Lesson 5 of 6
Ad hoc movements and posting changes
11 min
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Not every movement starts from a delivery. A pallet blocks an aisle, a bin needs emptying for repair, stock must be released from quality inspection. EWM supports these with ad hoc movements and posting changes. They are powerful and easy to misuse, so knowing when they are appropriate matters as much as knowing how.
Ad hoc warehouse tasks
SAP defines ad hoc movements as movements created without reference to a preceding document. Two transactions create them: /SCWM/ADPROD for product movements and /SCWM/ADHU for handling unit movements. Each can create a warehouse task directly or an internal stock transfer (a warehouse request) that is processed later. The warehouse process type used decides the document and item type of that request. The warehouse management monitor can also create tasks from the available-stock and handling-unit nodes.
- Is there a business document that should drive this move (delivery, replenishment, posting change)?Yes → use that process, not an ad hoc task · No → next
- Is the move physical only, same stock type and owner?Yes → ad hoc task with a reason · No → posting change
- Will the move happen often?Yes → design a proper process (for example rearrangement or replenishment) · No → ad hoc is fine
Posting changes
A posting change changes a characteristic of the stock rather than its place: stock type (quality inspection to unrestricted, unrestricted to blocked), product, batch or owner. It can start in inventory management (for example a transfer posting) or in EWM, where the posting change transaction (/SCWM/POST) creates either a direct change or a change through a warehouse request. The warehouse process type's posting-change setting decides whether the change happens in the bin or needs a warehouse task to move the stock, for example to a blocked-stock area.
| Situation at Contoso | Movement | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Pallet in aisle 03 must move for rack repair | Ad hoc HU task 0010 → 0010 | Task with reason, source and destination bin |
| Damaged crate found during a count | Posting change to blocked stock and task to 9030 | Posting change document, material document, bin |
| Returned alternators pass inspection | Posting change blocked → unrestricted | Material document, stock type in the bin |
| Regulator kits moved to the warranty reserve in spare store 171S, not managed in EWM, in plant 1710 | Stock transfer out of EWM: /SCWM/ADGI with the storage location GI process, or 311 started in inventory management | Material document for the transfer; stock in 171S, gone from the EWM bins |
Typical internal movements and what to keep as evidence.
What reaches inventory management
Ad hoc moves between bins of the same storage location do not change inventory management; only EWM knows the bin. Posting changes almost always do: every EWM posting change creates a material document in inventory management, except changes that only touch the stock document reference. The EWM material document and the inventory management material document do not always match one to one, so reconcile on quantity and stock type, not on document counts. Moving stock to a storage location outside EWM, such as regulator kits set aside as Detroit's warranty replacement reserve in the spare store 171S, is a stock transfer within plant 1710, not a consumption: start it in EWM with Post Unplanned Goods Issue (/SCWM/ADGI) and the storage location goods issue process, which needs no delivery or warehouse task, or in inventory management with movement type 311, which EWM processes, depending on configuration, through a delivery. The value stays in the plant either way.
- Driver finds damaged crate in 0030Enters exception; supervisor decides to block
- Posting change in EWMUnrestricted → blocked; warehouse task to 9030
- Inventory managementMaterial document: unrestricted → blocked in 171A
- ClarificationMarcus decides: scrap after approval
- ScrappingGoods issue for scrapping; journal entry to scrap expense
What would you do?
A supervisor wants to release 20 returned alternators from blocked to unrestricted stock because a customer order is waiting. Quality inspection has not finished. What should happen?
| Control point | Who may do it at Contoso | Review |
|---|---|---|
| Ad hoc product or HU task | Shift supervisors and Marcus | Weekly list of ad hoc tasks with reasons |
| Posting change blocked → unrestricted | Quality, after inspection decision | Every change, with the inspection reference |
| Posting change to scrap | Marcus, with Dan above $2,500 | Monthly with finance |
| Unplanned goods issue out of EWM | Marcus only | Weekly; each one needs a business reason |
Contoso's role rules for internal movements; each one is tested with the real roles.
- Ad hoc movements are created without a preceding document: /SCWM/ADPROD for products, /SCWM/ADHU for HUs.
- Posting changes alter stock type, product, batch or owner and usually create a material document.
- Use a business process when one exists; ad hoc is for the genuinely unplanned.
- Restrict and review ad hoc moves and posting changes; they are control points.
Check your understanding · not graded
Lesson check
1. Which transaction creates an ad hoc movement for a handling unit?
2. Which movement changes stock from quality inspection to unrestricted?
3. Does moving a pallet between two bins of 171A change inventory management?
4. Why review ad hoc tasks and posting changes weekly?
5. Which role test proves the control on posting changes at Contoso?