
Multi-Step Replenishment
Use
Multi-step replenishment is a method of supplying stores with merchandise according to demand. Multi-step replenishment is the performance-optimized variant of
replenishment, however, you can only use multi-step replenishment for supplying merchandise to stores. A second difference between replenishment and multi-step replenishment is that with multi-step replenishment, the determination of requirements calculation data and the generation of follow-on documents is separate from the actual calculation of requirements.
The entire process of multi-step replenishment is shown in the following:

Multi-step replenishment consists of a program for determining requirements calculation data, a second program for calculating requirements and a third program for generating follow-on documents.
The program for determining requirements calculation data is used to compile and save the master data required for requirements calculation. Using this master data, the program for calculating requirements can determine and save requirements according to two MRP procedures or using a combination of these procedures:
Follow-on documents for these requirements (purchase orders, purchase requisitions, sales orders or deliveries) can be generated using the third program for follow-on documents.
Multi-step replenishment can be carried out using two different procedures.
Within multi-step replenishment, the two-step procedure only uses the programs for calculating requirements and generating follow-on documents. The program for determining requirements calculation data is not used in the two-step procedure.
Within multi-step replenishment, the three-step procedure uses all three programs.
Integration
You can process article-related multi-step replenishment data using article maintenance (in an SAP retailing system) or using material maintenance (in an SAP manufacturing system).
In the site master you maintain different sets of data for controlling multi-step replenishment. You can, for example, determine the type of follow-on documents that are created. Note that you can only use multi-step replenishment for stores.
You can use Inventory Management in Materials Management as the basis for multi-step replenishment.
In POS interface inbound processing, sales data is first evaluated and made available to Multi-Step Replenishment. The sales data is not updated to Inventory Management at goods issues until a second step, carried out at a later point in time. Parallel to the first step, the POS sales data is updated into a separate database table for the sales forecast.
For more information, see
POS Inbound Processing Procedure.
A function from the store order is called to generate follow-on documents in multi-step replenishment.
Features
See also:
Background Processing: Multi-Step Replenishment
Replenishment