Generate Distribution Model

When you use a WMS, communication between the central ERP system and the decentralized WMS is necessary. Communication generally is asynchronous and takes place using IDocs and ALE. Only for some inquiries, the synchronous link between the two systems is used.

To allow communication via ALE, you must maintain a distribution model. In the distribution model, you define all objects (message types and methods), for which communication is required. These objects are both master data that needs to be distributed, and application data that is exchanged between the two systems.

Maintaining the distribution model requires that the necessary objects to be distributed are known. Use the option of generating the distribution automatically through the IMG. With this process, all necessary entries in the ALE distribution model are considered for the decentralized WMS.

Take note of the following when you generate the distribution model:

If you generate the distribution for a specific warehouse number for the first time, enter a new name for the view to be generated. If you want to expand an existing view, you must enter the corresponding existing name.
You can select the following filter objects for the material master:
The material master and the customer master must always be distributed. It depends on your application whether the other master data needs to be distributed as well.
You can select the following filter objects for the article master:
The adresses are distributed separately from their master objects (customer/vendor); this means, that they are distributed as stand-alone objects. To ensure that the addresses are only sent to those systems to which their master objects are directed, dependencies between the methods of the address objects and the default message types of customer/vendor were defined. For defining the distribution of the address data in connection with the customer/vendor master, the system provides a separate generation task that you can access from within the closing screen of the WMS distribution generation.
For more information on distributing addresses in connection with the customer/vendor master, refer to the documentation Distribution model proposal: customer and vendor masters.

For more information on distributing the individual objects, refer to the documentation on the individual distribution objects.

Application-relevant update

Once the distribution model is generated, the individual objects for the defined warehouse number can be distributed. The distribution for decentralized processing is controlled based on the distribution model and the application. Both the model and the application must be maintained consistently since only then the distribution can be recognized and performed. In the central ERP system, you must activate the warehouse number for decentralized processing. In the decentralized WMS, you must activate the reference to the ERP system at storage location and plant level. After the distribution model is generated, all necessary settings are activated in the application irrespective of the individual maintenance. Since several updates are carried out in the partner system when the settings are activated in the application, direct communication with this system is necessary. If the distribution model is generated in the central system, synchronous communication with the decentralized WMS is required. If the distribution model is generated in the decentralized WMS, then the synchronous communication link to the ERP system is used. For more information on defining synchronous communication, refer to the documentation Distribution.

Requirements

Start this report in test mode, before you generate the distribution for the decentralized WMS. The system lists the individual methods and message types which are required for this scenario and which are defined in the distribution model when the report is run in production mode.

The warehouse number which has been defined for decentralized WMS processing, must be fully maintained both in the central and in the decentralized system.

The following data must be pre-defined in the system so that the distribution can be generated:

For more information on the distribution requirements, refer to the dcocumentation Distribution.

Standard Settings

The following relevant methods are generated for the data exchange of the WMS application:

1. 'OutboundDelivery.SaveReplica', to send outbound deliveries from the ERP system to the WM system
2. 'InboundDelivery.SaveReplica', to send inbound deliveries from the ERP system to the WM system
3. 'OutboundDelivery.ConfirmDecentral', to send confirmations of the outbound deliveries from the WM system to the ERP system
4. 'InboundDelivery.ConfirmDecentral', to send confirmations of the inbound deliveries from the WM system to the ERP system
5. 'GoodsMovement.CreateFromData', to report stock transfers/posting changes/differences from the WM system to the ERP system

As far as methods 1 to 4 are concerned, the warehouse number to be distributed is defined as a filter object. For 'GoodsMovement.CreateFromData', the plant/storage location is the filter object.

The following message types are generated for the master data distribution:

1. MATMAS (or a customer-specific reduced message) for distributing the material masters from the ERP system to the WM system.
The additional selection parameters on the initial screen are used as filter objects:
If the distribution is to take place using classes, this filtering type is activated when the distribution model is generated. For information on how to proceed in case of class-based distribution, refer to the documentation Distributing the material masters.
If you want to define additional filter objects, you must maintain these objects directly in the distribution model once the distribution has been generated.
2. DEBMAS (or a customer-specific reduced message) for distributing the customer masters from the ERP system to the WM system.
The additional selection parameters on the initial screen are used as filter objects: sales organisation and distribution channel.
If the distribution is to take place using classes, this filtering type is activated when the distribution model is generated. For information on how to proceed in case of class-based distribution, refer to the documentation Distributing the customer masters.
If you want to define additional filter objects, you must maintain these objects directly in the distribution model once the distribution has been generated.
3. CREMAS (or a customer-specific reduced message) for distributing the vendor masters from the ERP system to the WM system.
For this message type, no filter objects are available for the generation process. You can only activate class-based distribution. For more information on how to proceed in the case of class-based sdistribution, refer to the documentation Distributing the vendor masters.
If you want to define filter objects, you must maintain these objects directly in the distribution model once the distribution has been generated.
4. CLSMAS, for distributing the classes from the ERP system to the WM system if batch classification is used.
Class type '023' is used as the filter object for batch classification. It is assigned automatically to the message type when the distribution is generated. In addition, the reference to dependent message types (to MATMAS in this case) is created.
5. CLFMAS, for distributing the classification from the ERP system to the WM system if batch classification is used.
Class type '023' is used as the filter object for batch classification. It is assigned automatically to the message type when the distribution is generated. In addition, the reference to dependent message types (to MATMAS in this case) is created.
6. CHRMAS, for distributing the characteristics from the ERP system to the WM system, if batch classification is used.
For this message type, no filter objects can be defined.
7. For distributing the batches between the two systems (the distribution can be initiated both in the ERP and the WM system), method 'Batch.SaveReplica' has been defined.
The plants assigned to the selected decentralized warehouse number are automatically defined as filter objects for this method.
8. For the distribution of the addresses, three address types are considered that are distributed using the following methods:
a) 'AddressOrg.SaveReplica' for distributing company addresses
b) 'AddressPers.SaveReplica' for distributing personal addresses
c) 'AddressContPart.SaveReplica' for distributing contact addresses

Recommendation

SAP recommends that you define your own message types for the distribution of master data by reducing the standard messages.

Activities

1. Start the generation task in test mode first.
The system displays a list that contains all relevant distribution objects for decentralized WMS processing.
2. If the requirements for defining the distribution are met, start the generation task in production mode.
The closing screen displays the generated distribution objects together with corresponding notes. Should errors occur, repeat the generation step. In any case, enter the same name for the model view.
3. If you want to distribute the addresses, access the generation task for the address data distribution from within the closing screen.
4. When the generation process has completed successfully, check the generated model view in the distribution model. From within the closing screen of the generation task, you can directly switch to the distribution model.
5. If you want to define additional filters for the master data distribution, maintain these in the generated model views.
6. Use the other functions that the distribution model provides:
For more information on the distribution model, refer to the ALE documentation 'Maintain Distribution Model.

Further Notes

With this function, you are defining the distribution model for the decentralized warehouse .

The distribution model must be defined in both the ERP (SAP R/3 or other host) system and in the R/3 decentralized Warehouse Management System (WMS). For this purpose, there are three different scenarios that determine how you maintain the distribution model:

1. Both the ERP system and the WMS are SAP systems
2. The ERP system is an SAP system, but the WMS is not an SAP system
3. The ERP system is not an SAP system, but the WMS is an SAP system

For scenario 1, the maintenance of the distribution model will take place within only one system, both for matters related to ERP -> WMS and for WMS -> ERP.

Afterwards, the maintained model view must then be distributed accordingly. Since other distributions are also defined in the ERP system, it is advantageous then to maintain data for this scenario centrally in the ERP system and then to transmit it to the WMS.

For scenario 2, the distribution model must be maintained in the ERP system.

For scenario 3, the distribution model must be maintained in WMS.

Note on multiple decentralized warehouse numbers

The distribution model is always generated for one warehouse number. If you have defined a new warehouse number for decentralized processing that is to be distributed to the same decentralized system, it is not possible to generate the distribution for this warehouse number. The distribution model always refers to the communication between two systems. If the individual distribution objects between two systems have already been defined, you cannot create them any more, even if you use a new model view. You must manually maintain the filter objects for the methods and messages in the existing model view.