SAP MM
SAP MM Shutdown Materials: Reservations, Requisitions and Orders
In SAP Plant Maintenance the system generates a reservation for stock material and a purchase requisition for non-stock material from the components planned on a maintenance order, and goods receipt is posted to the order. For a shutdown, the parts that need a requisition and a purchase order carry the lead-time risk. MaintWiz shows the SAP status of each short part.
How MaintWiz helps: Reservations and requisitions show only part of the readiness picture. The MaintWiz shutdown module connects to SAP through the PM or the MM module, with SAP staying the system of record. See the module · Get the SAP preparation worksheet
By Jai Balachandran · Published · Last reviewed
What MaintWiz adds:SAP PM or SAP MM modeSAP stays the system of recordPR and PO status per partPlan on top of your orders
The mechanism
How do reservations and purchase requisitions work for maintenance orders in SAP?
In SAP Plant Maintenance the system generates a reservation for stock material and a purchase requisition for non-stock material or external services from the components planned on a maintenance order; you cannot create either individually in PM, and goods receipt for requested material is posted to the order. 2,1,4
| Step | What SAP does | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Plan components | Material components are assigned to an operation of the order; a component can be a spare part or a repairable spare | SAP: Materials Planning |
| 2. Item category | The system generates a reservation for stock material and a purchase requisition for non-stock material or external services | SAP: Materials Planning, SAP: Stock and Non-Stock Material |
| 3. Order release | Stock material is withdrawn once the order is released; the reservation is always generated automatically when a component is planned | SAP: Materials Planning, SAP: Stock and Non-Stock Material |
| 4. Procurement | For non-stock material a purchase order is sent to a vendor based on the requisition | SAP: Stock and Non-Stock Material |
| 5. Goods receipt | The goods receipt is posted directly to the order, which is debited with the cost; invoice differences are settled to the order | SAP: Stock and Non-Stock Material |
SAP says that in contrast to the Materials Management (MM) component, a reservation or purchase requisition cannot be created individually in Plant Maintenance: both are generated automatically. 2,4 The word "reservation" also has two meanings in the order: the technical object, and the stage at which the demand becomes relevant for materials planning. 3
The pages cited are SAP Library and SAP Documentation pages for Plant Maintenance; check your release and configuration.
Stock or not
What is the difference between stock and non-stock material on a shutdown order?
Stock material is available in stock and is reserved with a reservation, while non-stock material is not in stock and is procured externally through a purchase requisition and a purchase order; for shutdowns the non-stock items carry the lead-time risk. 1,2
| Stock material | Non-stock material | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Available in stock and can be reserved by the system | Not available in stock, so it must be procured externally |
| What SAP generates | A reservation | A purchase requisition, then a purchase order to a vendor |
| Cost reaches the order | At goods issue against the reservation | At goods receipt posted to the order |
| Shutdown risk | Stock may be too low or used elsewhere | Lead time: the part cannot arrive unless requisitioned early |
Critical spares are described by DOE as parts of especially high value, long lead time or both, and a long-lead item is anything that cannot arrive before the stop unless ordered now. 6 See shutdown spare parts planning.
Software
What does MaintWiz do with SAP materials data?
MaintWiz reads the SAP status of each short part and shows it beside the schedule, so the planner sees which jobs are exposed to a part that has no request, a request only or an order, and SAP remains the place where requests and orders live.
About MaintWiz. MaintWiz is an industrial AI platform with IoT, SAP integration and predictive maintenance (PdM) capabilities. Its shutdown and turnaround module helps plants plan, schedule, execute and close out shutdown work.
PM mode is covered in SAP PM shutdown management.
What the shutdown module covers
As described on the MaintWiz shutdown maintenance product page.
- SAP integration through the MM module for parts status, or the PM module; one mode per customer, not both; SAP stays the system of record
- Needed, in stock and short parts, with the SAP status of each short part: none, purchase request raised or purchase order issued
- A data table behind each chart with search, paging and CSV export
- Spares status feeds the readiness gate for each work package
- Resources master loaded from an Excel template
- Reports and tables export to Excel
Proof
What MaintWiz customers report
Figures as published in MaintWiz case studies on maintwiz.com. They come from maintenance management projects, not shutdowns.
Timing
When does SAP create the requisition for a shutdown part?
SAP creates reservations and purchase requisitions when the order is created if the reservation and requisition indicator is set for the order type, and only when the order is released if it is not, so for long-lead parts the indicator should be set before the shutdown orders are created. 2,3
SAP Documentation says that if you want purchase requisitions generated when the order is created, you must set the Res/PReq indicator in Customizing for the order type; if you have not set it, reservations and requisitions are only generated when the order is released. 2 The stage can be proposed for the whole order and changed per component. 3
For a shutdown, a requisition that waits for order release may be raised too late for a long-lead part. Agree the setting with your SAP team before creating the shutdown orders. This is our practical reading of the SAP text, not an SAP recommendation.
Cost
When does the cost of a shutdown part reach the order?
The cost of non-stock material reaches the order at goods receipt, which is posted directly to the order for which the material was requested, and any invoice differences are later settled to the order. 1
This matters for cost control in a stop: a requisition and purchase order show planned cost, and actual cost appears only when the goods are received. A part ordered early but received late will not show in actual cost until it arrives. For cost measures see the KPI guide and budget guide.
Readiness
How do you see material readiness for each shutdown job?
See material readiness per job as four numbers and one status for each part: quantity needed, in stock and short, plus the SAP status of each short part, none, requisition raised or purchase order issued, so a short part with no SAP document stands out. 1,2
A free Excel version is available: SAP reservation and purchase requisition tracker (.xlsx).
| Part | Needed | In stock | Short | SAP status | What to do |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seal kit (illustrative) | 2 | 0 | 2 | None | Raise a request now: it is short with no SAP document |
| Gasket set (illustrative) | 10 | 4 | 6 | PR raised | Convert the requisition to a purchase order |
| Cyclone liners (illustrative) | 2 | 0 | 2 | PO issued | Track to goods receipt before the start |
| Slurry pump wet end (illustrative) | 2 | 2 | 0 | In stock | Kit and stage |
The MaintWiz shutdown module shows needed, in stock, short and the SAP status of each short part, with the data table behind each chart. SAP stays the system of record. It does not track delivery or arrival dates of spares. The example rows are invented. Download the SAP reservation and requisition tracker to try the same logic in Excel.
Before the freeze
What should be ordered before the scope freeze?
Before the scope freeze, identify the long-lead and critical parts, plan them as components with the right item category, set the requisition indicator, assign who converts each requisition to a purchase order, and set a needed-by date for each part using the float of its job. 6,7
| Question | Why |
|---|---|
| Which parts are long-lead or critical? | They set the latest order date |
| Are they planned as components on the right operation and item category? | Otherwise SAP raises no demand |
| Is the requisition indicator set so requisitions are raised at order creation? | Avoids waiting for release |
| Who converts each requisition to a purchase order and by when? | A requisition is not an order |
| What is the needed-by date for each part, and how much float does the job have? | A job with little float cannot wait |
| Who receives the goods and posts goods receipt to the order? | Cost and status depend on it |
Float is how long a job can slip without delaying the finish. 7 The latest order date is the needed-by date minus supplier lead time, transit and a buffer; the calculator is in the spare parts guide. See also scope management.
Long-lead
How do long-lead items show in SAP?
A long-lead item appears in SAP as a non-stock component that generates a purchase requisition, then a purchase order and a goods receipt posted to the order, and in a shutdown plan it should appear as a part with a needed-by date and an SAP status of none, requisition raised or purchase order issued. 1,2
History of past parts use: SAP S4HANA maintenance data migration.
| Stage | In SAP | In the shutdown plan |
|---|---|---|
| Identified | Component on an order operation, non-stock item category | Part marked long-lead with a needed-by week |
| Requested | Purchase requisition generated from the order | SAP status: PR raised |
| Ordered | Purchase order sent to the vendor | SAP status: PO issued |
| Received | Goods receipt posted to the order | Part in stock; short quantity falls to zero |
| Issued | Goods issue against the order | Part kitted and issued to the job |
Visuals
Save the SAP materials charts
Two charts to share with your materials team. Click either for the full-size image.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How do reservations and purchase requisitions work for maintenance orders in SAP?
The system generates a reservation for stock material and a purchase requisition for non-stock material from the components planned on the order. 2,4
Can I create a requisition by hand in SAP PM?
No: in Plant Maintenance neither a reservation nor a requisition can be created individually; both are generated automatically. 2
When is the requisition created?
At order creation if the Res/PReq indicator is set for the order type, otherwise when the order is released. 2,3
When does the cost reach the order?
For non-stock material at goods receipt, which is posted directly to the order. 1
What is a long-lead item?
Something that cannot arrive before the shutdown unless it is ordered now; DOE describes critical spares as parts of especially high value, long lead time or both. 6
How do you see material readiness for each job?
As needed, in stock and short for each part, plus the SAP status of each short part.
Does MaintWiz track delivery dates?
No. It shows SAP status: none, request raised or order issued. SAP stays the system of record.
Does it connect to SAP MM or SAP PM?
One of them, not both. For PM mode see SAP PM shutdown management.
Sources
Sources
SAP statements come from SAP Library and SAP Documentation pages on Plant Maintenance (maintenance order, materials planning, requirements planning, use of stock and non-stock material). DOE defines critical spares; GAO defines float. SAP behavior depends on release and configuration.
- SAP Documentation, Use of Stock and Non-Stock Material (Plant Maintenance)
- SAP Documentation, Materials Planning (Plant Maintenance)
- SAP Documentation, Requirements Planning (Plant Maintenance)
- SAP Library, Materials Planning (Customer Service and Plant Maintenance; older release, no release stated)
- SAP Library, Maintenance Order (Plant Maintenance, PM)
- US Department of Energy FEMP / Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, O&M Best Practices: Glossary
- US Government Accountability Office, GAO Schedule Assessment Guide: Best Practices for Project Schedules (GAO-16-89G, December 2015)
- US Department of Health and Human Services, Earned Value Management, Appendix D: Glossary of Terms
Plan on top of SAP, keep SAP as the record
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