Lesson 4 of 6
Reading stock overviews and reservations
9 min
"How many rotors do we have?" sounds like one question. In SAP it is several: how many are in plant 1710 or 1720, in which storage location, in which stock type, how many are reserved, how many are on the way, and what are they worth. Stock reports answer each question differently, and knowing which one to use saves arguments.
The main stock reports
| Report or app | Answers | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| MMBE (stock overview) | Stock of one product across company code, plant, storage location and stock types | The classic quick look; shows special stocks too |
| Stock - Single Material (Fiori) | Stock of one product by plant, storage location and stock type, with history | Includes a chart of stock over time |
| Stock - Multiple Materials (Fiori) | Stock for many products at once | Good for cycle counting and review |
| MB52 (warehouse stocks) | Stock and value per product and storage location | Lists many products; can show values |
| MB5B (stock on posting date) | Stock and value at a past date | Used for period-end and audit questions |
| MB51 / Material Documents Overview | Which movements happened | The audit trail behind every stock figure |
| MD04 (stock/requirements list) | Stock plus incoming and outgoing quantities over time | The planner's view; includes reservations and POs |
Which report answers which stock question.
Stock types and availability
Only unrestricted-use stock is free to be used. Quality inspection and blocked stock are on hand and valuated, but not available. When a planner says "we have 1,200 in 171A" and production says "we can only use 1,000", they are both right. Always state the stock type.
Reservations: on hand but promised
A reservation is a request to keep stock ready for a future withdrawal. Production orders create reservations for their components automatically; users can create manual reservations (for example, for a maintenance job). Reserved stock still sits in unrestricted use, but it is promised. Availability checks and MRP treat reservations as requirements, so stock can be on hand while not being available for a new order.
- Stock1,000 rotors unrestricted in 171A
- ReservationsProduction orders for CMC-ALT-100 reserve 800 rotors for next week
- AvailabilityOnly 200 remain for other demand, depending on the checking rule
- New requestAn engineering request for 300 rotors fails the availability check
- Goods issueIssuing against a reservation reduces both stock and the reservation
Quantity versus value
Stock overviews show quantities; finance cares about value. For a product with standard price, value is quantity times standard price per plant: 1,600 rotors in plant 1710 at $40 is $64,000. MB52 and MB5B can show values, and the inventory G/L account balance should match the sum of product stock values for that valuation class. That match is one of the most important inventory reconciliations.
What would you do?
Production says there are not enough rotors for tomorrow, but MMBE shows 1,200 in 171A. What is the best explanation to check?
- Use MMBE or Stock - Single Material for one product; MB52 for many; MB5B for the past; MB51 for movements.
- Only unrestricted-use stock is available; inspection and blocked stock are on hand but not usable.
- Reservations promise stock, so availability can be lower than on-hand stock.
- Stock value per valuation class should reconcile with the inventory G/L balance.
Check your understanding · not graded
Lesson check
1. Which transaction gives a quick stock overview of one product across plants and stock types?
2. Which report shows stock at a past posting date?
3. Why can on-hand stock be higher than available stock?
4. Which report lists the individual movements behind a stock figure?