Configuring SAP’s Availability Check (ATP) and Transfer of Requirements (TOR) involves a series of interconnected steps across different modules, primarily Sales and Distribution (SD) and Material Requirements Planning (MRP). This detailed guide will walk you through the essential configuration points.
General Navigation Path for SD Configuration (IMG – Implementation Guide):
Most of these settings are found in the SAP Customizing Implementation Guide (SPRO transaction):
- SPRO (T-code) -> SAP Reference IMG -> Sales and Distribution -> Basic Functions -> Availability Check and Transfer of Requirements
1. Material Master Data Settings (MM02 – Change Material Master)
Before diving into SPRO, ensure your material master records are properly maintained, as they are fundamental to ATP and TOR.
- MRP 3 View:
- Availability Check (e.g., 01, 02, KP): This field (often labeled “Availability Check” or “Checking Group”) dictates the type of availability check that will be performed for the material.
- 01 – Individual Requirements: Requirements are passed to MRP individually, and availability is checked against individual stock and receipts.
- 02 – Collective Requirements: Requirements are summarized (e.g., daily or weekly) and passed to MRP collectively. ATP checks against aggregated stock.
- KP – No Check: No availability check is performed for this material.
- Strategy Group (e.g., 10, 20, 40): This is crucial for determining the Requirements Type, which in turn derives the Requirements Class. Common strategy groups:
- 10 (Make-to-Stock): Production is planned based on anticipated demand.
- 20 (Make-to-Order): Production is triggered by a specific sales order.
- 40 (Planning with Final Assembly): Combines aspects of make-to-stock and make-to-order.
- MRP Type (e.g., PD, ND): Determines how the material is planned in MRP.
- PD (MRP): The material is relevant for MRP.
- ND (No MRP): The material is not relevant for MRP, thus no TOR will happen.
- Availability Check (e.g., 01, 02, KP): This field (often labeled “Availability Check” or “Checking Group”) dictates the type of availability check that will be performed for the material.
- Sales: General/Plant View:
- Availability Check: This field will reflect the checking group from the MRP 3 view, or it can be set specifically for the sales view if different logic is required (though generally it’s inherited).
- Plant: Ensure the plant is assigned, as ATP is always performed at the plant level (or storage location within a plant if configured).
2. Configuration for ATP (Availability Check)
Path: SPRO -> Sales and Distribution -> Basic Functions -> Availability Check and Transfer of Requirements -> Availability Check -> Availability Check with ATP Logic or Against Planning1
2.1. Define Checking Groups (OVZ1)
Here you define the checking groups that you assign in the material master (MRP 3 view, “Availability Check” field).
- Key Settings:
- No check: If ticked, no availability check is performed for materials assigned to this group.
- Block qty conf. in delivery blocks: Controls whether confirmed quantities are locked when a delivery block is active.
- Total sales/deliveries: Defines how requirements are grouped for sales/deliveries (e.g., individual requirements, daily requirements, weekly requirements). This impacts how demand is passed to MRP.
- Rlt. for prod. order reqs: Relevance for production order requirements.
- Relevance for check against planning: Controls if a check against planned independent requirements (PIRs) is allowed.
2.2. Define Checking Rules (OVZ2)
Checking rules are internal to SAP and typically hard-coded (e.g., ‘A’ for Sales Order, ‘B’ for Delivery). You define what they check.
- Key Settings (for a specific checking rule, e.g., ‘A’ for Sales Orders):
- Include sales orders: Whether existing sales orders reduce available stock.
- Include deliveries: Whether existing deliveries reduce available stock.
- Include purchase orders/production orders: Whether planned receipts increase available stock.
- Include safety stock: Whether safety stock should be considered available or unavailable.
- Include blocked stock/quality inspection stock: Whether these stock types are considered available.
- Check horizon (RLT): If ticked, the system considers the material’s replenishment lead time (RLT) in the ATP check. If no stock is available, it will confirm based on the RLT.
2.3. Determine Procedure for Each Schedule Line Category (OVZ3)
This step links the ATP check logic to the schedule line category.
- Path: SPRO -> Sales and Distribution -> Basic Functions -> Availability Check and Transfer of Requirements -> Availability Check -> Availability Check with ATP Logic or Against Planning2 -> Determine procedure for3 each schedule line category
- Key Settings:
- ATP Check: Tick this checkbox to activate the availability check for the specific schedule line category.
- No check: If ticked, no ATP check is performed. (Generally, you’ll have either “ATP Check” or “No check” active, not both).
2.4. Carry Out Control for Availability Check (OVZ9)
This is the most critical step for linking checking groups and checking rules to define the scope of the availability check.
- Path: SPRO -> Sales and Distribution -> Basic Functions -> Availability Check and Transfer of Requirements -> Availability Check -> Availability Check with ATP Logic or Against Planning4 -> Carry out control for availability5 check
- Combination: You define settings for each combination of Checking Group (from Material Master) and Checking Rule (from Transaction, e.g., ‘A’ for sales order).
- Key Settings (for each Checking Group/Checking Rule combination):
- Include various stock types: (e.g., storage location stock, consignment stock, stock in transfer).
- Include various inward/outward movements: (e.g., purchase requisitions, purchase orders, production orders, planned orders, sales orders, deliveries, reservations).
- Check without RLT: If ticked, the system will not consider replenishment lead time.
- Receipts: Controls which types of receipts are included in the ATP calculation.
- Issues: Controls which types of issues are included in the ATP calculation.
3. Configuration for TOR (Transfer of Requirements)
Path: SPRO -> Sales and Distribution -> Basic Functions -> Availability Check and Transfer of Requirements -> Transfer of Requirements
3.1. Define Requirements Types (OVZG)
Requirements types control how requirements are handled in MRP. They are determined automatically based on the strategy group in the material master (or item category + MRP type).
- Key Settings (for a specific Requirements Type):
- Requirements Class: Assigns the requirements type to a requirements class. This is where the core controls for TOR and ATP are defined.
- Allocation Indicator: Controls how requirements are consumed (e.g., against planned independent requirements).
3.2. Define Requirements Classes (OVZH)
Requirements classes are central controlling elements for both ATP and TOR.
- Key Settings (for a specific Requirements Class):
- ATP Check: Tick this to activate the availability check for this requirements class. This is the global switch for ATP.
- Transfer of Requirements (TOR): Tick this to activate the transfer of requirements to MRP for this requirements class. This is the global switch for TOR.
- Assembly: Controls whether requirements can trigger assembly orders.
- Allocation indicator: Influences how customer requirements consume planned independent requirements.
- Special Stock: Defines how special stocks (e.g., make-to-order stock, project stock) are handled.
3.3. Determination of Requirements Type (OVZI)
This step defines how the system automatically determines the Requirements Type for a sales order item.
- Path: SPRO -> Sales and Distribution -> Basic Functions -> Availability Check and Transfer of Requirements -> Transfer of Requirements -> Determine6 requirements types for sales documents
- Assignment: You assign Requirements Types based on various criteria, most commonly:
- Strategy Group (from Material Master): This is the primary method.
- Item Category + MRP Type (from Material Master): An alternative method, if strategy group is not sufficient.
- Individual determination for Item Category: A fallback.
3.4. Schedule Line Category Settings (VOV6)
As mentioned in the ATP section, the schedule line category plays a crucial role for TOR as well.
- Path: SPRO -> Sales and Distribution -> Sales -> Sales Documents -> Schedule Lines -> Define Schedule Line Categories
- Key Settings (for a specific Schedule Line Category, e.g., CP):
- Req. Assembly: (Requirement Assembly) – This checkbox, when ticked, ensures that the confirmed quantities of the sales order schedule line are passed as requirements to MRP. This is the crucial link for TOR at the document item level.
- Availability: (Availability Check) – This checkbox, when ticked, ensures that an availability check is performed for this schedule line.
- Movement Type: Defines the goods movement type (e.g., 601 for goods issue) that will be used when the delivery is created and goods are issued.
- Transaction Flow – Item Relevant for Delivery: Must be ticked for goods issue to happen.
4. Other Related Configurations / Considerations:
- Sales Document Type (VOV8): The sales document type implicitly influences ATP and TOR by determining the item category, which in turn determines the schedule line category. While not a direct ATP/TOR setting, ensure it’s set up to allow the correct item category determination.
- Item Category (VOV7): The item category determines the schedule line category.
- Route Determination (OVR1 / T-code OVLO): The route can influence the confirmed delivery date by adding transit time to the material availability date.
- Shipping Point Determination (OVL2): Shipping point influences delivery dates.
- Delivery Blocks (OVLS): Can be configured to block confirmed quantities from being reserved or transferred to MRP.
- Rescheduling (V_V2): This standard SAP program (or the enhanced BOP in S/4HANA) allows you to re-check and re-confirm sales orders based on updated stock and receipt situations. It’s crucial for managing backorders.
- S/4HANA Specifics (aATP): If you’re on S/4HANA, the configuration for aATP goes beyond these basic settings and involves Fiori apps, master data extensions (e.g., for Product Allocations), and specific configuration for BOP (Backorder Processing) strategies and Alternative-Based Confirmation (ABC). The core concepts remain, but the tools and advanced features differ.
Configuration Flow Summary:
- Material Master: Set Checking Group and Strategy Group (which influences Requirements Type).
- Define Checking Group (OVZ1): Define behavior for each checking group.
- Define Checking Rule (OVZ2): Define the scope of check for each checking rule (e.g., A, B).
- Carry Out Control for Availability Check (OVZ9): Link Checking Group and Checking Rule to define the exact scope (which stock and movements to include/exclude).
- Define Requirements Class (OVZH): Activate ATP Check and Transfer of Requirements globally for this class.
- Define Requirements Type (OVZG): Assign the Requirements Type to the Requirements Class.
- Determine Requirements Type (OVZI): Define how the Requirements Type is determined (e.g., by Strategy Group).
- Schedule Line Category (VOV6): Activate Req. Assembly (for TOR) and Availability (for ATP) for the relevant schedule line category.
By carefully configuring these interconnected settings, you can ensure that your SAP system accurately performs availability checks and reliably transfers requirements to MRP, leading to efficient order fulfillment and effective supply chain planning.