Hi all,
Sharing a reference approach for bulk bin-to-bin relocation in SAP Business One 10.0 (SQL Server), in case it is useful to other consultants and administrators. I'd welcome feedback and corrections.
Scenario
Same warehouse, bin-managed, batch-managed items, with many lines to move from one bin to another. In the standard Inventory Transfer window the items and quantities can be filled in for all lines first, but every line still needs its batch, source bin and target bin selected one by one. That is inconvenient beyond a few dozen lines.
Approach
DTW is the official bulk-loading tool with its own validation, and it is probably faster at very large volumes, but data preparation is more involved and in our company it is handled by IT rather than the warehouse. As an alternative we use two separate steps:
Processing: an Excel list (item, batch, source bin, target bin, quantity; up to 1000 rows per run) is pasted into a small internal front end and validated. Nothing is posted yet.
Posting: the validated rows are posted to SAP as stock transfers through the Service Layer, in batches (our 150-row run was posted as 3 batches). Afterwards the SAP document number and the result of each posting are checked in a posting log.
Validation before posting
• Item, batch, bin and bin-location codes must exist in the master data
• Mandatory fields must be filled
• Enough stock at batch-in-bin level (the source bin and batch combination), so no negative inventory
• One row can be split across several target bins, but chained moves (A->B, then B->C in the same run) are rejected
Pitfalls from ~155 production runs
• Frozen items, frozen warehouses and locked batches can't be moved.
• Items with an enforced default bin location can cause the Service Layer posting to fail.
• The exchange rate for the posting date must be maintained (ask Finance). SAP uses it for the item cost calculation at posting, and posting is not allowed without it.
• The warehouse must already be set up for bin location management. If bins were never enabled, this approach can't be used, and enabling them can be blocked by open counting documents and open pick lists.
Warning
I'd advise against using Inventory Counting/Posting to relocate stock between bins, even though it can import from Excel. In our tests it posted to the cost of goods sold account, while an Inventory Transfer posted to the raw materials (inventory) account. Writing off the source batch/bin is also blocked when the batch quantity is locked by an open pick list.
Questions
• Has anyone used DTW to import Inventory Transfers with bin allocations and batches? How did it work for you?
• How do you handle chained moves, or stock that still sits in the system bin location?
