Applying Warehouse Process Types

In SAP Extended Warehouse Management (SAP EWM), the warehouse process type (WPT) controls the activity or movement of each process (such as goods receipt, goods issue, posting change) inside the warehouse. A warehouse process type is assigned to every warehouse request item, and has various effects on the creation of warehouse tasks.

For simple movements in the warehouse, the warehouse process type includes the storage type and storage bin from where, or to where, the goods are to be moved. For more complex movements, the warehouse process type either includes the storage process (for process-oriented storage control) or a warehouse order creation rule. The warehouse process type is determined either on item level during the creation of the warehouse request document or by the individual step in the process-oriented storage control.

Warehouse Process Categories

The warehouse process type is assigned to a warehouse process category and an activity, which are interconnected. The following figure shows the direction of the movement of goods in the warehouse:

The warehouse process categories describe the type of the goods movement in the warehouse. The following warehouse process categories are predefined in the standard SAP EWM system:

• Putaway
• Stock removal
• Internal warehouse movement
• Physical inventory
• Goods receipt posting
• Goods issue posting
• Posting change
• Cross-line putaway

The warehouse process categories goods receipt posting and goods issue posting are used internally. Also, physical inventory and cross-line putaway are controlled by the system, so you cannot assign them to a warehouse process type.

The warehouse process type can include information about the source storage type and storage bin for putaway warehouse tasks, and the destination storage type and storage bin for picking warehouse tasks. Other than in SAP ERP WM, no dynamic storage bins are used in SAP EWM for these interim storage types.

The warehouse process type does not always include the source or destination storage type and bin. This information can be determined using the complex staging area and door determination. Or, if process-oriented storage control is used, the information is assigned to the storage process itself. Internal movements use strategies or require manual input.

During the creation of a warehouse request document, the system determines the warehouse process type for each item. For warehouse process type determination, the system uses various data fields such as the document type, the item type, and the control indicator.

The system determines the warehouse process type according to the logic outlined in the figure. Not all of the determining fields may be required to determine a particular warehouse process type.

Assumptions for the access logic for warehouse process type determination are as follows:

• The item type is more specific than the document type.

• The delivery priority is more specific than the control indicator from the warehouse product master.

• SAP EWM always takes into account the warehouse number, because process types are defined specifically for each warehouse number.

The warehouse process type is determined during the creation of warehouse requests documents (the details are explained above). One of the fields used for the determination is the Process Type Determination Indicator, which comes from the warehouse product (maintained in the Warehouse Data view). This allows products to be handled in different ways during goods receipt or goods issue, for example, products that are to be moved immediately into high rack storage can be distinguished from products that need to be processed in some way, such as re-labeling.