SAP Console

[kwindle]

We're looking into implementing SAP Console for standard warehouse procedures (put away, picking, cycle counting, etc.). Looking for advice from those that are currently using this functionality. We are on ECC5.0 and will be upgrading to ECC6.0 within the next year or so.

Any surprises to watch out for?
Is there new RF functionality in 6.0 that doesn't exist in 5.0?
Which hand held devices work best? Are there any to stay away from?
Is cycle counting by quant (LX26) supported?

Any experienced advice would be appreciated.

[roortman]

Hi,

Just to quickly answer your questions below, but I trust a lot will follow, since it is a fairly wide topic.
First a question of myself, you will be using SAP Console as web (more user friendly layout) or a telnet (which is more text based)?

No real suprises, but just be aware that not everything in SAP is supported in RF. Even stupid things that make sense to have on RF like a simple bin to bin movement do not exist in standard SAP, and have to be developed.

Personally I've always been using Psion Teklogix as a brand, they are good in service and easy in setup. Try to buy them with the Naurtech browser if you going for the webbased version. Can't really give you any types, since it depends if you go for handhelds (workabout pro would be nice) which are 16x20 screen size. Or if you also need terminals for forklifts (screen is 8x40).

Cycle counting is supported. On creation of the inventory documents, you can input the userID of the person responsible for the count of that document(s). This user will then (assuming you use system guided cycle count) get all bins automatically on his screen and needs to count them. Also if he finds a material in a bin that is not there according to SAP, he can manually add this on the RF gun.

I'm going to ask a stupid question now, but I assume you are WM managed right ?
Look into the mobile data entry in your customizing, there is specific setup you can do to make your management of your warehouse employees a bit easier etc...

Let me know if you need more.

REgards

[thiswayup]

Simplest approach is to use Telnet to give a character display (typically 16X20 or 8X40) on the mobile terminal.
I wouldn't bother with a web-browser unless you have specific needs for it - keeping it simple will save time & money down the track.

Equipment from Motorola, Intermec, LXE is also good; they have a wide range to suit different scanning ranges, drop protection etc etc.

The SAP-supplied MDE transactions are somewhat crude and limited in their range of functionality. For instance, they are largely restricted to WM processing and require TOs to have been set up beforehand. They also have design faults such as multiple input fields per screen (which slows you down if scanning bar-codes into these fields). What IS useful, however, is the MDE menu config and the assignment of users to menus (LRFMD transaction). There is nothing to stop you writing your own transactions, and using the MDE menu (transaction LM00 / 01) to access these instead of, or as well as, the standard MDE ones; just simply include your own z-transaction code in the MDE menu config.

As it is important to fit the transaction to the physical process to maximise accuracy & speed, it will generally make sense to write your own dialog transactions to optimally fit your processes (unless you are really lucky and MDE gives you everything you need). Keep the screens simple, and ensure the data-capture sequence fits in with what is physically being done. Where data is captured by scanning a bar-code, have one input field on the screen and fire the next processing step by the <enter> key; then, you can configure the mobile devices to submit <enter> automatically after each scan. You only really need a "submit" key if collecting large or variable amounts of data, to submit the posting for SAP. Try to validate data as it is input (there is nothing more irritating than leaving this to the underlying SAP function, only to find your first scan was invalid and you have to start again). Try to avoid asking the user to key in large amounts of (especially) alpha data; keyed input should be restricted to small numeric-only inputs such as quantities etc. (You can always print sheets of bar-code options - e.g. IM mvt reason codes - and laminate these so the user can scan rather than key in.)

For updating SAP, use the "L_TO_<xxxx>" functions to create & confirm TOs, BAPIs such as BAPI_GOODSMVT_CREATE for non-WM processing, or BDCs if no BAPIs are available (e.g. most stuff to do with deliveries). You can write a transaction to simplify multiple underlying SAP transactions into one physical "scanning" transaction - for example, an ad-hoc store to store transfer in IS-RETAIL can be created by creating STO, creating delivery, picking & posting GI based on the articles scanned. But, in these cases you have to be careful to work out where you want to leave things if the process is partly executed but left unfinished by a failure in a later step; you also have to be careful that step N+1 is not locked out because SAP hasn't released all the locks taken doing step N. (Put an enqueue for the relevant lock object to check the documents you are going to process aren't locked before proceeding, optionally waiting and retrying the enqueue if they are.)

[elmanu]

Not agree with this:

Simplest approach is to use Telnet to give a character display (typically 16X20 or 8X40) on the mobile terminal.
I wouldn't bother with a web-browser unless you have specific needs for it - keeping it simple will save time & money down the track.

With Telnet, you need a separate server for Telnet.
With SAP ECC 6.0, you have Netweaver, so ITS Mobile works without an extra server.
You can check on the SAP WIKI page for ITS mobile for the features.