SAP EWM and TM for warehouse management and transportation
io-consultants is a leading German SAP logistics consultancy, with additional offices in the USA and Asia, specializing in the introduction and optimization of warehouse and production solutions by market leader SAP. Our focus lies on SAP’s Supply Chain Execution with SAP EWM, MFS and TM, which provide all the necessary features for warehouse and logistics process management and ensures an efficient supply chain – for large logistics centres and small warehouses alike.
Together with our subsidiary ParCon Consulting, we support our clients in the development of their digital supply chain with SAP software. We do this by combining in-depth knowledge of operative logistics processes with the know-how of transportation logistics. In addition to consulting and planning services, we also offer SAP custom development and SAP solutions. Furthermore, ParCon has intelligent SAP add-on solutions for transportation planning and scheduling, such as easy Track and the Locate & Share suite. These add-ons offer optimisations and visualisations embedded in HANA and the SAP Cloud Platform.
Compliance with SAP standards is always a top priority for io-consultants!
We have worked for
B. Braun Medical, Capri-Sun, LTS, Richard Wolf, Sanofi and others
Cooperations and partners
SAP EWM implementation and roll-out
IT project management as the key to success
Projects are influenced by three interdependent key parameters: costs, deadlines and results. io-consultants’ project management team acts and manages accordingly. Our consultants provide holistic and professional consulting services and are deeply committed to implementing every project on schedule and in line with the budget and contractual obligations.
Risks are continuously assessed and potential adverse developments or abnormalities recognised at an early stage. Our consultants set great store by active communication throughout the entire project and thus help to ensure that SAP EWM-driven logistics always commences as originally planned.
With our own project execution model (PEM) – which involves procedures, checklists, tools – we ensure every project’s success. We use our tried-and-trusted io-consultants project portal for highest-possible levels of project transparency. This cloud solution gives every project team member – whether internal or external – quick and easy access to all tasks, dates and decision criteria, and thus ensures a systematic and efficient workflow.
SAP solutions for logistics
Although SAP EWM is primarily geared towards the automated management of large logistics centres, its modular concept also makes it ideal for smaller warehouses. Launched in 2005, it was designed by SAP as a stand-alone application. By the end of 2016, more than 1,000 companies worldwide have implemented SAP EWM, making it the world’s leading warehouse management system.
A key asset of SAP EWM is its excellent consideration of warehouse physics. As an extension of SAP WM, SAP EWM offers new functions such as:
- flexible process modelling and high stock transparency
- central monitoring
- multi-customer warehousing
- support for logistics services within the warehouse
- direct control of automated conveyor technology under the Material Flow System (MFS)
- integrated stacker control system, and staff planning
The efficiency of SAP EWM can be increased with the use of appropriate technologies for paperless processes within the warehouse. These include raising warehouse staff productivity through route optimisation and hands-free processes, as well as stock and order quality improvements aided by on site scanning.
Potential technologies are:
- Scanning with ITSmobile – a standard SAP RF Framework module
- Pick-by-Voice – voice dialogues are realized using Lydia®-Voice by topsystem (an io-consultants partner)
- Pick-by-Vision – the smart glasses solution by Picavi (an io-consultants partner)
Voice and Vision are both connected via a middleware-free interface to SAP EWM and SAP WM.
io-consultants will factor in all the process and efficiency requirements to determine the best technology for your warehouse, and generate the related business case.
Release 1610 of SAP S/4HANA offers further deployment options for SAP EWM in that it can be implemented as a so-called embedded EWM in SAP S/4HANA . As such, the common interface file (CIF) is no longer needed and there is only one set of master data for materials and batches. The supplier and the customer are portrayed in the EWM via the Business Partner role.
SAP WM, the further development of which was already suspended years ago, will finally be deactivated in 2025 and no longer be part of the digital core (formerly SAP ERP).
SAP offers its customers the option to use the embedded SAP EWM without license fees for the EWM engine. A prerequisite for this is that the scope of use corresponds with the functionality of SAP WM.
Clients who use SAP S/4HANA have two options for SAP EWM:
- SAP EWM system on a separate instance – suitable for high-volume distribution centres
- SAP EWM embedded – interesting for warehouses lined to production
