Warehouse Structure 

Before you implement Extended Warehouse Management (EWM), you must define the structure, meaning the physical structure, of your warehouse or warehouse complex and map this in the system.

When you implement EWM, you define the individual warehouses (high-rack storage area, bulk storage area, picking storage area, and so on) as storage types within a warehouse complex, and join them together under one warehouse number.

If other warehouses (storage types) exist that you do not manage using EWM, then you should define other storage locations.

In EWM, you define storage bins for each storage type. EWM uses these to manage stock information about all products in the warehouse, at storage bin level.

Mapping the Physical Warehouse in EWM

The warehouse structure in warehouse management is divided hierarchically and consists of the following elements:

●      Warehouse number

In EWM, you can manage an entire physical warehouse complex using a single warehouse number.

●      Storage type

You can define the individual warehouse facilities or warehouses that make up the warehouse complex, using their technical, spatial, and organizational characteristics as storage types.

●      Storage section

Each storage type is divided into storage sections. All storage bins with specific common attributes belong to one storage section, for example, storage bins for fast-moving items that are close to the goods issue zone.

●      Storage bin

Each storage type and storage section consists of a selection of storage compartments that are called storage bins in EWM. The coordinates of the storage bin tell you the exact position in the warehouse, where you can store products.

●      Quant

The quant is used for inventory management of a product in a storage bin.

●      Activity area

The activity area is a logical grouping of storage bins. It can refer to a storage bin, or can concatenate bins from several storage types.

You can either assign storage bins manually to the activity areas, or if there is a 1:1 relationship between storage type and activity area, you can have the system generate the assignment.

To map the structure of your physical warehouse in the system, you define the warehouse structures in EWM in Customizing. We recommend that you use the following sequence when configuring the warehouse structure in the system.

In the Implementation Guide (IMG) for EWM, choose Extended Warehouse Management ® Master Data ®

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       1.      Define Warehouse Numbers

       2.      Define Storage Type

       3.      Define Storage Section

       4.      Storage Bins ® Define Storage Bin Types

       5.      Activity Areas ® Define Activity Area

       6.      Activity Areas ® Assign Storage Bins to Activity Areas

 

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