To receive handling units

You can use handling units to receive goods into a warehouse. Handling units help speed up the receipt of goods. To receive goods based on handling units, you must generate handling units for the shipment notices or order lines that list these goods.

Shipment notices and handling units

A ship-from business partner can use an advance shipment notice (ASN) to send information about the goods, and the handling units used to pack these goods, that are on the way. If available, the ship-from business partner's handling unit identification codes are stored in the External Handling Unit field in the Shipment Notices (whinh3100m000) session.

You can use a shipment notice to generate handling units and a handling unit structure based on the shipment notice, shipment-notice lines, and the item load structure.

The shipment notice's handling unit is the top handling unit in the handling unit structure. The shipment-notice lines' handling units are the child handling units of the shipment notice's handling unit. The item-load structure's handling units are the child handling units of the shipment-notice lines' handling units.

However, if a package definition with a handling unit template is related to the items on the shipment lines, the handling unit structure is generated as defined in the handling unit template. For further information, see The use of package definitions and Package definitions.

In addition, various settings for automatic generation of handling units from ASNs are available in LN. For further information, see To set up automatic generation of handling units from ASNs.

Shipment notice lines and handling units

If a handling unit is generated for the shipment notice, handling units are also generated for the shipment-notice lines. You can also generate handling units for individual shipment lines.

Handling unit identification codes

The identification codes of the newly generated handling units are stored in the following sessions:

  • Handling Units (whwmd5130m000)
  • Shipment Notices (whinh3100m000)
  • Shipment Notice Lines (whinh3101m000)

If the supplier provides the ASN with handling unit codes, these codes are copied to create LN handling unit codes.

However, if identical handling unit codes exist in LN before the arrival of the ASN, this would result in duplicate records. In such cases, LN generates new unique internal handling unit codes using the mask functionality.

Inbound order lines and handling units

You can generate handling units for inbound order lines. If a package definition is entered on the order lines, the handling unit structure is generated as defined in the handling unit template of the package definition. For further information, see The use of package definitions.

How to receive handling units - procedure

You can receive goods based on handling units as follows:

  • In the warehouse, scan the handling unit's label. After scanning, the handling units are automatically set to Received in LN. This method is available if the supplier provides handling unit codes in an ASN announcing the arrival of the goods.
  • Manually receive the handling unit in LN

To manually receive the handling unit in LN, proceed as follows:

  1. Start the Handling Units (whwmd5130m000) session.
  2. Look up the handling unit that you want to receive. To be available for receipt, a handling unit must have the Open status or the In Transit status. For further information, see Handling Unit Status.
  3. On the appropriate menu, select the Execute Inbound submenu.
  4. From the Execute Inbound submenu, click Receive.

    As a result, a receipt record is created for the handling unit. If the handling unit includes child records, a receipt line is created for each child handling unit. The status of the handling unit and any related child handling units is set to Receipt Open.

  5. To confirm the receipt of the handling unit, select Confirm Receipt from the Execute Inbound submenu or click the Confirm Receipt button on the toolbar. The handling unit is received in the warehouse and the status of the handling unit is set to Received.

Goods received notes

If your warehousing procedure includes goods received notes, before you complete step 4, proceed as follows:

  • From the Execute Inbound sub-menu, click Goods Received Notes to access the Print Goods Received Note (whinh3412m100) session.
  • In the Print Goods Received Note (whinh3412m100) session, specify the required settings and print the Goods Received Notes list for the handling unit.

  • On the appropriate menu, select the Execute Inbound sub-menu.
  • Continue with step 4 of the previous procedure.
Receipts and handling units

To receive a handling unit, the handling unit Status must be Open. To receive warehousing orders with Transfer or Transfer (Manual) origins, the handling unit must have the In Transit status.

When a handling unit is received, the status of this handling unit and the status of any related child handling units obtain the Receipt Open status.

When the receipt is confirmed, the handling units are automatically updated with the manual changes on the receipt lines and obtain the Received status.

If you confirm the receipt of a handling unit, you actually receive inventory for the warehousing order line to which the handling unit is related. The confirmed receipt triggers logistical and financial transactions and actually registers inventory in stock.

Receipt lines and handling units

When you carry out the receipt of a handling unit in the Handling Units (whwmd5130m000) session, a separate receipt line is created for the handling units with the lowest levels in the handling unit structure. Therefore, a receipt line is created for each child handling unit if a parent handling unit is received in the Warehouse Receipt (whinh3512m000) session.

If a receipt is performed for a transfer order for which handling units were used during shipment, but the receiving warehouse uses no handling units, the receipt lines are created based on the shipment stock point details.

To receive sequenced shipments with handling units and references

The receipt of sequenced shipments by means of handling units is carried out in the same way as handling units for non-sequenced shipments, as described previously, except that the ASN that is sent by the ship-from business partner has a reference to the relevant purchase schedule.

When a handling unit is generated for the ASN, the reference is also linked to the handling unit. If handling units with references are received, the references are also linked to the receipt lines created.

When the receipt (line) is confirmed, the reference is, together with other receipt information, passed on to the Purchase Control module. The Purchase Control module passes on the reference to the Assembly Control module to inform that the sequenced shipment has arrived.