1 of 9

SAP S/4

IM, LE-WM, EWM

​

IM, WM (Stock Room Management), EWM

Basic Process Overview

and

Document differences

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S/4

MM-IM

SAP MM-IM characteristics:

  • IM = Inventory Management (part of the MM module).
  • MM-IM (along with MM-PUR and MM-LIV) was released in the 1970s subsequently after SAP R/1 released the Financial Modules.
  • The Plant + Storage Location is the main Storage and with Quantity and Values as well (unlike LE-WM and WMS only Store as Quantities).
  • There are no putaway/removal steps into the Storage Bins as the process is completed once Goods Receipts via MIGO or PGI via Inbound Delivery are done.
  • The Storage Location is said to be “Rough Storage” as detailing of the structure Storage Type (Racks) and Storage Bins are not supported via the Storage Location object. (However, user can enter a Fixed Bin Location in Plant/Storage view in the Material Master only as an information field)

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Purchase Order

without\

Confirmation Control Key

Purchase Order

with Confirmation Control Key

​

MIGO

VL31N

Inbound Delivery Document

Accounting Document

​

​

Material Document

MM-IM

Plant +

SLoc

Post GR

Accounting Document

​

​

Material Document

MM-IM

Plant +

SLoc

MMBE

MMBE

VL32N

ME21N

ME21N

MM-IM

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ECC

LE-WM

SAP LE-WM characteristics:

  • LE-WM (Classic Warehouse Management) was released in the 1993 in SAP R/3 version.
  • LE-WM and EWM only store Material Quantity (valuation is only at Plant+SLoc) and therefore there are no Accounting in LE-WM or EWM.
  • The Main Documents in LE-WM are
    • Transfer Requirement (TR) - initiated outside of LE-WM to trigger a requirement for movement into the LE-WM Storage.
    • Posting Change Notice (PCN) - for transfer postings within LE-WM.
    • Transfer Order (TO) - to Putaway or Removal of Stocks from the WM Storage.
  • SAP LE-WM is report by SAP to end of support from 2025. A few of the components of LE-WM will be included in Stock Room Management in S/4HANA. (Stock room management technically is a new name of LE-WM for S/4HANA without the ability to support complex warehouses.)
  • Here is the Classic Warehouse called:
    • LE-WM (ECC)
    • Stock Room Management (S/4HANA)

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S/4

Stock Room Management

SAP Stock Room Management characteristics:

  • Stock Room Management technically is a new name of LE-WM for S/4HANA without the ability to support complex warehouses like what is offered via EWM.
  • SAP Stock Room Management solution was introduced to give existing LE-WM customers an opportunity to keep their warehouse integral while moving from SAP ECC to S4/HANA.
  • The Stock Room Management solution therefore do not have EWM features like YM, CD, TRM etc.

Other Important Considerations before choosing WM compatibility mode or Stock Room Management as a replacement of Classical LE-WM in S/4 HANA

  1. As per note 288116, SAP is not planning to invest in Stock Room management, strategic product for SAP is EWM.
  2. Future Innovations for the warehouse capabilities will be delivered by SAP only for EWM component of S/4 HANA.
  3. Stock Room Management is part of the SAP S/4HANA Enterprise Management license itself
  4. Stock Room Management uses the same data model as that of classical WM.
  5. As per note 2270211, WM is still part of S/4HANA but in a compatibility mode – also see SAP Notes 2269324. With the compatibility mode SAP allows customers to migrate their existing solutions smoothly into S/4HANA.
  6. As per note 2577428, SAP also restricts the usage of components which are in a compatibility mode till 31.12.2025, refer to SAP Note 2269324 for details.
  7. Stock Room Management reuses major parts of LE-WM and can be used beyond 2025.

6 of 9

Purchase Order

without\

Confirmation Control Key

Purchase Order

with Confirmation Control Key

​

MIGO

VL31N

Inbound Delivery Document

Accounting Document

​

​

Material Document

MM-IM

Plant +

SLoc

MMBE

ME21N

ME21N

Transfer Requirement (TR)

GR Area

Transfer Order (TO)

S.Type

S.Section

S.Bin

Destination S.Type

LB11

LT12

LE-WM

Post GR

MM-IM

Plant +

SLoc

MMBE

Accounting Document

​

​

Material Document

GR Area

Transfer Order (TO)

S.Type

S.Section

S.Bin

Destination S.Type

LT12

LE-WM

VL32N

LB11

Post GR (using VL32N) can be done either before the LE-WM step begins OR after TO confirmation

LE-WM or S/4 Stock Room Management

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S/4

EWM

SAP EWM characteristics:

  • The release of EWM in 2005 did not directly replace the LE-WM (1993) where customer have 3 choices since ECC (MM-IM, LE-WM and EWM).
  • The reason it is called EWM (Extended Warehouse Management) is because new processes beyond the Physical Warehouse are included:
    • Yard Management (EWM-YM).
    • Cross-Docking (EWM-CD).
    • Task and Resource Management (EWM-TRM).
    • Value-added Services (EWM-VAS).
    • Wave Management (EWM-TFM-CP).
    • Warehouse Control Unit Interface (EWM-SLR).
    • Dock Appointment Scheduling.
    • Kit-to-Stock and Kit-to-Order processes.
    • Further detailing processes in the Warehouse including Unboxing. (Deconsolidation), Qty check, Packing work centers, Cartonizing etc.
    • Material-flow System interface.
    • Slotting and Rearrangements to optimize Bin Storage etc.
    • EWM to TM (Transportation Management) direct integration.
  • The 3 main documents in the EWM are:
    • EWM Inbound/Outbound Delivery - From MM/PP/SD integrates to EWM to create this document for further processing via WO+WTs.
    • Warehouse Order - Place holder for 1 or more WTs
    • Warehouse Task - not just pick/putaway task but also Deconsolidation, QC check, Packing tasks etc. and can be Material+EWM Warehouse specific.

8 of 9

Purchase Order

with Confirmation Control Key

​

VL31N

ERP

LE Inbound Delivery

ME21N

MM-IM

Plant +

SLoc

MMBE

Accounting Document

​

​

Material Document

GR Area

EWM

Inbound Delivery

Destination S.Type

LE-EWM

Warehouse Order

​

​

Warehouse Task

S.Type

S.Section

S.Bin

Confirmation

Post GR

VL31N creates both ERP LE Inbound Delivery and EWM Inbound Delivery (1:1)

Post GR can only be done only via the EWM Inbound Delivery at the beginning before WO-WT processing or

after WO-WT confirmation

MIGO with ref to PO is not possible for EWM Material (only choice is Inbound Delivery)

LE-EWM

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S/4

EWM

(future)

SAP EWM future:

  • According to SAP's future roadmap, the development activities for the LE-WM module have ended and there will be no more updates for the module in S/4HANA.
  • And on 2025, support for LE-WM will end.
  • BUT SAP described about the Stock Room Management (which is the new name for LE-WM) that will continue to be a choice Customers with simpler Warehouse Process requirements that do not required EWM features.
  • Stock Room Management is based on the Logistics Execution (LE) Warehouse Management (WM) structure and functionality, but is now held within the S/4HANA code base.
  • As of now (2023), the following Inventory Storing methods are still available in S/4HANA 2023:
    • MM-IM (Inventory Management).
    • LE-WM or Stock Room Management (Classic Warehouse Management).
    • EWM or Extended Warehouse Management.
  • As of 2025 or later, both MM-IM or LE-WM (Stock Room Management) are expected to still be available as choices of Inventory Management for less complex Warehouses.
  • SAP is poised to further strengthened its EWM presence with increase development of functionalities for complex Warehouse management.