As in other SU-managed storage types, you manage stock in bulk storage at the storage unit level. Since you cannot determine which storage units will be selected for order picking, you can create transfer orders for stock removals without identifying storage unit numbers. Consequently, you initially create transfer order items which specify only a requirement (not to be confused with a transfer requirement) to pick a certain quantity of material from a designated block or storage bin in bulk storage. For this purpose several system controls are provided for bulk storage.

Using this parameter, you can control whether partial pallets are allowed in a storage type. A partial pallet is a pallet whose quantity is not the same as the standard quantity defined in the material master record.

You can activate partial pallet management independently from the mixed storage parameter. This indicator must be selected when you use mixed storage indicators "B" (several batches per bin and storage unit) and "X" (unrestricted mixed storage).

You can also configure Customizing using the switch complete stock removal so that you can pick only full pallets even when partial quantities are allowed.

Since the system cannot identify specific SU numbers for stock removals, an availability control is implemented to prevent the system from attempting to remove too many storage units from individual blocks. This problem is resolved in WM by the so-called total quant count.

In bulk storage, the total quant count is the sum total of all stock (for each material and batch) in a storage bin. Information about stock stored in each bin is maintained in the same manner as without SU management. However, the system additionally keeps track of the total stock that has accumulated in the entire storage bin. The table below illustrates how the system calculates the total quant count.

The total quant count always represents the total stock situation in a storage bin in bulk storage.

When you place storage units into bulk storage, both individual quants and the total quant count are updated immediately. For example, if you add another storage unit to the storage bin illustrated in the above table, a normal quant is added and the total quant count is increased accordingly.

When you putaway storage units, the system checks the mixed storage indicator to ensure that storage units are stored properly.

When the system creates the transfer order item for a stock removal, it does not create it for a specific quant or storage unit.

(The exception to this is when you manually request a specific storage unit or quant for picking. In this case, the sytem creates a normal transfer order item.)

Initially, the system only reduces the available quantity of stock in the total quant count. No other updates are possible, because the system does not know at this point which storage units will be picked.

The parameter "complete removal" determines the actual quantity that is removed from the total quant count. Therefore, if you have defined complete stock removal for the storage type, the available quantity in the total quant count is reduced accordingly based on the standard amount defined in the material master for the pallet type. Complete stock removal is automatically active when partial pallets are not allowed. If complete stock removal is not active, the system reduces the total quant count by the exact amount that is requested.

When you confirm transfer order items for stock removals from bulk storage, you communicate the storage unit numbers that were actually picked to the system. The system updates the storage unit and quant information.

The processing of remaining quantities depends on whether you have entered a pick point storage type in the storage type record. Remaining quantities occur during confirmation when the requested quantity is smaller than the quantity contained in the storage unit that was picked. This means that the processing of remaining quantities does not take place until you confirm a transfer order.

If you have defined a pick point for the storage type, the storage unit is transferred to the pick point. If it is a mixed storage unit, the system also posts any other materials in that storage unit to the pick point. If there no pick point defined for the storage type, the remaining quantity stays with the storage unit in the same storage bin.

When you confirm the transfer order, the same thing happens that would normally happen when you remove a storage unit that was picked from any SU-managed storage type for which "complete removal" is defined. Partial pallets that exist as a result of stock removals from bulk storage are posted to a pick point and, subsequently, are placed into a storage type where partial storage units are allowed.