Lesson 2 of 6
MRP Live
9 min
Listen to this lesson
MRP Live is the MRP run of SAP S/4HANA. SAP Learning describes it as an optimized run for SAP HANA that reads receipts and requirements, calculates shortages and creates planned orders and purchase requisitions in a single database procedure, which avoids moving large amounts of data to the application server. It is faster than classic MRP, so planners can run it more often and see a more current picture.
Where you run it
- Transaction
MD01Nin SAP GUI (on-premise and private cloud). - The Fiori app Schedule MRP Runs, which runs MRP Live as a scheduled or immediate job with a template; in SAP S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition this is the way to run MRP.
Planning scope
You tell MRP Live which materials to plan: individual materials, a product and its components, all materials of an MRP controller, or materials across plants. Indicators extend the scope. SAP Learning lists Changed BOM Components (plan components only if their dependent requirements changed), All Order BOM Components, and Stock Transfer Material (also plan the supplying plant).
Control parameters
| Parameter | What it does | Typical Contoso use |
|---|---|---|
| Regenerative planning | Plans every selected material even if nothing changed | Weekend run, and after master data loads |
| Planning mode | How non-fixed proposals from the last run are treated: adapt, re-explode BOM and routing, or delete and recreate | Adapt in daily runs; re-explode after BOM changes |
| Scheduling | Basic dates or lead-time scheduling; affects planned orders only | Lead-time scheduling for alternators |
MRP Live control parameters. Field names can differ slightly between MD01N and the Fiori app.
Without regenerative planning, MRP Live plans only materials marked in the planning file. A material is entered there when it has MRP data and a valid MRP type, and flagged when something planning-relevant happens, such as a new sales order or a goods movement. Net change runs are fast because most materials have not changed since yesterday.
Reading the results
MRP Live does not create MRP lists. SAP Learning is explicit: planners use the stock/requirements list for up-to-date information, and the Fiori coverage apps to find which materials need attention. The run itself produces a log with the number of materials planned, proposals created or changed, and errors. Read the log every time; a run that "finished" but planned 40% fewer materials than usual is a finding.
| MRP Live | Classic MRP | |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction or app | MD01N, Schedule MRP Runs | MD01, MD02, MD03 (still available) |
| Where logic runs | In the SAP HANA database | In ABAP on the application server |
| MRP lists | Not created | Created (displayed with MD05, MD06) |
| Evaluate results with | Stock/requirements list, coverage apps | MRP lists or stock/requirements list |
| Unsupported functions | Handed to classic MRP automatically | – |
Speed changes habits. In ECC, Contoso ran MRP once a night for the whole plant and planners worked from the morning's MRP lists. With MRP Live, Sam's Basis team can schedule several net change runs a day without stretching the batch window, so a rush order taken at 11:00 can have its components planned before lunch. The flip side is that proposals change more often; planners need to firm or convert what they have committed to, or the next run may move it.
What would you do?
Contoso wants to plan every morning at 05:00 and again after the noon sales cut-off. A planner suggests running regenerative planning for the whole plant both times. What is a better design?
- MRP Live runs in the SAP HANA database via MD01N or the Schedule MRP Runs app.
- Scope selects materials; control parameters set regenerative vs net change, planning mode and scheduling.
- The planning file drives net change runs.
- No MRP lists: read results in the stock/requirements list, coverage apps and the run log.
Check your understanding · not graded
Lesson check
1. Which Fiori app schedules MRP Live runs?
2. What does the "Changed BOM Components" indicator do?
3. Without regenerative planning, which materials does MRP Live plan?
4. Where do planners read MRP Live results?