SAP WM INTRODUCTION

    SAP WAREHOUSE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (WM)

Computer support for the organization and management of warehouses has become imperative for timely, effective processing of logistic requirements within a company. The SAP Warehouse Management (WM) application provides flexible, automated support to assist you in processing all goods movements and in maintaining current stock inventories in your warehousing complex.

      WM supports warehousing processes by making it possible for you to

• Define and manage complex warehousing structures

• Optimize material flow using advanced put away and picking techniques

• Process goods receipts, goods issues and stock transfers quickly and easily

Although it is possible for you to manage warehouse inventories using the Inventory Management (IM) application component, the primary difference between managing stock in WM and in IM is that in IM, the system can only display the total stock of a material for a storage location. If a warehouse is small and easily manageable, then the use of IM may be sufficient to fulfill your needs. WM, on the other hand, offers the capability to manage stock quantities in each individual storage bin in highly complex storage facilities. This means that, with WM, you can optimize the use of all storage bins, mix pallets belonging to several owners in randomly slotted warehouses and know exactly where a particular material is located in the warehousing complex at all times.

        Integration

The Warehouse Management application is fully integrated into the SAP R/3 system. Transactions that are initiated in other SAP components result in corresponding tasks in WM which activate the actual physical transfers within the warehouse. A few of these activities include:

• Material movements and changes in material status, such as releasing goods from inspection

• Material staging to production supply areas

• Picking and shipping goods for sales orders

        Benefits of Warehouse Management

• Manage highly complex warehouse structures and several different types of warehousing facilities including automatic warehouses, custom-designed storage areas, high rack storage, block storage, fixed bin storage and all other commonly used storage areas

• Define and adapt a variety of storage bins for use in your specific warehousing complex

• Process all relevant warehousing activities and movement tasks, such as goods receipts , goods issues , internal and external stock transfers , automatic replenishment of fixed bins, material staging to production areas and stock difference handling

• Utilize random slotting for multiple owners of goods

• Display summary evaluations of all goods movements in the warehouse

• Implement a variety of readily available put-away and picking strategies including self-designed strategies

• Support the storage and retrieval of hazardous materials and all other goods that require special handling

• Maintain up-to-the-minute inventory records at the storage bin level using real-time continuous inventory techniques

• Support the use of automated barcode scanners and RF technology for all stock movements

• Interface to external non-SAP warehousing system