Task & Resource

Management (TRM)
 SAP went further down in Warehouse Management

Former
FormerSystem
SystemView
View Today
Today
(source
(sourceVDI
VDI3962)
3962) (integrated
(integratedview)
view)
Administrative
Layer
ERP Planning, Inventory,
mySAP SCM MM, Master Data
Warehouse
Management
Warehouse LES Storage, Bins, Pallets
Strategies, Pick, Pack
Task & Resource
TRM Management
Material Flow
Transfer Opt. /Control
Resource Control
Automation
PLC PLC
ASRS, Conveyors...

SAP AG 2004, SAP TechEd / Session ID / 2

 Example for the need of TRM

Physical Process
Warehouse 1 Warehouse 2 7

1
6
2

3 4 5
Elevator

System Visibility

Black Box
TO source bin TO destination bin
confirmation via RF confirmation via RF

SAP AG 2004, SAP TechEd / Session ID / 3

 Architecture TRM is part of LES

Warehouse Management System (WM)

 Inbound / Outbound Delivery
 Transfer Order  Controls storage bins
 Inventory Document  Controls goods

SAP LES

Task & Resource Management (TRM)

 Task Creation
 Task Selection and Submission  Guided from LES
 Task Confirmation  Controls Resources
 Exception Handling  Communicates Instructions

Worker & Equipment Interface

RF RF RF
Terminal Terminal Terminal
SAP AG 2004, SAP TechEd / Session ID / 4
 Relationship between Transfer Orders and Tasks

Source Destination Transfer Order

Update
Update

Task 1 Task 2 Task n Tasks

Source Dest. Source Dest. Source Dest.

1. A Transfer Order can lead to 1...n tasks

2. The first task update starts the first step of the Transfer Order

3. The confirmation of the last task completes the second step of the TO

SAP AG 2004, SAP TechEd / Session ID / 5

 Task Description

Task Examples: Task Status:

Putaway Packing  Available  Started
Picking Labelling  Hold  Finished
Replenishment Repacking Force Confirm  Cancelled
Move User defined activity  Accepted
Bundle (pick and
pack)
SAP AG 2004, SAP TechEd / Session ID / 6
 Task Priority

Selection Priority Changes to Priority

LES priority Manually
TRM base priority (static)
System driven
TRM dynamic priority (eg. Task gets closer to the
due date/time)
Neighbourhood aspects
Mode Selection
Current Position (Interleaving)

Selection Constraints

Execution constraints

Resource constraints

EGO

SAP AG 2004, SAP TechEd / Session ID / 7

 Resources

Two physical entities can define a resource Equipment Worker

 Equipment (vehicle/machine)
+
 Worker
Resource

 Resources perform Tasks =

 Resource Allocation Preferences

 Resources are allowed to
 Reach certain levels
 Move certain Pallet types
 Handle a certain combination of Pallets
 Work only in special areas
 Do only certain operations

 Resources are acting Real Time

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 Example: Resource Definition and its capabilities

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 Example for Resource Logoff

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 A more detailed view on the Warehouse structure

TRM introduces new Warehouse structures:

 Intermediate areas: Pick-up / Drop-Off zones
 Work centers

TRM knows more

 Geo Coordinates
for each Bin
 Logical and physical
bin groupings
(e.g. aisles as zones, Zone groups,
nodes)
 Routes with associated
information automatic routing
(e.g. length, duration, priority etc.)

TRM supports several bin types:

 Storage bins that are LES controlled
 Intermediate bins that serve as a handshaking area
 Work center bins
 Bin identification of various resources
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Route Management Warehouse

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 Assignment of Tasks to Ressources

 User Guided
 Eg. Select Task by Handling Unit number

 System Guided
 System assigns after last confirmation automatically
the next task
 Choice of semi-system guide mode

 Manual
 The task is assigned manually to a resource using the
TRM (Task and Resource Management) Monitor

 Internal
 The task was assigned internally by the system,
 eg, new task after splitting

SAP AG 2004, SAP TechEd / Session ID / 13

 Determination of next Task (system driven)

Available tasks
 Tasks waiting for execution
Available tasks
Allowed tasks
 Possible tasks for a
dedicated resource
 Certain tasks are excluded
(not processable from this Allowed tasks
resource type, ...)

Task sorting strategy

 Determine selection/sorting Task sorting
algorithm strategy
 Prioritize each task

Task selection process

 Optimum work processes Tasks selection
 Selection by sorting rules
 Task interleaving

SAP AG 2004, SAP TechEd / Session ID / 14

 Monitoring Tasks & Resources

TRM Monitor
 Overview on Tasks and Resources
 Show Alert Situations

TRM Operating Control

 Dynamic status update
 Dynamic update of resource attributes
 Dynamic update of base and dynamic priorities
Specials

 Send Messages to
Resources
 Resource Handling Wizard
 Explanation Tool
 Mode Setting
 User defined View Settings
 Fix Navigation
 Variant Setting
 Object Class Methods
 Application Log Display
 Unassign Tasks
 Change Priorities
SAP AG 2004, SAP TechEd / Session ID / 15
 TRM Monitor

Example:

Send Messages to Ressources: Highly Customizable

 Fixed Messages User defined icons and
properties
 Send to many Resources
 Free Messages
 Priority Messaging

SAP AG 2004, SAP TechEd / Session ID / 16

 TRM Monitor

TRM Monitor
The TRM monitor is a tool that keeps warehouse managers constantly up-to-date as to
the current situation in the warehouse and enables managers to initiate appropriate
responses in light of this situation.

Structure and Use

H TM L
Display
O bject Area
H ierarchy
Tree

ALV Table

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 Resource Elements

Create/Create Resource Element/Copy/Modify/Delete

Opens the Resource Element Maintenance Wizard, enabling you to create, copy, modify
or delete resource elements.

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 Messaging

Sending Messages to Resources

Enables you to send messages to the presentation devices of selected resources. The
below figures show how you send a message, and how it is received on the resources
presentation device.

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 Mode Maintenance

Enables you to affect

task prioritization at
the task creation and
selection stages by:
Creating, modifying
and deleting modes
(operating states that
represent a set of
warehouse
circumstances such as a
shift or season)
For each mode,
entering or modifying
weighting factors for each
of the priority entities.

SAP AG 2004, SAP TechEd / Session ID / 20

 Priority Explain

Opens the priority explanation tool which displays the priority model for a selected
task, (including the normalized weights and priorities for the various priority entities, at
both task creation and task selection stages) and enables you to view priority
calculations.

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 The Alert Monitor

The alert monitor is a tool for highlighting actual and emerging problematic situations in
the warehouse, and enabling responses to be initiated (exception handling).

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 Configuring Alerts

You can configure alerts by right-clicking an object class or clicking the Configure icon
above the hierarchy tree. You can set the upper and lower levels for triggering alerts and
decide which alerts to exclude from the alerts monitor.

SAP AG 2004, SAP TechEd / Session ID / 23

 Exception Handling
Exception Handling Methods
The different alerts/object classes have their own methods. You invoke the methods by
selecting a specific object in the ALV table, clicking the methods icon located above the
ALV table, and selecting a method from the pop-up menu.

SAP AG 2004, SAP TechEd / Session ID / 24

 How is TRM activated ?

Customizing:
Assign Site to Warehouse Number

Define for each Warehouse TRM active for

each combination of:
 From Storage Type
 To Storage Type
 Movement type

Customize the Transfer Order

for 2-step confirmation

SAP AG 2004, SAP TechEd / Session ID / 25

 TRM - Last but not least

TRM is a part of LES

SAP LES continues to be responsible for
 placement and removal strategies
 inventory management
 logistic decisions

LES (WM) works either with or without TRM

SAP recommends to use decentral WMS with TRM
But TRM will not be restricted to decentralized WMS
TRM is planned to be delivered as part
of R/3 Enterprise

SAP AG 2004, SAP TechEd / Session ID / 26

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SAP AG 2004, SAP TechEd / Session ID / 27