Bills of Material

Use
AFS materials contain information about colors, sizes and qualities that are stored in
grids and categories. Due to the data quantity, there are certain requirements for the bill
of material that must be covered by AFS. These requirements are also used as a quantity
structure for the product costing (see Definition of BOMs and Routings).

Features
In the area of production planning and control, AFS has developed specific enhancements
for the material BOM.
Prepacks are also included in the material BOM. Prepacks and assortments are bills of
material you use in Sales (see Prepacks and Assortments).
Component Consumption at Grid Value Level

In AFS you can store the component consumption at grid level in the BOM. That means,
for example, that you enter the fabric consumption in the color black for a black jacket.
If the header material and component material have different grids, you can maintain the
corresponding component quantities for each header grid value using a tree structure. The
first dimension of the header grid is the first level in the tree structure, the second
dimension is the second level, and the third dimension is the third level. This way you
can maintain the corresponding component quantities for these header dimensions in the
grid below the tree display by selecting a specific header dimension which is represented
by a node in the tree. With the tree structure you only have to enter a component quantity
once which is valid for several header grid values.
You can find further information on this subject under Automatic Grid Value Assignment,
Manual Grid Value Assignment, Deviation Quantities and Zero Quantities and Quantity
Distribution Profile.
Bills of material can consist of one or several levels. You can assign an SAP standard
component to an AFS material. But you cannot assign AFS components to an SAP
standard material.
Categories

You can include or exclude certain categories in the BOM. During the AFS MRP, the
BOM is exploded using the category control.
If you include or exclude categories in the BOM, make sure that the categories are
assigned to you header material.
You can only include or exclude categories.
You want to create a BOM for a jacket in quality 1 and for customer segment A. For
this jacket you need the following components: Fabric, zipper and buttons.

You have assigned the following requirements categories to your jacket: 001A, 002B
and 003C. You either exclude both categories 002B and 003C from the bill of material
or you include category 001A in the BOM.

AFS Restrictions
Multiple bills of material are not supported in AFS.
AFS MRP does not consider follow-up materials.
AFS MRP does not consider alternative items.
AFS does not support intra materials.
AFS only supports the direct procurement of BOM items that are described as stock items.

However, non-stock items are not supported by AFS.

Mass changes for AFS-specific data are not supported.
AFS does not support the selection-ID for the alternative selection when exploding the
BOM during MRP (Standard Customizing). Instead, AFS uses the alternative determination
using the key for the BOM application that belongs to the order type (Standard
Customizing).
The AFS BOM does not support an interface to CAD.
In the where-used list of components in other BOMs, AFS-specific data is not considered.
In the modification parameters of the SAP standard Customizing you can define that
changes of subitems should be documented. This function is not supported by AFS.
BOM change documents for deviation quantities and categories - Essentially whenever you
make any change to a field, change documents are created. For an AFS BOM if you make
changes to the deviation quantity (either insert, change or delete) or to the categories
(exclude/include) the change documents are not created. This is because the functionality
to create the change documents are not enhanced for AFS BOM.

Phantom Assemblies in AFS

Use
You create a phantom assembly to logically group components so that you can, for example,
easily enter a large number of components and manage them together.

The components of a phantom assembly are included directly in the

assembly superior to it.

Features
Please note the following restrictions:

As in the standard, dependent requirements are only created for the components of the
phantom assembly and not for the phantom assembly itself.
AFS restriction: You cannot change the quantity of the phantom assembly in the
planned order or in the production order.
AFS restriction: If you add a phantom assembly in the planned order or the production
order, the BOM will not be exploded and the assembly will be treated as a normal
requirements-relevant component.

Activities
You define a phantom assembly in the material master with the special procurement key 50.

Automatic Grid Value Assignment

Features
If a component has the same grid as the header material, the system automatically assigns the
grid values of the component to the grid values of the header material. A component without grid
or a standard component are automatically assigned to the header material as well.
If you want to maintain consumption quantities for the components that deviate from the default
quantities, then enter the deviation and zero quantities (see Deviation Quantities and Zero
Quantities).
Normally the system considers the default quantities as consumption quantities for the
components when exploding the bills of material during MRP. If you have entered deviation
quantities for specific grid values, the system will use these.

For the fall season you plan the production of jeans in sizes: inseam 28,
30 and 32 and waist 28, 29, 30 and 31. You procure the undyed, tailored
jeans fabric in the corresponding sizes from your external vendor. The
fabric is dyed and sewn during the production activity.
You stored a two-dimensional grid for the jeans with the dimensions
inseam and waist. Due to the prefabricated cut, the jeans fabric also has
a two-dimensional grid that contains the dimensions inseam and waist.
The system automatically assigns the jeans fabric to the jeans in the
corresponding sizes and widths.

To automatically assign the grid values of the components to the grid

values of the header material, the grid of the header material must
correspond entirely or partially to the grid of the component. That means
that the grid values of the header material must be contained in the grid
of the component.

To facilitate the data maintenance, we recommend that you use the

automatic grid value assignment for as many materials as possible.

************************************************

Manual Grid Value Assignment

Features
If the component has a different grid than the header material, you must manually assign the grid
values of the components to the grid values of the header material in the bill of material.
You carry out the assignment of the grid values of a component to the grid values of a header
material in a grid that contains the combination of all grid values of the component and the header
material. Then you manually assign the consumption quantities for each individual grid value of
the component to the grid values of the header material. These may differ from each other (see
Deviation Quantities and Zero Quantities).
When exploding a bill of material during MRP, the system uses the consumption quantities
entered here per grid value for the components.

For the winter season you plan the production of a ski jacket in sizes 6,
8, 10, 12 and 14 and with the colors black, white and red. You procure
the fabric for this jacket from an external vendor. During the production,
the cutting of the fabric is one operation and the sewing another.
During the sewing procedure, a zipper in the corresponding color should
be sewn in each jacket. The ski jacket in size 6 gets a zipper in size 44.
The zippers in sizes 46, 48 and 50 are used for the larger jackets.
For the ski jacket you stored a two-dimensional grid with the dimensions
size and color. The grid of the zipper is one-dimensional and contains the
specific sizes of the zipper. The system creates a grid in which you can
see the colors and sizes of the ski jacket on the one side and on the
other side, you can see the sizes of the zipper. Here, you enter the
consumption quantities for the zipper per size/color of the ski jacket.

If the header material and the component have different grids, you must
manually assign the grid values of the header material and the grid
values of the component to each other. If that is not the case, the system
cannot find the bill of material for the header material during the further
logistical process.

********************************************************

Deviation Quantities and Zero Quantities

Use
Individual customer requirements are common in the apparel and footwear industry. These
requirements can be colors, sizes and fashionable cuts. They are used throughout the entire
process, from the production to the components. This requires you to have different consumption
quantities for the characteristic values of the components. To meet those requirements, AFS
allows you to enter both deviation and zero quantities in the bill of material.

Features
When maintaining the deviation quantities of different grid values, you can consider different
consumption quantities for each individual grid value during the BOM explosion. By entering zero
quantities you can exclude certain grid values during the BOM explosion.

The deviation and zero quantities refer only to grid values, but not to
categories.
You have the following options:

If the component does not have a grid or the same grid as the header material, or if the
component is an SAP standard material, the system automatically assigns the grid values
to each other (see Automatic Grid Value Assignment). You maintain the deviation
quantities of the components only for the grid values for which you need a higher or lower
consumption. If you do not need certain grid values of a component for the production of
a certain quality, you must maintain zero quantities (x). To do so, choose the function
Mode in the screen Maintain deviation quantities for BOM items.
Normally the system considers the default quantities as consumption quantities for the
components when exploding the bills of material during MRP. However, if you have
maintained deviation quantities for certain grid values, the system will use those.

If the component has a different grid than the header material, you must manually assign
the grid values to each other (Manual Grid Value Assignment). If the consumption
quantities of the components are different, for example for different sizes, you enter them
here. If you do not need certain grid values of a component for the production of a header
material, then you should either not maintain the corresponding assignment or you
should enter a zero in this grid field.
When exploding a bill of material during MRP, the system uses the consumption
quantities maintained here per grid value for the components.

You produce ladies ski pants in both black and white in the sizes 6, 8,
10, 12 and 14. On average you need 1.48m of the black or white fabric
for one pair of ski pants. For the ladies ski pants in sizes 8, 10, 12 and
14, you need 0.02m more of the fabric per size. You maintain the
deviation quantities for the fabric per size and color.

Since the fabric of the white pants is slightly transparent, you produce a
lining for each size of these pants, which you attach during the sewing
process. You do not need a lining for the black pants and you therefore
maintain zero quantities for them. For the lining you maintain the fabric
consumption per size of the white ski pants.

You can also enter deviation and zero quantities standard components.

**************************************************

Quantity Distribution Profile

Use
The quantity distribution profile facilitates the data maintenance in the bill of material. It is used as
input help for the grid value assignment (see Automatic Grid Value Assignment and Manual Grid
Value Assignment) and for the maintenance of the deviation and zero quantities (see Deviation
Quantities and Zero Quantities).

Prerequisites
You can define a quantity distribution profile for the following cases:

The header material of a BOM and its component have the same grid.
Due to the automatic grid value assignment, a consumption quantity was assigned to
each grid value that corresponds to the default quantity at component level. In this case it
is advantageous to use the quantity distribution profile only for grid values, whose
consumption quantity deviates from the default quantity. You can use the same quantity
distribution profile for the assignment of different materials that are based on the same
grids.

The header material of a BOM and its component have different grids.
When using the quantity distribution profile, it is not necessary to manually assign grid
values. You can use the same quantity distribution profile for the assignment of different
materials that are based on the same grids.

It is advantageous to use a quantity distribution profile in the BOM if you use only
a few grids to define the characteristics of many materials. Then you can use the
same quantity distribution profile again and again.

Features

When you create a quantity distribution profile you can show all the existing grid values of
the header material and then maintain the grid values of the component either manually
or by using the input help.
After you have selected a quantity distribution profile, the system will display the factor
values that already exist for it.
You can also enter a new quantity distribution profile for BOMs by using the engineering
change management / change number. Please note that changes at SKU level are not
displayed when the change documents are displayed.
The mass data change for AFS also includes the quantity distribution profile. For more
information, see Mass Data Change with Quantity Distribution Profile.

Activities
To assign a new quantity distribution profile to a BOM, do as follows:
1. Define a quantity distribution profile.
When creating the quantity distribution profile, you assign the grid values of the header
material to the grid values of the component. You specify a distribution factor for each
assignment. The factor refers to the default quantity as the basis quantity you have
maintained in the BOM at component level. According to this distribution factor, the
system distributes the default quantities among the grid values. The default quantities are
calculated based on the base quantities of the grid values.
2. Assign the quantity distribution profile to your BOM.

Example
You produce ladies' blazers and know from experience that you have an excess consumption of
2% per size. Your reference grid value is 38 and the base quantity is 2 m.
Quantity distribution profile

0.06360.08Size

Distribution Factor

38 (reference grid value)34

40

1.02

42

1.04

44

1.06

You would get the following result if you use the quantity distribution profile above when creating
the BOM.
Default Quantities per Size

Size

Default Quantities in m

34

1.92

36

1.96

38

2.00 (base quantity)

40

2.04

42

2.08

44

2.12

Check Function for Quantity Distribution Profile

Use
A quantity distribution profile contains factors by which the component quantity is
multiplied for the respective header dimension values.
With the check function for quantity distribution profiles you can
check if the quantity distribution profiles are correct
see which quantity distribution profiles are used in which BOMs
check whether the BOM quantities match the quantities calculated by the quantity

distribution profile
see if the BOM grids match the respective quantity distribution profile

Features
You have the following selection options in the initial screen of the check function:
Quantity distribution profile
Grid
Quantity distribution profiles without entries for header dimensions
Only profiles whose header grids and component grids are different
Comparison at SKU level

When using Compare at SKU Level, we recommend that you only select a few
quantity distribution profiles, in order to avoid long runtimes.

In the check result you find two lists and the following indicators:
Green checkmark indicating correctness
Red cross indicating errors
Red highlight if the factor value equals zero or if the grids of the BOM do not patch the

respective quantity distribution profile.

Scissors if the quantity distribution profile is not used in a BOM (Compare at SKU Level
must be selected for this)

In the list on the left, you can see the respective quantity distribution profile and the grid
values with the corresponding factor values. For example, you can see if a quantity
distribution profile was not entered for a grid value which means that the factor value
equals zero.
In the list on the right you can call a display for the selected quantity distribution profiles
to see which BOMs there are used in. If you have selected Compare at SKU Level, you
will see the quantities according to the BOM and according to the quantity distribution
profile. That way you can quickly see where the BOM quantity deviates from the quantity
calculated by the quantity distribution profile.
You can go to the quantity distribution profile maintenance and the BOM maintenance
from the check function.

Examples
Example 1
If you extend a grid by a new dimension, no factor is stored for this dimension in the
quantity distribution profile. If you then calculate the dimension-dependent quantities
using the quantity distribution profile for components that have a different grid than the
header material, the profile will have the factor 0 and the requirements quantity 0 will be
created in the BOM.
The check function would then flag the quantity distribution profile as incorrect and
highlight the factor value zero in red for the grid values.
Example 2
If you extend the grid of the BOM header material or BOM component material, the
quantity distribution profile used for this BOM might no longer be valid. If the quantity
distribution profile no longer fits, the grids highlighted in red in the BOM will indicate
this.

***************************************************

Mass Data Change of AFS BOMs with

Quantity Distribution Profile
Use
If you want to carry out a mass data change for AFS bills of materials, you must use the
function Quantity Distribution Profile. The quantities at SKU level are calculated as described in
the document Quantity Distribution Profile.

Note that the mass data change is controlled depending on the object
type. That means that the mass data change with a quantity distribution
profile is only significant for the object type material and therefore for
material BOMs.

Features

The selection area as well as the item area of the mass data change screen have been
enhanced with the quantity distribution profile. If you enter a quantity distribution profile in
the selection area, only those components with the corresponding quantity distribution
profile will be displayed for change.
If you enter a quantity distribution profile in the item change area, all the items selected in
the selection area will be displayed. If the quantity distribution profile is not permitted for
certain items, the checkbox in the item listing will not be ready for input for those items.
If you do not enter a quantity distribution profile in the item change area the quantity has
been changed, the system will check for all the selected items whether or not a quantity
distribution profile is required. If a quantity distribution profile is necessary but none is
entered in the BOM, the checkbox will not be ready for input. That means that you cannot
make any changes to the respective BOM item.

****************************************************************************************

Routings
Use
In AFS routings are required not only as default for mass production and make-to-order
production but also as a basis for the product costing (see
Definition of Bills of Material and
Routings). Using routing in AFS, you can subdivide the material to be produced into categories,
such as different qualities. This schedule line is important for the selection of the routing and the
BOM when producing a material.

Features

The routing you use in AFS corresponds to the routing you used in the standard system.
You can either include certain categories in the routing or exclude selected categories from it.
Depending on whether you include or exclude a certain category in a routing, the routing will only
contain those procedures that are required for the production of materials in this category.

Categories
You can find further information on categories in the routing under Bills of Materials.
Selection Criteria for AFS Routings
First the system selects the routing using criteria from the SAP standard. The system first checks
the quantity to be produced, the validity date and then the version of the production process
referring to the material to be produced. Then the system selects the routing according to the
categories.
The procedures are assigned to the production order according to the selected categories or the
procedures are removed from the production order according to the non-selected categories (see
Production Orders). When maintaining several routings for the same categories, the system
proposes the selection of these routings.

AFS Restrictions

You cannot create rate routings for AFS materials.

AFS does not support standard rate routings.
A reference to standard routings is not possible for AFS-specific data.
The engineering change management is not supported for categories.
AFS MRP does not consider alternative and parallel procedures.
In the SAP standard you can assign components to the external processing that are
provided for the vendor in the purchase requisition / purchase order. AFS does not
support this function.

***************************************************************

Time-Phased Special Procurement Key (AFS)

Use
The apparel and footwear industry requires that requirements are transferred directly to specific
plants. Special procurement keys are usually used for this. For example, the process step sewing
is executed in a separate plant.
The function time-phased special procurement in AFS enables you to determine the delivering or
manufacturing plant time-dependent for specific special procurement keys (40, 70, 80). That
means that you redirect the source of supply depending on the time period.

This function is unlike that of the SAP standard, because the standard
special procurement keys are maintained in the material master and
create a fixed assignment to another plant.

Integration
This function has been integrated in the areas PP and MM.

Prerequisites
In order to work with time-phased special procurement keys, you must

make the standard Customizing settings for special procurement types

maintain the special procurement in the material master (view MRP 2)
make sure that the material exists in the plants specified
make sure that a bill of material exists for this material
make AFS-specific settings for the time-dependent plant determination

Features
You can use this function with the following special procurement keys:

Stock transfer (from plant to plant) (40)

Reservation from alternate plant (70)
Production in alternate plant (80)

With this function you fill an AFS-specific table for AFS materials and the quota arrangement
information for standard materials.

Activities
To use this function, do the following:
1. Make sure that the above mentioned prerequisites are fulfilled.
2. Maintain the appropriate data for the time-phased special procurement key with the AFS
report /AFS/MAINTAIN_SOBSL.

Make sure that the start and finish dates do not overlap.

AFS Restrictions
In the SAP standard you would start with the quota arrangement. This function is not supported
by AFS. You can find further information in the standard documentation Quota Arrangements and
Optimized Purchasing.
************************************************************************************

AFS Discontinuation
Use
With discontinuation you can specify that a material is to be replaced by another material at a
specific time. In order to avoid having unused warehouse stock, the stock of the old material
should be used up before the new material is used.
The requirements planning diverts the requirement for the discontinued material to the follow-up
material after the stock has been completely used up.
The SAP standard discontinuation function has been enhanced for AFS so that you can use it at
material level and grid value level.

Prerequisites
For AFS discontinuation, the follow-up material must correspond to the discontinued material in
the following ways:

same base quantity

same grid
same coverage strategy
same MRP category

If the discontinuation is at grid value level the follow-up material must

be an AFS material. If it is at material level, you can enter a standard
material.
Note that you cannot mix the two levels.

Features
In MRP, the requirement is transferred to a follow-up material or a follow-up grid value using the
AFS discontinuation.

Activities
For AFS discontinuation you must

maintain the view MRP 4 in the material master for discontinuation at material level
maintain the tab page Discontinuation in the view AFS MRP in the material master for
discontinuation at grid value level.

AFS Restrictions
AFS does not support parallel discontinuation.

AFS does not support discontinuation for standard materials that are under an AFS material.

If you use this function anyway, it could lead to incalculable errors.

***********************************************************

AFS: MRP Cockpit

Use
With the AFS MRP cockpit you have a starting point for the MRP-relevant transactions and check
reports in AFS. These transactions and reports are grouped according to usage areas.
This provides you with a quick overview and you can directly call the necessary transactions for a
specific material.

Features

The settings and the sequence of the transactions and reports are userdependent.

You can add transactions in the area Objects and remove existing entries from the
display.
In the area Material you can add materials and remove existing entries.
You can execute the transactions or reports from the AFS MRP cockpit. You decide
whether you want to open a new mode or continue to work in the mode you are already
in.

Activities
To call the AFS MRP cockpit, choose Logistics AFS Central Functions AFS Material
Requirements Planning AFS Evaluation AFS MRP Cockpit.

*******************************************************

Sales and Operations Planning

To support demand management with AFS materials, AFS has enhanced SOP info structures,
planned independent requirements and the transfer out of SOP to planned independent
requirements.
Mapping, presizing and distribution profiles also play an important role in the demand
management process.

****************************************************************************************

AFS Data Transfer from SOP to AFS Demand

Management
Use

Integration
This illustrates which role AFS SKU data plays in the transfer of data from SIS to SOP and then to
AFS Demand Management.

Features
The AFS data Transfer from SOP to AFS demand management corresponds to the Transfer Data
to Demand Management interface in the standard system, except that AFS also supports
disaggregation for materials or product groups as well as presizing at the time of the data
transfer. This is similar to the mass processing function in the standard SOP for transferring data
to the standard demand management.
You can transfer all of the data for planning from an info structure to AFS demand management
across plants, materials, product groups and periods or you can limit the transfer to any of these
factors. AFS supports the data transfer both from the standard SOP and from Flexible Planning
by using all the planning types (such as consistent planning or level-by-level planning). You can
also copy data to different versions of planned independent requirements.
You can use the get valid values function on the basis of an info structure and a version to select
the requirements to be transferred. You can then narrow down the selection of data to specific
periods, product groups, and so on. You must define a key figure which the system uses transfers
as the new quantity for AFS planned independent requirements.
To activate the planned independent requirements after the transfer, select the active indicator.
The system automatically carries out presizing if possible. If presizing is not possible, the system
copies the requirements at material level.
Get Valid Values
The Get valid values for info structure function enables you to select all relevant materials which
are based on the info structure data and to copy them to the initial selection screen for the
transfer. This function can only be used for info structures by version. Before the system transfers
the data to the selection screen, it deletes all the entries for materials that appear multiply due to
the different versions. You can only see those materials in the selection screen.
To display the results, go back and then choose Utilities > Show mats.
Single Material Transfer

If you use the single material transfer function the system accesses the standard transaction to
transfer data to demand management. You can also manually select a distribution profile version
for presizing.

Prerequisites

This interface is only permitted for AFS materials.

You must maintain all versions and settings for distribution profiles, presizing, and
planned independent requirements for your materials before carrying out the transfer
from an info structure.

AFS Restrictions
You can only transfer planning data to the AFS demand management if you use the requirements
type VSF, because it is the only requirements type supported by AFS demand management.
See also:
AFS and SIS

Presizing Period Splitting in the SOP Transfer

Use
The criteria requirements category and target period are only used for period splitting That means
for carrying out presizing for periods based on categories and versions.
You can select materials or product groups to be transferred or you can select according to the
AFS requirements category. Category selection only applies to the presizing period splitting
function and not the transfer to AFS demand management.
You must first transfer data into AFS Demand Management before you can carry out period
splitting. Period splitting has the same effect as manually carrying out presizing to split periods in
planned independent requirement maintenance, except that you can select the materials for this
function based on the same criteria as for the transfer.

Prerequisites

Requirements must have already been transferred to the AFS planned independent
requirements.
Requirements must be active at SKU level.

AFS: Quantity and Distribution Calculation

Use
With transaction /AFS/MRP_S430 you can use the data from the AFS information structure S430
as follows:

To calculate the distribution at grid value and category levels

To calculate the planning requirements

Features
The distribution calculation is a simplified option when compared to the SIS calculation. You can
make different settings for each target material for the data transfer. The entry for the distribution
of requirements generally takes place at material level (J4A1). The grid value settings or category
settings of the target material are then transferred.
You can transfer the target materials to the planning in different target versions as well as at grid
value level or material level. The checks of the selection periods of the source material and target
material are important here. The selection periods must be identical.

Activities
After you have called the transaction /AFS/MRP_S430, you must create a structure for source
materials and target materials.
You can group the source and target materials in a two-level hierarchy. The first level always
contains the source materials. At the time of the data transfer, the source materials must have
data in the AFS information structure S430.

You can trigger the data entry in the information structure S430 by activated the
indicator in the material master (tab page Sales: sales org. 2, indicator Matl
statistics gr).

Requirements Planning
Features
The main task of the MRP in AFS is to guarantee the material availability at SKU level. You have
to make the requirements quantity available internally and for sales and distribution, in the
requested characteristic values and on time. (AFS also creates procurement proposals at
material level if they are outside the SKU horizon.)
In AFS you can adjust both the planning of independent requirements (such as planned
independent requirements) and the planning of dependent requirements (such as sales orders) to
the existing and planned stock at SKU level early on. You can also prepare the production
according to the different characteristics in fashion. The requirements planning tries to optimize
the following tasks:

The best possible service level for your customers in the apparel and footwear industry.

Cost reduction at material and valuation type level.

The AFS requirements planning uniquely assigns requirements quantities to available stock using
grid values and categories and / or creates procurement proposals, such as planned orders, at
SKU level for non-existing stock. The requirements planning plans both finished products and
components at SKU level. The categories are subject to the MRP of a dynamic assignment which
is defined according to the coverage strategy. The allocation of the grid values is not dynamic.
You can find further information in Planning Procedure, Planning Execution and Evaluation of the
Planning Result.

AFS Restrictions

The long-term planning (simulation) is not supported by AFS.

The master production scheduling is not supported by AFS.
In the planning procedure, AFS does not support subassembly planning, planning
material as reference or planning conversion factor.
AFS does not support forecast requirements.

********************************************************************

Planning Procedure
Features
The following topics describe the functions you can use for the execution and evaluation of the
AFS MRP. On account of the special features of the AFS material structure, the planning
procedure has been enhanced with various functions.
You must consider the special features of this structure (grid values and categories) both during
the requirements planning and its evaluation. This is a prerequisite for a smooth planning
procedure and an efficient planning result.

AFS Restrictions

The strategy group Planning with final assembly is already provided by AFS.

The MRP area that is used as an additional organizational unit in the SAP standard
requirements planning, is not supported in the AFS MRP.
Neither MRP profiles nor forecast profiles are supported by AFS.

Using settings you make in the SAP Standard Customizing, you can carry out a stock
determination. These are not supported, because AFS carries out the stock determination
by AFS-specific criteria (grid values and categories).

AFS does not support the actual range of coverage or the period profile for the safety
time (material master).
AFS does not support the minimum range of coverage or the maximum range of
coverage in the range of coverage profile (SAP Standard Customizing).
AFS does not support the indicator for the mixed MRP (material master).

**************************************************************************

MRP Type
Use
The MRP type controls whether or not an AFS material is planned and if so, how. AFS
system provides specific procedures for this, some of which you already know from the
SAP standard system.

Features
Since fashion trends constantly change,
material requirements planning must be used for materials in the apparel and
footwear industry.
The following MRP types are supported by AFS.

ND

PD

P1

P2

P3

AFS Restrictions

Dynamic MRP procedures are not supported by AFS.

Consumption-based MRP procedures are not supported by AFS.

However, you can plan SAP standard materials, such as material IDs or buttons that
you use in the apparel and footwear industry, using the consumptionbased MRP.
SAP standard materials do not have different characteristic values. You should
therefore measure the planning of requirements of these materials by their
consumption.

MRP Indicator
Use
You can carry out the planning run in different ways. That way you can decide whether you want
to automatically or manually trigger MRP for a material.

Features

With the MRP indicator in the material master you can specify whether or not you want to carry
out a transaction-dependent MRP. If you set the MRP indicator to transaction-dependent MRP,
the MRP will be automatically carried out in the background when executing and posting all
existing transaction codes that trigger MRP-relevant changes. The transaction-dependent MRP
can be a single-level or multi-level MRP.
In AFS Customizing you can activate or deactivate certain transactions for the transactiondependent MRP. You can combine them in a transaction group. For example, you can name your
transaction group sales and distribution. That means that you want to combine sales and
distribution-relevant transaction codes within this transaction group that trigger MRP-relevant
changes, such as the creation of a sales order.
If you set the MRP indicator to not transaction-dependent MRP, you can carry out the MRP for
a material or for one or several plants. This can be manually triggered or carried out as
background job.

There can be various reasons for combining transaction codes to transaction

groups. On the one hand there can be application-dependent reasons. For
example, you want to automatically trigger the MRP in the background when
creating or changing a sales order, but not when creating or changing a purchase
order. On the other hand there can be internal reasons in the company. For
example, you plan basis components that are part of many finished products.
You want to plan them in real-time and do not want to wait for the nightly or
weekly total planning run.
On the initial screen of the single-item planning in the SAP standard you can
enter user-specific settings. These default values are considered in the
transaction-dependent MRP as long as they are not specified in the MRP-group
in SAP standard Customizing.

SKU Horizon Methods 1 and 2

Use
This function is important for both MRP and the availability check. (see SKU Horizon in the
Availability Check). It can be required that you plan requirements and assign them to the stocks
at this level, considering their specific characteristics, colors and sizes. In this case you can use
SKU horizon method 1. You might also get requirements at SKU level, but you want to assign
them to the stock at an aggregated level, that is at material level. This can increase the
performance in the planning run. Here you can use SKU horizon method 2. That means that the
order proposals are created without sizes and colors and that they are already planned in MRP.
The assignment of requirements to stock is carried out according to the scope of check that you
have defined within the availability check.

Features
SKU Horizon Method 1

Using the SKU horizon method 1 you specify the SKU horizon in workdays. You can use this
method for the coverage of requirements that are within a short-term period. If the requirements
date is within the SKU horizon, the requirements are assigned to the stock within this period at
SKU level. This is carried out during MRP. Outside of the SKU horizon MRP only assigns the
requirements to the stock at SKU level, if the stock is available in the corresponding size. If there
is no stock available in the corresponding size, the system assigns the requirement to the stock at
material level outside of the SKU horizon.

According to the SKU horizon method 1, a requirement that is outside the

SKU horizon cannot be assigned to stock that is within the SKU horizon.

You receive a requirement (sales order) for 800 pieces of a material with
grid value M. The requirements date is outside of the SKU horizon 1.
According to the SKU horizon method 1, you cannot assign this
requirement to the incoming stock of 300 pieces in size M (incoming
stock 2) during the MRP run, because this stock is within the SKU
horizon 1.
Since the requirements date is outside the SKU horizon 1, the
requirement can only be covered by the incoming stock that is also
outside the SKU horizon 1. The requirement for 800 pieces in M is
therefore temporarily assigned to the incoming stock of 400 pieces in
size L (incoming stock 3) at material level (status 7). It is also assigned to
the incoming stock of 200 pieces without a grid value (incoming stock 4).
This assignment is also temporary at material level (status T).
The MRP only creates a new planned order or a new purchase
requisition for the remaining requirements quantity of 200 pieces, if this
quantity has already been confirmed by the availability check and has not
been rejected (that means that the ATP check included the
replenishment lead time). The planned order / purchase requisition
created does not contain any grid values.
SKU Horizon Method 2
The SKU horizon method 2 is an enhancement of the SKU horizon method 1. It is used for the
coverage of requirements far in the future. Here, MRP assigns the requirements to stock in two
assignment phases.
Within the first assignment phase, MRP searches for available stock at SKU level and assigns
it to the requirement. If the system does not find further stock at SKU level, it aggregates the SKU
data in assignment phase two and assigns the requirement to the stock at material level.

In contrast to SKU horizon method 1, you can assign requirements that

are outside of the SKU horizon to stock within the SKU hori

You receive a requirement (sales order) for 800 pieces of a material with
grid value M. The requirements date is outside of the SKU horizon 2. In
this method, the MRP first looks for stock or incoming stock with the
correct SKU (assignment phase 1). In this case, the incoming stock of
300 pieces in M (incoming stock 2) and 200 pieces in M (incoming stock
4) will therefore be temporarily assigned to the requirement (each in
status 7).
Since this stock is not enough to cover the requirement in the entire
quantity, the MRP looks for additional incoming stock outside of the SKU
horizon 2. It only considers this additional stock at material level.
Therefore, the stock of 500 pieces without a grid value (incoming stock 3)
can be used to cover the remaining requirements quantity.
In the ATP you can use the indicator on timeline to control whether the
two phases should be reduced to one phase. That means that all the
stock outside of the horizon will be considered at dimension level if they
are allowed to be "raised" to material level.
As a result of this setting, a better date can be confirmed because an
earlier stock element (with a different size) is preferred to stock with the
same size.

In Customizing you decide for each plant whether you want to use SKU
horizon method 1 or 2 in the MRP.
You specify the length of the SKU horizon 1 or 2 in the material master
for each material. In MRP, your entry in the material master has higher
priority than the entry per plant.
The end (time-wise) of the SKU horizon is displayed in the AFS MRP list
in the column additional information.
In Customizing for ATP you can set which stock elements can be brought
up to material level and which cannot. Physical stock, third-party
stock, and reservations can never be raised to material level. You
cannot make a setting for MRP. All the stock types except for physical
stock, third-party stock, and reservations are raised to material level.
For SKU horizon method 1 you define the SKU horizon only by storing
a number of workdays in the material master in the AFS MRP view. Your
entry is then valid for the MRP as well as for the availability check in the
sales document.

To use the SKU horizon method 2 in MRP, you must specify the desired
horizon in workdays in the material master. In addition, you activate the
SKU horizon method 2 for this material by selecting the field Activate
SKU Horizon Method. When you use method 2, your settings for the
SKU horizon in the material master are only valid for MRP. You control
the SKU horizon 2 in the availability check in the ATP check rule.
You can use different horizons for the availability check and MRP with
SKU horizon method 2. ATP and MRP results can then be different, if this
is desired. For clarity, the horizons in MRP and the availability check
should match.

Due to the different setting options in ATP and MRP, you can at any time
create constellations in Customizing that might lead to serious problems
in the process. To avoid this, you can use the report
/AFS/HORIZONS_CHECKREPORT, which

An Overview of Lot Sizes

Use
The maintenance of the lot-sizing procedures in AFS is based on the procedure you already know
from the SAP standard as well as on procedures developed especially for AFS. You can use
periodic and statistical lot-sizing procedures in AFS. Combined with other functions of the AFS
MRP, lot-sizing procedures can have different effects (see Lot Sizes in MRP).

Features
In AFS the lot sizes are calculated using default quantities from the respective material master
record or by combining requirement quantities of one or several periods to one lot size. This is
valid for both the SAP lot-sizing procedures you use in AFS as well as for the lot-sizing
procedures that are especially developed for AFS. You can maintain lot sizes both at material
level and at SKU level. Note that this can lead to inconsistencies.
The following lot-sizing procedures are supported by AFS.

Exact lot-size calculationLot

Size

Description

ID
FXEX

Fixed lot-size calculation

Requirements distribution ratio weeklyX1

Requirements distribution ratio - monthly

X3X2

Requirements distribution ratio - daily

X4

SKU group procedure 1 - monthly

X5

SKU group procedure 1 - weekly

X6

SKU group procedure 1 - daily

XA

SKU group procedure 2 - monthly

XB

SKU group procedure 2 - weekly

XC

SKU group procedure 2 - daily

MB

Monthly lot size

PK

Period lot size by planning calendar

TB

Daily lot size

WB

Weekly lot size

The procedures X1 to XC are the procedures that are especially

developed for AFS (see Requirements Distribution Ratio, SKU Group
Procedure 1, and SKU Group Procedure 2).

AFS Restrictions
AFS does not support any dynamic lot-sizing procedures.

*****************************************************

Requirements Distribution Ratio

Use
You use the lot-sizing procedure after determining a requirements distribution ratio if you want
each generated procurement proposal to contain all the grid value characteristics of one or more
requirements within a period.

Features
After the determination of a requirements distribution ratio you use the lot-sizing procedure to
calculate the percentage ratio between the total requirements quantity of one or more
requirements, such as sales orders, and the requirements quantity per grid value within a period.
Based on this ratio, the system creates procurement proposals during the MRP. In this case the
requirements quantity per procurement proposal depends on the maximum lot size.

You receive two sales orders with a total requirement of 800 polo shirts.
The quantity is distributed across three sizes S, M and L in the color
black. You calculate the ratio between the total requirement of all grid
values and the total requirements of the individual grid values of both
sales orders.
The maximum lot size for a procurement proposal is 100 pieces. In this
case this is valid for a planned order. The total requirements quantity of
800 pieces shows you that you require 8 procurement proposals, each
with a maximum lot size of 100 pieces.
Based on the determined requirements distribution ratio, the system
calculates the required quantity per grid value and creates the planned
orders.
Customer Requirements and Total Requirement

Grid Value

S BLK

20020040050,00 % Total
Requirement: 800 M BLK

Requirement
for Sales
Order 1

Requirement
for Sales
Order 2

Total
Requirement
per Grid
Value

50

100

150

18,75 %

100

150

250

31,25 %

L BLKProcurement: A total of 8 planned orders (dependent on rounding!)

Percentage of Total
Requirement

irement for Sales Order 2

8
Each planned order contains only one category.
You can specify SKU groups according to your own choice. If you do not explicitly
define an SKU group, the SKU group procedure 2 considers all characteristic
values of the requirements within a period.

********************************************

Lot Sizes in MRP

Use
During MRP, the system creates procurement proposals based on your lot sizes if there is a stock
shortage. By determining lot sizes you can plan optimal quantities per procurement proposal and
thus specifically cover your requirements. The planning of lot sizes influences the planning of the
available capacity, and the planning of the production or procurement costs. With AFS you can
plan the quantities to be procured at SKU level.

Features
The table below describes to what extent AFS supports the usage of SAP standard and AFS lotsizing procedures when they are combined with MRP-relevant functions. This clearly shows
which settings you can maintain at material level and / or at SKU level (material master) and their
interaction with the lot-sizing procedures.

S
K
U
G
r
o
u
p
P
r
o
c
e
d
u
r
e
2
M
a
t
e
r
i
a
l
l
e
v

Lotsizin
g
proc
edur
e

MRPrelevant
function
s

Exact

Fixed

Periodic

Periodic,
according to
the planning
calendar

e
l
(-Minimum lot size
)
x
x
()
()
()
R
e
q
u
ir
e
m
e
n
t
s
D
i
s
tr
i
b
u
ti
o
n
R
a
ti
o
S
K
U
G
r
o
u
p
P
r
o
c
e
d

u
r
e
1
xxxxRounding valuex(-)xxxxxRounding
profilex(-)xxxxxSafety
stockxxxxxxxAssembly
scrapxxxxxxxRange of coverage
profilexxxxxxxSKU levelMinimum lot
sizex(-)Maximum lot sizex

Description3Consumed
planned independent
requirements. Planned
independent requirements that
have been consumed by sales
orders. You can call it using
both the AFS MRP list and the
AFS stock/ requirements list
(Goto reduced planned
requirements). Sales orders
for which you have already
posted a goods issue are not
displayed in this status.Axx(-)
(-)(-)Rounding
valuex(-)xxxxxSafety
stockxxxxxxxSingle grid
valuexxxx(-)(-)(-)SKU
groups(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)xxx means
it is supported, (-) is not
supported, ---- SAP standard;
---- AFSx

We
recom
mend
that
you
use
the
maxi
mum
lot
size
for
the
AFSspecif

Unrestricted-use stock.

(-)

ic lotsizing
proce
dures.

AFS Restrictions
In the SAP standard
Customizing you can
determine an MRP-relevant
part of the safety stock that is
included in the MRP
calculation and is thus
available for the requirements
coverage. Use this function to
prevent the system from
unnecessarily creating
procurement proposals to
satisfy an insignificant stock
shortage. This function is not
supported by AFS.

****
****
****
****
****
****
****
****
****
****
*

Two-Level
Rounding
Use
If you have activated the twolevel rounding, the MRP will
use this function during the
lot-sizing procedure. That
means that the system first
rounds at SKU level and then

rounds at material level.

Prerequisites
Make sure that there is a
material rounding value in the
material master.
To activate two-level rounding,
you must make the following
settings in the material master
on the tab page AFS MRP:
1. Enter the SKU
rounding value.
2.
3. Note that the rounding
value at SKU level is
the same for all SKUs.
The material rounding
value must be a
multiple of the SKU
rounding value.
4. If you have
maintained the
maximum lot size, the
stock proposal will not
be greater than the
maximum lot size. For
optimal rounding
results, we
recommend that the
maximum lot size be a
multiple of the SKU
rounding value.
5. Set the indicator for
two-level rounding.

6. Features
7. The MRP does the
following with twolevel rounding during
the lot-size
calculation:
8.

9. First, it calculates the

stock proposal
according to the
requirements in the
current period. If the
period is moved
during this time, the
lot-size calculation will
determine the total
quantity by

rounding up to the
next highest value
raising the stock
quantity in order to
reach the minimum lot
size
considering the
maximum lot size
The total additional
quantity is distributed
among the SKUs
(either equally or
according to the
distribution profile in
the material master).
After the distribution,
a new rounding takes
place at SKU level in
which the rounding
difference is not
calculated.

This process
continues until all the
SKUs are planned
that are required for
the completion of the
rounding at material
level.

AFS
Restrictions

The minimum lot size

at SKU level is
ignored during the
rounding at material
level.
Two-level rounding
only supports the
distribution profiles

that are supported for

AFS lot sizes.
Do not maintain the
grid values
individually if you work
with two-level
rounding.
MRP first plans the
SKUs that already
exist and then plans
the new SKUs. That
means that it ignores
the sequence of the
percentages in the
distribution profile
when distributing
excess quantities.

Planned
Independe
nt
Requireme
nts

Use

AFS has redesigned

planned independent
requirements to
support SKU data,
presizing and AFS
MRP.

You maintain AFS

planned independent
requirements by
category, version, and
requirements plan
number. When
working with planned
independent
requirements, you
must also select
whether you want to
work at material level
or SKU level.

If you want to
maintain requirements
at SKU level, you
must enter a category
and plant. If you work
at material level, you
can specify this
information at a later
time.

Features

As in the standard
SAP system you can
copy planned
independent
requirements from
one period or version
to another, and can
delete, activate, and
deactivate
requirements.

There is also an
interface between
standard SOP, flexible
planning and AFS
demand
management. You can
transfer sets of
materials to AFS
demand management
and then manage the
requirements based
on AFS-specific
information.

Overview

You can use the

overview to view all
versions, requirement
plan versions, and
whether the
requirements are at
SKU level or material
level.

Activating Planned
Independent
Requirements

To activate planned
independent
requirements set the
Active indicator in the
Maintain Planned
Independent
Requirements screen
and save. This
releases the
requirements for MRP.

You can use several

different versions of
planned independent
requirements and the
system will include all
active versions.

You cannot activate

planned independent
requirements until you
have determined the
SKU data. That
means that if you
enter the data without
a particular category
or plant, you must
carry out presizing to
determine these
values before you can
activate the planned
independent
requirements.

Consuming Planned
Independent
Requirements:

In the Customizing
tables for category
assignment you can
determine if certain
categories of sales
orders consume
planned independent
requirements and if
so, in which order.

In the AFS MRP view

of the material master
you can define the
sequence in which the
system is to consume
the category and
consumption mode for
requirements. That
means you can define
whether the system
should first consume
by categories and
then by consumption
mode or vice versa.

Withdrawal Quantity

The system updates

the withdrawal
quantity column when
you create a delivery
for a sales order
which has consumed
AFS planned
independent
requirements and you
then run MRP. It also
updates this column
when you create a
delivery and then
make a manual
change in AFS
planned independent
requirements.

AFS Restrictions

AFS only supports

requirements type
VSF.

LO-PR: Forecasting is
not supported

AFS cannot write

historical records at
schedule line level.

See also:

Presizing

Mapping Profiles

Distribution Profile

Consu
mption
by
Special
Orders

Use
You use this function to
enable special orders such
as third-party order (TPO),
make-to-order (MTO) and
purchase-to-order (PTO)
sales orders to consume
normal planned
independent requirements
(PIRs). Normal PIRs
include all versions except
97, 98, and 99. You can
maintain normal PIRs
which represent your
purchasing limit or total
sales quantities
(irrespective of order type).

Prerequisites

You have activated the

Consume PIR indicator
in Customizing, by
choosing Sales and
Distribution Sales
Sales Documents
Sales Document Item
Maintain Item
Categories for AFS.
This enables
TPO/MTO/PTO sales
order items to consume
normal PIRs.
You have implemented
the method
CONSIDER_THIRDPA
RTY (consider thirdparty items from
purchasing) of the BAdI
MD_CHANGE_MRP_D
ATA to select third party
stocks. This is needed
for PIR consumption by
TPOs, and not for PIR
consumption by
MTOs/PTOs.

Features

TPO orders can

consume normal PIRs

and TPO PIRs (version

98). You can activate
and deactivate this
function by using
the Consume PIR
Customizing indicator at
the sales order item
category level.
MTO/PTO orders can
consume normal PIRs
and MTO PIRs (version
97). You can activate
and deactivate this
function by using
the Consume
PIR Customizing
indicator at the sales
order item category
level.
Normal sales orders
(make-to-stock) can
consume normal PIRs
only. You can activate
and deactivate this
function by using the
Independent
Requirements
Reduction indicator in
Customizing for
requirement classes by
choosing Sales and
Distribution Basic
Functions Availability
Check and Transfer of
Requirements
Transfer of
Requirements Define
Requirements Classes.
The details of PIR
consumption by
TPO/MTO/PTO orders
will be displayed on the
Consumed Planned
Requirements tab page
of the AFS Stock
Requirements List and
the AFS MRP List.
If the material is valid
for more than one order
type
(TPO/PTO/MTO/Normal
), the consumption
details on the

Consumed Planned
Requirements tab page
are grouped according
to the order type in the
Grouped By column.
For PIR
consumption by
TPO, the system
dynamically
calculates the
TPO order
quantity to be
used for
consumption by
reading the TPO
purchase
requisitions and
purchase orders,
and not by
reading the TPO
sales order.
The reduction of the
PIRs happens after
goods movement. For
normal, MTO and PTO
orders, PIR reduction
happens after goods
issue for the sales
order. For TPO, PIR
reduction happens after
the statistical goods
receipt of the TPO
purchase order.

If you are using

PIR consumption
by TPO, it is
mandatory to
execute the
statistical goods
receipt for the
TPO purchase
order to ensure
that PIR
reduction also
takes place.
After PIR Reduction:
The withdrawal
quantity is
increased and
the planned

quantity is
decreased in the
PIR
maintenance
transaction
(J3A1).
You cannot see
the entries on
the Consumed
Planned
Requirements
tab page of the
AFS Stock
Requirements
List/AFS MRP
List.
TPO and MTO
consumption of PIRs do
not have higher priority
over normal PIR
consumption. That is, all
PIRs valid for a
particular sales order
requirement are sorted
according to date and
then consumed. This is
also true for PIR
reduction.

Activities

After creating a TPO,

MTO, or PTO sales
order, view the PIR
consumption details on
the Consumed Planned
Requirements tab page
of the AFS Stock
Requirements List and
AFS MRP List.
To view the PIR
reduction details, from
the SAP Easy Access
screen, choose
Logistics Production
Production Planning
Demand
Management AFS
Planned Independent
Requirements
Maintain.

Limitations

Consumption of PIR by
TPO orders is not
supported in ATP
against Planning.
Consumption of PIR by
TPO/MTO/PTO orders
is not supported for
non-AFS materials.
PIR consumption by
TPOs cannot be
handled in AFS-SCM
integration. This is
because TPO orders
will not be transferred to
the SAP SCM system
for planning.

**********
**********
**********
**********

Planning
Execution
Features
There are two ways to carry
out the planning run both in
the SAP standard and in AFS.
You can carry out the planning
run for one material (SingleItem Planning) or for all
materials of one or more
plants (Total Planning).
Due to the specific data
structure of AFS materials
(grid values and categories),
the requirements to stock
allocation logic differs in AFS
MRP from the SAP standard.
Within this logic you can
specify a search method for

the requirements coverage in

the AFS MRP (material
master).

Note
that
the
searc
h
metho
d for
the
availa
bility
check
is
separ
ately
contro
lled
(Cust
omizi
ng).
AFS MRP is based on a net
requirements calculation. You
have two options for carrying
this out:

Net change planning

in the planning
horizon
Regenerative
planning
For more information,
see Planning Run
Type.
The graphic depicts
the logistical
processing of the
planning execution

Note
that
the
AFS

materi
als
are
only
plann
ed
throu
gh the
end of
the
planni
ng
horizo
n. A
planni
ng in
the
entire
horizo
n as
in the
SAP
stand
ard is
not
possi
ble.

The graphic depicts

the planning horizon,
in which all AFS
materials are planned.
All requirements that
are within the
planning horizon are
planned. The
requirement beyond
the planning horizon
is always ignored.

AFS
Restrictions

The distribution
resource planning is
not supported by AFS.
During the planning
run of the SAP
standard, you can
carry out the reorder

point planning per

storage location. You
can also exclude a
storage location from
the planning run in the
standard. Neither of
these functions is
supported by AFS.
The automatic source
allocation via source
list or quota
arrangement during
MRP is not supported
by AFS. In AFS the
source allocation is a
separate function.
In the planning run of
the SAP standard you
can plan the
requirement quantities
of the dependent
requirements as
individual
requirements or group
them together as
collective
requirements. AFS
MRP only supports
this function (grouping
dependent
requirements to
collective
requirements) for the
creation of planned
orders and their
conversion to
production orders.
No profit center
determination takes
place in the AFS MRP
run.
AFS MRP does not
support production
versions during
subcontracting.

Total
Planning

Use

Use the SAP standard

total planning if you
want to plan all AFS
materials that have
been flagged for
planning, at the same
time for one plant.

Features

You can plan both

standard and AFS
materials for one or
several plants
together. The AFS
BOM can contain both
standard and AFS
components that are
planned together for
one material in the
planning run. You can
automatically carry
out the total planning
run online or within
defined periods in the
background. The
application is run
either in the SAP
standard or in AFS.

To
plan
AFS
materi
als in
the
total
planni
ng
run,
you

must
activa
te the
parall
el
proce
ssing.

To execute the total

planning run, you can
choose the following
processing keys: Net
change planning, net
change planning in
the planning horizon
and regenerative
planning.

AFS offers only two

options: Net change
planning in the
planning horizon and
regenerative planning.
To carry out the net
change planning in
the planning horizon
for AFS materials, you
can choose either
processing keys net
change planning or
net change planning
in the planning
horizon.

Note
that if
you
use
the
proce
ssing
key
net
chan
ge
planni
ng in
the
planni
ng
horiz

on,
the
definit
ion of
the
planni
ng
horizo
n for
the
planni
ng of
AFS
materi
als
does
not
corres
pond
to the
planni
ng of
stand
ard
materi
als.
This
is
becau
se
AFS
materi
als
are
alway
s
plann
ed in
the
planni
ng
horizo
n (see
Planni
ng
Execu
tion).
Howe
ver,
there
is a
differe
nce
betwe

en the
net
chang
e
planni
ng
witho
ut
planni
ng
horizo
n or a
tempo
ral
limitat
ion by
the
planni
ng
horizo
n in
the
SAP
stand
ard.

To execute the
regenerative planning
for AFS materials for
one or several plants,
you can choose all
entry combinations
between the
processing key
regenerative planning
and all planning
modes. The AFS
materials are then
planned according to
the standard
materials.

You
can
read
the
MRP
status
of the
materi
al to

be
plann
ed
from
both
the
AFS
stock/
requir
ement
s list
and
the
AFS
MRP
list.
The
MRP
status
is
stored
in the
planni
ng file
(envir
onme
nt).

AFS
Restrictions

Schedule lines are not

supported for the
MRP of AFS
materials.

Single-Item
Planning

Use

AFS single-item
planning plans the
requirements as well
as their characteristic
values for an AFS

material.

Features

AFS has developed a

separate planning run
for the single-item
planning of AFS
materials. It can be
carried out at a singlelevel or multi-level
basis.

Using the AFS singleitem planning you can

only carry out a
regenerative planning
for AFS materials, if
you choose the
planning mode reset
planning data.

After the planning run,

you get complex
planning data due to
the AFS-specific
material structure. For
better clarity, you can
control the display of
the MRP list so that
only some of this data
is displayed. Using
the AFS filter you can
select AFS-specific
data, such as stock
category,
requirements category
and grid value,
according to certain
data combinations.

For
exam
ple,
you
want
the
syste
m to
only

displa
y all
blue
Tshirts
in
qualit
y
001A
after
the
planni
ng
run.

With the function sort

and compress you
can compress the
MRP list display
according to the
following criteria:

Stock number
Stock type
Requirements number
Requirements type
Stock category
Requirements
category
Grid Value
Period

For
exam
ple,
you
compr
ess
the
displa
y of
the
planni
ng
result
mont
hly by
stock
type,
stock
categ

ory
and
period
. The
MRP
list
displa
ys all
data,
excep
t the
stock
type
and
the
stock
categ
ory. In
additi
on,
only
the
month
ly
planni
ng
runs
will be
displa
yed.

For further
information, see AFS
MRP List and AFS
Stock / Requirements
List.

AFS

You
can
use
the
functi
on
sort
for
future
applic
ations
.

Restrictions

AFS does not support

multi-level single-item
planning in simulation
mode

ATP
against
Planning

Use

With this standard

function you can carry
out the availability
check for planned
independent
requirements in sales
orders instead of for
existing inbound and
outbound elements.
That way planned
independent
requirements can be
consumed with
confirmed quantities
for the sales order
during the goods
receipt.

Prerequisites

To use ATP against

planning, you must
maintain the following
in Customizing:

Requirements type
KATP
Indicator (Red)
requirements
reduction for the
requirements class
AFS consumption
mode and period
There must also be
independent

requirements.

Features

The consumption of
planned independent
requirements is based
on the AFS
consumption mode
and on the period
defined for the
material master in the
Customizing settings.

Activities

To activate ATP

ATP
again
st
planni
ng is
only
execu
ted
for
plann
ed
indep
ende
nt
requi
reme
nts
that
will be
consu
med
by
sales
order
s and
not
for
depe
ndent
requi
reme
nts.

against planning do
the following:
1. Make sure that the
above mentioned
prerequisites are
fulfilled.
2. When entering a sales
order, enter the value
KATP in the field
Requirements type.
3.
4. This
field
is
only
availa
ble in
the
AFS
sales
order
entry.

3. Execute the
availability check.

4.
5. ATP
Overview
(AFS)
6. Use
7. The AFS function ATP
Overview provides
detailed information
on the ATP result for a
specific material. A
yellow traffic light
indicates critical
situations. You can
also have information
regarding other
entries that refer to
this material

displayed.

8. You can call the ATP

Overview from the
production order or
from the purchase
order in the dialog box
ATP Result after the
component ATP
check.

9. Integration
10.

This function
has been integrated in
the areas PP and MM.

11.

Prerequis

ites

12.

The following
prerequisites must be
fulfilled before you
can use the ATP
Overview in PP:

The material is an
AFS material (finished
product or
semifinished product)
without a phantom
assembly.
There is a valid bill of
material with AFS
materials.
There is a routing.
The following
prerequisites must be
fulfilled before you
can use the ATP
Overview in MM:
The material is an
AFS material with
subcontracting.
The special
procurement 30 is
maintained in the

material master in the

view MRP 2.

Features

The yellow traffic

lights in the ATP
overview indicate
critical situations for
current requirements.
You can call the scope
of check, the AFS
stock/requirements
list, and the stock
overview from the ATP
overview.
The system displays
the data in detail for
the current order /
purchase order. Only
general information is
displayed for other
entries that do not
belong to the current
order / purchase
order. The user can,
however, call the
detail view of these
entries.

Evaluation
of the
Planning
Result

Features

AFS offers different

possibilities to
evaluate the planning
results. On the one
hand, these are
evaluation options
that have been
developed specifically
by AFS (see AFS
MRP List and AFS
Stock/ Requirements
List). AFS has also

developed functions
to analyze planning
results (see What the
AFS MRP Statuses
Mean).

On the other hand,

AFS supports the
standard evaluations
described below, in
addition to the AFSspecific evaluation
options: With the
standard evaluations,
you can use some of
the standard functions
for AFS materials.
They have been partly
enhanced by AFSspecific data (grid
values and
categories).

You can carry out the

standard evaluations
for an AFS material in
the standard
application as well as
in the AFS application:

Individual display of
the MRP list
(see
Individual
Display of the
Standard
MRP List)

Collective display of
MRP lists
(see
Collective
Display of the
Standard
MRP List)

Printing of the MRP

lists
Current stock/
requirements list
(see Current
SAP Standard

Stock/Require
ments List)

Collective display
stock/ requirements
list
(see
Collective
Display of the
SAP Standard
Stock/Require
ments List)

Planning situation for

a material
Planning situation for
a product group
Planning situation
across all plants
(see Planning
Situation).

AFS Pegged
Requirements
AFS Order Report.

AFS
Restrictions

AFS does not support

either the comparison
of the MRP list with
the stock/
requirements list or
the comparison of the
current MRP list with
the MRP list of the
latest planning run.
You cannot call the
customer and the
vendor that have been
created for an AFS
material from either
the standard stock/
requirements list or
the individual display
of the standard MRP
list.

AFS

MRP List

Use

You use the display of

the AFS MRP list to
evaluate the result of
the latest planning
run. AFS has
developed its own
function for this. This
function displays the
result of the latest
planning run taking
the AFS-specific data
into account (grid
value and categories).
The objective of the
AFS MRP is to
determine if there is a
requirements
shortage for an AFS
material. The AFS
MRP list displays the
requirements
shortage at SKU level
with any
corresponding MRPrelevant information.

Functions

You can select which

data should be
displayed in the MRP
list, so that the AFSspecific data (grid
values and
categories) is easier
and clearer to read
(see Single-Item
Planning). You can
also include or
exclude certain MRP
statuses as well as
certain stock and
requirement numbers
in the view.

The AFS MRP list

contains the following

data for each SKU:

Stock/ requirements
category
Grid values
Quantity
Requirements date
Availability date
Requirement type,
such as planned
independent
requirement
Stock type, such as
production order
Requirement number,
such as number of the
sales order
Number of the stock
element, such as the
batch number or the
number of the
planned order
Indicator showing
whether a certain
stock element is fixed
Item number in the
corresponding
document
Storage location for
batches
Number of the
exception message
Additional information,
such as the status of
the production order
or the end of the SKU
horizon.
The MRP statuses
help you better
understand the stock/
requirement situation
after the most recent
planning run per SKU
of the planned AFS
material (see
Importance of the AFS
MRP Status).
The evaluation of the
exception messages
helps to indicate
exceptional situations

per SKU, such as the

absence of a BOM or
routing.

In the AFS MRP list

you can also use the
function to call the
required components
(both AFS and R/3
standard components)
per MRP element of
the planned AFS
material. That way
you can include the
consumption of the
AFS components at
SKU level per MRP
element in the
evaluation of the
latest MRP run.

To optimize the
production cycle, you
can form SKU groups
using the AFS lotsizing procedures
during the planning
(compare Lot Size
Overview). That
means that you can
combine several
SKUs of the planned
AFS material to an
SKU group during the
AFS MRP run. Only a
procurement proposal
is then created for the
grouped SKUs, for
example a planned
order number
(material master). You
can also create a
procurement proposal
for each SKU. For
example, you can
create a separate
planned order number
(material master) for
each SKU. The AFS
MRP list displays the
result according to the
settings you have

made.

A further function
especially developed
for AFS MRP is the
technical log
(J_3AMPRO). Using
this log you can make
an error analysis of
the AFS MRP run in
the background,
considering the MRP
module (AFS
Customizing).

AFS
Stock/R
equirem
ents
List
Use
You use the AFS
Stock/Requirements List to
view the stock/requirements
status for a planned AFS
material. This transaction
takes AFS-specific data
(grid values and categories)
into account.

Features

The AFS
Stock/Requirements
List is continuously
updated. Changes in
the system therefore
directly affect the report.

In the AFS
Stock/Requirements
List, you can display the
material overview tree

and call up customer

and vendor information.
Third-party
information is not
displayed in either
the AFS
Stock/Requireme
nts List or the AFS
MRP List.

The scope of function of the

stock/ requirements list
corresponds to that of the
AFS MRP List.

*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*

*
*
*

What the AFS

MRP Statuses
Mean
Use
During the planning run, the
AFS MRP creates different
AFS MRP statuses. The
description of the AFS MRP
statuses should help the user
to better understand the stock
and requirement situation of
an AFS Material.

Features
AFS MRP statuses are
created both in the AFS MRP
List and in the AFS Stock/
Requirements List.

The
AFS
MRP
status
es
that
are
create
d in
the
AFS
MRP
list
are
not
the
same
as in
the
AFS

stock/
requir
ement
s list.
This
is
becau
se the
MRP
list
only
displa
ys the
result
of the
latest
MRP
run,
where
as the
stock/
requir
ement
s list
reflect
s the
entire
stock/
requir
ement
situati
on of
a
materi
al.
In the following table, all AFS
MRP statuses are described
that can be created during the
AFS MRP.
MRP status

34363840ZSpeci
al planned
independent
requirements
Special
requirements
from the planning
with the version

MRP blocked
requirements.
Blocked
requirements can
arise from both
planned
independent
requirements
and sales orders.
These

B (before the
MRP run in the
AFS stock/
requirements list)

MRP blocked
requirements. If
new requirements
arise to which no
stock was able to
be assigned, and
if the MRP run
has not been

number
individual
customer
requirements
without MRP
(make-to-order
and purchase-toorder) and thirdparty orders
without MRP get
this status during
MRP. The
displayed
planned
independent
requirements are
only statistical.
They are only
displayed and
not planned. The
planned
independent
requirements are
reduced by
incoming sales
orders. PMRP
blocked
requirements.
Requirements
that are outside
of the planning
horizon.RReserv
ed by the
allocation run.
Display of
requirements
whose quantities
are only partially
confirmed by the
allocation run
(status
F).SInformation
on the third-party
order
processing.TTem
porary
assignment of
requirements to
stock.WCustome
r consignment.
You post stock to
the stock from
the inventory

requirements
could not be
taken into
account during
the latest MRP
run. Possible
causes are:

Wrong
maintena
nce of
the
category
tables

Discontin
uation of
a
material
or an
SKU
(AFS
Customiz
ing).

carried out, these

requirements are
displayed in
status B in the
AFS stock/
requirements list.

management
with reference to
the customer.
You can increase
and reduce stock
by consignment
fill-up and
consignment
withdrawal.XStoc
k with account
assignment.
Special stock
that is assigned
to a cost center.
This stock is
available for this
particular cost
center. This is
only valid for one
posting with the
indicator V
(consumption).
This stock is not
used for the
requirements
coverage by
MRP. Stock with
this status can
only be manually
posted.
GProduction
requirements
from another
plant. They can
be created in the
material master,
using the special
procurement key.
You can see this
status in the
producing
plant.IAdditional
information.
Statistics
overview and
total function for
the latest
planning
run.JSpecial
requirements.
This status is
created for a
material that is

flagged with the

MRP type AFS:
no MRP, transfer
of requirements.
Important for the
flagging of valueadded services
(Sales). In the
MRP list this
requirement is
only displayed,
but not planned.
KVendor
consignment.
You post stock
from the
inventory
management
with reference to
the vendor who
delivers the
goods. You can
do that by
creating a
consignment
order. MRP uses
this stock for
requirements
coverage.NStock
with account
assignment
without
requirement.
Assignment by
delivery note.
The delivery in
Sales was
already carried
out.ESales order
stock. It is posted
in the inventory
management
with reference to
a sales order.
The sales order
must be flagged
with an item
category
according to
make-to-order
production or
purchase-toorder

procurement.
The MRP does
not change this
assignment. The
allocation run
changes this
assignment to
status F
(fixed).FFixed
ready for
delivery.B (after
the MRP run in
the AFS MRP
list)

Planning
Situation
Use
The evaluation of
the planning
situation is used
as an overview of
the available
quantity of an
AFS material or a
product group
within a certain
period used for
the requirements
coverage.
You can also
carry out the
evaluation of the
planning situation
for an AFS
material across
all plants. Here,
the AFS-specific
data (grid values
and categories)
are taken into
account.

Features
The evaluation of
the planning

situation is based
on the data
material of the
AFS stock/
requirements list.
The stock
elements, such
as planned
orders, are
compared to the
requirement
elements, such
as sales orders,
and then they are
confirmed by the
availability check.
You can navigate
to the individual
MRP elements
and use the SKU
data of the stock
and requirement
elements within a
certain period for
the evaluation of
your planning
situation and
then compare
them (see
Planning Result
and Planning
Situation).
When evaluating
the planning
situation, you can

display
SKU
data for
AFS
materials
use the
AFS filter

AFS
Peg
ged
Req
uire
men
ts

Use

With the
function
pegged
requirem
ents you
can find
out
which
original
requirem
ent
elements
, such as
planned
independ
ent
requirem
ents,
have
caused a
certain
stock
element,
such as
a
planned
order, to
be
pegged.
You can
see this
at SKU
level
across
all BOM

levels
(see
Pegged
Require
ments).

This
check
might be
necessar
y, for
example,
if you
find out
during
the
productio
n that the
requirem
ent of a
certain
SKU of a
compone
nt has
been
changed.

Featur
es

You can
navigate
to the
individual
elements
to check
them
more
closely.
Here you
can view
the
pegging
of
requirem
ents at
SKU
level.
This
helps
you keep
an
overview

of the
correlatio
n
between
the
creation
of a
stock
element
and its
pegging
across
all BOM
levels.

N
o
r
m
a
ll
y
y
o
u
u
s
e
t
h
i
s
t
r
a
n
s
a
c
ti
o
n
f
r
o
m
t
h
e
A

F
S
s
t
o
c
k
/
r
e
q
u
ir
e
m
e
n
t
s
li
s
t
o
r
t
h
e
A
F
S
M
R
P
li
s
t.
T
h
a
t
m
e
a
n
s
t
h
e
r
e
m

u
s
t
h
a
v
e
b
e
e
n
a
u
n
i
q
u
e
a
s
s
i
g
n
m
e
n
t
o
f
r
e
q
u
ir
e
m
e
n
t
s
t
o
t
h
e
s
t
o
c
k
b
y
u

s
i
n
g
g
ri
d
v
a
l
u
e
s
a
n
d
c
a
t
e
g
o
ri
e
s
(
s
e
e
R
e
q
u
ir
e
m
e
n
t
s
P
l
a
n
n
i
n
g
)
.

The
further
scope of

function
of the
pegging
requirem
ents in
AFS
correspo
nds to
the AFS
Order
Report.

AFS
Restri
ctions

In the
above
mentione
d
transacti
on, only
AFS
materials
are
displaye
d.
Standard
materials
are not
currently
consider
ed.

AFS
Orde
r
Rep

ort

Use

The
order
report
contains
an
evaluatio
n with
which
you can
display
an
overview
of the
BOM
level
status in
the
productio
n order,
taking
the grid
values
and
categorie
s into
account.
This
evaluatio
n is
based on
the
requirem
ents
element
sales
order
and on
the stock
elements
planned
order
and
productio
n order.

With the
aid of
this

informati
on you
can
recogniz
e
problems
early
during
productio
n and
procure
ment all
the way
to the
SKU
level
(see
Order
Report).

Featur
es

For each
requirem
ents
element
you
determin
e which
stock
element
you have
planned
for it.
This way
you can
check
how far
the
productio
n for a
certain
sales
order
has
progress
ed. You
can also
find out
at which
BOM
level and

for which
compone
nts there
are
missing
parts at
SKU
level or
difficultie
s
meeting
deadline
s.

The
exceptio
n
message
s appear
red. They
are
based on
the data
material
of the
AFS
stock/
requirem
ents list.
If there is
a
problem
at an
inferior
BOM
level, the
order is
highlight
ed blue.

If there
are
changed
productio
n
quantitie
s during
the
productio
n cycle,
for
example
because
of

changed
requirem
ents, you
can
adjust
the
requirem
ents to
each
other
during
the
productio
n at SKU
level.

Traffic
lights in
the
display
indicate
whether
or not
the
assignm
ent is
fixed.

A green
traffic
light
indicates
that the
assigned
stock is
reserved
for a
requirem
ent, for
example
a
planned
order is
fixed or a
batch
exists.
A yellow
traffic
light
indicates
that
stock is
assigned
to a

requirem
ent, but
the
reservati
on is not
fixed, for
example
the
planned
order is
not yet
fixed.
That
means
this stock
can be
assigned
to
another
requirem
ent
during a
new
MRP run.
A red
traffic
light
indicates
that a
requirem
ent has
not been
covered.

Th
e
tra
ffic
lig
hts
do
not
inf
or
m
yo
u
ab
out
the
M
RP
sta

tus
.

No
rm
all
y
yo
u
us
e
thi
s
tra
ns
act
ion
fro
m
the
AF
S
sto
ck/
re
qui
re
me
nts
list
or
the
AF
S
M
RP
list
.
Th
at
me
an
s
the
re
mu
st
ha
ve
be
en
a
uni
qu

e
as
sig
nm
ent
of
re
qui
re
me
nts
to
the
sto
ck
by
usi
ng
gri
d
val
ue
s
an
d
cat
eg
ori
es
(se
e
Re
qui
re
me
nts
Pl
an
nin
g).

AFS
Miss
ing

Part
s
Infor
mati
on
Syst
em

Use

If the
availabilit
y check
shows
that a
material
compone
nt is not
available
for the
calculate
d
requirem
ents
date, the
term
missing
parts or
missing
quantitie
s is
used.

You can
see a
display
of the
missing
parts/qua
ntities for
several
orders
using the
missing
parts info
system.

Featur
es

In
addition
to the
data
from the
SAP
standard,
you can
see AFSspecific
data for
reservati
ons with
missing
quantitie
s.

SKU
informati
on
Category
informati
on

Re
me
mb
er
tha
t
re
pr
oc
es
sin
g
is
not
po
ssi
ble
.

Plan
ned
orde
rs

Use

AFS has
enhance
d the
standard
planned
order
with the
following
functions
to meet
the
needs of
the
apparel
and
footwear
industry:

SKU
data
Input
option for
marker
data
Adjustme
nt of
quantitie
s
You can
manually
create
planned
orders or
have the
MRP
create
them.
You can
manually
change
planned

orders
and
convert
them into
different
procure
ment
proposal
s.

Marker
Data

If the
material
has been
defined
for using
markers
(there is
a
correspo
nding
entry in
the
material
master in
the AFS
MRP
view
under
Bundles)
you can
(but do
not have
to) enter
the
marker
data in
the
planned
order.
This
informati
on is
then
transferr
ed to the
bundle in
the
productio
n order
during
the

conversi
on.

You can
also wait
and
enter the
marker
data in
the
productio
n order.

Adjustm

Th
e
pr
er
eq
uis
ite
for
rel
ea
sin
ga
pr
od
uct
ion
or
de
r is
the
ma
int
en
an
ce
of
the
bu
ndl
e
an
d/o
r
ma
rke
r.

ent of
Quantiti
es

You can
enter the
marker
data, that
is, the
quantity
per grid
value
containe
d in a
specific
bundle,
in the
planned
order in
the
screen
Maintain
Marker
data per
SKU
level.

It is often
necessar
y to
adjust
the order
quantity
in the
planned
order to
the
quantity
that
results
from the
markers.
To adjust
the
planned
order
quantity
to the
maintain
ed
marker
quantity,
choose
Adjust

Quantitie
s.

Cut
SKUs

Example: A
purchase
requisition is
created for an

A
ma
rke
r
ha
s
the
siz
es
34,
36,
38,
an
d
40.
Thi
s
us
es
40
pli
es
of
re
d
fab
ric
an
d
30
pli
es
of
gr
ee
n
fab
ric.

internal
department (cost
center). The
stock is reserved
exclusively for
this department.
Example: First a
sales order
(make-to-order)
was planned and
the customer
rejected it later.
The stock
remains in status
N until it
becomes
unrestricted-use
stock again after
a balance sheet
transfer. Stock in
this status is not
used for the
requirements
coverage by
MRP.
Two reasons are
possible:

You
carried
out the
allocatio
n run.
The
allocatio
n run
made a
fixed
assignm
ent of
sales
orders to
stock
elements
accordin
g to its
own
rules.

You
carried
out a
fixed
batch
assignm
ent for
depende
nt
requirem
ents
within
the
combine
d orders.

34363840Red35
40403530303030
Quantity
entered in the
planned order
for each
SKURedD

40

40

40

40

GreenGreen

30

32

32

30

Since different quantities have been entered in the planned order, you
must adjust the quantities. The excess quantities and shortages resulting
from the quantity adjustment are consumed by the subsequent planned
order / sales order.

You can transfer the marker data from an external marker creation
system to the AFS application by using a user exit or you can manually
enter the data.

AFS Restrictions

The standard Collective display of planned orders is not supported by AFS.

Stock transfer planned orders are not possible.
Partial consumption and partial conversion of planned orders are also not supported by
AFS.

Production Orders

Use
Production orders contain all the information you need for the production process, for example
quantity, basic date, information about BOM and routing. The production orders in AFS contain
AFS-specific data (grid values and categories) to meet the requirements of the apparel and
footwear industry.

Features
You create a production order for an AFS material in the SAP standard application. In a
production order for an AFS material you can maintain the quantity to be produced at SKU level.
Here you can find information from both the AFS BOM (see Bills of Material) and the AFS routing
(see Routings).

Note that an AFS production order contains only one category but it can contain
several grid values.
Tolerances
Excess quantities or shortages can result during production. For these situations you can
maintain tolerance limits for each SKU. You can use this so that upon goods receipt in your
warehouse you can consider quantity deviations per SKU that arise during the production
process.
Marker Data and Bundles
Using the production order in AFS you can carry out the production with bundles. To do so, you
must define the material for the use of markers (corresponding entry in the material master in the
AFS MRP view under Bundles).
You can enter marker data in the planned order or in the production order. The marker data
entered in the planned order is transferred to the bundle during the conversion of the planned
order into the production order.
You might need more than one marker for a production order. Every marker has a unique number.
Bundles are all the pattern pieces in a marker that will be sewn together to form a garment in a
certain size, multiplied by the number of fabric plies in a stack.
To save the cut off end bits of a marker, the cutting department might line up several markers on
one stack. Another possibility is that the markers are divided into segments so that the cutter can
roughly separate the stack, especially if the markers are very long. In both cases, a dimension
might turn up more than once. That means that you have to uniquely name each bundle so that
you can define the bundles from one stack.

The bundle quantity can correspond to the marker quantity. This depends on the
corresponding production cycle. The respective data is managed in an external
system.
You can either transfer the marker data from an external marker creation system to AFS for the
bundle entry by using a user exit or manually enter the marker data, if necessary.
Deviation of the SKU quantity in the production order from the bundle quantity
There are the following cases:

There is a sales order or there are planned independent requirements. A quantity

shortage of one or more dimensions occurs.
A new planned order is generated for the missing quantity after a new MRP run. The
MRP temporarily assigns it to the planned independent requirement.

There is a planned independent requirement. There is a quantity excess of one or more

dimensions.
The excess quantities become freely available stock. They can be consumed by a
subsequent planned independent requirement if the dates allow. MRP temporarily
assigns the freely available stock to the planned independent requirement.

There is no planned independent requirement. There is a quantity excess of one or more

dimensions.
The production order is changed accordingly.

There is no planned independent requirement. There is a quantity shortage of one or

more dimensions.
The production order is changed accordingly.

For further information about the AFS production order, see Availability Check for Components.

AFS Restrictions

AFS does not support assembly orders.

The creation of a production order with configuration does not take AFS-specific data into
account (grid values and categories).
AFS does not support the creation of a production order with reference.
Collective orders are not supported in AFS.
You cannot use AFS components for a production order without a header material.
The automatic batch determination is not possible for AFS components. The automatic
batch determination can, however, be carried out for SAP standard components that are
assigned to an AFS header material. A temporary batch determination for AFS
components takes place during the AFS MRP. You can make a fixed batch assignment in
the production order.

The order information system does not contain AFS-specific data (grid values and
categories). No AFS-specific selection criteria exist for this.
You can maintain tolerances at SKU level in the production order.
The tolerance check in Enter time ticket for production order (transaction CO11N) and
Reprocessing Incorrect Confirmations (transaction CO16N) takes place at SKU level.
When confirming using the order number or confirmation number (transactions CO11 and
CO15), the tolerance check takes place at operation level.

You cannot modify system messages for the order creation.

AFS does not support the missing parts processing in quality management.

***************************************

Fixed Batch Assignment of Components at SKU

Level
Use
You use this function to make sure that, for example, the bolts of cloth that you need for a
production order come from the same color lot.
You have six bolts of cloth from lot 0815 and four from lot 0816. You need five bolts of
cloth for your production order. You reserve five bolts from lot 0815 for your order so
that only one color lot is used.
You can only use this function for AFS component materials.

Integration
You can make the fixed batch assignment in the production order or while combining
orders.
You can further process production orders that have a fixed batch assignment via
AFS Combined Orders Additional Functions (see Combined Orders). This means
that you can release, confirm, or post goods issues for them. If the batches are
assigned in production order, enter the value Prod.Order in the field Combined
Order Number.

Prerequisites
You must have the appropriate batch stocks for the SKU and category required of the
component(s).

Remember to enter the storage location for the components so that you can make
the batch assignment.

Features

On the batch assignment screen, you can see two lists, the top one with the requirements
and bottom one with the available batch stocks. You can resize the two halves of the
screen by dragging the center bar up or down.
Two additional filters are:
AFS Filter: You can use this filter to view specific grid values in both the ALVs,
requirements and stocks. Once this filter is applied, an additional button appears on
the toolbar to allow you to remove this filter from both the ALVs.
Category Filter: You can use this filter on the stocks ALV to limit the batches
displayed to specific stock categories. In order to remove this filter, you can use the
ALVs toolbar option Delete Filter.

Activities
You must do either of the following:
1.

Combine orders with batch assignment:

a. On the initial screen of the transaction, select the checkbox With Batch
Assignment.

b. Enter a plant. You can select orders by material, production order

numbers, components, work centers or various other parameters as on the different
tabs of the selection screen.
c. When you execute, on the results screen, you can see the selected
production orders on the ALV grid. Select some or all the orders and choose Assign
Batch and Combine. You will see the Batch Fix Assignment screen.
d. Allocate batches to the individual components:

Select the requirements and batches from the respective ALVs on the

screen.
You can use the toolbar options Select All (F7) and Deselect All (F8) to select or
deselect, respectively, all the displayed records in both the ALVs together.

If this is not the only component, choose Next Component.

The above 2 steps are to be repeated till you reach the last component

to be batch fixed.
e.

Combine Orders:

After selecting the requirements and batches, choose Combine Int.

Numb.

Alternatively, choose Combine Ext. Numb. and input a number

yourself to be assigned for the combined number.

2.

Save the combined order.

Batch assignment for AFS components in production order:

a. Create/Maintain a production order for a material with AFS
components.
b. Navigate to the Component Overview screen (F6).
c. Select a component and choose Batch Assignment.

d. Select the requirements and batches in the respective ALVs, and

choose Assign.

3.

You can use the toolbar options Select All (F7) and Deselect All (F8) to select or
deselect, respectively, all the displayed records in both the ALVs together.
e. Choose Back to return to the components overview screen.
Cancel combined order:
a. On the batch assignment screen choose Cancel Assignment.
b. Enter the combined order number and save.

Deviation Quantities in the Production Order

Use
You can enter deviation quantities for component SKUs in the material BOM and in the production
order.
In the production order, you can use the function Assign comp. SKU to header SKUs to better
identify the source of the requirements and to ensure an appropriate assignment for partially
confirmed SKUs.
In the following cases you would use this function to distribute component SKUs among the
existing header SKUs in the production order:

The component quantity SKU quantity has been changed.

There are new components or SKUs.

This function is available for all types of order components of AFS header materials, including for
standard components.

The assignment is necessary for the exact calculation of backflush quantities at

SKU level for partial confirmations.

Example
The following deviation quantities are maintained for the component OUTERFABRIC_XYZ in the
bill of material for the finished material BLOUSE_XYZ:

Header SKU size 40 multi-colored (40_multi-colored):

Red 0.5 m
Black 0.5 m

Header SKU size 40 black (40_black):

Black 1.0 m
You create a production order for the material BLOUSE_XYZ with the following header SKUs:

40_multi-colored 10 pieces
40_black 10 pieces

After transferring the header SKUs, you see a requirement of 20 m of the OUTERFABRIC_XYZ in
the component overview. This requirements quantity is made up of the following at component
SKU level:

Red 5 m
Black 15 m

If you call the function Assign comp. SKU to header SKUs for one of the SKUs, for example for
black, the system will display the header SKUs from which the requirements quantity was caused
and in which quantity.

40_multi-colored

40_black

40_multicolored40_blackBlack

10

Blue
If you add another SKU in the
SKU screen, for example blue,
with a requirement of 2 m, you
will go to the assignment
screen. Now you must enter
which header SKUs caused
this additional requirement:

You must also make this assignment if you add a new component in the
production order or if you change an already existing requirements quantity.
If you partially confirm 40_multi-colored with 10 pieces, the assignment causes an exact
calculation:

If you partially confirm 10 pieces of the header SKU 40_multi-colored, 2 m of the

component SKU blue are required.
If you partially confirm 10 pieces of the header SKU 40_black, the requirements is 0 m.

If there were no assignment, the system would determine a backflush quantity of 1 m for the
component OUTERFABRIC_XYZ and its SKU blue: Without an assignment you do not know for
which header SKU the component SKU blue is required. For this reason, the backflush quantity
would then be calculated in percent. That means: Of the quantity of 20 pieces, 50% would be
confirmed, causing 50% of the requirement of 2 m to be determined.

Availability Check for Components

Use
There are two different logics, which you can use to carry out the availability check for
components (both standard and AFS) in the AFS production order: the SAP standard logic and
the logic that has been especially developed for the production planning and control in AFS.
You can use both logics to carry out the availability check of the components in the production
order, but the AFS logic can only be used for the production planning and control (AFS
Customizing). This logic was especially developed for customers who want to use the availability
check for rush orders.

Features
SAP Standard Availability Check Logic
If you use the SAP standard availability check the requirements to be checked are considered
according to the requested delivery date. Here, the availability check checks the requirements
according to their creation sequence (see Availability Check (ATP)).

According to the SAP standard logic, already existing orders are first
checked and confirmed. Requirements with an earlier requirements date
but which arrive later do not get preference. As a result, rush orders
might be rejected, although there is enough stock on their requirements
date and the requirements date of the already existing orders are later.
Availability Check Logic for Production Planning and Control in AFS
The availability check for production planning and control in AFS arranges the requirement to be
checked in chronological order of the already existing requirements, according to its requirements
date. That means that the requirements are checked and confirmed in the sequence of their
requirements dates. Here the time of their creation is not taken into account.

By using this special logic for the production area in AFS rush orders
might take already confirmed stock from orders with a later requirements
date. This happens because the system prefers, checks and confirms
orders with an earlier requirements date. The already confirmed order
retains the same status, although the confirmed quantity no longer

corresponds to the requirements quantity. This can lead to

inconsistencies.

We therefore recommend that you carry out a collective availability check

to correct the inconsistencies mentioned above.

Example for the Availability Check Logic for Production Planning

and Control in AFS
Initial situation: Stock in warehouse: 100 pieces

Order

Requirements date

Requirement quantity
in pieces

Confirmed quantity in
pieces

Order 1

30.11.2002

50

50

Order 2

15.12.2002

20

20

Order 3

20.12.2002

30

30

If order 4 with requirements date 17.12.2002 and requirement quantity of

20 pieces is opened / released, the AFS availability check distributes the
stock of 100 pieces as follows:

Order

Requirements date

Distributed stock in pieces

Order 1

30.11.2002

50

Order 2

15.12.2002

20

Order 4

17.12.2002

20

Confirmed quantity in piecesMissing

parts in piecesOrder 130.11.200250
50 Order 215.12.20022020 Order 3

20.12.2002

10

As soon a
the syste
checks th
availabilit

the
compone
for order
confirms
order.

Order 3,
which wa
already
confirmed
with 30
pieces,
therefore
has a
material
shortage
20 pieces
The alrea
confirmed
quantity o
30 pieces
not
automatic
reset for
order. It is
therefore
necessar
carry out
collective
availabilit
check on
regular b
that chec
and confi
all orders
according
their
requirem
dates.

After a
collective
availabilit
check, th
following
situation
arises:
Order

Order 3Requirements
dateRequirement quantity in pieces

17.12.2002

20

20

Order 4

20.12.2002

30

10

Material Staging for Components

Use
You use this function to transport warehouse-managed components used in production
from the warehouse to the production supply areas.

Integration
The system generates a transfer requirement (TR) in the Warehouse Management (WM)
system. WM is then responsible for staging the required materials by creating a transfer
order from the transfer requirements.
In an SAP AFS system, material staging triggers automatic creation of batch
assignments, but only for AFS components in the production order. This is required
to keep the stock situation up to date if there is competition for component stock
from other production orders (with manual batch assignments) or from the Allocation
Run.

Prerequisites
You must have set up the Warehouse Management Production Planning interface (WM
- PP interface).
For more information, see WM PP Interface

Features
The following are AFS-specific features that differ from the standard WM/PP interface:

In an SAP AFS system, material staging triggers automatic creation of batch assignments.
If a batch assignment already exists for an AFS component, subsequent material staging
will consider this first, before it considers other batches for staging.
The staging quantity for an AFS warehouse-managed component is limited by the quantity
that is still available for the creation of batch assignments, that is, the unreserved quantity
of the batch.
If there are date changes in the production order due to scheduling done in Production
Order Change, Capacity Levelling or Mass Processing of Production Orders, the system
automatically updates the dates of open transfer requirements associated with the order. In
a non SAP AFS system, open TRs will be marked as processed and you need to perform
WM staging once again to create new TRs with the new dates.
Deletion of a transfer requirement does not result in deletion of batch assignments
associated with it. The batch assignments have to be manually removed from the

20

production order, if required. On the other hand, if batch assignments are cancelled,
the open TRs associated with them are also marked as processed.
During material staging, if there are multiple valid batches at SKU level for an AFS
component, the system chooses the batch with the largest unreserved quantity for
staging. Then it chooses the next largest batch and so on and creates the batch
assignments accordingly.

Activities
In SAP Easy Access screen choose, Logistics Production Shop Floor Control
Order Create With Material or Order Change to do the following:

To simulate material staging, choose Functions WM Material Staging -> Simulate.

Here you can see the component staging requirements at SKU level, the batches that will
be considered for staging, and the staging quantity.

To execute material staging, choose Functions WM Material Staging Proceed.

The system performs the staging in the background. No screen is displayed to show the
results of staging. The transfer requirements are created only when you save the
production order.

To view the batch assignments, choose Component Overview Batch Assignment.

You can also view the batch assignments in the AFS Stock Requirements list, on the F
Assignment Fixed: Open for Delivery tab page.
You can also execute material staging by going to the SAP Easy Access screen and
choosing Logistics Logistics Execution Outbound Process Goods Issue for Other
Transactions Prepare Production Supply For Order. You can use this option to
transfer quantity which is more than the original requirement quantity. This is however not
possible from the production order.

For more information, see Material Staging in the standard documentation.

Limitation
In SAP AFS, only Pick Part is supported. Crate Part and Release Order Part are not
supported by SAP AFS.
*******************************

Confirmation
Use
The confirmation is used for the order monitoring. It documents the status of production
orders and operations in the production cycle.
You can carry out the order monitoring for AFS materials at SKU level. That means, for
example, that you can confirm the number of SKUs for an operation. With AFS you can
track per order or per operation how far the production of SKUs for an AFS material has
progressed (see Confirmations).

Features
You confirm AFS materials in the SAP standard application. You can carry out the
confirmation for a production order (CO15) or for an operation (CO11 or CO11N).

For an order confirmation (CO15), all SKUs for a production order are
processed in the same step. You cannot display the planned AFS data. The
system proposes the yield to be confirmed; the yield also contains the scrap
quantity and cannot be changed. The quantity is always a default value,
regardless of the setting you make for the confirmation parameters (transaction
OPK4) in Customizing. You still cannot enter a partial confirmation.

For an operation confirmation (CO11, CO11N), you can either confirm all
SKUs for an operation in one step, or confirm one SKU or a bundle of SKUs. If
the material is bundled, the quantity to be confirmed is proposed at bundle level,
otherwise at SKU level. You can adjust the requirement quantity in line with the
quantity to be confirmed, or adjust the planned scrap quantity in line with the
actual scrap quantity.

If you work with assembly scrap, the quantity entered at bundle level is treated as the
gross quantity, which is the planned quantity plus the scrap quantity. It is then used
accordingly for the calculation of the net quantity and scrap quantity at SKU level or
bundle level. The gross quantities are then correctly updated and you can confirm the
scrap quantity correctly.
With AFS you can post goods movements at SKU level in the confirmation and you can
maintain changed data, such as quantity, storage location or batch. This is only valid for
backflushes and automatic goods receipts. This way you can maintain the data at SKU
level, which is transferred from the production and is relevant for the goods movement,
both for your backflushed AFS components and for the AFS finished product.
Then you can enter every change in your production cycle up to the posting to the stock
and down to SKU level. By flagging the delivery as final delivery, you specify for each
SKU that you do not expect further goods receipts for this SKU. You can catch delays in
deliveries to customers, for example.
With report J_3AFAUF you can correct many errors related to scrap in existing
production orders. Note that the report is only issued in English.

AFS Restrictions

AFS does not support collective entry, fast entry or progress confirmation.

After the delivery posting, the production order displays the delivered quantity at material
level. The confirmation fills the delivered quantity at SKU level, after the confirmation has
been posted.

The withdrawn quantity is not displayed for AFS components in the overview of the goods
movements.

You cannot add AFS materials that are not maintained in the production order when you
are in the goods movements overview. However, this is possible for SAP standard
components that belong to an AFS header material.

Note that AFS does not support operation scrap.

If the option Adjustment quants in order to act.vals is activated in Customizing under

Define production scheduling profile, the standard system changes the planned operation

quantity for subsequent operations to, for example, the scrap quantity entered in the first
operation. The respective AFS operation data is not adjusted if the actual data is
considered in the confirmation. As a result, the sum of the planned AFS operation quantity
is different than the standard quantity. Components that belong to reduced operations are
reduced by the standard. However, the AFS quantities are not adjusted.

AFS Order Progress Report

Use
The AFS order progress report provides you with the following standard and AFS-specific
information

An overview of the production and procurement situation

Statements as to whether the delivery dates will be met or delayed

You can also use the AFS order progress report just like the standard
order progress report for the make-to-order production only.

Features
The following information is displayed in addition to the SAP standard data:

The category values and grid values of the material

Operations for production orders
Grid values and quantities in the operations with information about the confirmations

**********************************

Combined Orders
Use
You use this function to group several production orders. The combined production
orders can use the same component or have the same operation in the routing.
An AFS production order can only have one category. The category in the cutting
measure is not different for your garments. In order to optimally use the capacity of
your cutting table, you want to cut the material for several production orders
together. The search criterion for combining these production orders would therefore
be a common component, such as the same outer fabric.

The functions you can execute for combined production orders include:

releasing combined production orders at the same time

confirming operations at the same time that are carried out for the combined orders

posting the goods issues for all component quantities from the combined orders at the
same time. In the goods issue you can manually change the component quantity. For
example, you can enter 91m for a requirement instead of 90.56m.
You can execute the above mentioned functions for each individual order even after
the orders have been combined, because the individual orders remain in the
system.
You must therefore individually confirm scrap so that the scrap is correctly
assigned to a specific production order. If you do not, the scrap will be proportionally
distributed among the combined orders.

Batch Assignment for Combined Production Orders

You have the following options:

With batch assignment

The reservation of component batches is fixed for the combined orders.

Without batch assignment

AFS MRP temporarily assigns the component stock.

Features
Order Combination

You can use many selection criteria to limit the result of the production order selection
for combining.
If you want to add production orders to a combined order or remove one from it,
then you must first undo the combination and then recombine them.
Combined Orders with Batch Assignment

You can use this function to combine production orders and fix a reservation of a batch
(stock) for the order in the same step. That way the stock reservation is fixed so that
changes in the MRP do not affect these items. After you have assigned the combined
order to the stock, the production order appears in the AFS stock/requirements list as
Assignment fixed: open for delivery and the stock is reserved.
Combined Orders without Batch Assignment

You can use this function to combine orders and make the release, confirmation, and
goods issues easier. This function does not, however, reserve stock for the production
orders. The component requirements appear as Temporarily assigned
stock/requirements in the AFS stock/requirements list with this function.
Additional Functions

If you make a fixed reservation for components in the production order without the
order combination, the internal number PROD.ORDER is issued as combined number.
You can process these orders with the Additional Functions for combined orders. That
means you can release, confirm, or report goods issues for them collectively.
Confirmation

If you have different operations for the routings in the production orders of the combined
order, you must confirm each operation. The system tries to confirm all operations at the
same time, if possible.

Only the first open operations that have the same work center will be confirmed in the
orders. When you use fixed reservations, we recommend that you add a control key to the
last operation, which will release the open reservations. Otherwise, the quantities will not
be released until order closing.
The following orders have been combined:
OrderOperationWork
CenterStatus110010aaconfirmed 0020bb 120010bb 130010aa 0020bb 140020bb If
you double-click on order 11, operation 0020 under confirmation, the following
operations will be confirmed, order 11 and operation 0020, order 12 and operation
0010 and order 14 and operation 0020.
If you were to select order 13, operation 0010, only this one will be confirmed.
Goods Issues for Combined Orders (Report)

You can use this function under Additional Functions for all production orders that are
combined under one number.
You can automatically carry out a goods receipt for a production order in a combined
order.
In the goods issue function you can do the following:

cancel postings
manually change a posting
use backflushing

When you cancel goods issues using Additional Functions, previously fixed quantities
will be posted back to fixed reserved stock. If the operation to which this component is
assigned has already been confirmed, you will see a message and the quantities will be
posted to available stock.

Activities
To combine production orders, do the following:
...

1. Enter your search criteria in the screen Group production orders via combined order
number. Enter the plant. You must also enter at least one of the following criteria,
production order(s), material(s), component(s) or work center(s). You can also enter AFS
specific selection criteria like grid values, requirement categories and/or seasons. Choose
Execute.
You will see a results list that shows the production orders and their components, if
specified.
With batch assignment
To enable this function, select With Batch Assignment on the initial screen, select an option
from the dropdown Component Selection (other than the option No Components). If the
components are backflushed, then you must select Include backflushed components.
Without batch assignment
To enable this function, unselect With Batch Assignment on the initial screen.
2. With batch assignment
Select the components that are the reason you want to combine production orders.
Without batch assignment
Select the production orders you want to combine.
In either case, you then choose Execute.

You will see an overview of the production orders with the components, if specified.
3. With batch assignment
Assign batches to all the selected components. For more information, see Fixed Batch
Assignment of Components at SKU Level. The system checks for each assignment if the
batch quantity covers the requirement. If not, you will get a warning message.
Without batch assignment
Choose whether the orders must be combined via an internal or an external number
(Combine int. no. or Combine ext. no.). The system assigns the appropriate number and
the production orders are combined.
The system uses an (internal or external) ID number for combined orders and enters
this number in the header of the production order. You must also define the number
ranges in Customizing by choosing Production Shop Floor Control Master
Data Order Define Number Range for Combined Orders (AFS).

Product Cost Planning

Use
In the apparel and footwear industry, the material usage and work steps in production generally
depend on the sizes, colors etc. that should be produced.
The costs of the produced stock keeping units (grid values and categories) of a product are
therefore sometimes very different. It is at times not sufficient to carry out the product costing and
valuation at material level for AFS products. With the AFS System you can cost the production
costs of a product at the level of produced stock keeping units.

Features
There are generally two different cases regarding the costing of an AFS product:

The product is not split valuated. All grid values/categories should have the same
standard price (see Costing without Split Valuation).
The product is split valuated. The valuation should take place at SKU level.

The following sections refer to the costing of split valuated products.

AFS Restrictions

Note that the R/3 standard function multi-level actual costing (material ledger) is not
currently available for AFS materials that are split valuated.
It is not possible to use the R/3 standard function Costing of Co-products for AFS
materials.

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Product Costing at Valuation Type Level

Features
The split valuation of AFS finished products takes place similarly to the valuation of AFS raw
materials or trading goods using valuation types (see Split Valuation of AFS Materials). For each
valuation type of a material you can create and release a separate costing (see Definition of
Valuation Types).
When costing a valuation type, the system determines the quantity structure that should be used
(bill of material, routing) based on the respective preference SKU. You should therefore combine
the grid values/categories of a product that have the same grid-/category-dependent bills of
material-/routing definitions into one valuation type.

A prerequisite for the costing at valuation type level is that the accounting views that belong to the
valuation types are created in the material master. There is a mass processing available for this
that automatically copies the accounting views at valuation type level from the accounting view at
material level (see Accounting Data of the Valuation Types).

You can generally define your own valuation type for each stock keeping
unit of a product. Note that the number of valuation types is decisive for
the performance of the costing run (see Costing Run). Therefore, the
number of valuation types per product should be as few as possible. In
uncertain situations, you should therefore not consider minor differences
in the production costs at SKU level when defining the valuation types.
Instead you should treat them as variances in the cost object controlling
(see Variance Analysis).
If the number of valuation types (sum of all products) that should be
processed in a costing run exceeds 10,000, you should contact your SAP
consultant.

Activities
If you want to split valuate/cost an AFS product, take the following steps:

Entries in the material master

o
o
o

Enter the valuation category X (automatic split valuation) in the Accounting 1

view.
Define the valuation types in the AFS Valuation view, enter a preference SKU for
each valuation type, and assign the SKUs to each valuation type (see Define
Valuation Types).
Enter one of the preference SKUs as the SKU for the costing at material level
(AFS Valuation view). The costing at material level is also required for split
valuated materials due to technical reasons (see Costing without Split Valuation).

Accounting Data for Valuation Types

o
o
o

Choose Environment Maintain Prices for Valuation Types in the initial screen
of the material master.
Specify the price control for the material and the valuation prices for each
valuation type.
When you save the price information, your own accounting views for each
valuation type are generated in the material master.

Periodic Generation, Marking, and Release of Costings

**************************

Quantity Structure of Product Costing

Use
The basis of the costing of a product is its quantity structure. In the product costing the quantity
structure is based on the specifications of the BOM and the routing.

Features
In the AFS system, the quantity structure of a product can be defined as grid/category-dependent.
Product costing considers these grid/category-dependent specifications. When costing a certain
stock keeping unit, the system explodes the bill of material for the corresponding SKU and
determines the relevant routing.
The following illustration shows an overview of the costing-relevant definitions of the AFS quantity
structure:

The material and production costs of a material can be applied with

overhead costs within the framework of product costing. For this you can
define a costing sheet with overhead rates in the used costing
variant/valuation variant (Customizing).
However, the overhead rates cannot be defined based on grid
values/categories. That means that all valuation types of a material are
debited with the same overhead rates.

****************************

Material Master
Use

In the Purchasing view of the material master you enter the data relevant for the
material procurement in the R/3 standard system as well as the following AFS additional
data:
o

If you use the source allocation, enter the purchasing organization in the group
box Source allocation which the system should automatically assign to the
corresponding purchase requisitions in an MRP run. The system ignores
purchase requisitions that are not assigned a purchasing organization in the
source allocation.
If you use the source allocation and want to carry out a quota check, you enter
those quota categories in the material master which you defined in customizing.

If you work with purchase grids and have defined key combinations and conditions for the
validity of purchasing grids in customizing, enter the schema for the grid determination in
the entry field Grid det. Proc. MM in the AFS Basic data view.
The following entries are necessary if you want to create the material master for an AFS
material:
o

If you want to procure and manage the AFS material in various dimensions (for
example, size and color), assign a master grid to the material in the AFS Basic
data view. Set the indicator AFS Status to activate the material as an AFS
material. Once you have set the indicator you cannot assign another master grid
to this AFS material.
If you want to procure and manage the AFS material in various categories (for
example, qualities), assign a coverage strategy to the material in the AFS MRP
view. Set the indicator AFS Status MRP to activate the material as an AFS
material. Once you have set the indicator you cannot assign another coverage
strategy to this AFS material.

You cannot use the AFS material until you have set the indicator AFS status
MRP in both the AFS Basic data view as well as in the AFS MRP view.

****************************

Defining the Grid Determination Procedure

Use
The AFS system makes it possible for you to define purchase grids with which you can determine
the validity of grid values for procurement. In Customizing you can define conditions and key
combinations and in so doing, control for which procurement transactions a certain purchase grid
is valid. The standard elements of the condition technique are valid for the grid determination.

Procedure
If purchasing documents correspond to a key combination for which a purchase grid exists, (for
example, Material - Vendor - Purchase Organization), the procurement transaction will be based
on this key combination. You can then only choose from the grid values permitted in the purchase
grid. The system also transfers the additional information entered in the grid control data is

transferred to the purchasing documents. In Customizing you can individually define key
combinations and their validity, access sequences, grid condition types, as well as the grid
determination procedure.
To do this, take the following steps in Customizing (Materials Management Purchasing
AFS Grid Determination (Purchasing Grids)):
1. Establish Global Settings.
In the global settings, if you set the indicator PR grd det. act the grid determination is
active for purchase requisitions. Otherwise the master grid is used. For contracts, if you
do not set the Use Master grid indicator, the grid determination will be active. In addition,
you can individually specify for the various purchasing document types whether the basis
for the grid determination should be the creation date or the delivery date, and in the case
of contracts, the contract start or end date.
2. Define Field Catalog.
In the field catalog you define the fields that should be available for selection in the
condition tables (for example, Material, Plant, Purchasing Organization).
3. Define Condition Tables
In condition tables you specify which fields the grid determination should take into
account when selecting a certain key combination. We recommend that you do not
change the AFS standard system condition tables. If you want to define your own
condition tables, choose a number between 501 and 999. Create the table with or without
a validity period, enter an appropriate description for the table, select the permitted fields
for the table, and then generate your new condition table.
4. Define Access Sequences for Condition Tables
With the access sequence you determine in which sequence the AFS system searches
through the condition records to find a valid condition record. In the table field AcNo
(access sequence number) enter the sequence in which the system should consider the
corresponding condition record and in so doing determine the search strategy. Then enter
the key combination. In the field Requirement, define whether the access sequence
should be valid for purchase requisitions (102), purchase orders (101), or for both
(blank). We recommend that you do not change the access sequence for the master grid
MGRD.
5. Define the grid condition type and assign it to an access sequence.
With this assignment you determine that certain access sequences (such as PGRD purchase grid) should be valid for certain grid condition types (such as PGRD - purchase
grid). You can also determine the assignment and validity periods for grid condition types.
We recommend that you do not change the AFS standard system grid condition types.
6. Define the grid determination procedure and assign it to a grid condition type.
Here you define a procedure (for example, MM0001) and assign a grid condition type to it
(such as PGRD). Via the grid condition type you assign an access sequence to the
procedure. Via the procedure that you enter for each AFS material in the AFS Basic data
view of the material master, you thus control in which hierarchical sequence the system
seats for valid condition records for this material and which purchasing documents are
included in the grid determination. We recommend not changing the procedure MM0001
in the AFS standard system.
To activate the settings you have made in Customizing in the application, assign a procedure for
the grid determination to every AFS material in the material master. Enter the corresponding
procedure in the entry field Grid Determination MM in the AFS Basic data view for each AFS
material.
You can check in purchase requisitions, requests for quotations, purchase orders, and contracts
which condition record each is based on.

To check which grid the purchasing document is based on, choose Edit Grid
determin.log in the SKU overview screen.
To analyze additional condition records, choose Analyze in the condition processing at
SKU level.
The system also displays the valid grid for a purchasing document in the SKU entry
screen via Matrix/Conversioninformation

*************************

Seasonal Stock
Use
You can specify that certain materials be valid only for a given season. This restricts
when the materials can be ordered, produced, or shipped to customers.
The allocation run performs a release check for seasonal stock. If a delivery date for a
material is beyond the season end date, the system does not allocate stock to the
requirements.
The season function in MM, PP, and IM is similar to that in SD with the following
exceptions:

SD uses a delivery program to determine season and delivery date and to group sales
orders by delivery date

MM and PP use a simple season assignment based on the date (in case there are
multiple seasons for a given material).

Integration
Season Determination for Manually Created Documents
When you enter a material and delivery date in a document (purchase order, production
order, goods movement, and so on), the system automatically determines the relevant
season. Unlike in SD, the system does not propose a delivery date based on the season.
If there is only one available season for the material and delivery date, the system copies
it into the document. If there is more than one valid season, the system displays a list so
that you can select the one you want. Once a season is entered, it becomes the proposed
season for all items in the document having that combination of material and delivery
date.
Season Determination for Automatically Generated Documents
The system reacts in a similar way for automatically generated purchase requisitions (for
example, from MRP, IDoc or BAPI). If there is more than one valid season, the system
selects the season with the latest delivery start date.
If a purchase order is generated with reference to a purchase requisition, the system
copies the season, collection, and theme from the purchase requisition.
Validity Check for Changes to Season Data
If you change a season, collection, or theme in a document, the system triggers a new
season determination. If the new season data is not valid, the system displays a list of
valid seasons, collections and themes. If any of the schedule lines do not match the new

season (for example, some grid values are not valid for that season), the system generates
an message.
If you change a delivery date, the system checks the season, collection, and theme. If they
are not valid, the system generates a message. (You can define a message type for each
interval in the stock season master data.) The system does not automatically change the
season to a new valid value.

Restrictions

Seasons in MM,PP and IM are only supported at the item level. You cannot have different
seasons for different schedule lines in a document. One item is assigned to one season,
and schedule lines that do not match that season must be entered in a separate
purchasing item or production order.

Since you assign seasons in the material master in one view for requirement and
stock, you can only use this function with plant-independent category structures.

Seasons are not supported for subcontracting items.

MRP does not consider seasons, collections, or themes during calculation or stock
selection.