MM / P2Padvanced

MM Inventory Management Part 4: Stock Transfers, Transfer Postings and Special Stock

Key takeaway

Move stock between locations and statuses: one-step and two-step transfers between storage locations and plants (311, 313/315, 301, 303/305), stock in transfer, transfer postings between stock types and material to material (309), and postings for special stocks.

Explanation

📌 KEY POINTS
✅ One-step transfers post removal and receipt together (311 sloc, 301 plant).
✅ Two-step transfers post removal (313/303) to stock in transfer, then receipt (315/305).
✅ Transfer postings change stock type (e.g. 321 quality → unrestricted, 344 unrestricted → blocked) or material (309).
✅ Plant-to-plant transfers can change value (different valuation areas); STOs add purchasing/shipping.
⚠️ Stock in transfer left open inflates stock and hides losses.

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▶ WHERE WE ARE
Part 3 covered account determination. Now transfers.

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▶ 1. SLOC TRANSFERS

311 one-step; 313/315 two-step with stock in transfer.

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▶ 2. PLANT TRANSFERS

301 one-step; 303/305 two-step; valuation effects.

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▶ 3. TRANSFER POSTINGS

Stock types (321, 343, 344, 349), 309 material to material, 411 special stock to own.

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▶ 4. SPECIAL STOCK

Transfers with special stock indicators (e.g. 411 K to own stock = consumption of consignment).

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▶ 5. STO VS MOVEMENT

STO for planned, documented transfers with delivery; movements for simple local transfers.

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▶ STEP BY STEP

Post 313 and check stock in transfer.
Post 315 at receiving sloc.
Post 309 between two materials.

✅ CHECKPOINT: no stock remains in transfer longer than the agreed time.

Code example

ABAP Code

===== STEP 1: examples =====311 sloc 0001 → 0002 (one-step) | 313 removal → stock in transfer → 315 receipt301 plant 1000 → 1100 | 303 → 305 (two-step)321 quality → unrestricted | 344 unrestricted → blocked | 309 material A → B | 411 K → own stock ===== STEP 2: monitoring =====MMBE stock in transfer | MB5T stock in transit (for STOs)

Real project scenario

A distribution company used two-step plant transfers but never posted receipts for damaged shipments. Stock in transfer grew for months, overstating inventory. Monthly reviews of stock in transfer, and posting losses with proper scrapping, restored accuracy.

Common mistakes

Open stock in transfer.
Using 309 to hide variances.
Ignoring valuation effects.
Transfers instead of STOs for cross-company.
Wrong special stock handling.

Best practices

Monitor stock in transfer.
Use STOs for planned transfers.
Restrict 309.
Understand valuation changes.
Document special stock flows.

Interview angle

Questions: "One-step vs two-step transfer?", "What is a transfer posting?", "When use STO?"
Strong answer: 311/313/315, 301/303/305, stock in transfer, 321/344/309/411, STO criteria.

Practice this lesson

Quick check

1. In a two-step storage location transfer, where is the stock after 313 and before 315?

2. Incoming material has been posted to quality inspection stock following a goods receipt. After successful quality checks, the quality manager wants to release the stock to unrestricted-use. Which movement type accomplishes this transfer?

3. A materials planner needs to move finished goods from Plant 1000 directly to Plant 2000 in a single-step transfer posting, updating stock in both plants immediately without an intermediate stock-in-transit status. Which movement type is appropriate?

Interview questions

1. Stock in transfer between storage locations and plants keeps growing and inventory is overstated. How do you fix transfer processes?

Answer it in your own words first, then compare.

2. What is stock-in-transit in SAP Inventory Management, and which movement types typically represent goods that have left an issuing plant or storage location but have not yet been received at the destination?

Answer it in your own words first, then compare.

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Reference-verified: the steps are checked against official SAP documentation and tutorials, and object and field names in the sample code are checked for consistency. The code has not been compiled or run on an SAP system by ERPClimb. Syntax marked release-dependent varies by SAP release, so check it in your own system.