Logistics General Handling Unit Introduction

Logistics General Handling Unit Introduction

Purpose

This content was created to introduce the logistics of material with Handling Units and to guide ERP SCM Logistics users on the related functionalities. With this article the user may be able to understand the Handling Unit concepts and to operate with system specification existent functionalities in the SAP ERP Logistics.

Overview

The term HU (Handling Unit) is the goods packing information used in the ERP Logistics area being available for setting under Logistics General in SAP ERP implementation guide. Although it was firstly developed to simple packing in the delivery area it has developed and then other functionalities have been made available like the inventory goods for packed stored material which is called HU managed storage location. The handling units functionalities are found in the own HU transactions, delivery transactions, WM (Warehouse Management) and EWM (Extended Warehouse Management) transactions (there is also the packing proposal in the Sales Order).

HU Overview

The SAP ERP system sees a handling unit as a physical unit that consists of the packaging materials (load carrier / packaging material) and its goods. A handling unit is a combination of materials and packaging materials. All the information contained in the material items, such as batches and serial numbers, is available by way of the handling units.

The handling unit in a non HU Storage locationdifferently from handling unit in HU storage location means that there is no control over the packed units, in other words the system does not control the inventory. It is mostly used there no need to keep packed quantity in-house but only the need for shipping the goods wrapped in packages, the handling units are then packed at the delivery area (it can have packing under other packing which is called nested handling unit).
The handling unit in a HU Storage location means that there is control over the packed units, in other words the system controls the inventory. It is mostly used when goods are stored in a packed material like cartons, pallets, etc. The handling units can be nested and the HU transactions allow the unpacking and packing activities as well as moving the HU from one area to another.

The handling units can be proposed in a sales order and determined on the delivery creation. The handling units can be also staged using Warehouse Management in process manufacturing.

SAP HU Customizing

The settings for handling unit are relatively simple and just take few steps, the demand for further use in HU like combination with warehouse , picking-HU, HU determination or also aggregated functionalities increase the complexity level accordingly. Basically the necessary conditions is to set a packaging material type and a material group for packing and have it assigned to material of the packing type. Some further minor setting and any packable material can be packed in it, detailed information is available in creating a packing material wiki page.

HU Structure

The VEKP table (Handling Unit - Header Table) is the one which contain the identification and main overall information of the HU, the details is found in the item level, there are in the table besides the ones shown in the picture below the fields related to status, which document the HU is assigned and document number which HU is assigned, those fields are very important to determine the current status of the HU.

The VEPO table (Packing: Handling Unit Item (Contents)) is the one which contain the that has either material or pack information (in case of a nested HU exists), it is the item level. All the HU must be comprised of Header + Item levels.

HU Main Operations

A handling unit can be monitored through the HUMO transaction which presents all the handing unit information like status, document referenced, movement history as well as HU further levels
content. The VLMOVE transaction is then used for the movements possible for any handling unit and the packing/unpacking can be done through the delivery transactions (inbound/outbound). A handling is mostly created through HU02 transaction.

*Transactions for creating and changing handling units: *

  • Create/Change/Repack Handling Units (General) (HU02);
  • Packing Station in Warehouse (HUPAST);
  • Pack Production Orders (COPAWA/COWBPACK);
  • Using the Handling Unit Monitor (HUMO);

*Display functions for handling units: *

  • Directly using the Handling Unit Monitor (HUMO);
  • Indirectly using the stock overviews for the material (MMBE and LS26);
  • For the individual document types: Inbound and outbound delivery, transfers, material documents, and so on (HUIBD, HUOBD, HUTRA and so on);
  • Handling units are not included in document archiving for the delivery or the transport. However, there is a report that archives handling units;

Related Content

Related Documents

SAP Help: Handling Unit

Related Notes

SAP Note  1534664 - HU restrictions when reversing movement for STO deliveries

 
posted @ 2013-07-28 13:19  jefflu99  阅读(948)  评论(0)  编辑  收藏  举报