Batch Determination in the PI sheet (SAP Library - Process Management (PP-PI-PMA))

Batch Determination in the PI sheet

Use

You use this function in the PI sheet when you enter material consumptions for material components that are to be handled in batches. The function helps you to find suitable batches for the corresponding material component.

Batch determination is used in the whole of logistics. The basic processes and prerequisites for this are always identical. For more information, see the R/3 Library LO - Batch Management under Batch Determination.

However, depending on where batch determination is used, certain special features may need to be taken into account. These features result from the context of the respective individual application. The following sections describe what you must bear in mind when you use batch determination in PI sheets.

Prerequisites

You have installed the application component Batch Management (LO-BM).
In this component, a batch search procedure together with the corresponding strategy types and search strategies has been defined for the order type (refer to Batch Search Strategy).

The material component for which you want to find a batch meets the following requirements:

It has been defined as being subject to batch management in the material master record.

If you want batch determination to use different selection criteria than those defined in the batch search strategy, the material component must have been classified accordingly in the material list of the process order.

A process data request has been defined for the PI sheet and meets the following requirements:

It contains the following message characteristics:

PPPI_RESERVATION and PPPI_RESERVATION_ITEM
PPPI_BATCH as an input value
PPPI_MATERIAL (material number)
PPPI_MATERIAL_CONSUMED (material quantity consumed) as an input value
PPPI_UNIT_OF_MEASURE (unit of measurement)

The value of this characteristic must be identical to the base or alternative unit of measure of the material.

No default value has been defined for the batch in the data request.
If you want to copy several batches to the PI sheet (batch split), the data request must be of the type "repeated data request" and must contain a sufficient number of table lines.

Features

Determining Suitable Batches

Having entered the required material quantity, you start batch determination manually in the PI.
Just like in the process order, the following criteria are used for selection:

Selection criteria for batches

The system determines the selection criteria using the following data:

If it has been maintained in the material list of the process order, the classification data of the material component
If no classification data has been maintained, the selection criteria of the batch search strategy determined for the order type using the batch search procedure

The system determines suitable batches by comparing the selection criteria with the classification data in the batch master record.

Batch availability

The system checks whether the batches are available at the time when batch determination is carried out. The following checking rule is used (refer to Customizing for availability checks).

If it has been defined, the checking rule intended for order processing of the corresponding order type
It if has not been defined, the checking rule intended for order creation

If no checking rule has been defined, the availability check and batch determination is terminated.

Sort sequence and proposed quantity for the batch to be used

The system uses the data defined in the batch search strategy. If no suitable search strategy has been defined, batch determination is terminated.

Copying Batches

When the system has determined suitable batches, you can copy them into the PI sheet. You can use the following functions:

Copying batches automatically

If batch determination in the background is defined in the batch search strategy, the system copies the proposed quantity it determines directly to the PI sheet.

Copying batches manually

If batch determination in dialog is defined in the batch search strategy, the system displays the proposed quantity. You can change the quantity if you want and then copy the batch. However, a batch split, that is copying several batches, is only allowed if:

The batch search strategy supports it
The process instruction is a repeated data request and can accommodate a sufficient number of table line

When you copy a batch into the PI sheet, the system - unlike in the process order - does not create or update a reservation. For this reason, the wrong batches may be selected in the following cases:

If you trigger batch determination in the PI sheet for several goods issues for the same material in a row
If you also trigger batch determination for one material at another location in the system, for instance, in the process order

For this, make sure that process messages are sent immediately and thus goods issues are posted as quickly as possible when you create and maintain your PI sheets.