Understanding Special Charges

You can calculate the fuel surcharge based on an index value (fuel surcharge value). The index value (fuel surcharge value) is defined in an index rate table (for example, based on the calculation date and/or source location). The fuel surcharge value is the used to retrieve the rate from a standard rate table. Based on this rate, the final amount gets calculated.

1. Define an index base rate table

   Define an index rate table with the calculation base such as calculation date and source location. You can also maintain a calculation rule in this index rate table.

2. Define a standard rate table

   Define a standard rate table with a calculation base as FSC and scale type as either Base Scale or To Scale. Define the rates for the fuel surcharge values from the index rate table.

3. Define a calculation sheet with a charge item for fuel surcharge and define the following attributes:
   1. Enter the charge type as Fuel.
   2. Enter the index rate table in the Index Rate Table field.
   3. Enter the standard rate table in the Rate Table field.
   4. Enter the calculation method type as C and calculation method as FUEL_SURCHARGE on the Basic Data tab page.

You can calculate the fuel surcharge based on a base fuel surcharge value. The logistic service provider or carrier agrees with the customer on an index base date based on which the system determines the base fuel surcharge value. The actual fuel surcharge is calculated based on the current fuel surcharge value and base fuel surcharge value.

To calculate the fuel surcharge, you define an index base rate table with the fuel surcharge values for specific calculation dates or validities. Optionally, you can define a standard rate table with the fuel surcharge values for scale items such as location and calculation dates or validity periods:

1. Define an index base rate table

   Define an index rate table with the calculation base as Calculation Date, scale type as To Scale or Base Scale, and the value type as Absolute or Percentage. Note that you must not maintain a calculation rule in this rate table.

2. Optionally, define a standard rate table

   Define a standard rate table with a calculation base and scale type as either Base Scale or To Scale. Define the fuel surcharge values for scale items such as source location and destination location.

   Note

   If you don’t define a standard rate table, the system determines the fuel surcharge using the base rate specified in the calculation sheet.
3. Define a calculation sheet with a charge item for fuel surcharge and define the following attributes:
   1. Enter the charge type as Fuel.
   2. Enter the index rate table in the Index Rate Table field.
   3. Enter an index base date in the Index Base Date field.
   4. If you’ve defined a standard rate table, enter it in the Rate Table field. Otherwise, you must enter a rate in the Base Rate field as a percentage or absolute value.
   5. Enter the calculation method type as C and calculation method as FUEL_SURCHARGE on the Basic Data tab page.

As the figure shows:

You maintained an index rate table with scale type as From Scale.

The calculation sheet has a base rate of 1.19 % and the index base date set to 07.28.2021.

You have a calculation profile with the calculation date type as Order Date and in the freight order, the order date is 08.25.2021.

The system determines the current fuel surcharge using the order date. The order date 08.25.2021 occurs later than 08.20.2021 in the index rate table. Hence, the value 3.82 is determined as the current fuel surcharge value.

The system determines the base fuel surcharge using the index base date of 07.28.2021. The index base date 07.28.2021 occurs later than 07.22.2021 in the index rate table. Hence, the value 3.65 is determined as the base fuel surcharge value.

The fuel surcharge is calculated as follows:

Fuel surcharge in percentage = (Current fuel surcharge value/ Base fuel surcharge value)* Base rate in calculation sheet

Fuel surcharge in percentage = (3.82/ 3.65)*1.19 = 1.25 %

Once the system determines the current fuel surcharge value and the index fuel surcharge value as previously mentioned, the system determines the fuel surcharge value for the source location and destination location specified in the freight order. In the freight order, the source location B and the destination location C are maintained. The system determines the fuel surcharge value of 3.15 from the standard rate table.

The fuel surcharge is calculated as follows:

Fuel surcharge in percentage = (Current fuel surcharge value/Base fuel surcharge value)* Fuel surcharge value from standard rate table

Fuel surcharge in percentage = (3.82/ 3.65)*3.15 = 3.30 %

You define a rate table for your BASE charge line and assign it in the calculation sheet. With the Clipping calculation method enabled, the system calculates the transportation charges by working through all scales level-by-level, even if the value lies outside the scale. The system then totals up the calculation results from each scale level to produce the overall result. For clipping, one scale item must have a relative calculation type.

The scale levels are defined with the following values:

• Up to 5 tons: USD 50 absolute

• Up to 7 tons: USD 14 per ton

• Up to 10 tons: USD 13 per ton

• Up to 15 tons: USD 12 per ton

Using the clipping calculation method for a load weighing 12 tons, the system calculates the transportation charges as follows:

• 5 tons at USD 50 = USD 50 (first scale level)

• 2 tons at USD 14 per ton = USD 28 (up to the second scale level)

• 3 tons at USD 13 per ton = USD 39 (up to the third scale level)

• 2 tons at USD 12 per ton = USD 24 (remainder in the fourth scale level)

This results in a charge of USD 141. If you don’t use the clipping calculation method, the 12 tons fall into the "up to 15 tons" scale level and the transportation charge is USD 12 per ton, resulting in a charge of USD 144.

A calculation method, such as the break-weight calculation, uses special functions to derive the rate. When a break-weight calculation is specified in the calculation sheet, the system compares the next rate to the current rate and applies the cheaper rate.

Other calculation methods common in the transportation industry include clipping, deficit weight rating, most expensive main carriage, internal charge calculation, and external systems.

Calculation method types can also help to use customer-specific logic or special formula for freight charge calculation.

The visibility scenario for EM-TM offers standard events that can be used. According to rules based on, for example, the departure date and loading duration, a planned date is assigned to Loading Begin, Loading End, and Departure events. This date defines the time stamp at which this event or process milestone is expected to be reported. The time stamp, at which the event is reported, defines the actual date. This means that it is possible to have the following:

• Regular events (reported in a predefined time frame)

• Early events (reported before predefined time frame)

• Late events (reported after predefined time frame)

• Unreported events (not yet reported)

An unexpected delay or event is caused by a traffic jam or an accident. Unexpected events do not have a planned date, as they are not foreseen to happen. These events have an actual date that can be linked to a certain expected event. For example, a traffic jam, with an estimated delay of two hours, influences the arrival date at the customer and therefore is linked to the arrival date.

Events can be propagated back to other documents using the document flow. For example, when reporting the unloading start of the freight order, the event can be propagated back to the assigned freight unit so that the unloading start of the freight order also creates the unloading start of the freight unit.

Charges based on the calculated delay for a specific event are calculated in the following way:

• The Actual Date/Time comes from SAP EM when a specific event is reported.

• The Planned Date/Time comes from SAP EM and defines the expected date/time.

• The Estimated Date/Time is used when there is no integration with SAP EM. In this case, an event is created in SAP TM directly with no planned date or time. The estimated date/time entered when the event is created in SAP TM is used.

• Grace Days, or Free Days, can be defined in charge management master data.

Charges can be calculated within the freight order and/or freight booking based on the number of days of the delay.

Five calculation bases are used during charge calculation to retrieve the dates and times of events, and to calculate the delay that is relevant for the charge calculation.

The calculation bases are defined in the following Customizing location:

In Customizing, choose Transportation Management→Basic Functions→Charge Calculation→Data Source Binding→Define Calculation Bases.

The ACTUAL_DATE, ESTD_DATE, and PLANNED_DATE are customized so that dates and times can be pulled into a charge calculation. This data is derived from SAP Event Management and predefined helper classes are assigned to the calculation bases.

DELAY and GRACE_DAYS data are not derived from Event Management into charge calculation, but are necessary to calculate the exact delay. To determine the dates and times, a predefined helper class is assigned.

The number of days for the DELAY is influenced by the GRACE_DAYS. This means that for the calculation base DELAY, the related calculation base GRACE_DAYS must be maintained.

In the calculation base Customizing for DELAY, the related calculation base can be maintained by choosing Related Calculation Base in the Dialog Structure. This setting influences the calculation sheet in which the number of grace days is entered.

The event profile triggers the event-based charge calculation and can be maintained in Customizing.

In Customizing, choose Transportation Management→Basic Functions→Charge Calculation→Basic Settings→Define Event Profiles.

Within the event profile, the following attributes can be set up:

• Charge Type: used for event-based charging. This is the charge type used in the calculation sheet.
• Event, Event Reason, and Event Status: To calculate a delay, define the event on which the charge is based. As there are several events, each one could potentially have different delays. As a result, this delay calculation has to be based on a specific event and, if needed, an event reason. The Event Status defines the type of event.
• Referenced Event, Reference Event Reason, and Referenced Event Status: An unexpected event, such as a Delay, can be reported several times with a different reference event each time. It is necessary to define which of those Delays is taken, whether it is the event Delay with reference to the loading begin or the event Delay regarding the unloading end.
• Business Document where event-based charging is triggered.

The following options are available for business documents:

• Forwarding Order Charge Calculation
• Freight Order Charge Calculation
• Forwarding Order Internal Charge Calculation
• Freight Order Internal Charge Calculation

The event profile is assigned to the document type where event-based charges are activated.

The event profile can be maintained in the following document types:

• Forwarding Order Type

  In Customizing, choose Transportation Management→Forwarding Order Management→Forwarding Order→Define Forwarding Order Types.

• Freight Booking

  In Customizing, choose Transportation Management→Freight Order Management→Freight Booking→Define Freight Booking Types.

• Freight Order

  In Customizing, choose Transportation Management→Freight Order Management→Freight Order→Define Freight Order Types.

For the calculation sheet item with the delay charge type, on the Related Calculation Base tab, you define the number of grace days as outlined below.

1. Calculation Base: GRACE_DAYS. This calculation base is maintained with helper class /SCMTMS/CL_TCC_CB_REL_CBASE.
2. Quantity: Number of free days/hours/minutes that are subtracted from the difference between planned and actual date/time to determine the delay.
3. Unit of Measure: Defines the unit like days/hours/minutes.

Reported events and calculation sheet settings influence charge calculation. The actual date or time, and the planned date or time, are derived from event management during the charge calculation for a specific event, which is maintained in the event profile. The difference is the delay time without grace days.

Then the grace days are subtracted from the total delay, which ends up in the charge calculation-relevant delay. This charge calculation-relevant delay is multiplied with the rate amount.

With the event-based charging, it is possible to define a fixed amount per delay day or an amount coming from a rate table for a charge type, which is then multiplied by the number of days of delay.