Purpose

You can use this process to communicate between the following main participants in the extended inbound delivery processing:

Vendor

Inventory Collaboration Hub (SAP ICH)

Extended Warehouse Management (SAP EWM)

Advanced Planning and Optimization (SAPAPO)

Communication to the vendor and SAP ICH is based on electronic data interchange (EDI), whereas communication to SAP APO and SAP EWM uses qRFC technology.

The following functions for inbound deliveries are supported in this process:

Communication takes place by means of interfaces between the connected systems.

Process Flow

The vendor usually creates or changes ASNs using either SAP ICH or the vendor’s system. ASNs are sent to SPM, where they are converted to inbound deliveries and forwarded to SAP EWM. The confirmation (for example, the posting of the goods receipt) takes place in SAP EWM and is communicated back to SPM. In addition, all changes need to be reflected in SAP ICH and SAP APO.

Communication from and to SAP ICH as well as from the vendor system is performed using intermediate documents - IDocs (create, replace/update). SPM and SAP EWM exchange inbound delivery data using queued remote function calls - qRFCs (create, change, confirm, and split).

The following figure illustrates the communication process:

The following communication scenarios are supported within SAP SPM.

Creation of Inbound Delivery (Vendor, ICH, ERP and EWM)

The creation of inbound deliveries (ASNs) is either accepted or rejected in SPM depending on the Customizing settings that have been made for the validation framework. Whether the creation of the inbound delivery is accepted or rejected, all connected systems have to be informed.

If a corresponding processing inbound document has already been created in SAP EWM, the latter triggers a rejection by sending a deletion back to SPM (see Deletion of Inbound Delivery).

Initiation in SPM

Receive creation from user interface and SPM applications

Vendor interface (IDoc)

Receive creation from vendor

SAP ICH interface (IDoc)

Receive creation from ICH

Dispatch to SAP ICH

If an error occurs, dispatch error message to SAP ICH

If a stock transport order (STO), proof of delivery (POD) and/or cross docking is used, do not dispatch to SAP ICH

SAP APO interface (CIF)

If successful, dispatch to SAP APO

SAP EWM interface (qRFC)

Receive creation from SAP EWM

Dispatch to EWM if sender is not SAP EWM

Update/Replacement of Inbound Delivery (Vendor, SAP ICH, SPM and SAP EWM)

You can change ASNs/inbound deliveries in SPM by using the user interface or by sending a replacement message to SPM. In both cases, connected systems are informed about the new situation.

The replacement causes the system to create a temporary inbound delivery in SPM, since the change still needs to be confirmed by the executing system (SAP EWM). SAP EWM checks whether a change is still possible. The replacement inbound delivery is dispatched to SAP EWM, which then sends back an acknowledgement or a rejection. In the case of an acknowledgement, SPM overwrites the original delivery with the temporary inbound delivery and communicates this change to the other connected systems. In the case of a rejection, the change is not implemented. The connected systems are, nevertheless, informed about the rejection. This concept also applies to inbound deliveries on hold (with errors).

All further replacements from non-EWM systems are rejected by SPM until an answer arrives from SAP EWM. SAP EWM can either send an acknowledgement, a rejection or a replacement. In case of a replacement the existing temporary inbound delivery is deleted and the original inbound delivery is updated according to the replacement.

Initiation in ERP

Receive replacement from user interface

Vendor interface (IDoc)

Receive replacement from vendor

SAP ICH interface (IDoc)

Receive replacement from SAP ICH

On acknowledgement / rejection / replacement from SAP EWM, dispatch replacement to SAP ICH

If an error occurs, dispatch replacement and error message to SAP ICH

SAP APO interface (CIF)

On acknowledgement / replacement from SAP EWM, dispatch replacement to SAP APO

SAP EWM interface (qRFC)

Receive replacement from SAP EWM

Dispatch replacement to SAP EWM if sender is not SAP EWM

Receive acknowledgement from SAP EWM

Receive reject from SAP EWM

If SAP EWM sends a replacement ID, the ID is replaced instantly and dispatched to SAP ICH without dealing with temporary IDs.

Deletion of Inbound Delivery (Vendor, SAP ICH, SPM and SAP EWM)

As in the replacement case, you can delete inbound deliveries in SPM by using the interface or by sending a deletion message. In both cases, the follow-up communication to connected systems follows the rules of the replacement process. A temporary inbound delivery with special attributes (deletion indicator set and quantities set to 0) is created to request acknowledgement by SAP EWM.

Purging of Inbound Delivery (SPM)

You can purge inbound deliveries in SPM using the Inbound Delivery Delete Report . The follow-up communication to connected systems follows the rules of the replacement process. A temporary inbound delivery with special attributes (GR adjusted quantities) is created to request acknowledgement by SAP EWM.

Set Status - In Yard (SAP EWM)

The process is triggered by SAP EWM and processed as a background job in the ERP system.

Post GR - Received on Dock (SAP EWM)

The process is triggered by SAP EWM and processed as a background job in the ERP system.

Split (SAP EWM)

The process is triggered by SAP EWM and processed as a background job in the ERP system.

For more information, see Architecture and Communication .