Lesson 4 of 6
Replenishment: keeping picking bins full
9 min
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Contoso picks loose alternators from fixed bins on the picking shelves (storage type 0020) and keeps full pallets in the high-rack (0010). If a fixed bin empties in the middle of a wave, pickers stop and short picks follow. Replenishment moves stock from reserve to picking areas before that happens. It is configured per storage type and driven by quantities on the warehouse product or the bin.
The quantities that drive it
| Field | Meaning | CMC-ALT-100 in fixed bin P-02-05 |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum quantity | Replenish when stock falls below this | 12 |
| Maximum quantity | Fill up to this | 48 |
| Minimum replenishment quantity | Round replenishment to multiples of this (optional) | 24 (one pallet) |
Replenishment fields. They can be maintained per storage type in the warehouse product or on the bin, manually or through slotting.
Four methods, one extra
| Method | Trigger | Quantity logic | Contoso use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Planned | Run interactively or in the background; stock below minimum | Up to maximum, rounded down to the minimum replenishment quantity | Night job for all fixed bins |
| Automatic | Confirmation of a picking task leaves stock below minimum | Same as planned | During shifts for 0020 |
| Order-related | Run for selected open warehouse requests; stock below required quantity | Based on demand, rounded up; may exceed maximum | Before the PM wave on busy days |
| Direct | Pick denial with an exception code linked to replenishment; fixed bins only | Assumes bin is empty; up to maximum | Picker-directed on RF |
| Crate part | Production supply only | Not covered here | Not used |
Order-related replenishment has prerequisites: SAP notes that the storage type's replenishment level must be set to storage type level and the warehouse process type of the outbound requests must have rough bin determination switched on. Direct replenishment can be picker-directed: the replenishment task becomes the picker's next item on the RF device, so the person standing at the empty bin refills it.
Tasks now or requests first
Replenishment can create warehouse tasks immediately or create only a warehouse request first. Requests let the warehouse schedule replenishment in waves, for example overnight. Planned replenishment runs from the replenishment transaction (/SCWM/REPL in most systems) or as a background job with a variant. For each storage type, Customizing lists which methods are allowed.
- 22:00 jobPlanned replenishment for storage type 0020
- CalculationP-02-05 holds 10 (< min 12); target 48; need 38; round down to 24
- Request or tasksOne task: 1 pallet (24) from 0010 FIFO pallet to P-02-05
- Night shiftDriver on RT-01 confirms the task
- MorningBin holds 34; first wave starts without empty bins
Where replenishment goes wrong
Most replenishment defects are data defects. A fixed bin without min and max never triggers planned or automatic replenishment. If the bin's maximum minus its current stock is smaller than the minimum replenishment quantity, planned replenishment rounds down to zero and nothing moves, so a minimum replenishment quantity close to the maximum starves the bin. A reserve storage type missing from the stock removal search sequence for replenishment leaves EWM unable to find a source. Before testing the methods, check the quantities on every fixed bin in scope and make sure the reserve area holds stock in the test client; an empty reserve proves nothing about replenishment logic.
What would you do?
On the first busy Friday, pickers report empty fixed bins mid-wave even though planned replenishment ran at 22:00. Which change addresses the gap best?
Test data for replenishment
| Bin | Product | Min / max / min. repl. qty | Start stock | Expected after planned run |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| P-02-05 | CMC-ALT-100 | 12 / 48 / 24 | 10 | 34 (one pallet) |
| P-02-06 | CMC-ALT-100 | 12 / 48 / 24 | 30 | 30 (above minimum, no task) |
| P-03-01 | CMC-RGL-050 | 20 / 60 / 50 | 15 | 15 (45 to max is less than 50: rounds to zero) |
| P-03-02 | CMC-RGL-050 | not maintained | 0 | 0 (no min/max, no replenishment) |
Each row tests one rule, including two designed "nothing happens" cases.
Write the expected result before the run, and include the cases where nothing should move. A replenishment test that only proves tasks are created misses the most common production complaint: "the bin was empty and nothing came."
- Replenishment moves stock from reserve to picking bins using min, max and minimum replenishment quantity.
- Planned, automatic, order-related and direct methods differ in trigger and rounding.
- Order-related and direct replenishment have prerequisites; check them before testing.
- Tasks can be created immediately or via warehouse requests for scheduling.
Check your understanding · not graded
Lesson check
1. What triggers automatic replenishment?
2. Which method may exceed the maximum quantity?
3. P-02-05 holds 10; min 12, max 48, minimum replenishment 24. What does planned replenishment move?
4. Direct replenishment works only in which scenario?