1. What is the Batch?
This feature is enabled in SAP to meet the business need of distinguishing between products that are manufactured and those that are purchased, ensuring separate identification for tracking purposes. Industries such as food, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals are prime examples where maintaining Batch Management is essential.
A batch refers to a specific portion of a material that is handled and tracked independently from other portions of the same material.
2. Batch Levels
Plant level
The batch number is unique in connection with the plant and material.
The batch number is only known in the plant in which it was created. If the stock is transferred to another plant, the batch is unknown in the recipient plant and the system does not adopt any data. You must recreate and specify the batch in the receiving plant; that is, the same batch number may have different specifications in several plants.
Material level
The batch number is unique in all plants in connection with the material.
The same batch number has the same meaning for the material in all plants. One batch number cannot have different specifications in different plants. During stock transfer to another plant, the specification of the batch is known in the destination plant even if the batch is placed into storage in that plant for the first time.
Client level
The batch number is unique in the whole client. A batch number can only be assigned once in the client. You cannot assign the same batch number for different materials.
The batch number is only unique at the chosen level
3. Configuration - Batch Management
3.1. Define Batch Level
In this section, we can configure the batch level for batch management. There are three distinct options available for a material:
Plant level - Material level - Client level
When selecting the plant level, the batch number is unique in combination with the corresponding material and plant. If the material level is chosen, the batch number is unique only in relation to the material. At the client level, the batch number is unique across the entire client.
Customizing Path: Logistics General ® Batch Management ® Specify Batch Level & Activate Status Management
3.2. Activate Batch Status Management
After customizing the batch level, we can activate Batch status management.
3.3. Activate Internal Batch Number Assignment
We will set automatic internal number assignments for batches.
Path: Logistics General ® Batch Management ® Batch Number Assignment ® Activate Internal Batch Number Assignment
3.4. Maintain Internal Batch Number Assignment Range
We will maintain external and internal number ranges for the number range object BATCH_CLT for batches.
Customizing Path: Logistics General ® Batch Management ® Batch Number Assignment ® Maintain Internal Batch Number Assignment Range / Maintain Number Range for External Batch Number Assignment.
3.5. Define Batch Creation for Goods Movements
We can define for each movement type whether the batch number can be provided manually during batch creation and, if so, whether and how it is checked by the system.
Path: Logistics General ® Batch Management ® Creation of New Batches® Define Batch Creation for Goods Movements
Define Initial Creation of Data for Batch Master Transactions
Customizing Path: Logistics - General ® Batch Management ® Creation of New Batches® Define Initial Creation of Data for Batch Master Transactions
3.6. Batch Valuation
In this step, we will specify for each movement type whether batch classification is possible during goods movements and how it is to be carried out. If classification is activated, the object characteristics contained in the batch class are assigned values automatically.
3.7. Batch Determination and Batch Check
In this step, we will make the settings that are required for batch determination within individual applications. Batch determination is based on the condition technique.
3.7.1 Define Condition Tables
Customizing Path: SPRO ® Logistics General ® Batch Management® Batch Determination and Batch Check® Condition Tables ® Define Inventory Management Condition Tables
Condition table “901” created.
3.7.2 Define Access Sequences
Customizing Path: SPRO ® Logistics General ® Batch Management® Batch Determination and Batch Check® Access Sequences ® Define Inventory Management Access Sequences
Access Sequence “MY01” created and condition tables are linked.
3.7.3 Define Strategy Types
Customizing Path: SPRO ® Logistics General ® Batch Management® Batch Determination and Batch Check® Strategy Types ® Define Inventory Management Strategy Types
Strategy type “MY01” created. Class field will be maintained after class creation step.
3.7.4 Define Inventory Management Search Procedure
Customizing Path: SPRO ® Logistics General ® Batch Management® Batch Determination and Batch Check® Batch Search Procedure Definition ® Define Inventory Management Search Procedure
Batch search procedure “MY0001” created and related condition type maintained.
3.7.5 Batch Search Procedure Allocation and Check Activation
Customizing Path: SPRO ® Logistics General ® Batch Management® Batch Determination and Batch Check® Batch Search Procedure Allocation and Check Activation ® Allocate IM search Procedure/Activate Check
We will assign the search procedure MY0001 to the necessary movement types.
3.8. Create Characteristics (T Code – CT04)
-Characteristics for Shelf-Life Expiration Date (SLED)
-Characteristics for Date of Manufacture
-Characteristics for Remaining Shelf Life
-Characteristics for Last Goods Receipt Date
3.9. Define Selection Classes (T Code – CL01)
In this step, we will define selection classes. With the help of these selection classes, you define according to which criteria, that is, using which characteristics, batches are to be selected.
Customizing Path: SPRO – Logistics General – Batch Management – Batch Determination and Batch Check – Define Selection Classes
We created class and assigned characteristics that we created earlier.
After the creation of class, we need to assign this class to strategy type MY01 that we created earlier.
3.10. Define Sort Rules
In this step, we will set sort rules and link the corresponding characteristics to it. This sorting rule is then assigned to the Batch Condition Record (using Transaction Code MBC1). Based on this rule, the system will determine the sequence of Batch Numbers in Goods Movements.
Customizing Path: SPRO ® Logistics General ® Batch Management ® Batch Determination and Batch Check ® Define Sort Rules
In this step, we will create sort sequence and assign related characteristics for FEFO sorting rule.
After entering the necessary fields, click the Characteristics button to add characteristics.
3.11. Shelf-Life Expiration Date (SLED)
In this step, we will make the settings for the check and calculation of the shelf life expiration date (SLED).
Customizing Path: SPRO ® Logistics General ® Batch Management ® Shelf-Life Expiration Date ® Maintain Period Indicator
In this step, We will set the material shelf life expiration date check for goods receipts for each plant and movement type.
Customizing Path: SPRO ® Logistics General ® Batch Management®Shelf Life Expiration Date ® Set Expiration Date Check
Expiration Date Check per Movement Type will be maintained.
Expiration Date activation for plants.
Note: If the expiration date check is active in the plant, the user must enter either the shelf life expiration date or the production date of the material at the time of a goods receipt if:
The expiration date check is active for the movement type
The minimum remaining shelf life has been defined in the material master record or in the purchase order
4. Master Data Maintenance
In the Classification view we need to select class type as Batch and class that we defined earlier.
In the Purchasing view Batch management (Plant) indicator must be set for material.
In the Plant data / sto.1 view we need to fill below fields for the system to calculate SLED/BBD value.
4.1. Test Case 1: Creating batch via Goods Receipt against PO
PO created with material “143”.
Goods Receipt against PO
We need to enter date of manufacture field if we want from system to calculate SLED value. Then after clicking Check button system creates batch number and calculates the SLED value.
If the material’s entered manufactured date is under the remaining shelf-life, system will give an error like below. (System message can be set as warning. T-code: OCHS)
5. Batch Determination
In this step we will maintain condition records for batch strategy type. (T-code: MBC1)
We will create a search strategy for FEFO.
Fill the required fields movement type, plant, material.
Then select the line and click the Selection criteria button and enter the required characteristic values for selection criteria on determining batches.
Then select the line and click on the Sort button.
Now assign the sort rule.
5.1. Test Case 2: Checking batch determination for issuing material (FEFO)
While doing goods issue if you want to determine batches according to sort rule FEFO, click the marked button below.
On the screen that opens, the system shows the batches according to increasing SLED values.
Then click on the Copy button to adopt determined batches. In the goods issue screen batches will be displayed as below.
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