Time Slots

You use time slots to plan the times of loading appointments. You define the duration of the time slots in the loading point. Each time slot has the same fixed duration.

If you assign the loading points to a docking location during creation, you can define the duration of the time slots in the docking location. The system automatically uses this time slot duration for the new loading points.

If you need to change the time slot duration for a loading point, for example, if planning would be improved by using a larger number of time slots with a shorter duration, you can change this duration in each loading point individually. This has no influence on the time slots and their loading appointments that are already generated; only new slots generated for new time frames have the new time slot duration.

For more information, see Time Slot Management.

Restricted Planning Period

During the restricted planning period, appointment planners for carriers must contact the warehouse directly if they want to reschedule or cancel one of their own appointments. During this period, they can still change the details of the appointment, for example, the driver. Up until the restricted planning period begins, appointment planners for carriers can change the details of their own appointments, reschedule their appointments, and cancel their appointments.

You can define how long before the appointment the restricted planning period begins in the loading point.

If you assign the loading points to a docking location during creation, you can define the restricted planning period in the docking location. The system automatically uses this restricted planning period for the new loading points.

Arrival Lead Time

If you always require a fixed amount of time for each loading appointment prior to the vehicle arriving at the dock to perform checks and paperwork at the checkpoint, you can specify this time in the loading point. The system uses this arrival lead time to calculate the time when the vehicle should arrive at the checkpoint before the start of the appointment.

If you assign the loading points to a docking location during creation, you can define the arrival lead time in the docking location. The system automatically uses this arrival lead time for the new loading points.

Supply Chain Unit of a Loading Point

The system links each loading point to a supply chain unit (SCU) with the same name. You can specify an SCU that already exists for the loading point. If you do not specify an SCU for the loading point, the system automatically creates a new SCU using the name of the loading point.

If the system creates a new SCU for the loading point, it uses the data you enter in the loading point in SCU-specific fields, such as address data, time zone, or factory calendar, during the SCU creation. This SCU has the business attribute loading point (LP).

If you create a loading point for an SCU that already exists, the SCU must have the business attribute loading point (LP). The system automatically enters the SCU data into the loading point.

You can change SCU-specific data in the SCU maintenance transactions only.

The system can use SCUs to create connections to SAP EWM in the integrated scenario. For more information, see Integration with SAP EWM.

For more information about SCUs, see Supply Chain Unit (SCU).