QM and embedded EWM integration

[former_member573898]

Hi everyone,

I have just set up ECC QM integration with EWM. There are 3 questions that bug me.

1. I follow the steps in the How-to Guides to set up the integration with some changes mentioned in a specific SAP Blog. Other finished configurations include POSC, WPT, SType for quality inspection. Finally, I managed to have the system create the inspection lot for the inbound delivery. When I check the insp. lot, the sample size is 1 PC. My delivery qty is 10 PCs. But the system creates a WT to move full stock qty to the work center, not just the sample. However, my goal is to move only the sample to the QI work center. So how can I achieve this?

2. Given that the first above requirement is fulfilled, after UD, will the follow-up actions also apply for the sample? E.g. if it is a Reject UD, then will the system generates a follow-up action to move sample and remain stock of the insp. lot to the block area (this is my current set up).

3. I don't see SAP mentions anything about QM-EWM integration in outbound scenario or anyone discuss about it. Will it be any different from the situation where only IM is used? I know that when we only use IM, the inspection lot is created at delivery creation. But with EWM, I don't know what will happen between the picking and staging. Will quality check step occur after picking or before picking and will it be traceable in the EWM system?

[schulte-bahrenberg]

Thanks for your thoughts. We are most probably exploring the option with the POSC Badi. Will keep you updated once we start this project...

[former_member573898]

Hi Hendrik,

Just want to update about the 2nd option of my previous comment.

When QC makes usage decision with from their transaction, e.g. QA32, they cannot perform posting from IM Sloc to EWM Sloc. This is how the system is built. So if option 2 is to be used, then the stock has to be posted to an IM sloc first (could be the Sloc for quality check itself) and then perform a transfer posting via MIGO to move stock to EWM sloc.

This is highly detrimental to my view because the process was longer. More importantly, traceability is reduced because now, a physical shipment has to be separated into several postings to EWM sloc, which results in several deliveries. Not to mention when we want to track the connection between the inspection lot and the shipment from EWM perspective.

[schulte-bahrenberg]

Hi,

we had the same issue until I found the release notes 😉

https://answers.sap.com/questions/586865/separate-posc-step-for-sampling-hu-qi-with-ewm-emb.html

So probably we will not get something in standard here soon. We will most probably jump in somewhere with one of the POSC Badis to skip the QI step for the non-sample HUs. Might be a solution for you also but keep in mind it is a critical point in the coding and might decrease your performance in other processes in case you do not pay attention to this point during your implementation.

Regards,

Hendrik

[former_member573898]

Hi Hendrik,

It's somewhat a relief to hear that the same issue happens to someone else. Sometimes, I just get quite lonely using embedded EWM :))

1809 has just been released and there is no update about automatic deconsolidation for inspection lot when it comes to QM-EWM integration, according to SAP note 2668150.

Below are my options to tackle the problem:

1. Remove the QI step in POSC. After stock is putaway to final bin, create an ad-hoc WT to move samples to the QI work center. After the QC guy has made UD, the follow up action will be trigger and WT will be created to move stock to the correct storage bin, in case the UD is Reject. You can create an ad-hoc WT before final putaway or after GR (after unloading), depending on the requirement. This has an advantage that we can track location of sample & remaining stock of the inspection lot.

However, this integration raises another issue in QM side, there is no stock posting tab in the inspection lot because the inspection lot origin is 17. The result is that they cannot make decision for partial quantity. The normal scenario with IM-QM is like below

GR qty is 100 PCs, sample qty 10 PCs. After quality inspection, QC decides that:

10 PCs of sample is to scrap

50 PCs of the lot is unrestricted

40 PCs of the lot is to block

This can be achieved at IM. But I don't find any similar configuration in embedded EWM 1610. In 1709, SAP added a new function module for partial lot UD, but I haven't had a chance to test that out. Would love know if we can do that in 1709 or in Decentralized version.

2. Just an idea, have not tested yet. Eliminate the EWM-QM integration entirely. Stock is GR into an IM Sloc for quality check. After checking, QM will make the stock postings for any quantity they want in QA11. If stock is to scrap, then it's easier because it's just IM level. If stock is to move to unrestricted use or block, then they can specify the EWM Sloc as a destination Sloc. My concern is if this posting creates a delivery into the warehouse. Also, another disadvantage is that we cannot monitor sample qty at bin level. Sample qty is only mentioned in the inspection lot.

I am trying this approach, because customers also want QM in return processes (customer return). With embedded EWM, the integration of EWM-QM in customer return is not supported, even in 1809.

It is also ugly that EWM does not support EWM-QM integration in outbound processes...

[JuergenPitz]

Hi,

"When I check the insp. lot, the sample size is 1 PC. My delivery qty is 10 PCs. But the system creates a WT to move full stock qty to the work center, not just the sample. However, my goal is to move only the sample to the QI work center. So how can I achieve this?"

The system does not support a deconsolidation step in the integrated QM scenario (at least with a decentral EWM, and I do not expect something else with embedded EWM). On the work center you can see the sample size and the idea is that you there split the quantity, keep the sample and putaway the rest.

"Given that the first above requirement is fulfilled, after UD, will the follow-up actions also apply for the sample?"

Yes.

"I don't see SAP mentions anything about QM-EWM integration in outbound scenario or anyone discuss about it."

Because it doesn't exist. 🙂 The problem is that you can activate QM for outbound on the ERP side - but this does not work with the external delivery in EWM (even in an embedded EWM, the EWM outbound delivery request is like external). So the ERP delivery can have the information that QM is relevant - but the EWM delivery does not know that. And as GI is posted from there, there is no reaction, except that the ERP delivery is not GI posted. Disclaimer: I have only tested that with an external EWM system, but I have not done that with embedded EWM. If someone says it works there, I am happy to learn that I am wrong.

Brgds

Juergen

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[former_member573898]

Hi Juergen,

Thank you for your detailed answer.

1. About the automatic separation of sample and the rest of inspection lot, embedded EWM does not support this, even in the newest release 1809.

Even when you repack the total stock into 2 HU, 1 HU for sample, 1 HU for the remaining stock, the system just sends all of them to the QI work center.

"On the work center you can see the sample size and the idea is that you there split the quantity, keep the sample and putaway the rest"

--> I take it that you mean after sending all the inbound delivery qty to the QI work center (on the system), we can manually separate the stock and leave the sample at QI, put away the remaining. Unfortunately, the current version of S/4 I'm testing is 1610 and it does not have the t-code for Quality work center. It was not until 1709 release did SAP create another version of the QI work center in Decentral EWM, the t-code is /SCWM/QINSP_S4. But I will surely keep this in mind when I get to 1709 :))).

I will try to find a workaround solution. I am thinking of moving delivery stock quantity to final putaway bin. Then create an ad-hoc movement to move sample to QI work center. with this, stock quantity can be traced in the system.

In the inbound process, I just happen to know that embedded EWM also doesn't support QM-EWM integration for customer returns.

So I am thinking of eliminating EWM-QM integration entirely as another option. By that I mean, I will deactivate the Inspection Object for the warehouse. I'll check if after GR, inspection in QM can be created. If it does, after UD, will follow-on actions be triggered. My guess is not, cuz the function modules originate in EWM :))).

3. EWM-QM integration in outbound scenario. Yes, SAP embedded EWM is still a decentralized WMS. It is not fully integrated like SAP WM. But since QM is can be triggered for inbound, don't know why that cannot be applied for outbound :))). Customer wants QM in outbound delivery. Guess I have to test to come up with some workaround.