Availability Check in SAP SD

Availability Check – Basics and Customization

A. Basics

1) Backward Scheduling calculates the material availability date. This is the

date on which sufficient material should be available(for activities such as
picking, packing, loading and finally goods issue) so as to be able to
successfully deliver the goods to the customer on his requested delivery
date.(assuming customer requires complete delivery)
2) The delivery, therefore, should be created latest by this date or by
transportation planning date, whichever is earlier.
3) Availability Check is a function of SAP SD module that along with Transfer of
Requirements helps in checking if sufficient quantity of goods is available on
the above calculated availability date.
4) If sufficient quantity is not available on this date then goods cannot be
delivered on the customer's requested delivery date.
5) Forward Scheduling then calculates the new availability date and thus a new
delivery date is confirmed in the schedule line.
6) Availability check is done at Plant Level.
7) Results of availability check may vary according to Replenishment Lead
Time(RLT) , Partial Delivery Constraints or other such considerations.
(described ahead)
8) Types of availability check :
a) Against ATP Quantities (with or without RLT)

b) Against Planning.

c) Against Product Allocation

9) Available-To-Promise or ATP : On any given date ATP quantities give the

number one can commit for an order which is to be delivered on some future.
ATP= Warehouse Stock + Planned Inward Receipts – Planned Outward
Issues

Where Stock can include unrestricted stock, stock in transfer, stock in quality
inspection, blocked stock, restricted use stock etc.

Inward Movements can include Purchase Orders, Purchase requisitions,

planned orders, Production orders etc.

Outward Movements can include Sales Orders, Deliveries, Reservations,

and Sales Requirements etc.
 10) R-L-T : The time needed to produce or order the material. In other
words it is the time by which the material is produced in house or if it is
trading good the time by which it can be procured. If availability check
includes RLT , the check is carried out only till the end of this time any
amount will be available after this time.

For goods produced in-house :

R-L-T = Tot. Replenishment time (MMR-MRP3 View), If maintained

else if above field not maintained

R-L-T = In-House Production Time (MMR- Work Scheduling view) + GR

processing time (MMR-MRP2 View)

For externally procured goods :

R-L-T = Purchasing Processing time(MMR- Purchasing view) +

Planned Delivery

time(MMR-MRP2 view) + GR Processing time (MMR-

MRP2 view)

$$ RLT is included only in check against ATP. * MMR is Material

Master record

11) Complete Delivery/Partial Delivery Indicator : Complete delivery

indicator is specified in CuMR – Shipping Tab and is applicable at the header
level of the Sales Order. This specifies if the entire order that is all the items
in the order are to be delivered together.
The Partial delivery indicator(and the number of partial deliveries
allowed) comes from either CMIR or CuMR- Shipping Tab. This specifies if all the
quantities of the item has to be delivered in one single delivery or can be delivered
in multiple partial deliveries. This is applicable at Header Level but can be changed
at item level in the Sales Document.

* CMIR – Customer Material Info Record CuMR – Customer

Master Record

Effects on Delivery date of complete and partial delivery.

 % In above figure the End lead time(R-L-T) is 15.05.2013. Any quantity ordered will be
confirmed for that date.

B. Customization

Since Availability Check lies within the integration precinct between SD and
MM the control features can be found in both SD and MM module. The focus
here is on customization in SD but a bit of MM features are also studied for
getting a holistic picture.

I)

1) Transfer of Requirements : Requirements are planned outward movements.

All material orders are transferred to the MRP in the form of requirements by
SD. This also helps in planning future requirements as procurement can
further advice production (in case materials need to be produced) or
purchasing(in case materials need to be procured).Without ToR availability
check is not effective.
2) Planning Strategies : Are business procedures for planning the production
(quantities and dates) of material.
3) Strategy Group : The allowed planning strategies (main strategy and further possible
 strategies) are combined in the strategy group. The strategy group is plant-wise assigned
to MRP group. Also strategy group can be directly maintained in MMR-MRP3(which has
priority over MRP assignment).
4) MRP group : Groups materials having the same MRP requirements and thus helps
controlling these materials for MRP. This is maintained in MMR-MRP1 view.
5) MRP Type (MMR-MRP1 View) : Is a key that determines how the material is to be
planned.
6) Requirements Type : Among other things Requirements types refer to the Requirements
class. Requirements Types in turn are a part of Planning Strategy. If not maintained there
they are determined from the combination of MRP type and Item categories.
7) Requirements Class : Apart from other things it controls globally if availability check and
ToR is to be done for the material in SD Documents on the basis of ATP Logic.
8) Schedule Line Categories : Where Requirements Class determine globally if availability
and ToR is to be done, at Micro level this is determined by Schedule Line Category. Thus
if they are switch on at Requirements Class level they can be switched off at Schedule
Line Level but if they are Off at Requirements Class level they cannot be turned on at
Schedule Line Level.
9) Delivery item category : The delivery item category can be used to control whether an
availability check takes place in deliveries.
10) Checking Group : Decides which requirement to transfer - individual(for each order) or
summarized(Daily/Weekly) and whether to block the material(at plant level) during the
time of availability check for simultaneous orders. Also can deactivate availability check.
It is proposed in MMR.
11) Checking Rule : Along with Checking Group it decides scope of check for a particular
transaction and id hard coded for example for Sales Order it is 'A' for delivery it is 'B' etc
12) Scope of check : Decides what kind of stocks, incoming movements, outgoing
movments are to be checked during availability check and if check includes RLT. It also
checks if Availability Check is to be done on Storage Location Level or not.

To summarize (Refer Snapshots below for all relevant transactions):

Strategy group contains planning strategies which in turn contain
Requirement Type(if not there it comes from combination of MRP Type and Item Category)
which in turn refers to Requirements class which globally determine, for the material, if
Availability check and ToR are to be done and locally this is controlled by Schedule Line
Category in Sales Document and by Delivery Item Category in Delivery Document.

Checking Group decides if requirements are to be transferred weekly, daily or per

transaction. Also along with checking rule it decides scope of check.
 SNAPSHOTS

1) T-Code: MM03

Strategy group Assignment

2) T-Code OPPT

Strategy group – Planning Startegies

3) T-Code OPPS

Planning Strategy – Requirement Type

4) T-Code OVZH

Requirement Type – Requirement Class Assignment

5) T-Code OVZG

6) T-Code VA03

Requirement type in Sales Order

 7) T-Code VOV6

ToR and Availability in Schedule Line Category

8)

Checking Group
9) T-Code OVZ9
Transcript

 1. AVAILABILITY CHECK By Srinivasulu Algaskhanpet (SAP SD Consultant) Page 1

Availability check is a process of checking the stock availability while creating sales
order. Pre-Requisites for TOR: 1. In Schedule line category Check availability and
requirement 2. Availability check/checking group We maintain this field in "material
master sales general/plant". This field controls how sales requirements are updated in
MRP. 01 - Daily requirement 02 - Individual requirement 01:System cumulates sales
order requirements of particular day and updates in a single line in MRP. 02:System
updates each sales order requirement into MRP along with the sales order number. Note:
If we maintain "01" back order processing is not possible. KP: No check

 2. AVAILABILITY CHECK By Srinivasulu Algaskhanpet (SAP SD Consultant) Page 2

3. Requirement type should be determined into sales documentThe criteria to determine
requirement type in sales document is: I. Strategy Group II. MRP Group III. Item
category + MRP Type 4. In requirement class Check availability and requirement

 3. AVAILABILITY CHECK By Srinivasulu Algaskhanpet (SAP SD Consultant) Page 3

Note: Requirement class will help to transfer the sales order requirements to MRP.
Configuration for Availability Check: Availability Check can be configured in 3 ways. 1.
Availability Check with ATP (Availability To Promise) 2. Availability Check with Product
Allocation 3. Rule based Availability Check I. Availability Check with ATP (Availability
To Promise) Path: SPRO > S&D > Basic Functions > Availability Check & Transfer of
requirement > Availability Check > Availability check with ATP > Define Checking
group "Checking Group" is nothing but availability check field in "material master sales
general/plant"

 4. AVAILABILITY CHECK By Srinivasulu Algaskhanpet (SAP SD Consultant) Page 4

In this configuration step we can define our own checking group. The standard checking
groups are: 01 – Daily Requirements 02 – Individual Requirement KP - No Check This
configuration step will also help to control how the sales requirement should be
transferred to MRP. Note:Availability check is material and plant specific II. Define
Material Block for other Users: Path: SPRO > S&D > Basic Functions > Availability
Check and Transfer of requirements > Availability Check > Availability Check with ATP
> Define material block for other users If multiple users are accessing availability check
for the same material in the same plant then system performs availability check for the
first user and block availability for the other users. In this step with the combination of
availability check and initiator we check block. Initiator: A - Sales Order C - Reservations
B - Delivery III. Define checking groups default values: Path: SPRO > S&D > Basic
Functions > Availability Check and Transfer of requirements > Availability Check >
Availability Check with ATP > Define checking groups default values

 5. AVAILABILITY CHECK By Srinivasulu Algaskhanpet (SAP SD Consultant) Page 5

If we maintain checking group here it automatically proposes by default while creating
material master. In this configuration step we maintain checking group to the
combination of material type and plant. IV. Carry out Control for Availability Check: We
 also call it as "scope of check". We configure scope of check with the combination of
"Checking group and Checking rule".

 6. AVAILABILITY CHECK By Srinivasulu Algaskhanpet (SAP SD Consultant) Page 6

"Checking Rule" specifies in which transaction we want to configure availability check.
A - Sales Order B - Delivery 1. Include Safety stock:This is the minimum stock level
which company has to maintain to meet the future emergency requirements. We have this
field in "Material master MRP 2" view. If we check this field system will consider safety
stock also while performing availability check. 2. Stock in Transit:We use this field in
STO Process In STO two-step process where we do delivery in supplying plant the stock
will be displayed as stock in transit in receiving point. If we check this system will
consider the stock which is in transit also, while performing availability check in
receiving point. 3. Include Quality Inspection Stock:If we check this system will consider
the stock which is in quality inspection while performing availability check. The
movement type for quality inspection is "503" Note:To check the result "post the un-
restricted stock" by using movement type "503" Stock Posting - MB1C Stock Overview -
MMBE Check and uncheck the field and check the result. 4. Include Blocked Stock:If we
check this field system will consider the stock which is blocked while performing
availability check. The movement type for blocked store is "505" Note:Post the blocked
stock and check in stock overview. Check and uncheck this field and see the result by
creating order. 5. Check without RLT:If we check this field system will not confirm the
quantities if the stock is not available. If we uncheck this, system will confirm the
quantities in future dates based on RLT.

 7. AVAILABILITY CHECK By Srinivasulu Algaskhanpet (SAP SD Consultant) Page 7

6. Include Purchase Orders:If we check this system will consider the inward movements
(the purchase order stock) while performing availability check. 7. Include Purchase
Requisition:In real time we don't depend on purchase requisition. Because, it is not the
exact source for getting the stock. 8. Include Sales Requirement:If we check this system
will deduct the open order quantities from stock while performing availability check. If
we uncheck this system will consider the stock while performing availability check.
Note:Create material, post the stock and check the result. Schedule line > Environment >
Availability 9. Include Deliveries:Whenever we create deliveries the deliveries will also
updates in "MD04". If we check this system deducts open delivery quantities from stock
while performing availability check. If we uncheck this system will not deduct open
delivery quantities from stock while performing availability check. V. Define Procedure
by Requirement Class: In this configuration step we need to check requirement and
availability. VI. Define Procedure by schedule line category: In the configuration step we
check availability and requirement fields. VII. Determine Procedure for each delivery
item category: This configuration controls whether to perform availability check in
delivery document or not. In below scenarios we perform availability check in delivery
document. a. Delivery without reference b. Adding new line items in deliveries c.
Increase or decrease the quantities in deliveries d. Stock Transfer

 8. AVAILABILITY CHECK By Srinivasulu Algaskhanpet (SAP SD Consultant) Page 8

Exercise: 1. Create Order without posting stock and check how it is proposing the stock?
 System is not confirming any quantity as there is no stock 2. Post stock with quantity 5
and created order with 5 quantity and check Order quantity is 5 and system also
confirmed quantity of 5.

 9. AVAILABILITY CHECK By Srinivasulu Algaskhanpet (SAP SD Consultant) Page 9

3. Now create order with quantity 10 and check. When we enter order quantity and press
enter system will check the availability. As we have stock of 5 quantity system is
proposing only 5 quantities. Click on tick mark and check the schedule lines. Even the
order quantity is 10 system confirms only 5.

 10. AVAILABILITY CHECK By Srinivasulu Algaskhanpet (SAP SD Consultant) Page

10 4. Maintain RLT (2 days) in Material master and uncheck the field check without RLT
in scope of check and create order. In this scenario we can see that system is confirming
the 5 quantity and proposing the delivery date for another 5 quantity in future as we
maintained RLT. Click on the tick mark and check the schedule lines. System confirming
the quantities on 2 different dates. This is all about the availability check. We can do
same this by posting quality inspection stock, block stock, stock in transit etc.

 11. AVAILABILITY CHECK By Srinivasulu Algaskhanpet (SAP SD Consultant) Page

11 Back Order Processing: Whenever high delivery priority customer places an order, if
the stock is not available then we go back to open orders of low delivery priority
customers and cancel the confirmations and assign to high delivery priority customer
order. Note: The back order processing is available only for those materials that have the
individual requirements i.e., in material master record the parameter for "availability
check" must be "02". The T. Code to create checking rule is “OPJL” The T. Code to
assign checking rule to availability check is “OVZ9” After maintaining these setting
continue with the configuration for back order processing. Configuration for Back Order
Processing: 1. Checking Rule for updating backorders: Path: SPRO > S&D > Basic
functions > Availability check and transfer of requirements > Availability check with ATP
> Checking rule for updating back orders Here we assign checking rule "BO" to our plant
If we don’t find our plant in this path, in this case we need to maintain plant parameters.
Path: SPRO > Production > Material Requirements Planning > Plant Parameters > Carry
out overall maintenance of plant parameters > Create 2. Carryout control for availability
check: Here maintain the combination for checking group "02" and checking rule "BO"

 12. AVAILABILITY CHECK By Srinivasulu Algaskhanpet (SAP SD Consultant) Page

12 Note: a. If the plant is not displayed in backorder then maintain plant parameter for
that plant. Path: SPRO > MM > Inventory management & Physical inventory > Plant
Parameter Select the standard Plant 1000 and click on copy and maintain plant parameter
b. Maintain plant parameter in production Path: SPRO > Production > Material
requirement planning > Plant parameter > Carryout overall maintenance of plant
parameters Click on copy "1000" in from plant "SPI1" in to plant and again click on
copy.

 13. AVAILABILITY CHECK By Srinivasulu Algaskhanpet (SAP SD Consultant) Page

13 3. Define Default Settings: Fixed date and quantity: If we check this system will not
 allow users to change delivery dates and confirmed quantities. Availability checking
rule:In case of shortages system proposes dialogue box with the help of availability check
rule. Scenario for Back Order Processing: i. Create a Material: P-Mobile MRP Type: PD
Availability check: 02 Strategy group: 10 ii. Create 2 Customer: 112 – Low delivery
priority customer 130 – High delivery priority customer iii. Do stock posting for created
material T.Code: MB1C Qty: 5 iv. Create order for low delivery priority customer (Qty:2)
and check in schedule line data

 14. AVAILABILITY CHECK By Srinivasulu Algaskhanpet (SAP SD Consultant) Page

14 v. Create another order for low delivery priority customer (Qty: 3) and check the
confirmed quantity in schedule line data. vi. Create another order for high delivery
priority customer (Qty: 3) and check the confirmed quantity in schedule line data.

 15. AVAILABILITY CHECK By Srinivasulu Algaskhanpet (SAP SD Consultant) Page

15 System will not confirm any quantity as there is no stock. So in order to confirm the
quantity to high delivery priority customer do the back order processing. T.Code: v_ra
Enter material, plant and execute. Select the orders from which we want to cancel the
confirmations and select the order to which you want to assign the confirmed quantity

 16. AVAILABILITY CHECK By Srinivasulu Algaskhanpet (SAP SD Consultant) Page

16 Select both and click on Backorders. Select the Confirmed order and click on change
confirmation.

 17. AVAILABILITY CHECK By Srinivasulu Algaskhanpet (SAP SD Consultant) Page

17 Remove committed quantity and click on okay We can see that the confirmed quantity
becomes “0”. After that click on high delivery priority customer order and click on
change confirmation.

 18. AVAILABILITY CHECK By Srinivasulu Algaskhanpet (SAP SD Consultant) Page

18 Enter the committed quantity and click on okay . And save the document. Go to the
order of high delivery priority customer and check the committed quantity in schedule
lines. System confirms the quantity.

 19. AVAILABILITY CHECK By Srinivasulu Algaskhanpet (SAP SD Consultant) Page

19 Re-scheduling: If system performs backorder processing automatically then we call it
as re-scheduling. i. Create Material and post the stock of 5 quantities. In our case it is Q-
Mobile. ii. Create order for low delivery priority customer and save. (Qty: 5) And check
in schedule line to see how much quantity got confirmed. iii. Create order of high
delivery priority customer and check schedule line. (Qty: 5)

 20. AVAILABILITY CHECK By Srinivasulu Algaskhanpet (SAP SD Consultant) Page

20 iv. T.Code for Re-scheduling is V_V2 Here we can see the for high delivery priority
customer quantity has been confirmed automatically. And also check the same in
schedule lines for high delivery priority customers order. This is all about availability
check, back order processing and re-scheduling process.
Transfer of requirements in SAP SD
6 of 6