How to split an item in HU packing?

[VolkerLe]

I had some time ago a case about material packing (transporation) that I do not get out of my head.

I will try to make an as good example scenarion as I can.

Lets assume we have a material item that could be on stock but rather would be produced with assembly to order (ATO). The sales order normally consists of one EA but can also be multiple. The production process does not contain the packing for shipping.

Labeling takes place with information from ERP but also manually created labels in external system (with or without interface should not play a role here at this case). The production BOM does not help for the split or packing challenge.

Challenge: The item is too big to be put to one HU, lets assume here a pallet. It could be a machine or parts that will be installed at the final destination to one unit. Anyway the sales case was one item as all belong together and can only function as one item.

How to pack this 1 EA to 2 HUs? It is technical possible to for example pack 0,5 HU but considering printing and EDI solutions this would look very weird and would require a lot of adjustment. Also considered was the UOM mapping, that sales is in 1 EA and shipping in 2 XX.

But what is the SAP real solution for this shipping scenario?

It does for me right now not matter if this is done in transaction HU02, HUPAST, VL02n or VT02n (basis of HU handling always the same).

Thanks for any ideas on this. If there would come a really proper nice solution I could consider to post this as instruction here in SCN.

BR

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hi Volker,

Did you receive any response, or came up with smart ideas on how to resolve it?

We are having very similar requirement and would be good to share 'best practices'.

For us additional complexity is related to serial numbers. We cannot use simple partial packing (like 0.5 EA etc.), because we have only single single serial of the finished product that can be assigned to one of the HUs and not to each of them.

Currently our leading idea is to create virtual packing hierarchy, like the one below. But that also leads to many complexities related to external systems/interfaces. So if you have other alternatives, let me know.

HU hierarchy

- Finished product = 30000001

- Packaging material (crate/box) = 200001

- Standard packing:    

     - Packaging 200001

          - Content = 30000001

Virtual HU hierarchy

- New virtual packaging material = 800001

     - New packaging hierarchy:

     - packaging material = 800001

          - Content A = 30000001

          - Content B (crate/box) = 200001

          - Content C (crate/box) = 200001

          - Content D (crate/box) = 200001

Based on the above hierarchy we define that single material 30000001 is packed into 3 boxes of type 200001.

Regards,

Dominik

[VolkerLe · Accepted solution]

Hi,

this is still still unsolved and I added this after a none SAP solution was proposed already and accepted. I was just picking it up as it does not give me any peace that there is no simple solution.

And the same problem with the serial number appeared, serial number is split into all HUs in none equal portions.

I assume your solution refers mainly to solve the problem of the serial number but it does not solve the actual partial packing, correct?

BR

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hi,

Correct, the virtual packing solves the issue with serial number - we only assign single serial number to 1 EA of the main product.

And via virtual hierarchy we can determine into how many HUs it is packed (=content B, C, D of the same virtual package). We do not have a requirement to specify exactly proportions of the split in each box/crate.

But we are still investigating alternatives.

Let us keep posted if any additional useful information can be shared.

BR,

Dominik Modrzejewski

[VolkerLe · Accepted solution]

Hi,

thinking about this, it might be a good direction. But thinking about forwarders and clear content listing, not sure yet.

BR