In order to actually execute a planned promotion, no matter if it was created via interface from SAP Promotion Management, or if planned manually in SAP Retail, you perform the subsequent processing steps. These steps are either executed online, or by scheduling the corresponding reports for background processing. The available subsequent processing steps are executing listing, performing supply source determination, generating an allocation table, executing price activation, and creating the announcement message, as well as assigning additionals. Not all steps necessarily have to be executed for each promotion. For example, if all the promotion articles are already listed in all the participating sites, additional promotion listing is not necessary. Furthermore, assigning additionals is not mandatory. However, if planned promotion prices should become valid, price activation is necessary to create the condition records accordingly. In addition, supply source determination is necessary for both price activation and allocation table generation - if an allocation table is planned for procuring and distributing promotional merchandise. This is not mandatory, for example, a retail promotion could also be executed to sell off already existing stock in the stores. An announcement can be created for a promotion, but also for an allocation table.
With the SAP Fiori app, Retail Promotion, you can access promotion data and context information easily and efficiently. The app displays all relevant information about a promotion in one place and enables you to navigate directly to related business objects. For example, the app also displays the allocation table number, as well as its follow-on documents.
You can have the system generate an allocation table in subsequent processing for a promotion.
An allocation table is a tool used by the head office to plan, control, and monitor supplies to sites (stores, distribution centers). For example, it is used for the initial procurement and distribution of articles, for distribution of promotional goods, distribution of stocks, and distribution of imported goods procured centrally. Therefore, the allocation table is a standalone SAP Retail purchasing function, which is also embedded in Retail promotion planning and subsequent processing. When allocation tables are created in purchasing, that is, without being linked to a retail promotion, it is also possible to assign customer groups. In this case, the relevant follow-on document to supply customers is a sales order.
You can control the article quantity distribution to the sites in promotion planning by specifying a minimum order quantity, or by defining allocation table data. Here, you can use an allocation rule, which either contains fixed quantities or relative shares for each site in the site group, or you can apply an allocation strategy. When you are creating an allocation table in purchasing, you either enter a site/customer group with quantity distribution by manual entry or allocation strategy, or you assign an allocation rule to distribute the quantities.
Caution
In case of a promotion, the site group that is assigned to an allocation rule must represent a superset of the site groups for the promotion.
You can create allocation rules manually or generate them based on key figures from the business warehouse. You can do this using planning and statistical data. You can also use your own information sources. Alternatively to allocation rules, allocation strategies can be used to flexibly determine the quantity for each store - for example, by accessing planning or historic data in the business warehouse.
You can have the system generate documents for Logistics for each business transaction (controlled by the item category) in follow-on document generation of the allocation table. For example, you can generate stock transport orders or outbound deliveries for stock reduction, and standard purchase orders for procurement from external vendors.
The allocation table comprises the following structural elements:
The header contains information such as the allocation table number, the organizational levels (purchasing organization and purchasing group) and a header text.
An allocation table item contains information such as the item category, article number, planned quantity, site group, allocation rule or allocation strategy, and status information.
A site group is assigned to an allocation table item. The site group view contains information such as the site group number, the assigned sites, allocation quotas, and planned quantities. In an allocation table created in purchasing, it is also possible to assign a customer group.
Sites are assigned to a site group. The site view is also available for each allocation table item, and provides information such as the site number, planned quantity, source of supply, and delivery dates. Depending on the item category, either a distribution center is assigned as supplying site, or an external vendor is displayed as source of supply. In case a customer group was assigned to an allocation table item, the site view displays the data for each customer.
The distribution center view of an allocation table item contains information such as the distribution center number, planned quantity, and the external vendor supplying the DC.
The allocation table type contains the following default parameters for quantity calculation for the allocation table:
Rounding: Controls how rounding takes place during quantity calculation for sites. You can have the system consider rounding profiles from the article master, or round up/down/off.
Distribution of remaining quantities (Split remainder): Controls how remaining quantities in quantity calculation are distributed, or if the total quantity is to be adjusted.
Minimum and maximum quantities: Controls, if these are considered for each site to calculate or update planned quantities.
The item category for the allocation table defines the business transaction. It defines which follow-on documents are to be generated using the allocation table. The item category plays a very important role when it comes to defining the merchandise flow.
Specific item categories exist for controlling merchandise movements (merchandise distribution) within the distribution center (cross docking, flow through) which can be used specifically for purchase orders using the distribution center.
You can make the time of follow-on document generation dependent on the notification. Do you want to generate follow-on documents immediately after the allocation table is posted, or wait until the notification procedure has been completed?
Third-party Order:
The purchaser sends the vendor order for the sites to the external vendor. The vendor is asked to deliver the merchandise directly to the sites/customers for whom the order was placed.
Supply source determination is used to find external vendors.
Stock reduction:
In this case, no purchase order is placed with a vendor. The sites (and/or customers) defined in the allocation table are supplied with merchandise from the existing warehouse stock of the distribution center.
The DC stock can be reduced to supply sites using stock transfer orders or deliveries, or sales orders for customers.
Supply source determination for a particular site/customer is used to find distribution centers (internal vendor).
Purchase order using the distribution center:
This can be divided into two steps:
Step one involves placing a purchase order for a distribution center with an external vendor. The vendor then delivers the ordered merchandise to the distribution center.
Step two involves the merchandise flow from the distribution center to the store/customer. This is triggered by a stock transfer order or outbound delivery for stores, or by a sales order for customers.
Supply source determination in the 2-step allocation is used to find both external and internal vendors.
Order using the distribution center with merchandise distribution:
You can plan merchandise distribution in the DC using an allocation table and the corresponding item category. Item category CA controls merchandise distribution using cross-docking, and item category CB controls the distribution method flow-through. When you generate follow-on documents for the allocation table, the system updates merchandise distribution data in the system. The data is then used later to control merchandise distribution (cross-docking/flow-through) in the distribution center. The follow-on documents are the procurement and issue documents from a distribution center point of view. Procurement documents are vendor purchase orders for the distribution center. The vendor then delivers the ordered merchandise to the distribution center. Issue documents control the flow of goods from the distribution center to the stores/customers. This is triggered by stock transfer orders or sales orders. Merchandise distribution is executed in the distribution center. The distribution data is adjusted to match the quantities actually available at goods receipt to the final processing method. The merchandise is then distributed to recipients using cross-docking or flow-through, or placed in storage (putaway). The cross-docking/flow-through merchandise is then moved to the goods issue zone, where the goods issue is posted.
Business transactions for customer:
The business transactions third-party order, stock reduction, and purchase order using the DC (with or without merchandise distribution), can also be performed for customers. Specific item categories are available for this purpose. A customer master record must be created in the system for each customer. In this case, the system generates a sales order when generating the follow-on documents for the customer from the allocation table.
Returns allocation table:
Allocation tables can also be used for returns processes involving sites - for example, for a central product recall. The follow-on documents are then returns purchase orders/stock transfer orders. It is possible to have the system determine the allocation table quantities based on the unrestricted-use stock in the respective sites.
There are different kinds of notifications depending on the business transaction:
Headquarters notifies the stores: Stock allocation notification, request notification, request notification with confirmation notification
Headquarters notifies the distribution center: Stock allocation notification distribution center
In addition to these notifications, sites also receive change notifications that provide the stores with additional information about changes (quantities, delivery dates) made at a later date by headquarters. These notifications only contain the allocation table items that were changed. Change notifications are created for stock allocation notifications, request notifications, confirmation notifications, and stock allocation notifications for distribution centers. You can then inform your sites about the allocation of merchandise for example by post/mail or by EDI (IDocs). Sites can report back their requested quantities using their store merchandise management system.
You can define the notification form by selecting the notification category indicator in the sub-items for the allocation table (for each article and site) or for each allocation table item (for each article).
Reminder: This notification is intended to remind sites that they have not responded to a request from headquarters.
When creating an allocation table, you can perform a mass selection of articles. You can choose from many different article selection criteria, such as merchandise category, article category, article hierarchy nodes, vendor, article list, and many more.
When you create an allocation table, you can reference existing vendor orders - for example, you can select these according to the delivery date. You can also reference shipping notifications, and contracts.
The function for generating follow-on documents allows you to create vendor orders (or contract release orders), stock transport orders, outbound deliveries, and sales orders from an allocation table. However, in a 2-step allocation, you can still change the recipients (stores or customers) for the allocation table after having generated the vendor purchase order, but before generating the follow-on documents for the stores/customers. For example, if a store closes, you can distribute the quantities among the other stores. This is done using the quantity distribution function.