Stock Transport for Quality Stock (with Inspection Lot)

[Former Member]

Hi Experts,

We have a business scenario where it is required to move stock in quality inspection to be moved to another plant through STO process involving Goods Issue and Goods Receipt step in the receiving plant.

Standard SAP throws an error, not allowing the stock in quality lot to be Goods Issue from sending plant. If anyone has faced a similar situation, kindly share the solution.

Regards,
Arun

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hi Arun,

I recently faced a similar requirement. Have you looked into the Service Parts Management (SPM) Solution called Activate Source Stock Type Determination? If you activate this function in S4 HANA the STO will give you two selection options in the delivery tab for the stock type from the issuing plant (Unrestricted, Quality Inspection or Blocked) and the stock type required for the receiving plant (Unrestricted, Quality Inspection or Blocked).

You access this function through SPRO > Logistics Execution > Service Parts Management > Transfer and Inventory Management > Activate Source Stock Type Determination.

BR

Sam

[former_member42743 · Accepted solution]

This would allow you to pick from QI but not ship though right? This is primarily for stock determination correct? It's not until you actually processed the UD and posted the stock out could you actually ship the item.

I actually thought this functionality would be used when you don't use QM inspection lots and the stock if moved in and out of QI by standard material movements.

Craig

[patrikmarcus · Accepted solution]

I have faced the exact same issue just now and by activating the Source Stock Type Determination I can move stock from Quality Inspection stock in one plant to another plant with an STO without first releasing the stock from the inspection lot. This came as an absolute surprise for me.
I do have some concerns over the GMP and ISO standards, if this process will be allowed...

[aditya_varshney · Accepted solution]

Hello Samuel,

Other then this

SPRO > Logistics Execution > Service Parts Management > Transfer and Inventory Management > Activate Source Stock Type Determination.

Is there any additional Master data configuration that needs to be done?

Appreciate your input.

[aditya_varshney · Accepted solution]

With this activation, I able to move QI stock in HU from Plant to Plant but is not working for Non-HU QI stock. Not sure why, any help will be appreciated.

[lukasz_grochal · Accepted solution]

You also need to do configuration below:

SPRO > Logistics Execution > Service Parts Management > Cross-Process Settings (SPM) > Define POD Storage Location for Shipper Discrepancies

This will allow you to post Goods Issue from the STO Outbound Delivery. You have to specify the plant/storage location from which you want to be able to ship quality/insp. lot stock.

Please keep in mind that if you have an inspection lot in your source plant, the usage decision will need to be done in that source plant. Since the quality inspection stock is no longer there, any automatic postings will fail. In order to move the stock to unrestricted in the destination plant, you'll have to do movement 321 there.

[former_member1202129 · Accepted solution]

Hi Sam,

I activated source stock type determination in SPM.

When trying to issue goods against STO in MIGO, message says "Order contains no items" or something like this.

Can you please provide detailed steps for above.

Client requirement is to keep the stock in QI when plant to plant stock transfer with same inspection lot

[daferriero1 · Accepted solution]

@lukasz.grochal thank for your important tip!

[former_member42743]

No. you can't ship stock between plants that is in quality stock. No can do, not allowed, isn't happening.

They can post it out of QI without making a UD and then ship it at risk. (which is what you are doing anyway). Then make the UD later on when the testing is complete.

Are you batch managed? If you are, there is another option.

The stock can be created in restricted batch status, (or changed to restricted to batch status at some point).

In restricted batch status, the batch can be moved on an STO to another plant. (you might need to check your config but SAP allows it), Once the UD is made in the original plant, the UD would change the batch status to unrestricted batch status.

Keep in mind that batch status works on the entire batch and not just a portion. Therefore, this usually only works if you are shipping the entire batch and not just a portion.

Craig

[former_member2091]

Hello Craig,

Just out of curiosity, Transaction QAC2 transfers QI stock from plant to plant. Cant that be used in a scenario like this?

[JL23]

you talked about a stock transport, which is in terms of the word, a purchase order with subsequent delivery and goods receipt along with producing paperwork to go over public roads.

If this all is not needed by you then you can do a transfer posting like QAC2.

[former_member2091]

Thank you Jurgen for reverting back,

I ran a test for QAC2, this is the first time I have used this transaction and observed that stock is transferred to a different plant (QI to QI ) but

1. Inspection lot remains for the first plant only and no new ( maybe 08 type ) gets created for second plant.

I checked in config and found that no inspection type is assigned for 323 movements.

2. After clearing UD of lot which is for first plant, stock moves from QI to unres. in the second plant only.

Can you please brief me about this process, Why and in which scenarios this can be helpful.

This is not an issue but for my understanding only.

Thank you again.

[former_member42743]

QAC2 should not be used as a mechanism to transfer stock between plants because as Jurgen indicated above there is no paperwork involved for transport. There is also no indication that a stock is in transit either. One moment its in plant 1000, the next moment it miraculously shows up in 1001.

There are a few special scenarios this can be useful.

1) you have two organizational units operating out of the same location for financial locations. I.e. two different company codes each with their own plants. Plant 1000 in company A and plant 1001 in company B. You manufacture under company A and do domestic sales from plant 1000. You do all export sales under company B and from plant 1001. But physically, they are the exact same facility. They might share the same warehouse. So you do the QAC2 transfer to plant B while it sits in QI to show availability in MRP and allow for arrangement of shipping and paperwork.

2) you have two plants sitting side by side and there is no over the road transport on public roads. Plant A makes a product that plant B uses. Like maybe an intermediate product. Or maybe a byproduct from Plant A is moved to plant B for use. You might also have raw materials all come into a single receiving area to single plant. But after receipt some material is moved to another plant at the same location. I've seen some companies have 3-4 totally separate business entities (plants and even company codes), manufacturing on the same campus but all with their own sections. But they share the receiving process at a single entry point to the campus.

3) you have two plants connected by a pipeline. Plant A provides feedstock's to plant B by pipeline transfer from a tank at plant A to a tank at plant B.

4) special sample inspections can be created at plant A. (i.e. physical sample management for retains), But certain samples or products require that the lab testing and analysis is actually done at a different plant because they have the capability. The samples are overnighted by UPS or FedEx and is done with hand written bills and limited paperwork. The inspection lot is transferred to plant B where the testing is done.

These are a few scenarios that come to mind.

Craig

[former_member42743]

Oh.. I almost forgot one of the most common ones.

You can use QAC2 to change the storage location posting of the inspection lot. So you aren't changing the plant but just the storage location.

This can be used for instance if it is a tank or silo material and it has to be moved to new tank/silo. Many places set up their tanks and silos as separate storage locations.

I've seen places set up storage locations to hold material for specific customers. I.e. all 9xxx storage locations might be reserved for as customer hold locations.

And it might just be moving the material from one section of the plant to another.

Craig

[former_member2091]

Thanks a lot Craig for this detailed information. It amazes me how much knowledge this forum can offer. Bookmarked !!