Returnable transport packaging (RTP) is a multi-trip packaging medium (for example, pallets or containers) in which goods can be transported more than once between vendors and customers.

Returnable transport packaging from a vendor that is stored at a location on your premises is managed as special stock and clearly assigned as belonging to the vendor. It is the property of the vendor and is therefore not included in the customer’s valuated stock.

To enable you to manage the returnable transport packaging stocks of material belonging to different vendors separately, special stock data is required in addition to material master data.

This special stock data is defined for every vendor at the storage location level.

Special stock data is created automatically when the first receipt is posted into the returnable transport packaging stock. This data cannot be maintained directly by the user but is updated automatically with every goods movement (or physical inventory).

RTP stocks from vendors are externally owned and are not valuated.

RTP stock is always unrestricted-use stock. The stock can neither be in quality inspection nor blocked.

Depending on the system configuration, returnable transport packaging stock can also be negative. Negative stocks occur when you return an RTP quantity to the vendor before you have entered the goods receipt in the system (i.e. the goods issue is posted before the goods receipt).

The following goods movements (and the respective reversal or return movements) are defined: