Alternative items

If an inventory shortage occurs for an item, you can offer the sold-to business partner an alternative item. Optionally, you can use the available inventory of the original item and then fill the remaining shortage with an alternative.

Setting up alternative items

To set up alternative items, take the following steps:

  1. Enter the original item in the Alternative Items (tcibd0505m000) session.
  2. Enter the original item's alternative item or items in the Alternative Items (tcibd0105s000) session. If several alternative items can substitute an original item, you must assign a priority to the alternative item in the Priority field.

  3. If the sold-to business partner accepts a combined shipment of the available quantity of the original item as well as alternative items, select the Allow Shipment of Multiple Alternative Items check box in the Sold-to Business Partner (tccom4110s000) session.

    If the sold-to business partner only wants to receive a single alternative item, clear that check box.

Using alternative items

If you enter an order quantity on a sales order line or quotation line that cannot be covered by the inventory on hand, LN displays a warning and opens a list of options. One of the options you can choose is to start the Alternative Items (tcibd0505m000) session, from which you can select an alternative item.

If the Allow Shipment of Multiple Alternative Items check box is selected in the Sold-to Business Partner (tccom4110s000) session and some quantity of the originally requested item is available, LN splits the sales order line in two sales order lines:

  • A sales order line with the available quantity of the original item.
  • A second sales order line with the alternative item you selected.
Automatically starting the Alternative Items (tcibd0505m000) session

To automatically start the Alternative Items (tcibd0505m000) session in case of an inventory shortage, use the following setting:

  • In the Sales User Profiles (tdsls0139m000) session, select the Automatic Inventory Shortage Handling check box.
  • In the Sales Order Types (tdsls0594m000) session, select the applicable sales order type and in the details session, under Automatic Inventory Shortage Handling, set the applicable fields to Alternative Items.

If you enter an item and order quantity on a sales order line for which LN identifies an inventory shortage, LN bypasses the list of options, and immediately starts the Alternative Items (tcibd0505m000) session.

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