SAP Materials Management

Step by Step Guide

 Table of Contents

1. Introduction 5
2. SAP Navigation 6
a. Login On
b. Standard Toolbar Icons
c. Exit Keys
d. New Session Icon
e. Login Off

3. Overview of Materials Management 10

4. Procurement Process 10
5. Organization Structure 11
a. SAP Implementation Guide
b. Reaching SAP IMG
c. Menu path for MM Configuration

6. Enterprise Structure in Materials Management 12

7. Defining Organizational Structure 15
a. Create Plant
b. Create Storage Location
c. Create Purchasing Organization
d. Create Purchasing Group

8. Assignment of Organizational Units 32

9. Master Data 37
a. Material Master
b. Vendor Master

10. Procurement Cycle 55

a. Purchase Order
b. Goods Receipt
 c. Invoice Posting

11. Purchase Requisition 75

a. Create Purchase Requisition
b. Convert Purchase Requisition to Purchase Order

12. Request for Quotation 84

13. Closing / Opening Posting Period in MM 96
14. Purchase Order Types 101
a. Stock Order
b. Non-Stock Order / Consumable Order
c. Onetime Material Order
d. Service Order
i. Planned Services
ii. Un-planned Service
iii. Service Entry Sheet
e. Sub-contracting Order

15. Inventory Management 156

16. Invoice Verification 179
a. Posting of Invoice
b. Blocked Invoice
c. Evaluated Receipt Settlement (ERS)

17. Reports 198

18. Configuration 204
a. Material Master
i. Material Type
ii. Material Number Output
iii. Storage Conditions
iv. General

b. Purchase Requisition
i. Number Range
ii. Field Selection
iii. Document Type
iv. Text Elements

19. Conclusion and Credits

Introduction

SAP stands for Systems, Applications and Products in Data Processing. Five German
Engineers founded it in 1972. SAP is an ERP software which large organizations use to manage
their business. SAP has several modules, each of which represents a business-process.
Modules are usually abbreviated for the business process they represent. For instance, HCM is
Human Capital Management, FI for Financial Accounting, MM for Materials Management and
SD is Sales & Distribution and so on. All together there are some nineteen core modules.

These modules are highly integrated in real-time, which means, that if information is shared
between modules then the data is entered only once. This reduces the chances of error arising
from repetitive entry and also reduces the man-hours. Managers and decision makers always
have information at their fingertips and this helps them in effective decision making.

SAP has been around for nearly four decades. Nine out of ten Fortune-500 companies have
already implemented SAP (not counting the thousands of to-be Fortune-500 companies that
have SAP). There are well over 10 million SAP users worldwide and jobs keep popping up all
around the world.

SAP is the leading ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) software. Because of it’s liberal open-
architecture, there are millions of programmers working around the world to provide
interaction between thousands of major software and SAP.

SAP is usually implemented in phases. The first phase is when organizational structure and
accounting components are configured, tested and then taken live. Gradually more modules are
turned on.

MM Course

The purpose of this book is to learn step-by-step general configuration methods for the MM
module which has always been the backbone of Logistics. The course is built on menu path
navigation of the Implementation Guide (IMG) and the application area.

LearnSAP

LearnSAP strives to help students develop SAP skills and knowledge needed to complete in the
employment market and adapt to future changes. The training course combines classroom
theory of SAP technology with hands-on practice.

LearnSAP strives to evolve with the marketplace, delivering skills-based education that is
sensitive to market needs and convenient to students. Our goal is to help people develop into
employees who are equipped to meet the challenges of a marketplace where change is the one
constant.
SAP Overview and Navigation:

Login On:
Menu bar:
The Menu bar is the top line of any dialog window in the SAP system.
Standard toolbar:
Standard functions that are available in displayed in this toolbar. The applications like
save, top of page, end of page, page up, page down, print, etc.
Title bar:
Displays the name of the application/business process you are currently in.
Application toolbar:
Application specific menu options are available on this toolbar.
Command Field:
To start a business application without having to navigate through the menu transaction
codes are assigned to the business processes. Transaction codes are entered in the
command field to directly start the application.
Standard Toolbar Icons
Scroll buttons Layout menu
Enter First page, previous page, Customizes the
next page and last page • Display options
Confirms entered data Back
Does not save work • Printout the screen

Returns to F1 Help (Hard Copy)

previous
screen

without saving data Pro elp on

the field where
the cursor is
positioned

Print Create
Command Print current screen shortcut
field r
e
Used to enter Cancel
command, transaction a
Exit current task
code. To display it, t
without saving data
click the arrow e
a
Exit s
h
Save o
Saves the work r
t
c
u
t
t
o
a
n
y
r
e
p
o
r
t
,
t
r
a
n
s
a
c
t
i
o
n

Create
 session session next
Create a new Find and Find
Returns to initial screen without Search for data in
saving data current
screen;
extend
research

Standard Exit Keys

Exit Keys

Back
Cancel Exit
Transaction Or
Log Off

Create New Session Icon

Login Off

It is a good practice to log off from the SAP system when you finish your work. There are
several ways of login off from the system:
● From Menu, select system -> log off
● Close the open sessions and the last session will log you off
● Enter /nex in the command field

Before the system logs you out, a dialog box is displayed to confirm you want to log off from the
system, except for the option /nex in the command field.
Overview of Materials Management Module:
Materials Management deals with managing the materials (products and or services) resources
of an organization with the aim of increasing productivity, reducing costs and increase
optimization and at the same time be flexible to accommodate changes.

A business process in SAP is termed as “Module”. SAP Materials Management (MM) is a part of
Logistics area and helps to manage the procurement activity of an organization from
procurement process, inventory management, invoice verification and material planning.

Materials Management is the backbone of the Logistics area which includes modules like Sales
and Distribution, Production Planning, Plant Maintenance, Project Systems, Warehouse
Management which are highly dependent on Materials Management module.

Materials management is highly integrated with other modules such as FI (Financial

Accounting), SD (Sales & Distribution), PP (Production Planning), QM (Quality Management),
PM (Plant Maintenance).

Procurement Process:
Is a process of acquiring goods and or services in the right amount, at the right price at the right
time. Procurement can refer not only to buying of goods and or service, it also can include
outsourcing.

Procurement process generally starts when there is a Demand or Request for a Material or
services.
The request or demand leads to requesting quotes from Vendor/Suppliers for the material or
services.
Vendor Selection is the next step after receiving the quotes from the vendors.
Negotiating the terms and conditions.
Creation of Purchase Orders
Receipt of Goods against Purchase Orders
Inventory Updating
Invoice verification
Payment to the vendor/supplier
ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE

The organizational structures form a framework of a company in which business is conducted.

Organizational Structure is also referred to as Enterprise Structure.

Enterprise Structure is made up of Organizational Units and have to be defined and each of the
unit has a relationship to one another and this relationship has to be created by way of
assignment.

The creation and assignment of organizational units is done in Customizing of Enterprise

structure.

Configuration v/s Customization:

Configuration:
Configuration uses the inherent flexibility of the enterprise software to add fields, change field
names, modify drop-down lists, or add buttons. Configurations are made using powerful built-in
tool sets.

Customization:
Customization involves code changes to create functionality that is not available through
configuration. Customization can be costly and can complicate future upgrades to the software
because the code changes may not easily migrate to the new version. Wherever possible avoid
customization by using configuration to meet the goals

SAP Implementation Guide:

Configuration of SAP software to adjust to the workings of your organization is done through the
Implementation Guide commonly known as IMG.
IMG is where the Enterprise Structure is defined and maintained along with the other settings
required for the functioning of the SAP software for the client implementing SAP.

Reaching SAP IMG:

TCode = SPRO

Enter transaction code “SPRO” in the command field and click on enter.
On the following screen, click on “SAP Reference IMG”
This is the screen where all the configuration nodes related to MM and other modules are
present.

Menu path for MM area –

⮚ SAP Customizing Implementation Guide (IMG) > Enterprise Structure > Definition

⮚ SAP Customizing Implementation Guide (IMG) > Enterprise Structure > Assignment

⮚ SAP Customizing Implementation Guide (IMG) > Logistics – General > Material Master

⮚ SAP Customizing Implementation Guide (IMG) > Materials Management

⮚ General Settings for Materials Management

⮚ Consumption-Based Planning
⮚ Purchasing
⮚ Inventory Management and Physical Inventory
⮚ Valuation and Account Assignment
⮚ Logistics Invoice Verification
Enterprise Structure in Materials Management:
The Organizational Structure in MM is made up of following Organizational Levels:

​ Client
​ Company Code
​ Plant
​ Storage Location
​ Purchasing Organization
​ Purchasing Group

Client: Represents a grouping or combination of legal,

organizational, business and/or administrative
units with a common purpose.

Company Code:
Company Code represents an independent accounting unit within a client. Each
company code has its own balance sheet and its own profit and loss statement.

Plant:
Operational unit within a company code.

Storage Location:
This level contains the data specific to a storage location. Stock levels are an
example of the data maintained for each storage location.

Purchasing Organization:
An organizational unit responsible for procuring materials or services for one or more
plants and for negotiating general conditions of purchase with vendors. The
purchasing organization assumes legal responsibility for all external purchase
transactions.

Purchasing Group:
The purchasing organization is further subdivided into purchasing groups (buyer
groups), which are responsible for day-to-day buying activities.
A purchasing group can also act for several purchasing organizations
Defining Organizational Structure:

Create Plant:

Click on “Execute”

Choose or Double Click on “Define Plant”

Click on “New Entries” to create / define plant.
Enter the following information:

Plant = VV01 (4 Character Identifier)

Name1 = Houston NE Plant (Description for the Plant)
Name2 = Description for the Plant
Factory Calendar = “US” (Factory Calendar US Standard)

Click on “Address” Icon

In the Address details enter:
Title
Name
Search term ½
Street House Number
Postal Code
City
Country
Region

The rest of the information is not mandatory.

Click on Enter and then click on Save .

You will be asked to reconfirm the address. Click on Enter again to confirm the address.
A Customizing Request will be prompted.
Click on “Create Request” Icon

Enter a Short Description and click on “SAVE” Icon .

Note down the Request Number and henceforth use this request number to save all your
configurations.

Click on Enter

Data save message is displayed on the status bar

Choose or Double Click on “Copy, delete, check Plant”

Click on “Copy Org. Object”

System will give you a message on status bar (bottom of screen) that tables are being read.

On the next screen pop-up

Enter the following information:

From Plant = 3000
To Plant = VV01 (the plant number that you are creating)

Click on Enter.

Click on “Yes” on the next message

Hit enter on the next message

System will give you a message that XX % of tables copied.

Customizing request will be prompted, select your own and click on Enter

Accept all messages (if any) by clicking on enter.

You will get a message “Plant 3000” completed to VV01 “Your plant name”

Click on “Enter”

Check both the tabs –

​ First tab “Selected objects” should show plant = 3000 and
​ Second tab “Completed activities” should have “Plant 3000 copied to XXXX “
Where “XXXX” represents your plant.
​ Click on green back arrow.
Create Storage Location:

Click on “Execute”

Enter your plant name and click on “Enter”.

You may see that there are Storage Locations already associated with the plant that you have
created.

The reason for these storage locations being associated with the plant created, is due to the
step in definition of the plant, where we copied the associated tables for our plant from a
standard SAP plant (3000). All the Storage Locations assigned to plant 3000 get copied over.

Select all the storage locations that you do not need and delete them for your own plant (VV01).
You can change the description of Storage Locations that you want to retain. You can also
create new storage locations.

Click on “New Entries” Icon

Enter 4 character name for the storage location and description.

Click on “SAVE” Icon

A customizing request will be prompted, select your own request and click on “Enter”. The data
will be saved.

Click on green back arrow twice to go back to the main IMG screen.