Performing Preprocessing

For the workload, the system determines the process steps required to execute a particular delivery item in the warehouse. You specify these steps in Customizing for Extended Warehouse Management (EWM) under Labor Management → Set Preprocessing.

Preprocessing calculates the time when the workload is due, based on the duration of the steps of the found process and of the dates/times of the delivery. You select the data type that you want to use for calculating inbound and outbound deliveries in Customizing for EWM, under Extended Warehouse Management → Labor Management → Define Delivery Date/Time for Preprocessing. The dates/times here are always planned and not actual. If you fail to define a date/time, the system always uses the planned delivery date/time for the time calculation.

Preprocessing only supports cycle counting within the physical inventory because it takes place periodically, and can, therefore, be planned. You do not have to make any special settings. The system uses the settings that you have made for the physical inventory. This differs from physical inventory in only one respect: If an active cycle counting document exists in which you plan cycle counting for a later time, such as for the following day, preprocessing determines that cycle counting is required again in 31 days, if the specified planning period stretches that far.

You can make Customizing settings for preprocessing either directly or using a wizard. You define a preprocessing header and preprocessing items.

In the preprocessing header, you assign a storage process to a delivery item. You identify the delivery item using the activity area and warehouse process type that the system has found for the delivery item. You can also specify a condition. The entry found by the system in the preprocessing header is the key for determining preprocessing items that are relevant for the current delivery item. In the preprocessing item, you define the steps for preprocessing in the warehouse that are relevant for delivery item currently being processed.

In the preprocessing header and the preprocessing items, you can specify conditions. The condition enables you to see in more detail whether a found step is relevant for a delivery item. Here you can make checks based on the attributes of the condition editor. Only when this check has been performed successfully does the system consider the step for the current delivery item in the preprocessing.

As a standard process, the system takes the duration of the external process step from Customizing for storage control. You can change this value in the preprocessing customizing. The system uses the duration to determine when a step takes place in the warehouse. As a basis for this, it uses the dates or times of the delivery across the duration of all steps of the found process.

For preprocessing planning, you have to select the object typesK for delivery items and F for physical inventory and select the checkbox Use Preprocessing.

• Preprocessing gives you an overview of the workload that arises at a particular time for processing inbound and outbound deliveries, or for executing the physical inventory process.
• For planning, you define planning goals for your process steps in the formula editor. The result of the preprocessing is only used for planning purposes; it does not affect the actual execution.
• From a physical inventory point of view, preprocessing only supports cycle counting because it takes place periodically, and can, therefore, be planned.
• You can make Customizing settings for preprocessing either directly or using a wizard. You define a preprocessing header and preprocessing items.