Learn how to configure and transact with the Shipping Cockpit Framework in SAP Extended Warehouse Management (EWM) 9.1, starting with the planning stages (Shipping Cockpit Planning [SCOP]) through execution and monitoring (Shipping Cockpit Execution [SCOE]) in the outbound processes of your warehouse operation.
Key Concept
The Shipping Cockpit provides a single view in which the warehouse or shipping operators can plan, track, and manage the outbound delivery processes across the different outbound functions; for example, transport planning, picking, packing, staging, loading, all the way through to goods issue and vehicle departure from the yard. It also monitors shipment plans that have been interfaced from SAP Transportation Management (SAP TM) or external transport planning systems as well.
The main advantage of the SCOP and SCOE is that they are developed and maintained by SAP, and hence are tightly integrated with the rest of the EWM outbound functionality — for example, delivery statuses, wave management, the picking and packing progress, transportation unit management, loading, and goods issue status. All of these integration points are connected to one area in which you can manage the shipping processes.
Some Setup Tips and Tricks of the Shipping Cockpit
The transactions for the SCOP and SCOE are based on the NWBC platform and can be seen under the Shipping and Receiving node from a NWBC logon session (Figure 1).
Figure 1
NWBC Extended Warehouse Management menu and placing of the SCOP and SCOE
The transactions are delivered in authorization role /SCWM/EXPERT. To view this role, execute transaction code PFCG or follow menu path Tools > Administration > User Maintenance > Role Administration > Roles. Figure 2 displays the /SCM/EXPERT role.
Figure 2
Authorization role /SCWM/EXPERT displayed
You must activate the NWBC Internet communication services specific to the Shipping Cockpit functionality. To do this, execute transaction code SICF or follow menu path Tools > Administration > Administration > Network > HTTP Service Hierarchy Maintenance. The following services are necessary to allow the different NWBC functionality areas to be active in the SCOP and SCOE. These services are:
• Sap/public/bc/icons
• Sap/public/bc/icons_rtl
• Sap/public/bc/pictograms
• Sap/public/bc/webdynpro/*
• Sap/public/bc/webicons
• Sap/bc/nwbc/*
• Sap/bc/webdynpro/scwm/sco & sco_EXEC & shp_assign_door_lp & shp_assign_tu_door
Select each service and activate it by either right-clicking the service and selecting Activate Service or selecting Service/Host from the menu and then selecting Activate.
User-specific settings can be set for the SCOP and SCOE, as shown in Figure 3.
Figure 3
Maintain user-specific settings and levels for the display hierarchy
Figure 4
SCOE with standard delivered function buttons
Figure 5
SCOE with reduced function buttons
Figure 6
The personalization icon
Figure 7
Set personalization for different views to be used
SAP provides standard Business Add-Ins (BAdIs) to enhance the Shipping Cockpit if required. The BAdI used in this example implementation was /PLMB/EX_SPI_TRANSACTION. It was implemented to add the delivery status as a visual status light, showing status by color indicating if the delivery was blocked due to incomplete data.
The following actual challenges were faced with a Shipping Cockpit implementation:
• NWBC4, Support Package 12 caused some transactions to stop. The solution was to revert back to Support Package 11.
• The antivirus software running on the server had a huge impact on performance when processing through the Shipping Cockpit. The antivirus was scanning the NWBC HTTP each time NWBC was started. The solution was to add NWBC.exe as part of the exclusions for the antivirus software.
• The session time-out settings for Internet communication (ICM) must be set on the ABAP server to prevent the Shipping Cockpit HTTP session from timeout.
An Example of an End-to-End Outbound Process with the Shipping Cockpit Functionality
As an example of SCOP, we explain how an EWM outbound delivery order (ODO) is created from a distributed outbound delivery transmitted by SAP ERP Central Component (ECC) to EWM. We also describe where the outbound delivery order is visible in the standard EWM warehouse management monitor as shown in Figure 8.
Figure 8
The EWM warehouse management monitor showing an outbound delivery order
Figure 9
SCOP showing the outbound delivery
Figure 10
SCOP creating a TU
Figure 11
Enter details for a TU to be created in SCOP
Figure 12
SCOP with the created TU
Figure 13
SCOP staging area assignment
Figure 14
Assignment of SCOP staging area assignment details to delivery line items
Figure 15
EWM warehouse management monitor with updated delivery – header view
Figure 16
EWM warehouse management monitor with updated delivery – item view
Figure 17
Door assignment
Figure 18
Door selection for TU
Figure 19
TU updated with the door assignment
Figure 20
Updated delivery in the warehouse management monitor
Figure 21
TU displayed with the results of executing transaction code /SCWM/TU in the NWBC environment
SCOE
Once the TU is planned, it is visible in the SCOE. Start the SCOE transaction from the user menu. Search for your TU either by delivery number, TU number, or any of the other available search criteria (Figure 22). Click the Search button to execute your search.
Figure 22
SCOE search criteria
Figure 23
SCOE with the TU shown
Figure 24
Select the wave creation option needed
Figure 25
The wave log is displayed
Figure 26
TU with the wave planning completed
Figure 27
Wave status and number of open warehouse tasks that were created with the wave release
Figure 28
Status light indicating that picking is in progress
Figure 29
Pick status light shows that the process is completed
Figure 30
The staging status is completed and shown as a green status light
Figure 31
TU for the Arrival and At Door is updated
Figure 32
Loading status shown as started and Load status shown as being in progress
Figure 33
TU status set to closed
Figure 34
Post Goods Issue status set to completed
Figure 35
TU Departure status updated
Figure 36
Status overview (all completed and shown as green status lights)
Figure 37
The warehouse mangement monitor shows the completed statuses
Figure 38
TU status completed
Customer Testimony
The following is testimony from a customer for which we implemented the SCOP and SCOE functionality.
Q: What do you like about the EWM Shipping Cockpit?
A: The Shipping Cockpit gives the load compiler great visibility and control over the outbound process, from load planning though picking and checking to loading. The Shipping Cockpit status lights make following the progress of an outbound shipment easy. Problems are clearly identifiable and easier to investigate using the drill-down functionality.
Q: What about the Shipping Cockpit is better than the old manual paper system?
A: The Shipping Cockpit is used in the distribution administration team’s daily meeting as a tool to identify and address any open issues. The frustration of lost pages is eliminated and the information is always up to date.
— Ashwin Moodley (Distell South Africa, New Germany Distribution Centre, Administration Controller)
Hein Botha
Hein Botha is an SAP SCM EWM consultant at Argon Supply Chain Solutions. Hein has been involved with SAP since 2000 and operates from 2012 in the extended warehouse management (EWM) area as an SCM-EWM consultant. He has played integral roles in numerous ECC and EWM implementations on all levels for implementation projects across logistical areas. These projects covered the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) and chemicals industries, nationally and internationally. He has presented a WM/TRM and voice- picking solution at an SCM conference held in Paris in 2011. He considers this presentation one of the success stories of his career.
You may contact the author at hein.botha@argonscs.com.
If you have comments about this article or publication, or would like to submit an article idea, please contact the editor.
David Webb
David Webb is an SAP SCM architect at Argon Supply Chain Solutions. David is an experienced SAP supply chain solution architect with industry experience covering the retail, fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), electronics and motor manufacturing sectors. He has more than 16 years of SAP design, configuration, and technical experience delivering solutions on both the SAP ERP and SCM platforms. He has designed, configured, and delivered solutions for clients all over the globe catering for numerous industry verticals, covering vast amounts of functionality integrated with warehousing and transportation. Along with his SAP experience, David also has a comprehensive grasp of the retail supply chain execution processes and its components. He has a proven track record through all life-cycle phases of SAP implementations. He is well respected by his colleagues for his deep and broad SAP knowledge, problem solving capabilities, positive attitude, commitment and motivation. He thrives under pressure.
You may contact the author at david.webb@argonscs.com.
If you have comments about this article or publication, or would like to submit an article idea, please contact the editor.
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