Configuring Batch Management (BLF)

In this work step, you assign batch search procedures to the individual combinations of sales organization, distribution channel, division, and sales document type for which batch determination is to occur, and activate the batch check.

1. Assign a search procedure to each combination.
2. Set the batch check indicator if you want the system to check all batches entered manually.

Note

Batch determination in delivery

If a delivery is used without reference to a sales order, you must have done the following in order to execute batch determination:

• Defined the default order type for the delivery type (Logistics Execution → Shipping → Deliveries → Define Delivery Type)
• Assigned the default order type to a batch search procedure

In this activity, you define the calculation of the base quantity from the product quantity.

Define the weight per piece as a characteristic for batches. Use kilogram per piece as the unit of measure for this characteristic. (Base unit is kilogram, product unit is piece).

1. Enter the unit of measure that is to be used in the characteristic, for example, kilogram per piece.
2. Enter the base unit and the product unit (as batch-specific unit of measure) that you want to use for the calculation, for example kilogram and piece.

In this step, you define the calculation of the product quantity from the base quantity.

Define the number of metal plates per kilogram as a characteristic for batches. The base unit of measure is kilogram; the product unit is number of metal plates.

1. Enter the unit of measure that is to be used in the characteristic, for example, metal plates per kilogram.
2. Enter the product unit (as the batch-specific unit of measure) and the base unit of measure you want to use for calculation, for example, number of metal plates and kilogram.

In this step, you activate automatic batch determination for order or delivery item categories. When entering an order item or a delivery item, batch determination is triggered automatically.

Set indicator Auto batch determin for those order and delivery item categories for which you want batch determination to be triggered automatically.

In this step, you activate automatic batch determination for order or delivery item categories. When entering an order item or a delivery item, batch determination is triggered automatically.

Set indicator Auto batch determin for those order and delivery item categories for which you want batch determination to be triggered automatically.

In this step, you can adjust the selection in the Batch Information Cockpit to meet your needs by defining one or more user-group-specific selections. If you do not want to change the SAP standard selection, no action is required on your part.

Note

• Only the data fields that are also contained in the selection tab titles are copied to the selection result. The display fields in the data area of the selection result are oriented mainly to the sequence of the selection tab titles and their selection fields.
• You can also change the sequence of the data fields in the selection result individually and save them as display variants.

• Change title of selection tab titles

  If you want to change only the title of a selection tab title, proceed as follows:

  1. Define a user group.
  2. Assign the selection tab title to this user group.
  3. Change the text of the selection tab title.
• Change sequence of selection tab titles

  Carry out the steps 1 and 2 as described under Change title of selection tab titles and enter the item you want in the Item field.

• Activate and deactivate selection tab titles
  • If you want to use a selection tab title that is not active in the standard system, carry out the steps 1 and 2 as described under Change title of selection tab titles and set the Active tab title indicator.
  • If you do not want to use a selection tab title that is active in the standard system, carry out the steps 1 and 2 as described under Change title of selection tab titles and deactivate the Active tab title indicator.
• Define user-group-specific selection fields
  • If you do not define any user-group-specific selection fields for the tab titles, the system displays the standard selection fields. You can only define selection fields for selection tab titles that are not flagged as fixed. If you define a selection field for a selection tab title, the system only displays this field on the selection tab title you have defined. Only the selection fields that are on an active selection tab title are visible.
  • Proceed as follows:
    1. Define a user group.
    2. Define a selection tab title and assign this to the user group.
    3. Define selection fields and assign them to selection tab titles.
• Assign users to a user group

  You can choose whether a user-group-specific selection should:

  • Only be valid for certain users. To do this, assign users to a user group via the parameter BICUG in the user master record.
  • Be used by all users who are not assigned to a user group in the user master record. To do this, select a user group as a standard group.

Note

If a user is not assigned to a user group and no user group is flagged as the standard group, the SAP standard selection is used in the Batch Information Cockpit

• In the User group subdialog, you can simulate the user-group-specific selection screen for the selected user group by choosing the User group button. To display the SAP standard selection screen, choose SAP Standard.
• In the Selection tab title subitem, you can simulate your selected selection tab title via the User group button. Via the SAP Standard button, you can simulate the corresponding standard selection tab title

If you want to include additional fields in your user-group-specific selection, we recommend that you use a selection tab title that is not active in the standard system, include these fields in the tab title, and activate it.

Each search procedure comprises all strategy types that can be used for a particular combination of sales area and sales document type.

To be able to define search procedures, you must have defined the necessary strategy types.

The standard system contains search procedure SD0001.

In this step, you define strategy types for batch determination in Sales and Distribution.

You wish to use different batch search strategies for different combinations of sales areas and sales document types. For this purpose, you create the following strategy types:

• a strategy type with a selection class that uses the shelf life expiration date as the search criterion during batch determination
• a strategy type with a selection class that uses the goods receipt date as the search criterion during batch determination
• a strategy type without a selection class; this enables you to define the selection class when you create the strategy record

To be able to define strategy types, you must have defined the necessary access sequences.

Strategy types SD01, SD02, and SD03 are defined in the standard SAP R/3 System.

In this step, you define access sequences for batch determination in production orders.

• You have defined two condition tables:
  • 532: Production material
  • 533: Production material/customer
• You can define an access sequence that the system uses to first find a search strategy using condition table 533. If no such strategy is defined, the system then has to find the general strategy for the order type using condition table 532.

To define access sequences, you must have defined the necessary condition tables.

Access sequences CO01 and CO02 are defined in the standard SAP system.

In this step, you define strategy types for batch determination in production orders.

You wish to use different batch search strategies for different combinations of plant and order type. For this purpose, you create the following strategy types:

• a strategy type with a selection class that uses the shelf life expiration date as search criterion during batch determination
• a strategy type with a selection class that uses the goods receipt date as search criterion during batch determination
• a strategy type without a selection class; this enables you to define the selection class when you create the strategy record

To be able to define strategy types, you must have defined the necessary access sequences.

Strategy types CO01 and CO02 are defined in the standard SAP system.

In this step, you define which units of measurement you want to use as batch-specific material units of measure.

You want to work with a material that contains an active ingredient proportion. The material's base unit is kilogram (KG). You use kilogram of active ingredient (KGAI) as the unit of measure for the active ingredient. You enter the unit of measure (KGAI) in this table.

Proportion units:

• Kilogram of active ingredient (KGAI)
• Gram of active ingredient (GAI)
• Milliliter of active ingredient (MLAI)
• Enzyme unit (UE)

• As the reference unit, choose the unit of measurement upon which the batch-specific unit of measure is based, for example, for kilogram of active ingredient (KAI), choose the reference unit kilogram (KG).
• If you do not need dimension-based conversion, for example, enzyme unit (UE), you do not have to enter a reference unit.

In this step, you define the ratio of the proportion unit to the base unit. This ratio is needed to convert base units to proportion units of measure.

• A fruit juice contains vitamin C. You want to specify the vitamin C content of the drink in milligrams per liter.
• To do this, in this table, define VC2 (milligrams of vitamin C per liter)=VC1 (milligrams of vitamin C) / liter (L).

1. Enter the unit of measurement that should be used in the characteristic.
2. Enter the proportion unit and the base unit you want to use for the calculation.

In this step, you define ratios such as per cent, per mil, mass per cent, and so on.

The following ratios are pre-defined in the standard delivery:

• Per cent (%)
• Per mil (%O)
• Mass per mil (M%O)

• Maintain a numerator, denominator, and exponent for a unit of measurement.
• The system proposes the values from Global Settings → Check units of measurement->. You can retain these values, or enter new ones.

For ratios that only refer to units of measure of a particular dimension, enter the appropriate dimension, for example, the dimension mass for mass per cent.

You only need this special function if you want to work with the ratio of base unit of measure to proportion unit.

In this step, you define batch search procedures for batch determination in production orders. A batch search procedure comprises all strategy types that can be used for a particular combination of plant and order type.

To be able to define search procedures, you must have defined the necessary strategy types.

The standard SAP system contains search procedure CO0001.

In this step, you define access sequences for batch determination in Sales and Distribution.

You want to use the following condition tables:

• • 507: Order type
  • 508: Order type/customer group
• You can define an access sequence so that the system first searches for a batch search strategy containing condition table 508. If no such strategy is defined, the system is to find the general strategy for the order type using condition table 507.

To be able to define access sequences, you must have defined the necessary condition tables.

Access sequences SD01, SD02, and SD03 are defined in the standard SAP system.

In this activity, you specify whether batch management is active by default at plant level. This setting allows you to activate or deactivate batch management by default for specific plants. Typically detailed batch management handling may be needed for production plants, but for distribution plants no batch management may be necessary for any materials.

• For plants where batch management is needed, you can disable the No Batch Management default setting.
• For plants where batch management is not needed, you can enable the No Batch Management default setting.
• Enabling the No Batch Management setting can help avoid repetitive tasks for specific plants. Batch management relevant fields are suppressed when you maintain the material master in the plant view for a batch managed material.

The example starts with the following initial customizing setting:

• Plant1 / Production Plant / No Batch Management = disabled
• Plant2 / Distribution Plant / No Batch Management = enabled

When a new material is created, the initial setting for batch management in a plant is taken from this customizing setting if the material itself is batch managed. If the material is not batch managed at all, then the customizing is not relevant.

• Material1 / Plant1 / Batch Management active = true
• Material2 / Plant2 / Batch Management active = false

Note

If you change the 'No Batch Management' setting for a plant, this will only affect new material-plant views created after that time. Existing material-plant batch definitions at the plant remain unchanged.

You decide to enable batch management at the distribution plant Plant2 and change the customizing setting to:

Plant2 / Distribution Plant / No Batch Management = disabled (was enabled)

Existing materials keep their original setting, batch management remains inactive:

Material2 / Plant2 / Batch Management inactive

For a newly created material-plant view, the new customizing setting applies:

Material3 / Plant2 / Batch Management active.