SAP Routing & Recipes
SAP Routing & Recipes
Here you can configure the allowed Material Types for the task List such as Routings, Rate
Routings, Reference Operation sets, Rate Reference operation sets, Receipes etc.
SAP nevertheless has already preconfigrued with standard material types and Routing types,
though if you want to add more material types to the list you can do so.
Transaction code - OP50 : The following are pre-configured by SAP, though you can add
more.
Task
Material
List Description Description
Type
type
N Routing FERT Finished Products
N Routing HALB Semifinished Products
S Reference Operation Sets FERT Finished Products
S Reference Operation Sets HALB Semifinished Products
R Rate Routing FERT Finished Products
R Rate Routing HALB Semifinished Products
M Reference Rate Routing FERT Finished Products
M Reference Rate Routing HALB Semifinished Products
You can define upto 18 different fields - 6 Text fields, 3 Qty Fields, 3 Value Fields, 3 Date
fields, 1 check box and 2 indicators. This you can use for defining the following:
You have to define these user defined fields in a fields set called a Field Key.
Routing Selection -
Routing selection is configured for automatic selection of Routings in the Production orders.
Against every Selection ID that you create, you would be declaring the proirity of selection of
Task list (Routings)
1-
01 2 N Production 2 Released (order)
This above configuration means that the production order where the selection id is used
should first choose the Routings task list which has usage 1 and status 4, if this Routing is not
found for the production order material then as second priority option, the system should try
to find the Routing task list of usage 1 and status 1 if found, if this Routing is also not found,
then the system as a third priority option should try to find out a Reference operation set
whose usage is 1 and status is 4 and it has a header material (in question) allocated to it
already and if this is also not found then the system has a last option to search for a reference
operation set whose usage is 1 and status is 1. Ultimately if SAP cannot find any task list
for the order type being created, it will either Abort or continue creation of Production oeder
based on the configuration.
Use of Selection ID -
This "Selection ID" is assigned to the "Production order type" in the order type dependent
parameters configuration, to inform the Production order on selection priorities of Routings.
The PRT control key determines whether PRTs that are allocated to a task list or an order are
included in the following business functions:
a) Scheduling
b) costing
c) printing production orders
e) completion confirmation
The path for this configuration is - Tcode SPRO >>> Production >>> Basic Data >>>
Routing >>> Assignment of Production Resources/Tools >>> Define PRT Control Keys
In PRT maintenance, formulas are used to calculate the usage value and the quantity required
of a PRT.
Note
2nd - Production >>> Basic Data >>> Routing >>> Assignment of Production
Resources/Tools >>> Define Formula Parameter (or directly use T-Code OP55)
Define Routings
Routings define the production activities and sequence in which these production activities
are to be carried out in order to produce a certain material. Routings are used in SAP
PP/REM.
The operations in a Routings are assigned to work centers, PRT, inspection characteristics,
BOM components and Trigger points.
It defines the order in which the operations need to be processed so as to produce a material.
Routings are task list and they are categorized as Routings, Rate routings, Reference operation
sets, Reference Rate Routing.
Example –
Type of Routings
Type of Routings
Routings are task list and they are categorized as Routings, Rate routings, Reference operation
sets, Reference Rate Routing.
Routings –
A Routing is used for specifying the sequence of operations to be used for production,
Routing is used in SAP PP. The operations in a Routings are assigned to work centers, PRT,
inspection characteristics.
You can create material specific Routings by creating the Routing for a material and plant
combination.
You can also create a Routing without specifying the material or the Group number and after
creation the system will allocate a Routing Group number generate internally (you can also
provide an external Routing number before creation in the selection screen). Once such a
Routing is created you can allocate this routing to all the products which are manufactured
with the same production processes and activities through the same set of work centers,
production resource tools (if any) and Inspection characteristics (if any). After creation of
such a Routing, you can recall the routing in the change mode through the Group number.
Once you allocate such routing to many products, any change in the routing is also applicable
to all the allocated material Routings.
If certain sets of operations are used frequently in many Routings, they can be created
separately in transaction code CA11 {Change/Display: CA12/CA13).
You can call such reference sets of operations in any Routing, to simplify the creation process
of Routing. After calling a specific set of operations you need to unlock that set and make it
free for use in the Routing under creation. Once you unlock that set in your Routing you
would remove the link with the reference operation set. You can change these operations in
the Routing under creation, once you unlock the reference set.
You cannot assign a material to be produced to a reference operation set. It can have neither
parallel nor alternative sequences.
Rate Routing –
A routing for whose operations the production quantity and a fixed duration has been defined.
Thus the production rate is also defined.
Rate routings are used when you plan on a quantity basis, for example in repetitive
manufacturing. It can have parallel sequences.
The transaction codes to create a Rate Routing are CA21 (Change/Display: CA22/CA23)
Similar to the Reference Operation sets, the operation sets created as Reference rate Routing
can be called in the creation of Rate Routing to reduce the efforts of creation.
The transaction codes to create a Reference Rate Routing are CA31 (Change/Display:
CA32/CA33).
Each of these operations which are placed in an order of processing is assigned with:
Work center
Each of the operations in a routing is assigned with a work center and this work center in turn
has the activities that are assigned to it, specifying their consumption is logical when you
carry out work their. The standard values or parameters that are assigned to the work center
help in analyzing the capacities that would be consumed to manufacture a product, schedules
(start times and finish times) and the costs that will be incurred.
The work centers are assigned in the Routing operation overview screen.
Note – You can create an operation without a work center, but there would be no standard
value activities resulting in no scheduling, no capacity allocations and no costing for such
operations.
Production resource tools can also be assigned to the operations specifying the use of tools
such as jigs and fixtures (as an example) and that their consumption is logical when you carry
out work at the operation. To assign PRT to the operation you need to create them first.
Inspection Characteristics
You can assign inspection characteristics to the operations specifying that you are going to
carry out “In-process production order inspection”. To assign inspection characteristics to the
operations you need to create quality inspection characteristics first and then assign to the
Routings.
BOM components
Note - If component are not allocated to the operations, then the SAP automatically allocates
all the BOM components to the first operation. This also means that all the backflush
materials would be automatically issued when you confirm the first operation. And this also
means that all the raw materials would be available for production on the start date of the first
operation.
Sequence of operations
Sequence of operations:
Standard Sequence – Default Sequence - The Operations in a routings are processed one
after the other unless otherwise you add an alternate sequence of operations or parallel
sequence of operations.
Alternate Sequence - In an alternate sequence you are replacing the certain operations with a
different set of operation/s. Lot sizes can only govern the selection of the alternate route, this
lot size range is different than that entered in the Routing header though they should overlap
and should not be vaguely different.
Parallel Sequence - If in the production process, certain operations are to be processed along
with each other or simultaneously then you need to introduce parallel sequences for those set
of operations. The operations introduced in the parallel sequence and the operations in the
standard sequence might have different lead time, thus to align the standard sequence with the
parallel sequence we need to introduce floats at the start or end of the standard or parallel
sequence. To this purpose, you create an alignment key for the standard sequence and every
parallel sequence.
Creating a Routing
Creating a Routing:
A Routings can be created as follows for all the Materials in a plant that are to be produced:
Enter the material code and the plant code for which you want to create the Routing. All the
Materials in a plant that are to be produced need a Routing.
Group –
Entering a Group Number is not mandatory, if you have not entered the Group Number, SAP
will generate one for you after you press the save button for creation.
Key Date -
The Key date that you would enter should be a date on which your work centers and cost
center and BOM is valid. You should make sure of such information. And if you enter any
date on which any one of them is not valid, you would end up with errors or warnings.
Group Counter –
A Group Counter is similar to BOM alternates. It defines the Routing alternates. A Group
Counter “01” means that it is the first alternative routing. When you want to add one more
alternative to the group you can do so and the next routing alternate will be “02”. It is also
possible to use alpha numerical 2 characters value like AA, 2A.
A Routing is always defined by the material number of the routing, the plant of the material,
the group number and the groups’ counter number.
Usage –
It is a mandatory field and it defines the area where the Routing is going to be used. If a
Routing is to be used only in the area of production, then you can pick a value = “1” and if it
is to be used in plant maintenance then you will assign an usage = “4” (you can use usage = 4
when you are creating a maintenance plan task list)
Planner group -
A Planner group field value identifies a group of planners responsible for maintaining the
Routing. This is absolutely not mandatory and not required for entry unless and until you
want to classify the routings through this key.
In this field you can define a lot size range for which the Routing is applicable. Many a times
the production routes or the production methods or the production processes change due to
change in production quantities, thus to accommodate this you can enter a lot size range.
When a lot size of production is not a factor to have multiple routings for a product, you can
have one single lot size from 0 to 99,999,999.
If you create a Material Routing with a Routing Group Counter 01, having a Lot size from 0 –
10000 and then if you create a production order for a quantity of 10001, this Routing will not
be pulled in to the production order.
On the other hand, if you create one more Material Routing with a Group Counter 02 for a lot
size 10001 – 99999, then this Routing Counter 02 will be pulled in the above production
order.
Similarly if you create a Production order with order qty of 9000, the Routing with a Counter
01 will be used for production.
Thus we can summarize that Routing Lot Sizes are one of the factors which make to create
more than one Routings for the same material (through the use Routing Group Counters)
The Lot Size UOM is normally the Base UOM of the material for which you are creating the
Routing. It is defaulted in the Routing from the material master.
Inspection points –
If you plan to use SAP QM “In-Process Inspections” with quality inspection planned at
various Routing operations, then you have to identify an inspection points.
In the case of ‘In-Process Inspections’, you can carry out quality inspections at an operations
numerous number of times, i.e., for example, if you produce 20 out of 100 quantities of the
order you can carry out a inspection recording, and similarly if you receive 5 more you can
carry out inspection at that point of time for the same production order operation and if you
receive the remaining 75 against the same order you can again carry out an operation
inspection using an inspection point.
An Inspection point defines the administrative data of inspection that would be carried out at a
given point of time. SAP provides the following user defined fields that would clearly identify
your inspection point – (the following is just an example)
You should configure such a required combination for header data entry for each inspection
(inspection point) and choose freely defined inspection points – value “100” in the drop down.
Inspection point definition if not entered here, is fetched from the plant level settings. Thus
you can afford to forget an entry here if you have set at the plant level for use for the in-
process-inspection of all the products in the plant.
This is also SAP QM related information used for in-process-inspection. You can have the
partial lots generation methodology defined for each of the material in the Routing and if you
want to use the default settings made for QM at the plant level in SAP QM Configuration then
you can choose so. The partial lot assignment for each inspection point with batch creation or
without batch creation seems logical choice for in-process inspection.
Dynamic Modification –
When you press DETAIL OPERATIONS on the header screen, then you would reach the
operations overview screen. Where you can enter the following:
The Operation related data can be changed in the production order where it is used.
Operation number -
SAP provides a sequential operation number, but if you don’t like this you can overwrite it
with you own numbering scheme.
Sub-operation –
Enter a sub-operation number if you have any. You cannot assign material components,
production resources/tools or inspection characteristics to sub-operations, though you can
assign all this to the superior operation.
A sub-operation can be costed, but can only be scheduled relative to superior operation. You
can cumulate standard values from sub-operations on the corresponding operation.
Note - Normally in SAP PP, I have seen people rarely using sub-operations.
Work Center –
Enter a work center number where the operation is going to be carried out. Once you enter the
work center for the operation, the operations adopts the control key value, the standard text
descriptions, the standard value key and the parameters inside them, the capacity generation
formulas, the scheduling generation formulas and the costing requirement generation
formulas.
Note – Identifying which operations are to be included in the Routing is very important and as
a consultant you should decide, on various criteria such as machining time, bottleneck
operation, costing relevancy, whether an operation should be included in the Routing.
Control key –
Control keys are normally pulled in from the work center, if you have entered a default
control key there. Control keys are really important keys in SAP PP.
A control key governs the following controls for a production order Routing:
Whether a work center at an operation can have auto goods receipts posted from it.
Such work centers are the last work centers in a sequence of operations laid in a routing or
recipe.
Milestone confirmation means that if you confirm a certain operation in a task list, it
would automatically confirm all the operations above it till it meets another milestone
operation placed above in the sequence or in other words it will confirm all the operations
from this milestone operation to an earlier milestone operation only.
Whether you can print this work center when you are printing shop floor papers for
the production order.
Standard Text –
Standard text identifies a text that is frequently used to describe certain processes. Instead of
including a Operation Description you can assign a Standard text and the description will be
pulled in.
Operation Description -
Operation Description, describes the operation or sub-operation. This text is copied into the
first line of the long text for the operation or sub-operation.
Entering an operation description is not mandatory, but the Routing would look descent and
informative.
When you select the operation/s and press DETAIL OPERATIONS on the Routing
Operation overview screen, then you would reach the operations screen. Where you can enter
the following information:
Base Quantity –
Standard Values –
The Standard value key assigned to the work center will bring in the parameter assigned to it
and you have to enter value for them. Entering the values for the standard value parameters is
important to run the scheduling/capacity/costing formulas.
For Example –
Interoperation times -
Interoperation times are included in the operations to increase the total lead time. It behaves
as offset times.
Maximum Wait time – It is the longest time that may pass before the material is processed in
the next operation or order. In short it is an additional time between two operations. A wait
time would increase the operation lead time.
Minimum Wait time = It is the Shortest time that must pass before the material can be
processed in the next operation or order. In short it is an additional time between two
operations. A wait time would increase the operation lead time. Scheduling is always based
on the minimum wait time.
Standard Queue time = Time an order normally waits at the work center before it is
processed. If the lead time of an operation must be reduced, the system can shorten the
standard queue time as far as the minimum queue time. A queue time would increase the
operation lead time.
Minimum Queue time = Shortest queue time an order waits at the work center before it is
processed. If the lead time of an operation must be reduced, the system can shorten the
standard queue time as far as the minimum queue time. A queue time would increase the
operation lead time.
Standard Move time = Time normally needed between the current operation and the next one
for the move from one work center (location group) to another. Move time does not increase
the operation lead time but increases the total lead time of the order.
Minimum Move time = Shortest time needed between the current operation and the next one
for the move from one work center (location group) to another. Minimum move time from
one operation to other is used if you are applying reduction strategies. Move time does not
increase the operation lead time but increases the total lead time of the order.
Note – Normally consultants don’t use the interoperation times, but if you insist you can do
so. If it is a client requirement I would just use the move time which would not play around
with the operation lead time but will just increase the total order processing lead time.
& if you are confused on what is min and max and standard times just have the same values in
both the fields.
Reduction strategies - Also there is really no need to use reduction strategies in the operations
(which would complicate lead time calculations).
Splits –
An operation is split if it is carried out on several machines or by several persons at the same
time (see figure). This is only used in Routings and not in Recipes.
If you want to use splits you should select the check-box indicator called – “Required
Splitting”.
If you are using splits then the scheduling generation formula in the work center should be
divided by the number of splits you enter here.
Note – When you are using Splits in a Routing, you can also mention a minimum processing
time if you don’t want the scheduling formula to reduce your total operation processing time
(due to division by the number of splits) below a certain minimum processing time value.
Note – I haven’t seen many consultants use this. You can leave this field alone.
Overlapping –
Overlapping reduces the total lead time by starting the processing of the next operation before
the current operation is finished. It does this by the use of minimum send ahead quantity after
which the overlap should start and minimum overlap time.
Continuous Flow overlaps – When such overlap is triggered between 2 operations and both
the operations are set for “continuous flow overlap”, the system calculates the lead times of
both the operations individually after the overlap is complete and changes the lead time of the
operation with the lowest lead time of the two to the lead time of the operation of the
maximum lead time. In other words if there are 2 operations, 0010 has lead time 1 hr and
operation 0020 has lead time 2 hrs, operation 0010 will adopt the lead time of the operation
number 0020.
Note – When you are implementing fresh at an organization, it becomes too complicated in
introducing overlapping and splitting. You can do so slowly once you have implemented SAP
and the users have become proficient enough (may be 2-3 years after go-live).
When you are sending out an operation or sub operation for external processing to an external
contractor, it also means that you are just send a partially finished header material to the
subcontractor. Thus if you have provided all the purchase related information in the operation
detail – external processing section, the system will create a Purchase Requisition (PR) for the
operation (the PR is not created for a material code but it is created for a text of the
operation); this may seem odd as there would be no Material code on the PR.
It is also mandatory for you to maintain a Control key for the operation or Sub
operation that allows “external processing”.
Create and assign a Purchase info record for a subcontracting type for a particular
vendor and with a correct purchasing organization. This Purchase info record should not
be created for a material code but can be created for a material group or just directly enter
the sort string, material group, planned delivery time for purchasing to identify the vendor
while creation of the PR. You can also define a net price, price unit to make things easier
for the purchase order creation.
A Predefined percentage scarp is assigned for the operation, if you know a fixed percentage
by which production at the operation is reduced.
The Scarp percentage reduces the production order quantities that is supposed to be produced
at the operation; thus transferring a reduced amount to the next operation. Scheduling,
capacity requirement generation and costing is affected proportionately for the operations
involved.
User defined fields are configurable. You can use user defined fields as process or production
specific information or you can use them as parameters in scheduling, capacity or costing
formulas since we have only 6 parameters possible in the work center standard value key.
User defined fields can be used in operations and sub-operations.
These configurable fields are placed under a field Key that acts as place holder for these user
defined fields. The formats of these fields are given below:
Up to four general fields for any text: You can use them to store information about
people responsible, substitutes or telephone numbers, for example.
Up to two quantity fields: You can assign additional formula parameters to the
quantity fields in the field key. With the help of formula parameters you can use the
values of the quantity fields in work center formulas, to calculate processing times,
capacity requirements and costs. In addition there is also a field for the unit of each
quantity field. Default values and their units which you have maintained in Customizing
for formula parameters are transferred, but you can change this data. If you have entered
data in the quantity fields and then change the field key, the old values remain unchanged.
Up to two value fields: In addition there is also a field for the unit of each value field.
Up to two date fields: Here you can enter internal start dates, for instance.
Note - If component are not allocated to the operations, then the SAP automatically allocates
all the BOM components to the first operation. This also means that all the backflush
materials would be automatically issued when you confirm the first operation. And this also
means that all the raw materials would be available for production on the start date of the first
operation.
Method: To Allocate component to the operations, you have to press the "CompAlloc"
Select the components and press "New Assignment" >>> A Pop-up Box will open up, which
will ask you to
enter the Opertion number to which you would want to assign the components to.
SAP Provides you with a facility to add header materials to the created Routing or Recipe
(task list). In other words, you can just create one Routing/Recipe for one material and then
go on assigning header materials to the task list; this will indirectly mean that the task list
which was applicable for the original material is now applicable for the header materials
assigned as well.
Assigning materials to a task list extends the task list to the other materials as well provided
they also have exactly the same process of manufacturing, going through the same flow of
operations.
Method: You can press the Material Assignment Button in the Routing/Recipe Header
Screen, which you open up a pop-up box that allows you to enter the material codes and the
plant code (of the materials) to which you want to extend the task list to.
Saving the task list at the end would generate a Routing Group Number for the Routing
Group. Even saving the recipe at the end would generate a Recipe Group Number.
Note: If you have not assigned an external Routing Group Number in the beginning (in the
selection screen), then the system generates the Routing Group Number, which is an
internally generated number.
See the ScreenShot below and notice the Group Number at the bottom of the Screen: