Germany
SAP WM integration / warehousing / intralogistics
Our client, an international industrial company, faced the challenge of introducing the Warehouse Management (WM) module for the first time at one of its production sites as part of a group-wide conversion to SAP S/4HANA. The aim was to create end-to-end system support for warehouse and material flows, harmonise master data and align physical processes with the new IT structure.
The initial situation was complex: the plant did not yet have active WM integration, and the warehouse processes had developed over time and were largely manual. At the same time, the implementation of additional SAP modules (MM, PP, SD) was underway under tight deadlines and in coordination with international teams. A lack of training materials, unclear process definitions and a high level of coordination between the site, head office and external partners made implementation even more difficult.
The project manager took charge of the operational management of the rollout and acted as the central point of contact between the site, group functions and external implementation partners. The focus was on the systematic rollout of the SAP WM module, the adaptation of physical warehouse processes and the development of a robust training and testing concept.
Analysis and preparation:
At the outset, all storage areas were recorded and the existing material and movement structures were documented.
This was followed by data consolidation of the raw materials (ROH-MATs) in order to assign them to the respective storage types and strategies for storage and retrieval.
At the same time, a graphical representation of the warehouse layouts was created in order to align the future system structure with the physical reality.
System integration and process design:
Based on the templates specified across the group, the local processes in SAP WM were validated and, where possible, adapted to the conditions at the site.
Missing or unclear process steps were identified, documented and supplemented in close coordination with the global single point of contact (SPOC).
At the same time, preparations were made for the migration of inventory data, including the creation of upload files for the test system and the subsequent transfer to the production system.
An essential component was the physical storage location labelling: around 1,600 storage locations were newly recorded, structured and labelled in order to establish a clear connection between physical stocks and SAP structures.
Training and empowering employees:
A train-the-trainer concept was developed to ensure sustainable use. Power users received intensive training so that they could then pass on their knowledge to end users as multipliers. In addition, training materials were created in the tts Performance Suite, test data was set up, and e-learning courses were published.
Support until go-live:
In the weeks leading up to the go-live, the focus was on data validation, reconciling storage location structures and final user training.
Close communication between the site, IT and project management enabled any problems that arose at short notice – such as missing hardware or incomplete test data – to be solved pragmatically.
Results and impact:
Despite staff shortages and parallel global changes, the SAP WM module was successfully introduced within the specified time frame.
For the first time, the new processes enabled complete transparency of stock levels, structured control of storage and retrieval, and integration into the higher-level material and production processes.
Standardisation and clear role definitions made it possible to
- reduce training costs by approximately 25%,
- shorten process throughput times in the warehouse by up to 30%
and significantly reduce the error rate for postings.
The plant now has a future-proof system that is scalable and lays the foundation for further automation steps, for example in the areas of RF scanning and warehouse control.
The close integration of process knowledge and technical implementation proved to be a decisive factor in the success of the project.
NOW SIMPLE & NON-BINDING