Product Availability Check using the Checking Horizon (SAP Library - SAP Advanced Planner and Optimizer (SAP APO))

Product Availability Check using the Checking Horizon

Use

This function carries out a product availability check using the checking horizon. The checking horizon is calculated in days or in workdays according to the calendar.

Integration

You can reflect, for example, the replenishment lead time in the R/3 System using the checking horizon. The replenishment lead time in the material master is transferred using the CIF integration model. Note the following:

If you have maintained the total replenishment lead time for a product produced in-house in the R/3 System, it is transferred to APO and reflected as the checking horizon in the location-specific product master data.

If you have not maintained the total replenishment lead time for a product produced in-house in the R/3 System, the system reads the in-house production time and - if it exists - the incoming orders processing time. The system interprets the total of both times as the replenishment lead time for the availability check. After being transferred to APO, the total of both times is reflected as the checking horizon in the location-specific product master data.

Maintaining the total replenishment lead time for products procured externally is not recommended. It is not taken into account. For external procurement, the system always interprets total processing time for purchasing and goods receipt, as well as the planned delivery time, as the replenishment lead time. After being transferred to APO, the total of these times is reflected as the checking horizon in the location-specific product master data.

You will find additional information in the documentation for this example.

Prerequisites

To carry out a check using the checking horizon, you must have made the following settings:

You entered the checking horizon and the calendar for the checking horizon in the location-specific product master (from the SAP Easy Access screen choose Master Data à Product à ATP).
You activated the checking horizon in the check control (in Customizing for Global ATP via Product Availability Check à Maintain Check Control).

Features

Only the product availability check takes the checking horizon into account.

Within the checking horizon, the system checks if sufficient receipt quantities and stock are available to cover the requirement. The system generally considers the requirements that lie temporally beyond the checking horizon as available.

The configuration of the checking horizon can often be the reason why rules-based ATP is not carried out, since the original requirement is confirmed based on the replenishment lead time.

To avoid confirming any larger quantities, you should restrict the quantities. You can do this by carrying out additional product allocations for the periods that represent, for example, the end of production capacity.

The product availability check that uses the checking horizon only produces meaningful results if you plan in regular intervals. (For single and daily requirements, you should usually plan on a daily basis. For weekly requirements, you should plan on a weekly basis). The confirmed quantities are then compared with receipts. This is necessary because the delivery date of an order that was confirmed for the checking horizon on the previous day, already lies within the checking horizon on the current day, and thereby leads to a shortage. This shortage can, for example, then block creation of the delivery.

Product availability check using the checking horizon

The customer wants 20 pieces on the requirements date (that is, the complete delivery). The receipt of 100 pieces is completely offset by an issue of 100 pieces. Taking the issues into account, the additional receipts of 50 pieces and 6 pieces cannot fully cover the requirement.

A different situation occurs when using the checking horizon in the product availability check. Again, the requested delivery date cannot be confirmed. However, the system proposes either staggered partial deliveries of 10 pieces, 6 pieces and again 4 pieces at the end of the checking horizon, or a complete delivery of 20 pieces at the end of the checking horizon.

Maintaining Location-Specific Product Master Data