Setting Up the Integration Between SAP ERP and SAP EWM

A key step in linking an SAP ERP system and an SAP EWM system is configuring the necessary application link enabling (ALE) settings. Most steps are not really EWM specific, they are required in general for the communication between two SAP systems. Also, in an SAP S/4HANA with embedded EWM, most of these settings are required. The details are a little different, but, in general, the requirements are the same.

These are settings probably not done by a person responsible for the application settings, but from someone in the system administration, as the overall system landscape and settings are to be considered. The most important settings include the following steps:

1. Define a logical system for each system and assign it to the client being used in each server. In our example, we assign ZMECLNT800 to client 800 of the SAP ERP system, and assign T43CLNT800 to client 800 of the SAP EWM system.
2. Define an RFC user in each target system / client (not pictured).
3. In ALE customizing for both systems, define RFC destinations with the same name as the logical systems (in our example, ZMECLNT800 and T43CLNT800).

This is a very simple view on the settings, as a regular system landscape, consisting of a development, test, and productive system uses different names in each landscape and changes are required accordingly after transports or copies of systems.

To create the link between Inventory Management in the SAP ERP system and SAP EWM, you maintain certain configuration settings in the SAP ERP system. These settings allow the system to determine warehouse management relevancy based on the plant and storage location information in source documents such as inbound and outbound delivery documents. These settings are also used to determine the SAP EWM warehouse used for processing.

You create a warehouse in the standard warehouse management (WM) definition table to represent the SAP EWM warehouse in the SAP ERP system. When you create this warehouse, assign it to the plant and storage locations used to represent the inventory management stock balances of the materials or products managed in the SAP EWM warehouse.

This warehouse is then activated as an EWM warehouse and a distribution model is created to ensure the transfer of SAP ERP delivery data to and from the SAP EWM system.

At the activation of the warehouse as an EWM warehouse, you have the following options:

• Comm. WM (Communication external WM):

  The correct entry for EWM is Queued and Serialized Asynchronous RFC.

• UD (Unchecked Deliveries):

  With this flag you can control if unchecked deliveries are to be distributed. An unchecked delivery is a delivery with a reduced scope of check. This reduced scope of check refers mainly to the availability checks, but can also affect other checks. CRM can create unchecked deliveries in ERP.

• Dist. Mode (Distribution Mode):

  The distribution mode controls if a delivery is distributed immediately at creation (default entry) or not (Stop distribution). If the distribution is not done immediately, you trigger the distribution in the Outbound Delivery Monitor (For Distribution) or with transaction VL06D. You can override this default setting through the entry in the Distribution Mode of the delivery type. Additionally, a form routine controls the distribution. By manipulating this form routine, you can implement specific checks and requirements. You can find this by using the transaction code VOFM and choosing Requirements → Subsequent functions → Distribution.

  Note

  SAP Note "2927356 - Automatic delivery distribution to EWM system cannot be stopped" describes limitations where the distribution happens despite settings in the delivery type which are meant to stop the distribution. Also see note "1239277 - Delayed distribution of inbound deliveries to an EWM system"
• SN Dec. WM (Allow Serial Numbers in Decentralized WMS):

  When you have selected that the warehouse number is an EWM warehouse, this indicator is set and not changeable anymore. It means that you can work with serial numbers in EWM, the details are controlled by the serial number profiles.

• BatchDetEW (Batch Determination in EWM via Batch Attribute Replication):

  This indicator controls the behavior of the automatic batch determination in ERP outbound deliveries.

• GR fr. EWM only (Goods Receipt from EWM Only):

  This indicator enables you to control whether the process of posting the goods receipt for a manufacturing order into an EWM-managed warehouse can be started from both ERP and EWM or from EWM only.

• Deliv.Chg (ERP can change delivery after distribution)

  This enables the SAP S/4HANA system to change a delivery while it is already being processed by the SAP EWM system.

  Note

  This flag is only available if the ERP system is an SAP S/4HANA system, but it does not matter if you use embedded EWM or a decentral EWM deployment.

For the distribution model you enter:

• The ERP warehouse number
• The logical system key of the EWM system
• A distribution model view:

  The distribution model view is how you can later locate the distribution model in the transaction BD64 - Maintenance of Distribution Model.

You can select any of the following as Objects for the distribution model:

• Inbound Delivery
• Outbound Delivery
• Production Material Request

  or

• All

It is not helpful to have separate models, so All is the correct choice. Only in case you would know that the advanced production integration will not be used, it could make sense to select Inbound Delivery and Outbound Delivery separately.