How to setup SAP EWM Storage Type Control - Near Picking Station

In this IMG activity, the sorting rule for the putaway strategy "Nearly picking fixed bin" is determined. In addition, a fixed bin storage type is assigned to a reserve storage type.

The storage strategy "Near picking station" is used when storing the materials in a reserve warehouse near the picking station of this product. Corresponding settings can be made in the system so that you first search for a fixed storage bin. If the system does not find empty space, a reserve warehouse is determined. An adjacent empty space is searched for in the reserve warehouse, which is oriented to the storage location coordinates of the fairground (aisle, pillar, level). First, an empty space in the column of the square is searched, then in the next adjacent columns of the same corridor. The order of the levels is always ascending, from bottom to top. If there are several fixed slots, the selection is random.

It should be noted that sorting rule "Near picking station" only works for reserve storage types that are assigned to a fixed storage type and only for products for which a hard bin exists. If no fixed bin is available and storage without a hard bin is allowed, the search is either interrupted or a post bin with storage rule "empty bin" determined in this storage type, depending on the indicator.

In order to further refine the search strategy, the search width (the maximum distance of the reserve space from the fixed space in columns) can be controlled per level. In addition, the maximum number of storage bins occupied by a product can be restricted.

Before setting the sort rule, there are a few prerequisites to be aware of. Although the fixed bin storage type and the reserve storage type are defined as two different storage types, they form a spatial unit. The coordinate structure as well as the order of the storage bins of both storage types must be identical. For example, exactly superimposed storage bins of the festival site and the reserve warehouse may differ only in the values ​​of the level. The values ​​of gait and column must be the same. The storage location coordinates for the aisle and column formed from the storage bin must be numeric. Furthermore, the following settings for the reserve storage type must be made:

• The storage behavior "Normal" must be set.
• The storage rule "empty space" must be selected.
• The sorting rule "Near picking station" must be set.

The assignment of fixed- bin storage types to reserve- storage types is carried out in EWM Customizing under the path Extended Warehouse Management / Goods Receipt Process / Strategies / Putaway Rule / Sorting Near Picking Bin / Storage Type Control Near Picking Fixed Bin.

1. Warehouse number / warehouse complex , eg 0001 or S001 for central warehouse. 
   The warehouse number is an alphanumeric key that uniquely identifies a complex, physical warehouse. 
2. Storage type , eg 0050 for "fixed storage ". 
   A complex warehouse is divided into individual storage types. These differ by their storage technology, their organizational form or their function.
3. Structure of the storage location number with regard to shelf, column, level
   The coordinate structure of the storage location describes the order of the coordinates for shelf, column and level. A label is defined for each position of the storage bin coordinates. This indicator may only have 4 characteristics: A for coordinate shelf, B for coordinate column, C for coordinate level and "empty" for no coordinates. 
   Example:
   Storage Coordinate: 15-23-04
   Structure: AA BB CC
   So the storage bin is on shelf 15, pillar 23, level 04.
4. Reference storage type (fixed storage) to reserve storage, such as 0021 as "Shelf storage near fairground". 
   The reference storage type for the reserve storage is the storage type of the fixed storage bin.
5. Indicator of whether product without hard bin is allowed in reserve storage (active or inactive)
   This indicator determines whether a product may be stored in the reserve storage that is not assigned to a hard bin in the corresponding hard bin storage.
6. Number of reserve slots per product limited (active / inactive)
   This indicator determines whether the number of a single product of the occupied storage bins in the reserve warehouse is limited.
7. Number of storage bins of a product in the reserve storage type
   This parameter can be used to determine how many storage bins in the reserve storage area can be occupied by a single product. Important : In addition to setting this number, the indicator that limits the number of reserve slots per product must also be set. This indicator and the number of occupied storage bins apply to all products in the entire storage type.