Warehouse Integration

Since the days of SAP TM 9.0, the integration of SAP TM with SAP EWM ran via SAP ERP using SAP ERP shipments as an intermediate step. Data was not sent directly between SAP TM and SAP EWM. Since release 9.1, SAP TM supports direct integration between SAP TM and SAP EWM without creating shipments in SAP ERP.

The next step in the evolution is the current scenario, where both SAP EWM and SAP TM run as part of the SAP S/4HANA system since release 1709. The SAP EWM for SAP S/4HANA design was adapted to reflect the principle of one design idea, which was the basic guideline for the development of the new system. For SAP EWM for SAP S/4HANA, this meant both direct access to master data without the need for replication and also structural changes in its architecture.

As part of its first release in SAP S/4HANA 1610, the inbound delivery notification and the ODR were removed. The purpose of these objects was to reflect the information of the delivery and form the basis for further warehouse execution. With the introduction of SAP EWM for SAP S/4HANA, this intermediate step was no longer necessary to be part of the overall design and thus was removed.

In this unit, we explain the current, direct integration in SAP S/4HANA within an SAP EWM for SAP S/4HANA. The integration scenarios are still based on orders and deliveries.

The delivery-based integration scenario is an integrated warehousing and transportation process that sends ordered goods via an external carrier to external customers from a warehouse managed with SAP EWM. Transportation is planned in SAP TM, while warehouse activities are planned and executed in SAP EWM. This process is based on SAP S/4HANA sales orders and transportation requirements are based on SAP S/4HANA outbound deliveries.

Delivery processing in SAP S/4HANA involves grouping deliveries to pick, pack, and ship and then performing all the functions associated with the delivery process. Based on split criteria or combination indicators, you can group together entire orders or individual items or split orders into partial deliveries. Outbound deliveries are created and scheduled in SAP S/4HANA and are the basis for transportation planning in SAP TM.

Because of the transportation planning in SAP TM, a freight order is created in SAP TM, which, as soon as the freight order is ready for loading, results in the creation of a transportation unit in SAP EWM.

One or more delivery positions can create one or more freight units. Always, the documents created in SAP TM can be seen in the delivery via the document flow in the TM Status tab of the delivery.

The deliveries are visible both in SAP TM for transportation planning and execution and in SAP EWM for warehouse planning and execution. In SAP EWM, the delivery creates an outbound delivery order, which acts as the actual warehouse request and initiates the GI process in SAP EWM.

The outbound delivery contains data assumed from the preceding document and all necessary information to trigger the GI process and monitor it accordingly. From the perspective of warehouse management, the outbound delivery order represents a worklist that is completed only when the picked materials have been loaded and shipped.

The outbound delivery order in SAP EWM is still blocked for processing. It is released as soon as the transportation planning process in SAP TM is completed, and SAP EWM is updated with the final planning results. Sending the loading instructions to SAP EWM creates a TU and automatically assigns the outbound delivery orders. With this assignment, the outbound delivery orders are unlocked and updated with the related carrier information from SAP TM.

Unlocked outbound delivery orders with transportation units are now the basis for warehouse execution in SAP EWM. The SAP TM freight order now exists as a transportation unit in SAP EWM. To easily identify the same object across all three systems, they all share the same document number.

When the materials have been picked, staged, and loaded, GI can be posted. During the outbound process execution, SAP TM is updated with all execution-relevant information and events.

In addition to delivery-based integration, SAP EWM and SAP TM can also work together in an order-based process. In contrast to the previous scenario, the outbound delivery is now created because of freight unit–based delivery proposals and transportation planning in SAP TM. In the delivery-based scenario, inventory planning and logistics execution had priority over the transportation planning process in SAP TM, and deliveries were already created.

In the order-based scenario, SAP TM plans transportation based on SAP S/4HANA sales orders and as a result proposes and creates deliveries based on the determined dates and quantities. Transportation planning results in the creation of freight orders, which are the basis for the delivery creation in SAP S/4HANA. In this context, SAP TM considers transportation constraints, such as resource availability and transportation durations. The created deliveries are usable by SAP EWM. In SAP TM, the freight order can be the basis for tendering and carrier selection.

The process starts with a sales order and a planned delivery date. This automatically creates freight units. These are then the basis for transportation planning and optimization in SAP TM.

The transportation planning in SAP TM is completed when the transportation capacity of the freight orders has been fully planned and all relevant transportation requirements have been assigned. After the carrier has been assigned, SAP TM can trigger the creation of a SAP S/4HANA outbound delivery and communicate the freight order number to the selected carrier. These deliveries are based on the transportation planning results and therefore consider planning constraints, such as resource availability, distances, durations, and consolidation and dates. This step can be executed manually or automatically as a background job. When the delivery has been created, the document flow in SAP TM is updated to show all related documents to a freight unit and freight order.

When the deliveries have been created, they are visible in the SAP EWM environment for further processing as outbound delivery orders. The SAP S/4HANA delivery is created with the proposed delivery date from SAP TM. If the SAP EWM outbound delivery orders haven’t been assigned to a TU, these orders are locked for execution. When the transportation planning activities are finished, and the freight order status has been set to Cargo Ready for Loading, SAP TM sends a loading instruction to SAP EWM. This triggers the creation of a TU in SAP EWM. In SAP EWM, the transportation units are automatically assigned to the (locked) outbound delivery orders . With this assignment, the outbound delivery orders are unlocked and updated with the related carrier information from SAP TM. Unlocked outbound delivery orders, assigned to a Transportation unit, are now the basis for warehouse execution in SAP EWM.

Goods are picked, staged, and loaded on a truck. Posting GI in SAP EWM immediately adjusts the inventory in SAP S/4HANA, updating the outbound deliveries and the freight order in SAP TM for a later freight cost settlement.