Unit 3: Stock Transfers and Transfer Postings

Lesson 1 · Performing Transfer Postings

Key concepts

A transfer posting changes the stock identification or the stock category of a material – it does not require the goods to physically move. A stock transfer, in contrast, always involves a physical movement from one place to another. Both can occur on different organizational levels:

Stock-to-stock transfer postings

The three stock types – unrestricted-use, quality inspection and blocked – express how usable the stock is. When usability changes (a water leak damages goods → blocked; inspection finished → unrestricted) you post between them. A stock-to-stock posting can be combined with a move to another storage location.

If QM inspection lot processing is active, stock in quality inspection cannot be moved in IM; it is moved only via the usage decision in QM.

Material-to-material transfer posting

Used when a material changes over time so that it matches another material number (typical in chemicals and pharmaceuticals, e.g. a product that matures into a different grade). Movement type 309. Rules:

• Both materials must have the same base unit of measure.
• Cannot be planned with a reservation.
• Only from unrestricted-use stock of the issuing material to unrestricted-use stock of the receiving material.
• Only one-step; entered with MIGO or Post Goods Movement.
• Value: the issuing material is credited at its price; differences with a standard-price receiving material go to a price difference account (AUM).

Tools

System steps

1. MIGO: Transfer Posting + Other; movement type e.g. 321.
2. From: material, plant, storage location. Destination: receiving storage location (or material/plant for 309/301).
3. Quantity on the Quantity tab; check and post. Verify with MMBE.

Lesson 2 · Performing Stock Transfers Between Storage Locations

Key concepts

Every transfer consists logically of an issue at the sending point and a receipt at the receiving point. In the one-step procedure both happen in one posting – fast, but the system cannot show goods that are physically on the way. In the two-step procedure (available for storage-location and plant transfers) the issue and receipt are separate postings; between them the quantity sits in stock in transfer at the receiving point, so you can monitor goods en route. Stock in transfer cannot be counted in physical inventory, so clear it before a count.

Process flow

System steps

1. MIGO: Transfer Posting + Other, movement type 311 (or 313); enter issuing and receiving storage locations; post.
2. Two-step: later, Place in Storage + Material Document (the 313 document) → movement type 315; post.
3. Alternatively use Transfer Stock – In-Plant.

Lesson 3 · Performing Stock Transfers Between Plants

Key concepts

Moving stock between plants matters to other components:

• FI – if the plants are different valuation areas (valuation at plant level), the transfer updates stock accounts and creates an accounting document. Valuation uses the issuing plant's price. For company-code-to-company-code transfers two accounting documents are generated (one per company code) and the offset is a company-code clearing account. In a two-step procedure valuation always happens at the first step.
• MRP – plant stock changes, so planning at both plants reacts.

Procedures

Stock transport order (STO) without delivery

Purchasing at the receiving plant creates the STO; the issuing plant posts the goods issue against it (351), which creates a material and an accounting document and moves the quantity into stock in transit at the receiving plant; finally the receiving plant posts GR 101 against the STO (not into GR blocked stock). Advantages over a plain 303/305 transfer:

• Integrated with MRP – MRP purchase requisitions can be converted into STOs and the receipt is visible to the MRP controller.
• Delivery costs and a forwarding agent can be entered.
• Account assignment is possible, so the GR can go directly to consumption.
• GR into warehouse can go to QI or blocked stock.
• The full process (GI and GR) is visible in the PO history.

Stock in transfer vs. stock in transit

MB5T selects stock in transit by receiving or issuing plant. The Overdue Materials – Stock in Transit app supports GIs with movement types 351, 641, 643, 654 and GRs with 101, 103, 107, 109.

Transfer Stock – Cross-Plant app

Transfer Stock – Cross-Plant (Inventory Manager, Warehouse Clerk) shows a material's stock in several plants; you pick issuing and receiving stock (plant level, then storage locations), quantity and dates. It supports plant-to-plant transfers and stock type changes; available movement types depend on authorization. The receiving storage location value help lists all storage locations when they are already extended in the material master or when automatic storage location creation is configured for plant and movement type. If STO configuration exists, a Create Stock Transport Order button is offered.

Damage during transport

Destroyed goods must not remain in stock in transfer/transit. Either reverse the removal and post scrapping (551) at the issuing plant (value hits the issuing plant), or place the full quantity into storage at the receiving plant and scrap it there (value hits the receiving plant).

Process flow

System steps

1. Create the STO with ME21N (document type UB, supplying plant).
2. Issuing plant: MIGO › Goods Issue + Purchase Order, movement type 351, enter STO, select items (OK), storage location, post.
3. Check stock in transit with MB5T.
4. Receiving plant: MIGO › Goods Receipt + Purchase Order, 101, post (or Post Goods Receipt for Purchasing Document).

Configuration (IMG)

Unit summary & exam focus

T-codes in this unit

Movement types at a glance

Self-check questions

1. Why is no accounting document created for 311?
   Answer

   Material and plant (valuation area) remain the same, so value does not change.
2. Which stock types can be transferred with the two-step storage location procedure?
   Answer

   Only unrestricted-use to unrestricted-use.
3. At which step is a two-step plant-to-plant transfer valuated, and why is the other step not valuated?
   Answer

   At removal (303). The putaway (305) only moves from stock in transfer to unrestricted stock inside the same receiving plant.
4. How many accounting documents does a cross-company-code transfer create?
   Answer

   Two – one per company code, linked via a clearing account.
5. Name three advantages of a stock transport order.
   Answer

   MRP integration, planned receipt visible, delivery costs and forwarder, account assignment, GR into QI/blocked stock, monitoring via PO history.
6. Goods are destroyed while in transit. What must you do?
   Answer

   Either reverse the removal and scrap at the issuing plant, or receive the full quantity at the receiving plant and scrap there, so nothing remains in transfer/transit stock.