The transfer of stocks between plants that belong to the same or different accounting areas is an important process in materials management. This process requires special procedures to ensure that the transfer is carried out correctly, both logistically and in terms of accounting.
Procedure for transferring goods between plants
There are several methods for carrying out a transfer between plants. These differ in the number of steps required and in the way the process is carried out. The most common methods are:
- one-step procedure: Here, the transfer takes place in a single booking process. The material is booked out of the issuing plant and booked into the receiving plant in one step. This procedure is particularly suitable for simple transfers where the logistical and accounting requirements are low.
- two-step process: This procedure consists of two separate steps. First, the material is taken from the issuing plant and booked on the way to the receiving plant. In the second step, the material is booked in the receiving plant. The two-step procedure is useful when monitoring the transport is important or when there may be delays between dispatch and receipt.
- Stock transfer order without delivery via shipping: In this variant, the transfer is handled without the shipping process. The focus here is on fast accounting processing without the need for logistical steps such as picking or packing.
- Stock transfer order with delivery via shipping (and invoice): This procedure combines aspects of normal ordering with those of transfer between plants with different company codes. Logistical processes such as shipping activities, picking, packing and invoicing are integrated. This hybrid form enables precise pricing and complete monitoring of material transfer.
Applications and processes involved
In order to efficiently organize the process of cross-company transfer, several SAP modules are involved:
- Purchasing (MM-PUR): Here the order is recorded in the receiving plant and the price determination is carried out.
- Shipping (LE-SHP): The delivering plant takes care of the delivery and shipping activities.
- invoicing (SD-BIL): The final price is determined when the invoice for delivery is created.
- inventory management (MM-IM): The receipt of goods at the receiving plant is documented and posted in the system.
- Invoice Audit (MM-IV): The invoice receipt is checked and posted at the receiving plant.
These processes run seamlessly in the background to correctly manage material flow and bookings.
Process of a stock transfer order between plants with different company codes
In the receiving plant, a stock transfer order is created with the order type NB and the position type EMPTY (Normal) created. A supplier is used to which a plant is assigned in the supplier master record. The system therefore recognizes that this is a stock transfer order and carries out price determination.
During the process you have the following options:
- You can enter items within and across company codes in the purchase order.
- The shipping details can be checked on the Shipping Details tab.
Advantages and Conclusion
Transferring material between plants in different accounting areas offers several advantages. By using logistics and accounting functions such as pricing, shipping monitoring and invoicing, companies can better manage their material flows while maintaining transparency and control over costs. Choosing the right transfer method - whether one-step, two-step or with shipping and invoicing - depends on the specific requirements of the organization and the complexity of the material transfer.
Do you need support in implementing internal or cross-company transfers in your SAP system? We at GOpus are happy to advise you. Contact us now.
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