Connecting a Fully Automated
Warehouse 
Purpose
If you want to use Extended Warehouse Management (EWM) in a fully automatic warehouse, consider the warehouse structure and the automatic warehouse functions when deciding how to distribute the warehouse management tasks suitably between EWM and the non-SAP system.
In fully automatic warehouses too, EWM takes on the most important tasks of warehouse management:
● Managing the product stocks
● Managing storage bins
● Triggering warehouse movements (stock removal, putaway, stock transfers and posting changes)
● Carrying out the inventory
● Determining the storage bins for warehouse movements based on fixed putaway and stock removal strategies
The external system takes over the entire warehouse controlling:
● Controlling the conveyor equipment
● Controlling the product flow
● Optimizing resources
If you want to use EWM with a fully automatic non-SAP system, you should also take account of the scenario Connecting a Fully Automatic Warehouse as a Black Box.
Prerequisites
You have configured the interface between EWM and the non-SAP system in Customizing for Extended Warehouse Management under Interfaces ® Non-SAP Systems ® Connect Subsystem.
You have specified how warehouse management tasks will be distributed between EWM and the non-SAP system. Here, the level of automation in the warehouse plays an important role:
● In simple automatic warehouses, EWM takes on all warehouse management tasks. The non-SAP system only takes on warehouse control, where the warehouse control can be used to optimize the stock movements triggered by EWM. For more information, see Connecting a Semiautomatic Warehouse.
● For warehouses with more complex warehouse automation, you should take account of the warehouse technology at warehouse task creation. The external system then takes on some of the warehouse management tasks. For this reason, you move products in this kind of storage type using identification points (ID points) and pick points.
Process
Putaway via ID points
...
1. You receive an inbound delivery in the goods receipt interim storage area. You post the goods receipt for the inbound delivery, and enter the pallet (handling unit) in EWM.
2. EWM determines the destination storage type for the delivered handling unit (HU).
3. If putaway is performed using an ID point, then EWM creates a warehouse task (WT) from the goods receipt interface to the ID point.
4. EWM transmits the WT with the required data (including the pallet number) for putaway using the message type /SCWM/WMTORD to the non-SAP system.
5. You print the WTs to use as a pallet receipt/issue slip.
The destination storage bin for putaway is printed on the pallet slip in the form of a barcode.
6. You transport the HU to the ID point.
7. The non-SAP system identifies the HU at the ID point using the bar code on the pallet slip.
8. To optimize capacity utilization of the conveyor vehicles during putaway, the non-SAP system assigns the destination storage bin for the HU.
9. The non-SAP system moves the HU to the destination storage bin and puts the HU away.
10. The non-SAP system reports execution of the stock movement for the handling unit to EWM, using message type /SCWM/WMSUMO.
The non-SAP system constructs the warehouse task data in the form of an IDoc for the non-SAP system, and sends this IDoc to EWM.
11. EWM creates the warehouse task for putaway using the data reported using message type /SCWM/WMSUMO, to post the stock movement triggered by the non-SAP system.
Stock removal via a pick point
...
1. You trigger a stock removal or picking in EWM by, for example, collating the picking of several outbound deliveries into one collective action.
2. EWM creates warehouse tasks (WTs) for the outbound deliveries.
3. EWM transfers the WTs using the message type /SCWM/WMTORD to the non-SAP system.
If you want to execute picking on the basis of outbound deliveries, the system treats each warehouse task that is transferred as an independent pick order.
If you want to control picking based on other criteria (for example, based on a route), you must ensure that the non-SAP system only picks the transmitted warehouse tasks after EWM has transmitted all the relevant WTs to the non-SAP system.
The non-SAP system can only collate the WTs into a wave after EWM has transmitted the wave release using message type /SCWM/WMRREF.
4. The external system processes the pick order, which can consist of one or more transferred WTs.
5. The non-SAP system optimizes the individual stock movements from the pick order, by specifying the sequence in which the required handling units should be removed from storage.
If there is more than one ID point in the system, then the non-SAP system also specifies the assignment of the individual picking transactions and HUs to the available pick points. Only the external system can ensure optimal pick point assignment, since the utilization of the warehousing equipment is at the fore.
6. You execute picking at the pick point.
The external system displays the items to be picked on the screen at the pick point.
7. You confirm the pick and enter any differences that occured.
8. The non-SAP system reports execution of picking for the handling units to EWM, using message type /SCWM/WMTOCO.
The non-SAP system constructs the warehouse task data in the form of an IDoc for the forklift guidance system, and sends this IDoc to EWM.
9. EWM confirms the warehouse task using the data reported using message type /SCWM/WMTOCO.
Return Transfer for Handling Units with Remaining Quantity
...
1. After picking, you take the HUs with remaining quantities to the ID point for return transfer into the warehouse.
2. The external system identifies the HU at the ID point, by way of a contour control.
3. To optimize capacity utilization of the conveyor vehicles during putaway, the non-SAP system assigns the destination storage bin for the HU.
4. The non-SAP system moves the HU to the destination storage bin and puts the HU away.
5. The non-SAP system reports execution of the stock movement for the HU to EWM, using message type /SCWM/WMSUMO.
The non-SAP system constructs the warehouse task data in the form of an IDoc for the non-SAP system, and sends this IDoc to EWM.
6. EWM creates the warehouse task for putaway using the data reported using message type /SCWM/WMSUMO, to post the stock movement triggered by the non-SAP system.
Blocking Storage Bins
In automatic warehouses, conveyor vehicles often cannot access certain storage bins.
Certain routes for the vehicles are no longer valid, or some bins cannot be reached by the warehouse technology.
Since you are performing warehouse management using EWM, you must block these storage bins as quickly as possible in EWM, so that EWM cannot schedule any more stock movements for these storage bins.
The non-SAP system transmits the storage bins to block using the message type /SCWM/WMBBIN to EWM.