3381688 - FAQ: Alternative based Confirmation (ABC) with aATP - S/4HANA CLOUD

Frequently asked questions about Alternative based Confirmation (ABC) via advanced ATP in S/4HANA Cloud.

Environment

• SAP S/4HANA Cloud
• Advanced ATP

Reproducing the Issue

Using ABC in S/4 Hana leads to error messages or unexpected behaviour.

Cause

Wrong customizing, missing documentation, false understanding of standard system behaviour.

Resolution

1. ABC has been activated in APP "Configure Alternative Control", but ABC is somehow not executed. Why?
2. ABC only supports sales orders with SD document category = "C" - Order. In the future, it will support "I" - Order without charge.
3. ABC only supports "item category usage" = ABC2 (e.g. standard item category configuration TAPA/TAN).
4. Recheck the setting for the "Consider Alternative" in the APP "Configure Substitution Strategy". The setting "Depends on Execution Context" -> "posted" means that ABC is just active in "change"-mode (e.g. VA02/BOP) - otherwise in creation mode (VA01).
5. [Product Substitution] - make sure to use "Force Subitem Generation" only.
6. Verify the SD customizing for the new subitems - the new requirement class and schedule line category has to have 'ATP check' active and 'transfer of requirements'. You can recheck the strategy group (for requirement class) and MRP Type (for schedule line category) in the material master data.
7. Verify the characteristics used to trigger ABC (used correct field length for numeric characteristic?): e.g. using a "ship-to-party" with numeric values? -> make sure to enter the ship-to party with 10 digits (with leading zeros) in APP "Configure Alternative Control".
8. Using sales document type 'OR' in APP "Configure Alternative Control"? For sales document type 'OR' the internal value is 'TA'. Reason: For the VBAK-AUART there is a Conversion Routine assigned which changes the Input value to the Internal Stored value. So enter 'TA' instead of 'OR'.
9. More than one substitution strategy has been found. Recheck the settings in APP "Configure Alternative Control" and make sure the system just finds one substitution strategy.
10. Check the maintained validities for the substitutions - the system is using the requested delivery date to verify the validities.
11. Using "substitution groups"? Please check this link to SAP Help and check the part "Object and Value Determination". Please find also at the end of the KBA the "ABC substitution overview" of the necessary ABC customizing -> make sure to maintain a CVC with “substitution” - usage in APP "Manage Characteristic Combinations" and follow the path with the dotted line in the ABC substitution overview.
12. A partial delivery exists for the item. ABC will be deactivated if a partial delivery exists.
13. The item is relevant for batch determination and using "force subitem generation" in the ABC strategy: The batch determination has a higher priority than ABC. Inline substitution is possible, but nosubitems are allowed for items with batch determination active - (verify field "automatic batch determination" in item category customizing).
14. Having maintained sales organization and no distribution channel for the plant/storage location substitution? -> The "sales org. and distr. channel" are one unit here. both values have to match! Otherwise you may leave both fields blank to maintain no restriction.
15. ABC is disabled for Variant Configuration ("cuobj" is filled).

• Please check release restrictions: e.g. 3205013:
  • Restriction: When checking availability for a substitute, PAC and PAL checks are executed using the customizing settings for the original requirement
  • Explanation: This could have multiple unexpected side effects: PAL quantities are consumed for requirements which are not PAL-relevant. These quantities will remain and will not automatically be removed during further processing. Similarly, PAC checks are executed even if customized.
  • Mitigation: Ensure that all potential alternative plants are configured similarly to the original plant, at the very least with regards to the requirement relevancy setting and ATP relevancy setting in their corresponding requirement classes.
  • • The ship-to party has a shipping condition assigned in the ship-to party master data.
    • The material master data has a loading group assigned.
    • Please find below an overview schema for the ABC substitution setup with the different Fiori-Apps. Please review the SAP help documentation for ABC and/or existing blogs from the SAP community (e.g. ABC Overview; ABC - substitute with strategy; ABC activation).