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Wave management is a key feature of SAP Extended Warehouse Management (SAP EWM) that enhances the outbound process. By grouping items from warehouse requests into “waves,” this function streamlines the picking process and improves overall warehouse productivity.
What is Wave Management?
Waves in SAP EWM allow you to combine or split items from outbound delivery requests based on parameters such as warehouse number, product, route, activity areas, delivery date, ship-to-party, carrier and more. Once waves are created, they serve as the foundation for generating warehouse tasks and orders for picking. By releasing waves and confirming these tasks, you effectively complete the picking process.
Key Features of Waves
- Automated Task Creation: Warehouse tasks are generated automatically at a user-defined time.
- Grouped Picking: Multiple customer orders can be grouped into a single wave based on criteria like shipping date, product type, or delivery route.
- Two-Step Picking Support: Facilitates complex picking processes when required.
Benefits of Wave Management
- Improved Picking Efficiency: Pickers can collect items for multiple orders in one pass, reducing travel time significantly.
- Optimized Labor Utilization: Wave planning ensures efficient use of staff and equipment.
- Faster Order Fulfillment: Streamlined processes minimize delays, leading to quicker deliveries.
- Enhanced Inventory Control: Better organization improves inventory visibility and accuracy.
- Flexibility: Wave templates allow for customization based on operational needs.
- Error Reduction: Grouped orders and automated processes reduce manual errors.
Key Considerations
While waves create warehouse tasks automatically, they do not combine these tasks into a single warehouse order. For that, proper Warehouse Order Creation Rules (WOCR) must be set up.
By leveraging wave management in SAP EWM, warehouses can achieve greater efficiency, reduce operational costs, and enhance customer satisfaction through faster and more accurate order processing.
