Packaging Specification
Definition
Rule that specifies how products are to be packed in handling units (HUs), for example, for shipment to the customer.
A packaging specification (PS) describes which product quantities should be packed, and which packaging materials and auxiliary packaging materials should be used for this purpose. You can use a PS to model packing on single or multiple levels.
Use
The packaging specification forms the basis of automatic packing. In automatic packing, the system automatically generates a proposal with a PS as to how you pack an item of an advanced shipping notification (ASN) into HUs. Packaging specifications can be set up for a product by the customer and – with the appropriate authorization from the customer – by the supplier. The customer can define which packaging specification a supplier may use. You can use product-specific packaging specifications for a product or assign packaging specifications to the product by means of the reference product. It is not possible to link packaging specifications. A packaging specification cannot, therefore, refer to another packaging specification.
Product-Specific Packaging Specification
A product-specific packaging specification is created specially for a specific product. Therefore, you can only use the packaging specification for this product.
PS for a Reference Product
If you want to pack different product variants in the same way, you do not have to create a separate PS for each product. Instead, you only set up a PS for a reference product. You assign the reference product (in the product master) and the packaging specification of the reference product (in the PS assignment) to the product for which you want to use the packaging specification of the reference product.
Alternative Packaging Specifications
You can assign a product several alternative packaging specifications with different priorities. By default, automatic packing uses the PS with the highest priority. (The highest priority is 1.) As a supplier, you can manually select the PS to be used before you call up automatic packing.
PS Status, PS Versions, and PS Change Number
The status of a newly created PS is New. In order to be able to use the PS for automatic packing, you must first activate the PS and then set the PS status to Active. You cannot change an active PS. You have the following options to change a PS:
● You can deactivate a PS and then edit it. The status of a deactivated PS is Inactive, making it unavailable for automatic packing. Automatic packing can only use the PS again only after you have made the changes and reactivated it.
● You can generate a second, inactive version of an active PS which you can then edit. The status of the second PS version is Inactive, enabling it to be edited. The original version remains active and can continue to be used for automatic packing. When you have finished editing the second version you can activate it. Only then will SAP Supply Network Collaboration (SAP SNC) delete the original version.
SAP SNC marks the two versions of a PS that may simultaneously be present in the system using PS change numbers 1 and 2. The non-editable active version is always marked as PS number 1. The version that can be edited (for example a new one) is marked as PS change number 2.
On the editing screen for packaging specifications the Activate, Deactivate and Create 2nd Version functions are available for a PS, depending on the PS change number. For example, for a deactivated PS, the Activate function is no longer available. If you want to activate a PS that you have previously deactivated, create a second version of this PS and activate the second version.
Structure
A PS consists of the following elements:
● You use the packaging specification levels (PS levels) to describe the various packaging levels.
● You use the PS level elements to describe the packaging materials that you use for a PS level.
● You use the PS content to describe which products you pack in which quantity ratio in the smallest packaging unit of the packaging specification.