Handling Unit Management

Overview
SAP LO-GE HUM

What is Handling Unit?

A handling unit is a physical unit consisting of packaging
materials (load carriers/packing material) and the goods
contained on/in it. Common examples are boxes, pallets,
containers among others.
Each Handling Unit has a unique identification number at
client level.
At the material item level, Handling Units contain complete
material identification, quantity and other item-related
information like batches, serial numbers.
Handling Units facilitate picking, goods receipt, goods issues
and stock transports.
All packing functions, such as packing, repacking and
unpacking , are completely supported by the handling unit

Why Handling Unit or Why

Packing?
Packaging is a very important aspect of business
process.
Following are some important reasons why
different businesses have packing as one of the
business processes.

Customer requirements
Aesthetic aspects
Transport requirements
Legal / Environmental norms
Safety considerations

Structure of Handling Unit

Structure of Handling Unit

The object Handling Unit contains the following
attributes:

Identification number
Dimension
Weight
Volume
Status
Products and quantities
Packaging material
Packaging instruction

Structure of Handling Unit

Structure of Handling Unit

Structure of Handling Unit

Structure of Handling Unit

Structure of Handling Unit

Configuration Aspects for HUM

Master Data requirement
Defining HU-managed storage
location in material master of the
material produced. (MRP 2 View)
Assigning Material Group for
Packing Materials in the material
master of the material produced
(Sales: General/Plant view)
Assigning Packaging Material
Type in the material master of
packaging material used. (Sales:
General/Plant view)
Packaging Instruction (in case of
automatic packing) (POP1)
Packaging Instruction
Determination Record (in case of
automatic search) (POF1)
Condition Record for output type
(VV61)

Customization Settings
Activation of HU requirements to
storage location.
Material Types related to
Packaging ex. VERP or LEIH or
customized material type
Define Material Group: Packaging
Materials
Configuring Packaging Material
Types
Maintain allowed Packaging
Material Types per Material Group
for Packaging Materials
Number Range Interval for HUs
Number Range for Packing
Instructions
Check Profile for Packaging Status
Packaging Instruction
Determination
Output Type

Configuration Aspects for HUM

Assigning HU-storage location

Assigning Packaging Material Group

MRP 2

Activation of HU requirement at Storage Location Level

SPRO Logistics
General HUM
Basics MM IM
HU Requirements for
Storage Locations

Configuration Aspects for HUM

SPRO Logistics
General HUM
Basics Define
Packaging Material
Packaging
Material
Types
Type controls
Output type and
Output determination
Packaging Material
Category viz.
packaging material,
auxiliary packaging
material, transport
equipment, among
Assigning Material Group for Packaging Materialsothers.
Sales: General/Plant
view

Configuration Aspects for HUM

Defining Allowed Packaging Material Types

Customization Path:
SPRO Logistics General HUM Basics Define Allowed
Packaging Materials
Significance: When packing materials or handling units, the
system checks whether the packaging materials for the handling
unit, to which the items are to be packed, is allowed for packing.

Configuration Aspects for HUM

Number Range
Interval for HU
SPRO Logistics
General HUM
External Identification
Number Range
Maintenance for HU
Identification
Number Range
Interval for HU
SPRO Logistics
General HUM
Automatic Packing
Packing Instruction
Master Data Define
Number Ranges for
Packaging Instructions

Configuration Aspects for HUM

Check Profile for
Packing Status

SPRO Logistics General HUM Automatic Packing Packing

Instruction Master Data Define Check Profile for Packing
Status
Significance: You assign this profile in packaging instruction. You
cannot create a handling unit from a packaging instruction with the
status "Packing instruction violated.

Configuration Aspects for HUM

Settings for Packaging Instruction
Determination

Configuration Aspects for HUM

Settings for Output
Determination for HU

Maintaining Packing Master Data

Maintaining Packaging Instructions
Maintaining Packaging Instruction
Determination Record
Maintaining Condition Record for Output
Type

Maintaining Packaging Instruction

It is necessary for automatic packing.
Transaction: POP1
At least one load carrier and one production
material is necessary.
It supports many item categories for the items in
packaging instruction. Ex. Material, Subordinate PI,
Text, etc.

The item category I is used for multi-level

Maintaining Packaging Instruction

Determination Record
It is necessary for automatic search of suitable
pack instruction.
Transaction: POF1
The determination record specifies packaging
instruction for a set of key parameters like material,
plant, ship-to-party, among others.

The key parameters are defined in condition table

of the Determination type in Customizing.

Maintaining Packaging Instruction

Determination Record
You maintain main packaging instruction and
alternative packaging instructions, if any, for the set
of key parameters.

This means while packing a material 1002120 for

a sales document dealing with customer BSSYA in
plant 1000, the System will find the two packing
instructions as shown above.

Maintaining Condition Record for

Output Type
This is necessary to generate output messages viz.
print output, fax, EDI, among others while a
Handling Unit is planned/created.
Transaction: VV61

You maintain the condition record for an output

type in relation to certain key combinations.
In the condition record, you maintain print
parameters like printer, SAP Script / Smart form,
and other information.

Maintaining Condition Record for

Output Type
This means when a handling unit is planned or
created with reference to customer BSSYB and Plant
DE20, the parameters defined in the condition
record will be used for processing the output
message.

Processing of Handling Units

Planning / Creation of Handling Units
Output of Handling Units
Goods Movement with Handling Units

Planning / Creation of Handling

Planning doesnt physically
Unitscreate a handling unit.
It just plans a handling unit template. Such HU has
a status PLND.
Creation of handling units means the created
handling unit physically exists in warehouse.
There are different transactions for planning and
creation of HUs. Additionally, discrete industry and
REM have different transaction codes for planning
as well as creation of HUs.
Nevertheless, there exist transactions that can be
commonly used for planning / creation.

Planning / Creation of Handling

Units
Following is one sample
example of planning HU
using transaction HUP11. Here, you enter material,
plant and quantity. System can automatically
propose packing instruction and pack the material
in HU.

Planning / Creation of Handling

Upon Save, handlingUnits
units are created as per
packing instruction. Two HUs are created in this
case.

In HUMO transaction, you can check details of this.

Planning / Creation of Handling

Units is not maintained,
In case, packaging instruction
you need to do manual packing by specifying
packaging materials.
You can do manual packing in transaction HU02.
Here, system can provide possible packaging
materials in case you have maintained assignment
of Material Group Packaging Material to allowed
Material Types for Packaging.
This kind of business scenario eliminates need to
maintain packaging instruction master data and
gives flexibility to use from a variety of packaging
material.

Output of Handling Unit

If condition record for output type is properly
maintained before a handling unit is planned or
created, output message will get generated.
You can check in HUMO transaction if any output
message is generated for the handling unit.

Output of Handling Unit

Output of Handling Unit can be processed in
transaction VL74.

Goods Movement with Handling

Units
Repetitive
Manufacturing
Backflush of Handling
Units is possible. (MFHU)
Goods issue with handling
units is not possible.
Planned Handling Units are
posted to storage location
through back
flushing(MFHU).
Other goods movements
through transaction
VLMOVE are supported.

Discrete Industries
Backflush of Handling
Units is not supported.
Goods issue with handling
units is possible.
Handling Units are created
by packing a material
(COWBPACK) before
posting a goods receipt
(COWBHUWE).
Other goods movements
through transaction
VLMOVE are supported.

Goods Movement with Handling

Unitsof REM backflush of
Below is given an example
Handling Unit.
Transaction: MFHU

Upon Save, the Handling Unit is back flushed.

This leads to status change in the handling unit.
You can define backflush process viz. Make-toorder or Make-to-stock in the highlighted push-

ABAP Glossary Related to Handling

Units
Important SAP
Tables

VEKP
VEPO
NAST
KOTP999
KOTP200
KONDP
NACH
LIPS

Important
Function
Modules

BAPI_HU_PI_READ
BAPI_HU_CREATE
BAPI_HU_DELETE
BAPI_HU_PROCESS_
MSG_DIRECT

THANK YOU