Welcome to Saphanatutor.com’s in-depth tutorial on SAP SD Schedule Line Categories. This SAP SD tutorial is tailored to offer you comprehensive insights into the critical role of schedule line categories in the SAP Sales and Distribution (SD) module.

SAP SD Schedule line Categories

Schedule Line Categories in SAP Sales and Distribution (SD) are critical components that manage the delivery dates and confirmed quantities of a sales process. The division of an item in a sales document by date and quantity is known as schedule lines. 

  • Schedule line data in a Sales order are controlled by Schedule line categories. 
  • Table for Schedule line data is VBEP.
  • Transaction code for defining schedule line category is VOV6.

Schedule Line Categories key Functions

Schedule line categories in SAP SD, controls how the schedule line behaves. They determine if inventory management is relevant, control the transfer of requirements to Material Requirement Planning (MRP), and manage delivery dates and quantities.

  • Availability Checks: These categories decide if an availability check should be performed for an item.
  • Movement Type during Goods Issue/Receipt: They specify the movement type to be used during the goods issue or goods receipt process in delivery.
  • External Procurement: Schedule line categories can indicate whether the material is procured externally, such as in third-party processing scenarios.

SAP SD Schedule line Category Controls

SAP SD Schedule line Categories - saphanatutor.com

1. Delivery Block: The Delivery Block control is used to temporarily prevent the delivery of an item or an entire order.

  • Application: It can be set at the order level or item level. When a delivery block is applied, it stops the order from being processed further in the delivery cycle until the block is removed.
  • Use Case: Commonly used for credit checks, quality inspections, or customer request delays.

2. Movement Type: Movement Type in SAP is linked to the inventory management aspect. It defines the type of stock posting in inventory and is crucial for tracking the movement of goods.

  • Application: In the context of Schedule Line Categories, it determines how goods will be moved – for example, goods issue for a sale, goods receipt for a return, etc.
  • Use Case: Movement type 601 for goods issue in sales, 651 for returns.

3. Order Type: Order Type is a classification that defines the type of sales order and its processing.

  • Application: It determines the required entry screens and fields for a sales document. Different order types are used for different sales processes like standard orders, rush orders, returns, etc.
  • Use Case: Standard Order (OR), Rush Order (RO), Return Order (RE).

4. Item Category: Item Category in SAP SD defines how a line item behaves in a sales transaction.

  • Application: It controls billing relevance, pricing, availability check, and whether the item is relevant for delivery.
  • Use Case: TAN for standard items, TANN for free goods, and TARE for returnable packaging.

5. Account Assignment Category: This control is used to determine the account assignment type of a line item.

  • Application: It is crucial for the integration of SD with Financial Accounting (FI) and Controlling (CO), determining how the sales revenue will be posted in the accounts.
  • Use Case: K for cost center, F for order, and P for project.

6. Req./Assembly: This control is related to material requirements planning and assembly processing.

  • Application: It determines whether the item will trigger a material requirement in MRP or if it needs to be assembled.
  • Use Case: Used in make-to-order scenarios where products are assembled or produced after receiving the order.

7. Availability: The Availability control checks the availability of the product for the requested delivery date.

  • Application: It involves checking against existing inventory, scheduled receipts, and planned issues.
  • Use Case: Ensures that the system confirms a delivery date based on actual product availability.

How to Identify Schedule Line Category in SAP SD

Each SAP SD schedule line category is identified by a two-character alphanumeric code, with each character signifying a specific aspect of the schedule line.

For example, the first character might represent the type of sales document (like ‘C’ for Order), while the second character (P) could indicate aspects related to inventory management or MRP (Material Requirement Planning).

First character Meaning
A Inquiry
B Quotation
C Order
D Returns
Second character Meaning
T No inventory management and without goods issue
N No MRP
X No inventory management but with goods issue
V Consumption Based Planning / MRP
P MRP related

Some of the important Schedule line Categories in  SAP SD are:

Schedule Line Category Functionality Characteristics
AT Inquiry
  • Used for information only.
  • No availability check.
  • Not relevant for delivery
BN Quotation
  • No availability check and MRP.
  • Not relevant for delivery.
  • Used for providing quotations
CP Standard Order
  • Requirement transfer is active.
  • Availability check is active.
  • Relevant for delivery.
  • Uses movement type 601
CV Analysis Purpose
  • No availability check and MRP active.
  • Requirement transfer for analysis purposes.
  • Not directly involved in planning or delivery
DN Returns
  • Used for return documents.
  • Performs Posting Goods Receipt with movement type 651.
  • Manages returns and stock adjustments

 

Businesses often have unique requirements that standard SAP configurations may not fully address. In such cases, custom schedule line categories can be created. This customization involves steps like selecting a standard category as a base, modifying key attributes (like the goods movement type), and then assigning the new category to a combination of item category and MRP type.

Conclusion

In our upcoming SAP SD tutorial, we’ll delve into defining and assigning schedule lines in SAP step by step process.