Transportation
A.Introduction to Transportation
B.Transportation Planning and Processing Using Work Lists
C.Shipment Documents
D.Shipment Stages
E.The Information System in Transportation
F.Freight Codes and Freight Code Sets
G.Interfaces
A.INTRODUCTION TO TRANSPORTATION
The following topics will give you an insight into the functionality available in transportation as well as provide you with some important background information.
1.About Transportation
2.Working with the Transportation Functionality
3.Prerequisites for Transportation Planning and Processing
1.ABOUT TRANSPORTATION
Transportation is an essential element of the logistics chain. It effects both inward and outward movement of goods. Effective transportation planning is required to ensure that shipments are dispatched without delay and arrive on schedule. Transportation costs play a considerable role in determining the price of a product. It is important that these transportation costs are kept to a minimum in order to keep the price of a product competitive. Efficient planning and processing of transportation contributes to keeping these costs down.
The aim of the new transportation element of the SD System is to provide basic functions for transportation:
·	transportation planning and processing
·	freight calculation
·	freight settlement
·	customer freight calculation
·	customer freight invoicing as well as
·	functions for service agent selection.
Currently, transportation functionality fulfills your requirements in the areas of transportation planning and processing for both inbound and outbound shipments. You can control and monitor the entire transportation process from the planning stage right through to the dispatch of the goods from your shipping point (outbound shipment) or the vendor location (inbound shipment) and their arrival at the customer location (outbound shipment) or your plant (inbound shipment).
In future releases, you will also have at your disposal the functions necessary for performing freight calculation and settlement as well as for selecting service agents.
This documentation explains and describes the procedures which are used in transportation from the outbound shipment processing view. Unless specifically stated, the explanations and information equally apply to inbound shipment processing. Where the functionality differs between inbound and outbound shipment processing, this will be documented from both points of view.
For further information on creating and processing shipping notifications, see the section 'Confirmations' in the MM Purchasing documentation.
See also:
About Transportation Planning
About Work Lists for Transportation Planning
About Shipment Documents
Functions of the Shipment Document
2.WORKING WITH TRANSPORTAION FUNCTIONALITY
The transportation functionality can be used to plan and process
·	inbound shipments from the point of view of MM on the basis of purchase orders and shipping notifications
·	outbound shipments from the point of view SD on the basis of sales orders and deliveries.
This is illustrated by the following graphic:
The basis of transportation planning and processing is the shipment document which facilitates the flow of information from the shipper to the customer and to any service agents who are involved in a particular business transaction.
See also:
Prerequisites for Transportation Planning and Processing
About Shipment Documents
3.Prerequisites for Transportation Planning and Processing
Before you can carry out transportation processing and planning, the following prerequisites need to be met:
·	Outbound shipments
-	The type of the deliveries for which transportation planning and processing is to be carried out must be classified as relevant for transportation in Customizing for Transportation.
-	The deliveries must contain a route.
-	The routes for the deliveries must be classified as relevant for transportation in Customizing for Transportation.
-	The ShpmtBlReason (shipment blocking reason) in the delivery header on the transportation screen must be blank.
If the above requirements have been met the transportation planning status is automatically set to A (Not yet planned) in the Trns.plan.status field in the delivery header.
·	Inbound shipments
-	The delivery type for the shipping notification for which transportation processing and planning is to be carried out must be classified as relevant for transportation in Customizing for Transportation.
-	In the shipping notification that is to be included in the shipment document, all items must be assigned to the same plant (the system carries out a corresponding check).
Transportation Planning Point
Transportation processing and planning is performed by a new organizational unit known as the transportation planning point. A transportation planning point is basically a group of employees who are responsible for organizing transportation activities. Each shipment is assigned to one particular transportation planning point for planning and processing. The various transportation planning points used in your organization must be defined in Customizing for the Corporate Structure before they can be used to perform transportation planning and processing. This organizational unit can be defined to suit the transportation requirements of your organization. For example, it can defined by geographical location or by mode of transport.
The transportation planning point is an independent unit. It is not linked to the other organizational units within Logistics.
See also:
For more information on Customizing for Transportation, see the online Implementation Guide.
Neither this documentation nor any part of it may be copied or reproduced in any form or by any means or translated into another language, without the prior consent of SAP AG