP Exam Questions and Selected "How-to" SAP processes

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Wednesday, January 8, 2025

Q&A in Class (2025-01-07) S4611 (Part 2)

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Question: References on TM Configuration Guide ?

The following book is highly recommended by SAP community. 



Answer: Books you can purchase on SAP S/4HANA TM as below by "SAP Press" and SAP help
https://www.sap-press.com/transportation-management-with-sap-s4hana_5575/
FYI: another one with 880+pages already send to your mail box
Also see these from SAP: 

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Question: What are the settings for Split and Consolidation of Freight Unit ?


The "Control" section and the "Planning Quantities" section in the "Freight Unit Building Rule" FIORI App are parameters used for "Consolidate" and/or "Split" Inbound/Outbound Deliveries into the desired Freight Units, for both HU and non HU scenarios.

Answer: Here are some simulation scenarios on the "Consolidate" and "Split" examples: 
https://froggysap.blogspot.com/2024/07/sap-tm-freight-unit-building-rule_82.html

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Question: Inconsistency in Slide 133 "Stock Room Management" functionality ?

Answer: In many SAP documentations and SAP forums or OSS notes, SAP and many "experts" now often mention is there are now in S/4HANA (maybe 2023) have 3 storage choice: 
  • Inventory Management with Storage Location
  • Stock Room Management (= ECC Warehouse Management or ECC WM)
  • Extended Warehouse Management (or EWM)
AND the following should be correct: 
Functionalities of LE-WM that are not part of stock room management are:
(LE-WM means the classic Warehouse)
  • Task & Resource Management (WM-TRM)
  • Warehouse Control Unit interface (WM-LSR)
  • Value Added Service (WM-VAS)
  • Yard Management (WM-YM)
  • Cross-Docking (WM-CD)
  • Wave Management (WM-TFM-CP)
  • Decentral WM (WM-DWM)
Very likely these functionality will be further enhanced in the S/4 Embedded EWM system and seized development in the classic LE-WM in S/4HANA system. 

AND if you login to S/4HANA 2023, in the Logistics Execution folder, you can still find Cross-Docking (WW-CD) as well as Value Added Service (WM-VAS) as below screen shot under the folder Logistics Execution. (but not the Yard Management and VAS). From the historical perspective when SAP release the early days of EWM in 2000s: there are 4 features (as I remember) ie: WM-VAS (I think), WM-YM, WM-CD, WM-TRM, and since SAP decided to move the entire EWM in mid 2000s to the APO system; I don't think there were any more development of the initial rolled out features of the EWM in LE for maybe over 20 years. 


There are many posting in SAP Community that repeatedly "highly recommended" customers who have the need for LE-WM like the above WW-TRM, WM-LSR, WM-VAS, WM-YM, WW-CD, WM-TFM-CP, WM-DEM to migrate to the Embedded EWM system by December 2025. AND "maybe" in 2026 (or later or earlier or no idea) that even the available t-codes of Wave Pick, CD will even be removed from the LE module folder in the S//4 System. AND "maybe" then they will introduce the "NEW folder name" called "Stock Room Management" in the S/4HANA system Login (all maybe as we don't know whether Stock Room Management is a concept word for marketing or a definition one can see in SAP system login. 

I suspect SAP's intention is to retain the most basic functionality of the classic WM that is meant for stock management up to Storage Bins with TR-TO, and Posting change features (beyond MM-IM) but no intention to use WW-TRM, WM-LSR, WM-VAS, WM-YM, WW-CD, WM-TFM-CP, WM-DEM. (according to the Strategic Road Map explained in SAP Note 2881166). 

(the following update on January 09.2025 5:30am)

I highly suspect changing the name of "ECC Warehouse Management" to "Stock Room Management" in S/4HANA is both a "Direction Move" and "Marketing Move" in SAP to try to differentiate the "Light Weight Warehouse Management (ie: ECC WM in S/4) to the Embedded Warehouse Management system. AND the following names actually refer to the same thing: 
  • ECC WM in S/4
  • Stock Room Management in S/4
  • Light Weight WM in S/4
As at S/4HANAN2023, the "ECC WM in S/4" can still be found in the folder Logistics - Logistics Execution ...., let's see if SAP will change the folder name to Stock Room Management in future SAP Release OR the name of "Stock Room Management" is a Marketing Term. 

The typo error slides in the book perhaps is trying to convey a message that in case you want to use any of these features below, you should just consider the Embedded EWM system as SAP will seize any development efforts for their use in the "Stock Room Management" or at least I think so: 
  • Task & Resource Management (WM-TRM)
  • Warehouse Control Unit interface (WM-LSR)
  • Value Added Service (WM-VAS)
  • Yard Management (WM-YM)
  • Cross-Docking (WM-CD)
  • Wave Management (WM-TFM-CP)
  • Decentral WM (WM-DWM)
... the above features (some of them looks still can be found in the Logistics - Logistics Execution folder) (in the last Login to SAP on S/4HANA 2023). 

The S/4HANA Stock Room Management functionality should include the following as of the current findings:
  • Warehouse Structure of Storage Type, Storage Section, and Storage Bin
  • Processing Inbound with Putaway Strategies using TR and TO (with or without RF). 
  • Processing Inbound with Removal Strategies TR and TO (with or without RF). 
  • Supports Batch Management. 
  • Internal Posting via Posting Change Notice. 
  • Cycle Counting and Physical Inventory. 
  • Stock Replenishment.
  • Likely with integration to MM, SD, PP, QM modules (similar to ECC WM). 
  • No integration to S/4HANA Transportation Management at the moment. 
  • Last test in S/4HANA2022 the Wave Picking can still be used in the ECC WM in S/4 but whether SAP will remove this transaction code entirely or just stop development for its use in the Lightweight WM will depend on SAP in future SAP versions. 
We should think of Stock Room Management offers much more visibility of the Warehouse compared to MM Inventory Management via Storage Location. AND the purpose of Stock Room Management is only for organizations that require higher visibility of materials in the Warehouse in terms of Movement and Storage Controls. 

As at S/4HANA2022, there are FIORI Apps for the "ECC WM" in the S/4 System BUT the FIORI Apps are HTML of the backend transaction codes. Whether SAP will release any "UX" FIORI App for the "Stock Room Management" remains to be seen. 

Although the Embedded EWM seems to be more relevant for Complex Warehouse scenario; BUT I do think that in a "Simplified" implementation of EWM in S/4 can perform the SAME as the "Stock Room Management" while at the same time allows that flexibility to use any of the EWM functionalities. 

As of to-date, it does look like the focus of Stocks Storage Management for SAP is to focus its resources on the Development of the S/4HANA Embedded EWM system. 

See the following link and SAP Notes will be helpful:
SAP Note 2577428 - Road map for LE-WM in SAP S/4HANA
SAP Note 2270211- S4TWL - Warehouse Management (WM)
SAP Note 2881166 - FAQ Stock Room Management

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Question: What is the purpose of Tax Indicator in the Charge Type ? 


Looks like the Charge Type "Tax activation" may allow Tax code determination via the Charge Type level (preliminary conclusion which will have to be verified in the future). 

latest update (January 9.2025 4:30am)
  • Findings as at January 9.2025 4:30am
    • TM-Basic Function-Charge Calculation-Basic Setting-Define Charge Type (an indicator that looks like perhaps to activate Tax relevancy at the Charge Type level). 
    • TM-Settlement-Freight Settlement-Integration for Settlement Posting-Tax-Assign Tax indicator for Charges (Set Tax indicator to Charge Type). 
    • I think another configuration step is via the standard Access Sequence for Tax Code Determination in MM+FI Configuration (or something else). 
    • Or more steps. 
  • Level of Activation is likely at Country + Charge type possibility. 
Of course describing the possible configuration is not enough, Looking forward to more findings and application level actual application level simulation on this issue when time and SAP access is possible. 

Answer: See the following:
https://froggysap.blogspot.com/2025/01/sap-tm-tax-indicator-at-charge-type.html

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Question: How does the Agency Business Document (ABD) with respect to "Cost Distribution" works ?

Answer: The above Accounting to send FSD settlement document as an "Agency Business Document (ABD)" to the another module called "Settlement" to perform the GR/IR reversal so as to switch the posting for Material distribution involves settings beyond TM module, should be involving FI and the Settlement module; when TIME and accessible to SAP is available, I will try to at least show the above FI posting for Outbound Delivery scenario. 

latest update (January 9.2025 3:00am)
  • I have reason to believe that the word written by someone in SAP Community (or whatever source) for the Document/Term "Agency Business Document (ABD)" may have also other SAP names "Freight Cost Distribution Document (FCDD)" ie:
    • "Agency Business Document (ABD)" 
    • "Freight Cost Distribution Document (FCDD)"
    • "Freight Cost Allocation Document (FCAD)"
    • I have high suspicion to think that they all mean the same thing (still I could be wrong)
  • The above Accounting Posting (tried to simulate in below Blog Post) which result in the following:
    • Create a PO and SES: The PO and SES are created in the document flow. (Done) (Step 9 in the Blog).
    • Debit a temporary freight expense account: The system debits a temporary freight expense account and credits the GR/IR account for the vendor. (Done) (Step 10 in the Blog).
    • Post the cost distribution financial entry: The cost distribution financial entry is posted in the Settlement Management module. (Done) (Step 11 in the Blog).
    • Clear the temporary expense account: The system clears the temporary expense account and posts to the material. (To be Simulated as this Step I high suspect in under the umbrella of S/4HANA "Settlement Management" Module (the re-engineered Rebate Module)). 
  • The next challenge is to work on this Final Step, the above steps is my Simulation and Thought results in the past 24 hours which could be the right direction or maybe TOTALLY WRONG, and therefore let me work on it. 
FYI: in the past 24+ hours from 08.Jan 2025 5am, research on web findings are many bloggers or "SAP Experts" talks (describing) or writes about it BUT no actual step by step with SAP Screen shots demonstration are published SO nothing said by others can be verified until there are actually simulated in an SAP login. 

Looking forward to more findings and application level simulation on this issue when time and SAP access is possible. 

See the following blog posts (Pending last step of Material Distribution):
https://froggysap.blogspot.com/2025/01/SAP TM - Cost Distribution with FSD and FCDD (FCAD or ABD) (S/4HANA2023)

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