Setting Up and Creating Structural Elements and Master Data

Creating Structural Elements in the Warehouse

Objective

After completing this lesson, you will be able to create structural elements in SAP EWM.

Storage Type

Warehouse Layout Example

A detailed SAP warehouse storage layout diagram showing multiple storage types and operational zones, including a High Rack Storage area (with Fast and Slow sections), Staging Areas for both Inbound and Outbound, Deconsolidation, Fixed Bins, Packing, and a Yard with door bins (D01, D02, D03). The diagram uses color-coded blue and gray blocks to distinguish storage sections and bins, with labeled annotations identifying Storage Types, Storage Sections, and Storage Bins to illustrate warehouse structure and flow for SAP EWM integration.

Storage Section

In SAP EWM, a storage section is an organizational subdivision of a storage type that is represented by a four-character code. Storage sections contain storage bins that have similar attributes for putaway, such as heavy parts, bulky parts, hazardous materials, fast-moving items, or slow-moving items.

You can use storage sections during the determination of the bin for putaway. The definition of storage sections in a standard storage type is only required if you plan to use the storage section search in the storage type.

Additionally storage sections are also used in SAP EWM to structure a storage type with roles like Work Center or Yard. Storage sections are required for storage types with the Staging Area Group role. The actual staging area is always a storage section inside such a storage type.

Quant

In the warehouse, a quant refers to the contents of a storage bin. There are default criteria that the SAP EWM system uses in putaways and stock removals to determine the material quantity that forms a quant in a storage bin.

A 2x2 grid diagram illustrating four warehouse bins and their respective stock quants: Bin 1 (Quant 5) and Bin 2 (Quant 3) both hold Material A in Unrestricted status for Batch 1, Bin 3 (Quant 1) contains Material B in Unrestricted status, and Bin 4 (Quant 10) holds Material C under Quality Inspection. The diagram represents inventory stock levels, material statuses, and batch assignments across storage bins in an SAP warehouse management context.

The default criteria are as follows:

  • Material respectively product number

  • Stock category

  • Special stock assignment

  • Plant and storage location which owns the stock

  • Batch number (if batch managed)

  • Handling unit (if stock is HU-managed in the bin)

The majority of the data in the list comes as information when an inbound delivery is created in SAP EWM. Some information like the batch or the handling unit can also be created during processing in SAP EWM. The stock category can be influenced and changed through quality management processes.

Addition to Existing Stock

A four-panel SAP inventory diagram depicting the movement of stock quants across warehouse bins: Bin 1 (white/blue border) shows Quant 5 of Material A (Unrestricted, Batch 1) with an arrow indicating transfer to Bin 2, which holds Quant 3 of the same material. Bin 3 contains Quant 1 of Material B (Unrestricted), and Bin 4 holds Quant 10 of Material C under Quality Inspection status, illustrating quant-level stock distribution and movement across storage bins in SAP EWM

When you allow addition to existing stock, a storage bin that contains a quant of a material can store further quantities of the same material if the remaining quant criteria match. The size of the quant increases and decreases by putaway and stock removal activities.

Note

The goods receipt date of a material quantity is managed at the quant level. If additions are made to the existing stock, there is only one goods receipt date. Which one prevails can be defined in the storage type settings. However, if you

want to perform stock removals according to the first in first out (FIFO) principle, you need to prohibit additions to the existing stock.

The same limitation is true for the best-before date (when working without batches).

Addition to stock can be allowed in general in a storage type, but it can also be set to be controlled product specific (with a product putaway profile).

Mixed Storage

The diagram shows four bins where Bin 1 holds Quant 5 of Material A (Unrestricted, Batch 1), Bin 2 holds Quant 3 of the same material, Bin 3 holds Quant 1 of Material B (Unrestricted), and Bin 4 holds Quant 10 of Material C under Quality Inspection. A quant represents the quantity of a specific product with the same characteristics in a single storage bin, and different batches or stock types are counted as separate quants. [[1]](https://learning.sap.com/courses/exploring-business-processes-in-sap-ewm-for-sap-s-4hana-cloud-private-edition/outlining-warehouse-structures-1)

With mixed storage, you can store several materials or several batches of the same material in one storage bin. There are also settings to control the mix of quants inside a handling unit.

Various methods of capacity checks are available depending on the storage type and putaway control. These methods can ensure that the storage bins are not overloaded when additions are made to the existing stock or for mixed storage.

Summary

  • Storage Types and Roles: Defines the physical and logical subdivisions of a warehouse complex using four-character codes and specific roles like standard storage, work centers, or staging areas.

  • Storage Sections and Bins: Organizes storage types into sections based on putaway attributes, such as bulky or fast-moving items, to facilitate efficient bin determination.

  • Quants and Stock Management: Manages the contents of storage bins through quants, which are defined by product, batch, and stock category, with configurable rules for addition to stock and mixed storage.

Configure the Basic Warehouse Structure

Learning

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