Lesson 3 of 6
Picking: where stock comes from and how it is confirmed
9 min
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Picking is the most labor-intensive step in Contoso's warehouse and the one customers notice when it goes wrong. EWM decides which bin each pick comes from, bundles picks into warehouse orders, and records what the picker actually found. This lesson covers those three parts and the exceptions that make picking interesting.
Choosing the source: search sequence and removal rule
Like putaway, picking starts with a storage type search sequence. EWM finds it from the warehouse number, the product's stock removal control indicator, the warehouse process type, quantity classification, stock type and other inputs, again with an access strategy as fallback. Then a stock removal rule sorts the available quants. SAP builds rules from up to 30 sort fields, so FIFO, LIFO and shelf-life rules are configurations, not fixed programs.
| Strategy | How it sorts | Contoso use |
|---|---|---|
| FIFO | Oldest goods receipt date first | High-rack 0010 alternator pallets |
| Stringent FIFO | FIFO across several storage types using a storage type group | Not used |
| LIFO | Newest first, for stacked goods that can only be reached from the top | Not used |
| Shelf life expiration date | Shortest remaining shelf life first | Not used; alternators have no shelf life |
| Partial quantities first | Uses partial handling units first to reduce broken pallets | Bulk floor regulator kit pallets |
| Quantity-dependent | Small quantities from one storage type, full units from another | Under 24 pc from 0020, full pallets from 0010 |
| Fixed bin | Picks from the product's fixed bins | CMC-ALT-100 from P-02-05 |
Stock removal strategies and where Contoso uses them.
A storage type group changes the logic: instead of searching storage types one by one until enough stock is found, EWM collects quants from all types in the group and then applies the rule. That is how stringent FIFO works across areas. For the Great Lakes order of 50 alternators, Contoso's quantity-dependent setup picks two full pallets of 24 from 0010 and the 2 loose pieces from fixed bin P-02-05.
- Is the quantity a full pallet (24) or more?Yes → search sequence starts with high-rack 0010 · No → start with fixed bin 0020
- Is there enough stock in the first storage type?Yes → pick there, sorted by the removal rule · No → continue with the next storage type
- Is the fixed bin below its minimum after picking?Yes → replenishment from 0010 is triggered (see sap-ewm-204) · No → done
Warehouse orders and pick handling units
Released tasks are bundled into warehouse orders by creation rules: by activity area, with filters, limits and sorting, and optionally a consolidation group so that items packed and shipped together stay together. A packing profile on the rule can create pick handling units when the order is created, so the picker knows to pick into, say, two cartons. Pick handling units can also be created manually on the device, nested, or have products moved between them.
Confirming picks and handling exceptions
On the RF device the picker scans the source bin, the product, the quantity and the pick handling unit, then moves to the next task. When the bin does not hold what EWM expects, the picker enters an exception code. SAP's training configuration shows two typical picking exceptions:
| Partial pick denial (example code BIDP) | Full pick denial (example code BIDF) | |
|---|---|---|
| Situation | Picker finds 18 instead of 24 in pallet bin 02-07-1 | Picker cannot reach the bin at all |
| Picker confirms | The 18 that were found | Nothing from this bin |
| System reaction | Tries to create a task for the missing 6 from another bin | Tries to create a task from another bin |
| Optional follow-ups | Workflow, physical inventory document for the bin, block the bin | Same options |
| If no other stock exists | Item stays short; delivery quantity must be dealt with | Same |
When EWM creates a task in the background and cannot find enough stock, it raises an internal pick denial that maps to an external exception code and its follow-up. Testers should know which codes exist on Contoso's devices and what each does, because the reaction decides whether the customer receives 50, 44 or a split shipment.
What would you do?
A picker reports pallet bin 02-07-1 in 0010 holds 18 alternators, not 24. Fixed bin P-02-05 has loose stock. What should happen in a well-designed process?
- The stock removal control indicator selects the search sequence; the removal rule sorts quants.
- Storage type groups let rules such as FIFO work across several storage types.
- Creation rules bundle tasks into warehouse orders; packing profiles can create pick handling units.
- Pick denials record what the picker found and trigger new tasks, counts or blocks.
Check your understanding · not graded
Lesson check
1. Which product field selects the storage type search sequence for picking?
2. What does a storage type group change in picking?
3. A picker finds 18 of 24 in the bin. Which exception fits?
4. What can create pick handling units automatically?