Availability Check configuration

Question

Hi All,
I want to configure availabiliy check but I am a bit confused with the config part. Soneone plz explain the config process.
Also tell me what is the exact link ( in config ) by which the availabilty check gets triggered.
Regards,
Danny.

Answer 1

Dear Danny,
Hope the material pasted here helps you... :
Availability Check & Transfer of Requirements
Availability check
1. Availability check is an integral part of the business process that determines if the required delivery quantity can be met on a required delivery date. For this purpose the system takes into account pre-delivery activities such as scheduling for picking or packing times and the time taken to produce or obtain the material. It also performs several background functions such as Backorder processing, rescheduling and ATP quantities.
2. Backorder processing: processing of a sales order that has not been fully confirmed or not confirmed at a certain delivery date.
3. Rescheduling: is a proposal of how u2013 confirmed quantities already assigned to a sales order can be reassigned to other sales orders that have a higher priority.
4. Available to promise (ATP): is a process of checking the available quantities of a material. The ATP quantity consists of warehouse stock + planned receipts (incoming stock) u2013 planned issues (outgoing stock). To examine stock on hand (T-Code - CO09) proceed to logistics u2013 sales & distribution u2013 sales u2013 environment u2013 availability overview.
5. Replenishment lead time (RLT): is the time taken for the material to become available either internally (in house production) or externally (from a vendor). The most important things to consider during an external procurement are purchasing and MRP 2 (procurement) views of MMR where the processing time for purchasing, planned delivery time and goods receipt processing time are taken into account. On the other hand internal procurement is based on in house production time (MRP 2 view) goods receipt processing time or alternatively RLT time, which is found on MRP 3 view.
6. RLT (Replenishment Lead Time) is the time taken for the material to become available. RLT is only used when doing an ATP check (Available To Promise). The value of RLT for a material is specified on material master record.
7. There are three types of availability checks u2013
Check on basis of ATP quantities.
Check against product allocation.
Check against planning.
Configuring Availability check through Checking Groups u2013
1. The checking group + checking rule determine how the availability check is to be performed.
2. The checking group determines whether and how the system checks the stock availability and generates requirements for material planning. The checking group defines what type of requirements will be passed on i.e. summarized requirements (daily/weekly) or individual requirements for each sales order.
3. The checking rule applies to how the availability check is to be carried out at the transaction level. Note that you must define checking rules for each individual application such as for production orders for example. In Sales and Distribution, the checking rule is specified internally within the system and cannot be changed.
4. The checking rule, in conjunction with the checking group, determines the scope of the availability check for every business operation; that is, which stocks, receipts and issues are to be included in the availability check and whether the check is to be carried out with or without the replenishment lead time.
5. Briefly explaining the above u2013 checking group determines which type of requirement to be passed on to MRP whether it be individual or summarized and checking rule which is at the transaction level and can be configured independently for each application module, determines which stocks, receipts and issues to be taken into account. For performing an availability check checking group has to work in conjunction with checking rule.
6. Advantages of individual processing over summarized processing u2013
Backorder processing is possible.
You can access (MD04) order, line and schedule line individually which gives a greater control on available stock and requirements placed on stock.
The system automatically uses individual requirements in case of special stock items.
7. Required data for the Availability check to be carried out u2013
The Availability check must be switched on at the requirement class level.
The Availability check must be set at the schedule line level.
A requirements type must exist by which the requirements class can be found.
A plant must be defined in the sales order for each schedule line item (in other words plant must be defined for every material in MMR).
A checking group must be defined in the material master record in the MRP3 screen in the availability check field.
8. Configuring Availability check and defining Checking Groups u2013
Checking groups are introduced into the sales order based on the setting in the material master record.
SAP standard checking groups are 01 u2013 summarized requirements and 02 u2013 individual requirements or you can create your own by copying the standard ones.
Total sales and total deliveries columns are there to configure a checking rule to sum up requirements to post to MRP either individually or by day or week.
Block quantity required can be set if you want several users to be able to process the material simultaneously in different transactions without blocking each other.
The no check indicator is CHECKED when you DO NOT want the system to carry out ATP check.
9. Defining material block for other users u2013 the block check box is an indicator that enables you to block material master records of a particular material during the availability check and restrict other users from accessing same master record and reserve the material. If the block is not set, two users can confirm the same material at the same time for two different orders, not knowing if the stock is available or not. If you select this field, the material is blocked during the availability check and other users cannot: a) Make changes in the material master record. b) Create purchase orders for the material. C) Create orders for the material.
10. Defining default values for checking groups - Checking groups are introduced into the sales order based on the setting in the material master record.
However if there is no entry present in the material master record for the checking group, a default value can be set here, depending on material type and plant.
This default value will be used by the system depending on the material type mentioned in MMR and plant in sales order.
If an entry exists, this default value is over written by MMR.
11. Controlling Availability Check u2013 in this section, you tell the system what stock on hand and what inward and outward movements of stock it must take into account when performing the availability check in addition to whether or not to consider the replenishment lead time.
12. These settings are based on the checking group that is assigned to the material master record and the checking rule that is predefined and assigned to the sales and distribution transaction.
13. These settings carry out control both for sales order and delivery as well. This is due to the fact that you may want to include specific stock or incoming stock for the sales order, yet at the time of the delivery only include physical stock on hand waiting to be shipped.
14. It is possible to indicate to the system that you would like the availability check NOT TO CHECK the stock at the storage location level. This indicator is used to set the scope of the availability check.
15. It is used to switch off the check at storage location level. You create a reservation for a particular storage location. However, the scope of the availability check is set in such a way as to exclude the storage location. In this case, the system carries out the check at plant level only and does not take the storage location into account that is specified in the reservation.
16. Should you not want the system to automatically check RLT, you may indicate so here. RLT is the time taken for a material to become available. It is only used when doing an ATP check and is taken from MMR.
17. Defining the elements in the availability check entirely depends on the business needs, but a few tips are given under u2013
When controlling the Availability check at the time of the sales order, a purchase requisition does not necessarily indicate by it is going to come into the plant.
A shipping notification on the other hand - a confirmed purchase order u2013 is a good indicator of receiving stock on a specified date.
It is always recommended not to select the shipping notifications for the delivery requirements type as you may not actually receive the stock into plant or warehouse for which you are creating a delivery.
ATP
Types of Availability Check in Sales and Distribution
Processing
There are three types of availability check:
_ Check on the basis of the ATP quantities
_ Check against product allocation
_ Check against planning
The following SD-specific control features need to be maintained in Customizing:
_ Checking group
The checking group controls whether the system is to create individual or collective
requirements in sales and shipping processing. In addition, a material block for the
availability check with transfer of requirements can be set here. The checking group can also be used to deactivate the availability check. This option was created especially for the assembly order so that when the bill of material is exploded in the assembly order, the individual components, if necessary, can be classified as non-critical parts as far as procurement is concerned.
The checking group specifies in combination with the checking rule the scope of the availability check. It is proposed in the material master record on the basis of the material type and the plant, and copied into the sales and distribution documents. _ Checking Rule
You use the checking rule to control the scope of the availability check for each
transaction in sales and distribution. You also specify whether the check should be
carried out including or excluding replenishment lead time. The individual checking rules define by transaction, which stock and inward and outward movement of goods should be taken into account for the availability check. _ Schedule line category
You can control with the schedule line category whether an availability check and
transfer of requirements should be carried out in the sales documents. The possible settings for this at schedule line level are dependent on the settings in the requirements class which is determined from the requirements type of the material. _ Delivery item category
The delivery item category can be used to control whether an availability check takes place in deliveries. Requirements type
The various requirements are identified by their requirements type. The requirements type refers to the requirements class and its control features.
_ Requirements Class
The requirements class contains all control features for planning such as relevance for planning, requirements planning strategy and requirements consumption strategy. In addition, it is specified at a global level whether an availability check is to take place for the material in the sales and distribution documents on the basis of the ATP quantity (ATP = available to promise) and whether requirements are to be passed on. A finer degree of control can be obtained for sales documents using the schedule line category.
Replenishment lead time is only included in the check performed on the basis of the ATP quantity.
Prerequisites
An availability check can only be carried out if the following prerequisites have been fulfilled:
_ The control elements described above for the availability check must be maintained in Customizing for Sales and the relevant assignments made to the sales transactions
_ The availability check must be switched on at requirements class level and - for the availability check in the sales documents - at schedule line category level
A requirements type must exist by which the requirements class can be found
_ A plant must be defined. It can either be proposed from the customer or material master record or can be entered manually in the document.
_ A checking group must be defined in the material master record on the Sales/plant data screen in the Availability check field
Configuring entries of the Availability Check
IMG > SD > Basic fncs > Availability check and TOR > Availability check with ATP logic or against planningAvailability check > Define checking groups
You can use SAP std checking groups of 01 for summarized reqts or 02 for daily reqts or u can create ur own.
The columns total sales and total deliveries are selection options whereby u can configure a checking rule to sum up reqts to post to MRP either individually or by day or week.
Column 5, Block qty; set this block if u want several users to be able to process the material simultaneously in different transactions without blocking each other. The No Check indicator is used when u want a material to not be relevant for an ATP check.
Defining a material block for other users. The Block checkbox is an indicator that enables u to block the particular material from being checked for availability if it is already being checked at the same time by another user.
Defining the default value for checking groups. However should no entry exist for the checking group in the material master record, one can set a default value per material type and plant.
Controlling the availability check. In this section, u tell the system what stock on hand and what inward and outward movements of stock it must take into account when performing the availability check. These settings are based on the checking group that is assigned to the material master record and the checking rule that is predefined and assigned to the sd transaction. The carry out control for the availability check must be maintained for both the sales order and delivery.
TOR
IMG > SD > Basic fncs > Availability check and TOR > TOR
A line item in the sales order creates a schedule line. The schedule lines in the sales order transfer the requirements through to MRP. You can select the docs on which you want the TOR to happen. For ex, not for quotations.
The TOR aims to ensure the ordered materials are available for the requested delivery date. The TOR can be set for individual or for collective requirements (materials sales/plant view).master
The TOR is dependent on the following data:
The reqts type, reqts class, checking group and schedule line category.
The reqts type and class are determined in the strategy group MRP3)(material master
For TOR to be carried out, a few criteria need to be met:
Plant assigned to line item level, schedule line category should be switched on at TOR, TOR must be switched on at the reqts class level, checking group must be defined and allocated to the material master record (sales/plant view in the availability check field)
The reqts class is the controlling factor for the availability check and the TOR for all sd types.
Configuring the TOR:
1) Use std 041 reqts class or copy and rename it. Use the indicators to select if this reqts class must carry out an availability check and/or a TOR.
2) Define the reqts types. A reqts type is allocated to a single reqts class and not vice versa. It is based on the item category and the MRP type of the material.
3) Assign the rqts type to the relevant item category in the sales order and the MRP type found on the material master record.
You can select an alternative search strategy where u assign the reqts type to item category and MRP type. Can select source as 0, 1 or 2. (1 = Item type and MRP type strategy).
4) The TOR and Availability check can be selected/de-selected at the schedule line category level.
5) Block qty confirmation in delivery blocks. This is used to block the reservation of the TOR from MRP.
6) Maintain requirements for TOR. Requirements can be used to determine that the TOR to MRP is not carried out unless a number of conditions are met.
Availability Overview = CO09 > order qty, sd doc no, item no, requirements class.
sd no or dly no, lineStock requirements list = MD04  item, schedule line placing the demand
Stock overview = MMBE > total stock per company, then plant followed by storage location, and finally a breakdown per batch.
Transfer of requirments:
for TOR to happen the folowing control elements must be defined
1. requirmrent type.
2.requirement class.
3.checking group
4.schedule line category.
apart from the above the TOR must be switched on at
1.reqt class level.
2.schedule line level
3.checking group level.
4.plant must defined at the document item level
once order is raised the requirments are transfered from order to MRP by TOR,
various reqts are identified thru reqt type, reqt type are identified in the system thru
1. strategy group--MRP1 --mmr
2.MRP group.
3.material type.
4. ITEM category +mrp type
5.item category
once reqt type is identified it points to reqt class.
reqt class contains all the control factors suchas planing strategy,consumption strategy etc
basing on the item category group+ mrp type-- schedule line categories are identified.
if it is relevant for availability check, then the system does ATP CHECK(warehousestockplanned ordersproduction ordersconfirmed receiptsconfirmed goods issues) and decides whether goods are availabile on
the requested delivered date of the customer, if not system does a backward scheduling and confirms when material is available (materual availability date),
so if material is not available then system proposes 2 dates
1.customer delivery date
2.material availability date.
for availability check to happen the following pre-requistes must be there:
1.availability check must be swithched on at the requirment class level
2.schedule line level itmust be switched on
3.reqt type must be defined
4.checking group must be defined.
5.plant must be defined
6. the system takes by default checking group if not defined as material type and plant.
from SD the following componenets are importants
1.checking group:defines whether indivual orcollective req are to be passed
2.checking rule: defines scop of the check(what type of stock+with or without RLT)
3.schedule line category: this fine tunes whether availability check should be carried on at the sales document level or not.
4. delivery item category.
for config:
SPROSALES&DIST-BASIC FUNCTIONS--TOR&AVAILABILITY CHECK.
In material master the below mentioned must be defined also
1.strategy group.
2.scheduling margin key.
3.in house production time.
4. RLT time.
5.MRP group
Hope this above helps...
Give points if userful...
Thanks,
Jignesh Mehta