Outbound Delivery Automatic Packing
Outbound Delivery Automatic Packing
Let me introduce you to the basics required to understand the Automatic packing concept in
outbound delivery.
1. Packing Materials are material that can be used to pack or transport goods.
2. Items from an outbound delivery when packed into a packing material, the whole unit together
is called the Handling Unit.
3. Packing process in SAP is the process of assigning delivery items to packing materials, which will
produce Handling Units, which will then be packed into additional packing materials. Which in
turn will create a new handling unit, this process of packing one handling unit into another
packing material is called multi-level packing.
Packing can be done manually as well as automatically in outbound delivery. Manual packing is done in
outbound delivery by choosing PACK button manually while automatic packing uses the Condition
Technique to automatically identify the material to be packed and create handling units.
As most of us would be aware of how manual packing is done, in this document I have explained how
automatic packing is configured for outbound delivery.
I have noted down few steps that would be required to configure Automatic packing, these are listed
below:
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g) Set up Condition Technique for Packing Instruction Determination
Let us see how each of these steps are accomplished in SAP with screenshots.
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In this step you can activate the delivery type for automatic packing using the TCode OVLK as
shown below.
Use
You define attributes for delivery types, which represent the different business transactions in
shipping. For example, you could decide for each delivery type that you want the system to
perform rescheduling when a new delivery is created, or you could adapt the item number
increment to influence default numbering of items in your deliveries.
• Control the systems' split behavior when delivering preceding documents that are
assigned to different partner functions.
• Define that during collective delivery creation, items with storage locations referring to
different warehouse numbers are distributed to different deliveries.
You can also view the following settings for each delivery type:
• Delivery Type
Technical key of a delivery type that's required in other configuration tables to reference
a specific delivery type.
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Specifies how the system determines the picking location when you create a delivery
without entering a storage location for the items.
Identifies a group of text types that you can use in a delivery document header. The text
procedure also determines the sequence in which the text types appear in the document.
• Route Determination
Specifies whether the system uses the route for a delivery that was determined during
sales order processing or whether it determines a new route during delivery processing.
This procedure specifies which partner functions are allowed for a specific business
transaction (for example, for processing a delivery) and which of those partner functions
are mandatory.
Enables the system to ignore the batch split for documents with segmented materials or
articles of segmentation scope 1 during inbound delivery creation.
Applicable for delivery documents with document category 7.
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Automatic packing using packing proposal
If this field is checked, the automatic packing proposal is retrieved when a delivery is created.
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Before moving further lets understand below mentioned SAP terminologies
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Material – A product in outbound delivery that requires packing.
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Material Group for packaging – This is a material master field used to group products requiring
similar packing. For example say products A and B can be packed using similar pallets, in this case
while creating product master data for A & B, we assign Material Group for Packaging, say 0001-
pallets to indicate that both these material are packed using pallets.
Example
For example, you could use the term 'liquids' to group together all materials that need to be
packed in packaging materials suitable for liquids.
Packing Material – The material used to pack the finished product in delivery.
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Packaging Material Type – This is Material Master record field used to set up a Packing
Material.(Applies to packing material master data) This field defines the family of packaging type
to which this material belongs, for example Pallets, Truck, Container, Box, Crates, etc.
You can define Packaging Material Types using TCode VHAR. As discussed earlier this field plays an
important role in setting up a packing material master record.
Let’s say we use already defined packing material type 0001- pallets in our case.(If you want to
create new please copy an existing one that matches your requirement and create one) PFB the
screenshot for the same.
Short text
Use
The packaging material type combines packaging materials into groups and contains essential
control features which apply to the corresponding shipping materials. When you specify a
shipping material type in the material master record, each shipping material is assigned to a
shipping material type.
• Sorting sequence
If several handling units are processed, you can define the sorting sequence with which
the handling units are presented in the dialog.
• Plant determination
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Within delivery processing, delivery items can be generated from the handling units. This
allows you to manage stocks for packaging materials (for example, your own or possibly
special stocks) and to bill packaging materials. Two requirements must be met to do this:
o An item category must exist in the handling unit. For an automatic item category
determination, an item category group must be defined in the material master for
the packaging materials, which is maintained in the delivery item category
determination in Customizing for the relevant delivery type.
The packaging material category defines what is dealt with for the packaging material
type; the packaging material type "truck" could, for example, be assigned to the
packaging material category "means of transport", and a pallet to the packaging material
category "packaging".
• Number assignment
By entering a packaging material, you define, when generating a handling unit according
to the method set for number assignment, how the identification of the handling unit is
created.
The assignment of a SSCC18 is, where necessary, also possible, if you set the number
assignment here, using a number range interval, as long as you have maintained the
handling unit category for the SSCC18 Generation.
If the identification of a handling unit results from a number range object, the number
range interval is then defined by the number being retrieved.
Here, the category for the packaging material is defined for generation of SSCC18.
• Tare variable
Defines whether the tare weight for packaging materials for this packaging material type
has a changeable tare volume.
Standard settings
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In the standard delivery, plant determination is set so that the plant can be entered manually in
the handling unit.
Recommendation
Maintenance for the handling unit category SSCC18 generation should always be scheduled, as
an SSCC18 can be assigned at any time.
Activities
1. If you want to create a new packaging material type, enter an alphanumeric key with a
maximum of 4 characters together with a textual description.
2. Make the necessary specifications in the detail screen of the packaging material type.
Further notes
1. Packaging materials for the packaging material category "auxiliary packaging materials"
cannot be used for generating handling units. They can only be used for supplementing
the packaging in a handling unit.
2. Always assign numbers clearly, using a number range interval or a SSCC18 generation.
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For packing material type you can set up
• How plant determination occurs for the packing material to which it is assigned.
• Packaging material category (whether packaging material, transport equipment, means of
transport or Auxiliary packaging material)
• Assign a Number Range for the handling units that would be created in delivery.
• Define Output procedure and Output type.
• Handling Unit type
In this step you can define a Material Group for packaging material using TCode VEGR.
This is a field entered in the Material Master Sales: General/Plant data for materials that require
packing.
Short text
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Define material groups with which materials that are to be packed into similar packaging
materials are grouped together.
Use
The material group for packaging materials is entered in the material master record of the
shipping material.
Example
A material group for packaging materials can, for example, include all materials that are to be
packed in bottles.
Activities
1. To create a new material grouping for packaging materials, enter an alphanumeric key
with a maximum of 4 characters together with a textual description.
2. In the Define Allowed Packaging Materials IMG activity, assign the packaging material
types to the material groups for packaging materials.
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This configuration plays an important role in packing for outbound delivery. In this step we define
valid combinations of Packaging Material Type and Material Group for Packaging as shown below.
We have defined a valid combination of “Material Group for Packaging”- 0001 pallet and
“Packaging Material type”- 0001 pallet for our scenario. It is maintained using TCode VHZU.
Assign packaging material types to material groups to define which combinations are allowed
during packing or the creation of handling units.
Activities
Assign the allowed packaging material types to each material group for packaging materials.
Further notes
For materials with no material group for packaging materials, no check is carried out on the
eligibility of the packaging material. These materials can always be packed.
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When packing an item in delivery, the system checks whether an entry for Material Group for
Packaging for the delivery item and the Packaging Material Type for the packing material exists in
Tcode VHZU.
By assigning Packaging Material Type to the Material Group for Packaging, you define which
packaging materials are allowed for packing a delivery item.
For materials with no Material Group for Packaging Materials, no check is carried out on the
eligibility of the packaging material. These materials can always be packed.
In this step create Material master record (MM01) for Finished goods and Packing Material based
on the configuration done in the earlier steps.
Firstly define a FERT/HAWA material code for Sales View having below data related to packaging.
A grouping of materials or products that the system uses to determine item categories during the
processing of sales documents.
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Procedure
Depending on the item category group that you apply and the sales document type you are
processing, the system automatically proposes an item category in the document.
Example
In the standard system, for example, there are standard items, items that represent services (and
do not require delivery processing), and items that represent packaging materials.
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Example
For example, you could use the term 'liquids' to group together all materials that need to be
packed in packaging materials suitable for liquids.
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As can be seen in above screen shots we have created a material with Material Type FERT/HAWA
and Material Group for Packaging Material as 0001- PALLET.
Now, create another Material master record (MM01) with Material Type VERP (packing), so that
this material could be used as a packing material in Deliveries.
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Packaging Material Type
Procedure
Enter a code and a description for a grouping of similar materials, such as crates, trucks or
pallets.
Use
The packaging material type that you enter here is linked to a material group for packaging
materials, which you assign to a material in the material master. As you assemble the handling
unit, you call up a list of packaging materials that are allowed for an item that you want to pack.
This system puts together this list by matching the material group for packaging materials for that
item with the appropriate packaging material types.
Example
Material Group for Packaging Materials Packaging Material Types
During packing, when you call up the list of allowed packaging materials for a material defined in
the material master as material group 0001 (beverages), the system lists all packaging materials
of type 0010 (barrels) and 0020 (bottles). For group 0002 (small parts), packaging materials
assigned to types 0030 (boxes) and 0040 (plastic bags) would be proposed and for group 0003,
packaging materials of types 0050 (containers) and 0060 (trucks) would be proposed.
Note
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As seen above we have created a packing material with Item category group VERP, Packaging
Material Type 0001-Pallet and allowed packing weight as 200kg.
The configurations done from this step are specifically valid for Automatic packing in outbound
delivery.
In this step, you can modify the Packing Transaction Profiles using TCode OVHU2.
For each application, in which the packing transaction can be used, there is a packing transaction
profile. The profiles are set as standard in the system. You can change the descriptions and the
settings for each profile. However, you cannot create new profiles, delete existing ones, or change
the assignment of profile to application.
In our case we will use the transaction profile available for outbound delivery i.e. Z002- Outbound
Delivery.
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• whether the system expands packing instructions automatically when materials and
quantities are entered or changed
• whether the system displays a selection dialog box in the automatic expansion process, so
that the user can select a packing instruction from those proposed by the system (main
packing instruction or alternative packing instruction)
• whether the system takes into account rounding and minimum quantities in the
automatic expansion process
• whether the system also takes into account alternative packing instructions in automatic
expansion, if the main packing instruction cannot pack the required quantity
• The expansion strategy. This controls whether
o Everything is to be packed automatically, that is, the system creates HU proposals for
the complete quantity to be packed.
o Packages are to be created one at a time, that is, the system creates an HU proposal
for exactly one main handling unit.
Short text
Modify profiles for the applications, in which the packing transaction can be used.
Use
For each application, in which the packing transaction can be used, there is a packing transaction
profile. Therefore, the following profiles exist:
• Inbound delivery
• Outbound delivery
• Return delivery
• Non-assigned packing
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• Packing proposal in sales order
• Inbound shipment
• Outbound shipment
• whether the system expands packing instructions automatically when materials and
quantities are entered or changed
• whether the system displays a selection dialog box in the automatic expansion process, so
that the user can select a packing instruction from those proposed by the system (main
packing instruction or alternative packing instruction)
• whether the system takes into account rounding and minimum quantities in the
automatic expansion process
• whether the system also takes into account alternative packing instructions in automatic
expansion, if the main packing instruction cannot pack the required quantity
o packages are to be created one at a time, that is, the system creates an HU
proposal for exactly one main handling unit (there may be several sub-HUs).
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Standard settings
The profiles are set as standard in the system. You can change the descriptions and the settings
for each profile. However, you cannot create new profiles, delete existing ones, or change the
assignment of profile to application.
Activities
Further notes
If you set Display mode for an application, the system automatically sets Automatic expansion,
since it is not possible to manually expand the packing instruction in display mode.
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In this step you can set up condition technique for the packing instruction determination procedure
i.e. ZSHIP1 (assigned in the Outbound delivery Transaction Profile). You can set up Determination
procedure, Determination type, Access Sequence & Condition table.
You can create each of the components of the condition technique using below Tcodes:
• Condition table – OFP8
• Access Sequence –OFP2
• Determination Type – OFP3
• Define Procedure – OFP4
I am not adding screenshots as this is done similar to any other condition technique setup.
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h) Create packing master data – POP1
Once above SPRO configuration are done the only job remaining is to create packing master data.
Go to TCode POP1 / TILE Create Packing Instruction - Master Data and set up master data
specifying what Material is to be packed and what is the material that will be used to for packing.
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M is the material to be packed while P is the packing material. In the above master data set up I
have specified that 1 qty of PALLET can be used to pack 1 qtys of MATERIAL.
i) Maintain packing instruction determination record – POF1 / TILE Create Determination Records
- Master Data
The second master data that you need to maintain is how the packing instruction that was created
in the previous step would be determined.
This can be created using TCode POF1 / TILE Create Determination Records - Master Data
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In the above screenshot you can see that I have maintained a record for Determination
Type SHIP in Procedure ZHSIP1. The condition table has the combination of Material & Ship-to
party while packing instruction number specified is Z001 which we have created in the previous
step.
This means that whenever Material and Ship-to X combination occurs in delivery
type ZLF the packing instruction Z001 would be identified by using Transaction profile of outbound
delivery & Packing instruction procedure ZHSIP1. This will in turn pack the delivery items using the
material specified in packing instruction number Z001.
Once you configure all of the above steps Automatic packing would be active in Delivery and
Handling Units would be automatically created based on the master data you have maintained.
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