Block storage location for MRP

Blocking storage locations from MRP can be useful e.g. if you wish to exclude inventory in showrooms from procurement decisions.

To block storage locations from MRP you can go to to IMG > Production >Material Requirement Planning >  Planning > Define Storage Location MRP per Plant. In the plant/storage location overview set indicator ‘1’ behind the location you wish to exclude from MRP.

This is a very simple configuration. However if you overlook this you may run the risk of implementing MRP areas for the same purpose, but with a lot more effort and impact.

Sales Order requirement date to MRP

I’m working in a business process where a sales orders requirement date should never be transferred to MRP with the original customer’s requested date.

Example: at the time of order entry ATP bounces the requested delivery date, since product is not available at the time. The system suggests a new date for confirmation. The customer at this time has the option to agree to the new proposal or a sales order will not be entered. I want this new committed date transferred to MRP.

To do this I select the ‘Fixed date and quantity’-indicator in the Schedule lines tab in VA01. As in my case this should always be the case, in customizing I choose this as a default setting for the specific SalesArea (IMG > Sales and Distribution > Basic Functions > Availability Check… > Availability Check > Availability Check with ATP… > Define Default Settings)

VA01 - Fixed date/qty indicator

Without setting the indicator you are basically suggesting that production can still catch up with this additional requirement and the customer’s original requirement date will be transferred to MRP. See also SAP Help.

Kowboyz BV / CC BY-ND 3.0

Decimal separator

Aaaaargh! This can be frustrating in reporting out of SAP into Excel: decimals are considered thousands separator or numbers are not recognized at all as a number. There are three settings involved. To properly solve this issue:

1. first check what is the standard decimal figure used in your company. Then check if this is also used in SAP (System > User profile > Own data ).
2. then check the regional settings of Windows (in XP look in Control Panel). The regional settings also determine the decimal settings. Make sure this is also in sync.
3. finally check Excel options (Tools > Options ). Either use system settings or enter the figures manually.

Now you are set to avoid frustration.

XP control panel

Kowboyz BV / CC BY-ND 3.0

Credit Check Config Reports

Using a test environment that is due for a refresh I run into credit limits when entering sales orders more than often. Manipulating the credit check for a customer in FD32 is not always sufficient. The following reports also are useful (if not essential):

RVKRED06 – Background jobs for checking blocked credit management.
If an order is no longer outside the horizon as defined in the dynamic credit check, (i.e. it is INSIDE the horizon) it can cause existing “good” orders to block. If you run this job every night, if you have your horizon set for 1 month it can cause a lot of blocks at beginning of month. Try to use ‘W’ for weekly horizon status.

RFDKLI10 – Customers With Missing Credit Data

RFDKLI20 – Reset Credit Limit for Customers

RVKRED77 – Reorganize SD credit data
When updating errors occur, it enables you to reorganize the open credit, delivery and billing document values.

RVKRED08 – Checking sales documents which reach the credit horizon
You should runs this report periodically, usually at the start of a period. The report checks all the sales documents, which reach the dynamic credit check horizon. The period for the ‘date of the next credit check’ is proposed from the current date, with the help of the period split for open sales order values.

(Courtesy of SAPTechies)

If you prefer the quick way of unblocking the one sales document go to this post.

Google SAP Search

iGoogle is my portal to the web. I got it fully personalized to information that I frequently refer to: current events, sports, poker, weather, dictionary, etc. As a SAP consultant Google is one of my best friends and certainly my main referral. I now found an iGoogle gadget that is a Google Search variant. This search engine only looks for SAP results. No need to repeatedly enter keywords like “SAP” and “transaction” to find what you are looking for. You don’t have to place the gadget on your iGoogle page. You can also go to the web page: http://www.google.com/coop/cse?cx=011731639548191095650%3Afzpxsuyhk_y

Price differences info record

The price in the info record (EINE-NETPR) does not always agree with the price that is taken from the info record when creating a purchase order. The most common cause is that the condition was updated by condition maintenance. This will not translate into a direct update of the net price in ME13 (display info record). If you want the net price to show exactly as the info record condition, then schedule report/program RM06INP0 (SM36). This will do an update routine and synchronize prices.

Block storage location

To block storage location postings the easiest way to achieve this is to use MI01 create inventory document. This is normally used for inventory count. In creating an inventory document (which is used as a counting document) you can select the option to block postings on the location. The storage location block can be undone by deleting or posting the inventory document. In case you do not actually execute a inventory count you wish to delete the document using MI02.

MI01 Block st.loc. through inventory count

Note: In case you are using batch managed materials you will not be able to use this method, since the inventory document will only block existing material/batch combinations. New batches can still be received.

Goods receipt status delivery not updated

According to SAP when inbound deliveries are used and your delivery item category is set up for mvt type 101, these should be received with transaction VL32N. If you use MIGO/MB0A instead, the GR status in the delivery will not be updated. If you then report on open deliveries you’ll notice that nothing is received in the course of time. Amazing. Now if you set up the delivery item category without the movement type your inbound will not even be GR relevant. Just one of these things that’s nice hugely critical to be aware of.

Screen Capture

Everyone involved in creating work instruction or tutorials know the importance of having a good screen capture tool available. Quickly grab a piece of your screen and drop it in your document. There are some proper tools vailable for FREE : you can choose for a real light program called ScreenHunter that does everything you need at Wisdom Soft. Alternatively you can choose for a program that does a bit more, like directly publish the captured screen on Flickr or your Blog, at Jing Project. It is also able to record video (offered by Wisdom soft through a seperate free utility). Jing is more heavy weight and sluggish though and requires dotNet installed on your machine. Jing is from the creators of Snag-it, so expect some for-pay versions in the future. For simple and fast use ScreenHunter.

Customizing Change Log

To review changes in customizing / IMG use transaction code SCU3. Make sure that logging is activated for the client. The system will ask you to do so and give instructions if it isn’t.