EWM External Physical Inventory (PI) Process

External PI Process in EWM 

What is External PI Process in EWM?

External PI process is used to conduct PI process outside EWM system (may be using third party applications on the RF gun or using third party PI systems or using manual process) where there is no connectivity between EWM system warehouse exists. Later the counted results are used to upload and create PI documents in SAP EWM System and follow the rest of the PI process. 

Note: There is no sufficient help document available from SAP on this process, I understood it by exploring various options in the upload file, program code reading and debugging. 

Process Steps:

Step 1: Down Load Data from EWM into excel file

Step 2: Do PI and record the count result in the excel/csv sheet in the upload file format

Step 3: Prepare Upload file with count results in upload file format

Step 4: Upload  and Create the PI document with count results (i.e with counted status)

Step 5: Post the differences

Step 6: Clear the differences

Step 1: Down Load Data from EWM into excel file

There are Two ways to download the data into excel.

    a. Using transaction code /N/SCWM/PI_DOWNLOAD

    b. Using EWM Monitor /N/SCWM/MON

a. Steps to download data using  /N/SCWM/PI_DOWNLOAD

This Download program neither create PI document, nor downloads already created PI document data. It can only be used to download location or product stock data. It will not download HU# and data in either cases. However, when using product stock data it will download product code and book inventory. The file can be downloaded into .xls or .csv format.

To download the file follow the steps below:

Run the transaction code with Storage bin and Warehouse number and select “Product-Based Selection”

 
 

Select the lines on the output and click on the export file button.
 

Data is downloaded into the file.

Note: I find no connection between download and upload transactions, i.e the upload transaction can be used to create the PI documents (without running the download transaction) as long as the data in the upload file is correct and in the format. Upload file should be in the format of the download file using this transaction.

b. Using EWM Monitor /N/SCWM/MON 

In monitor transaction open the report shown below and follow the steps shown in the screenshot

 

 

  Select the spreadsheet option and save the file into local drive.  

Note:

The BINs being counted should be blocked for movements until the PI process is complete. Otherwise, there will be chances that the stock status of the bins will be changed by subsequent warehouse Tasks.

Step 2: Do PI and record the count result in the excel/csv sheet in the upload file format 

As this step is done external to the EWM, there is no details described here.

Step 3: Prepare Upload file with count results in upload file format

The upload file should be either in .xls or .csv format. The file template should be the same as the download file of /N/SCWM/PI_DOWNLOAD transaction (shown above). SAP Note 1507702 documentation and attachment in the note gives guidelines on filling the upload file. Screenshots of sample upload file prepared for this example are given below. 

Note:

1. I faced many errors even after following the guide lines provided by SAP on how to fill the upload file, I had to spend lot time on debugging and code reading to understand and fix the upload file. So the attached .xls is one that prepared based my analysis and has changes on top of SAP guidance on filling the upload file
2. I find no connection between download and upload transactions, i.e the upload transaction can be used to create the PI documents (without running the download transaction) as long as the data in the upload file is correct and in the format.

Upload file preparation (The process explained here will create an upload file for EL – External Location based PI): 

The upload file may have the following types of lines (Please refer the screenshot of the):

There are 4 Lines:

1. Header Text
2. Hader Data
3. Item data
4. Item Details data

  

See the example below (Also screenshots of the upload excel sheet). Shown are only those key fileds used in excel as part example.

In this example, the stock befoure counting was (Bins counted XXXX and YYYY): 

i)                    First line as a column header (this record will be deleted in the program).

ii)                   The Second row is Header data for PI document, there should be one Header line for each bin counted. Each Item and item details lines should have the corresponding Header item number. Following are the mandatory fields for header (You can fill the rest of the fields if you have data, please refer the guideline given in attached document “SAP Guideline” ):

Column	Field Name	Comments
C	Warehouse No.	EWM Warehouse number
D	External PI Document No.	Only Numeric allowed, a reference number to external PI document
E	Item	Item number of the external PI document. Note: This item number should exist in Header data record as well as all item and item details data records.
F	Hdr/Item data	H – for Header data I – for Team Data
G	Count Data	Enter the count data, in user date format
H	Time	HH:MM:SS format
I	Counter	Name of the person counted the PI
N	Reason Descr.	Enter the reason for counting. Note: The configuration required for this mentioned at a later point in this document
T	Storage Bin	Storage Bin Code

iii)                    The Third row is Item data for PI document, used to enter HU number and counting details at HU level. Following are the mandatory fields for Item (You can fill the rest of the fields if you have data, please refer the guideline given in attached document “SAP Guideline” ):

Column	Field Name	Comments
C	Warehouse No.	EWM Warehouse number
E	Item	Item number of the external PI document. Note: This item number should exist in Header data record as well as corresponding all item data records.
F	Hdr/Item data	H – for Header data I – for Team Data
M	Reason f. Phys. Inv.	Enter the reason for counting. Note: The configuration required for this mentioned at a later point in this document
T	Storage Bin	Storage Bin Code
X	HU	Enter the HU number Counted
Y	HU Compl.Cntd	X – If HU is completely Counted Space/Blank – If not Completely Counted
Z	HU Empty	X – If HU is empty Space – If not empty
AA	No HU	X – If HU is not found Space – If HU is found

                      Note: Mark “X” for only one column among Y, Z and AA per HU. 

iv)            The Fourth row is Item details data for PI document. Which is used to enter details like Batch number and Quantity counted of the HU (That was entered in line 3). Following are the mandatory fields for Item (You can fill the rest of the fields if you have data, please refer the guideline given in attached document “SAP Guideline” ):

            Note: This line is optional and required only when you have difference in HU quantity or if counting New HUs.   

Column	Field Name	Comments
C	Warehouse No.	EWM Warehouse number
E	Item	Item number of the external PI document. Note: This item number should exist in Header data record as well as corresponding all item and item details data records.
F	Hdr/Item data	H – for Header data I – for Team Data
M	Reason f. Phys. Inv.	Enter the reason for counting. Note: The configuration required for this mentioned at a later point in this document
T	Storage Bin	Storage Bin Code
U	Higher-Level HU	Enter the HU number Counted
AE	Product	Enter Product number of the HU
AG	Batch	Enter Batch number of the HU
AH	Stock Type	Enter stock type of the HU
AR	Owner	Enter Owner of the HU
AT	Ent. to Dispose	Enter Party Entailed to Dispose the Stock
BM	Qty Entered	Enter the counted quantity of the HU (Note it can be the same quantity as per the books or can be a different quantity as per the count)
BN	UoM Entered	Enter the UoM of the counted quantity

Step 4: Upload  and Create the PI document with count results (i.e with counted status)

Upload the data file using transaction /SCWM/PI_UPLOAD:   

Enter the warhouse number, Local File and destination, and chosse the Create PI Document options (PI document with and without count results can be created, howver, in this document with count results is explained) and execute the transaction. 

Check the uploaded data and log as shown in the screen shot below. 

Creating PI Document: Select ALL the header lines and hit create button

 

The selected line will disappear from the screen once the document is created and a pop-up gives the PI document # that was created.

 

PI document (created with count results) can be processed as a per Standard EWM PI process.   


Step 5: Post the differences in transaction /N/SCWM/PI_PROCESS

Step 6: Clear the differences /N/SCWM/DIFF_ANALIZER
 

Configuration Required:

1. Enable document types EL and ES for the PI Activity Areas.   

2. Configure reason code for each PI procedure (EL and ES)