In this function, a sort variable helps the system to search for suitable storage bins. With the sort variable, you can eliminate the problems caused by one-sided loading in the warehouse and optimize the stock putaway process in your warehouse. If the sort variable has not been defined, the system sorts using the storage bin coordinate itself.

With the putaway strategies L (next storage bin) and P (storage unit type), you can influence the search for a suitable storage bin with the help of a sort variable. This method can also be set up for storage types with putaway strategies L (Addition to existing stock) or B (Bulk storage), since if the system does not find a bin for adding to existing stock, it will use sort variables to find an empty storage bin.

You define the sort variable for cross-line stock putaway in Customizing for Warehouse Management. For further information, refer to the Implementation Guide (IMG) for Warehouse Management under the section Strategies.

For each storage type, you can use up to six fields of the storage bin coordinate to define the sort variable. You determine which positions of the coordinate are relevant for the variable structure and in which sequence the individual positions are used in the variable.

For example, storage type 001 has

* R = row S = stack L = level

The fourth and fifth positions of the coordinate, which represent the two digits of the stack, make up the first two positions of the variable. The seventh and eighth positions of the coordinate, which represent the two digits of the level, make up the last two positions of the variable. To define the sort variable, enter the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, as shown below, in the data entry table. Start at the fourth position.

When the system looks for an empty bin with the new structure, the first storage bin it finds is 01-01-01. However, the next time it looks for an empty bin, the next coordinate it finds is 02-01-01, which represents the first stack in the second row. This process continues until all stacks in all rows are filled for the storage type.

In the examples below we use the "next empty bin" strategy to explain the concept of cross-line searching.

The view shown in the figure is a top view looking down on the warehouse. To make things simpler, we assume that the warehouse consists of one level.

When searching for empty storage bins without using a sort variable, the system makes its search based on the following structure:

With this structure, the system fills the warehouse row by row. For example, the system fills the first row completely first, then the second row, then the third. This can result in a one-sided load of the warehouse.

When you define a sort variable, empty storage bins are sorted differently. For example, you transfer goods first to stack 01, level 01 in row 01, then to stack 01, level 01 in row 02, then to stack 01, level 01 in row 03, and so on. In this case, you define the sort variable as follows, where R is the row, S is the stack and L is the level:

With the sort variable, empty storage bins have the following structure.

With this structure, the system fills the bins in the warehouse on a stack-by-stack basis for each row. When the system selects bins for stock received in the warehouse, the first stack in each row is filled, then the second stack in each row, then the third stack, and so on.