Concept before contract
Learn moreShow less
For new builds, we review the general contractor’s specifications and EWM design before anything is signed.
SAP technologies
SAP EWM: Warehouse control down to the stacker crane
Extended Warehouse Management controls warehouses from medium complexity upwards, from goods receipt through picking and shipping to conveyor systems. We implement EWM and connect equipment directly. In existing systems, we get out what has long been built into the standard.
01
What is SAP EWM?
SAP Extended Warehouse Management, EWM for short, is SAP’s warehouse management system. It controls all processes in the warehouse, from inbound delivery to the truck leaving the yard.
Read moreShow less
The division of labour with S/4HANA is clearly defined. S/4HANA plans requirements and manages purchase orders and sales orders. EWM takes over from goods receipt onwards. It knows which pallet is in which bin and creates warehouse orders for the employees. If warehouse technology is involved, transport orders for the stacker crane and conveyor systems are added.
Goods receipt and shipping come together in the warehouse. This is where it becomes clear whether material is available in production on time and the customer is supplied punctually. The more complex the processes, the more EWM delivers compared with simple inventory management.
EWM comes in several variants. EWM Basic is included in S/4HANA; EWM Advanced brings additional functions with a separate licence. Technically, EWM runs embedded in the S/4HANA system (embedded) or on a separate instance (decentralised).
02
When EWM pays off
The decision on EWM depends on the complexity of the processes. The square footage hardly helps with the question. A small warehouse with production supply and two picking strategies may need EWM. A large hall where pallets simply go in and out often manages with less.
EWM is a good fit for
- many different warehouse processes at one site
- production supply in step with manufacturing
- conveyor systems, shuttles, automated small parts warehouses or high-bay warehouses
- high shipping volumes with packing, labelling and fixed truck times
- several sites that are to work according to a common template
- high demands on transparency and traceability
It is worth looking at the alternatives for
- stock at storage location level without storage bin managementS/4HANA Core Logistics
- external warehouses and smaller sites with standard processesSAP Logistics Management
- storage bin management without growth plansStock Room Management: the three paths
03
Basic or Advanced?
EWM Basic is part of S/4HANA with no additional licence. It covers the standard processes of a warehouse. EWM Advanced adds functions that not every warehouse needs.
| Criterion | EWM Basic | EWM Advanced |
|---|---|---|
| Licence | part of S/4HANA, with no additional licence | separate licence |
| Standard processes | goods receipt, putaway, replenishment, picking, physical inventory, production supply, packing, shipping | all functions of EWM Basic |
| Material flow control (MFS) | not included | direct control of conveyor systems, stacker cranes and shuttles from SAP |
| Yard Management | not included | planning and control in the yard |
| Labor Management | not included | workforce planning and performance measurement |
| Value-Added Services | not included | labelling, repacking, kitting |
| Wave management | not included | included |
| Expansion | can be extended to EWM Advanced at any time, in the same system | – |
Which of these functions brings measurable benefits at a site is something we clarify before the licence question. Basic often goes further than expected.
04
What SAP EWM can do
Can EWM control goods receipt?
Yes, from inbound delivery through quality inspection to the storage bin. EWM proposes the bin based on strategies, for example by turnover frequency or weight. Fast movers end up close to shipping.
Does EWM support efficient picking?
Yes. EWM bundles items from several orders into one warehouse order, optimises the routes through the aisles and prioritises by truck departure. The result is shorter travel distances and orders that are ready at the loading dock on time.
Can EWM supply production?
Yes. EWM brings material to the line and puts finished parts back into storage. Various staging methods can be combined, from order-related staging to Kanban. More on this on the production logistics page.
Does EWM support packing and shipping?
Yes. Packing instructions, handling units and shipping processes are integrated. What goes into the box at the packing station is documented in the system, down to the label.
Can EWM connect automated warehouse technology?
Yes. Conveyor systems, high-bay warehouses, shuttle systems, automated guided vehicles and pick-by-light can be connected. Either EWM controls the equipment directly via material flow control, or it communicates with the manufacturer’s warehouse control computer. More on this below.
Does EWM work on mobile devices?
Yes. Scanners and forklift terminals work with EWM, via the classic RF interface or via SAP Fiori apps. How well the interface fits the workplace shows in its acceptance in the warehouse. More on this on the SAP Fiori page.
Does EWM show what is happening in the warehouse right now?
Yes. Stock, open warehouse orders, resources and material movements are visible in real time, in the warehouse monitor or in dedicated dashboards for shift management.
05
Controlling conveyor systems directly from SAP
An automated warehouse usually comes with the equipment manufacturer’s own warehouse control computer. It sits between SAP and the conveyor systems, keeps its own stock and brings its own licences. On top of that comes a second service provider. Every change then involves two systems and two partners.
Read moreShow less
With material flow control (MFS) in EWM, this layer is eliminated. EWM communicates directly with the controls via telegrams, from the stacker crane down to the individual conveyor element. Stock and transport orders are in one system. When a fault occurs, there is exactly one place to look.
This is not the right approach for every type of warehouse technology. If the manufacturer brings a warehouse control computer that is a given, we define the interface: who makes which decision and where stock ownership lies. We clarify this before the first container moves.
- SAP EWM
- Equipment manufacturer’s warehouse control computer
- Controls (PLC)
- Conveyor systems and stacker crane
- SAP EWM
- Equipment manufacturer’s warehouse control computernot needed
- Controls (PLC)
- Conveyor systems and stacker crane
How we approach MFS projects
Emulation before commissioning
Learn moreShow less
We test the connection against an emulation of the conveyor systems, with telegrams, exceptions and load cases, before a single vehicle moves.
On site during commissioning
Learn moreShow less
From the first container to full-load operation, together with the equipment supplier.
06
What we see again and again in EWM projects
Much is already in the standard.
Learn moreShow less
In running EWM systems, throughput often lies idle because standard functions were never switched on. Warehouse order creation and replenishment strategies are typical candidates. Before we talk about extensions, we therefore look at what the system can already do. That is usually the most cost-effective lever.
The SAP concept often comes from the equipment manufacturer.
Learn moreShow less
For new builds, the general contractor supplies the EWM concept along with everything else. It is written from the perspective of the warehouse technology. Gaps in the upstream and downstream processes then only become apparent in the integration test, when the date is already fixed. We review such concepts before they are signed.
Trust in the system is built at the workplace.
Learn moreShow less
If the system reports stock that nobody believes, people recount, check and post at the end of the shift. The warehouse then soon works around the system, and the benefit of the implementation is lost. That is why we build processes and interfaces with the people who use them every day.
07
How we support you with EWM
We support EWM from the first question to beyond go-live. Where we come in depends on where the warehouse currently stands.
Consulting & analysis
Learn moreShow less
Process analysis and process mining in the existing warehouse, system selection (Basic or Advanced, embedded or decentralised, EWM or LGM), fit-to-standard workshops, proof of concept, concept review in general contractor projects
SAP implementation
Learn moreShow less
Greenfield and brownfield, migration from SAP WM or a third-party system, testing, cutover during ongoing operations, training of key users and end users
Extension & development
Learn moreShow less
Fiori apps for forklifts, packing stations and control rooms, extensions following clean core
Equipment connectivity & integration
Learn moreShow less
Material flow control, connection of warehouse control computers, emulation and commissioning, interfaces to transport, customs and label printing
Process automation & AI
Learn moreShow less
AI in the warehouse where it helps measurably: forecasts, workforce planning, error analysis
Hypercare & further development
Learn moreShow less
Hypercare after go-live, performance optimisation, spot consulting with root cause analysis
- Read article
- Read article
FAQs
Frequently asked questions about SAP EWM
What is the difference between SAP WM and SAP EWM?
WM is the warehouse module from the old SAP ERP. Under S/4HANA, only a reduced scope has been available since the end of 2025, as Stock Room Management, without further development. The successor is EWM. Companies using WM should plan the switch now. We do not implement new WM systems.
Embedded or decentralised EWM?
Embedded EWM runs within the S/4HANA system, decentralised EWM on a separate instance. For most companies with one or a few sites, embedded is the simpler choice. Decentralised becomes interesting with very high throughput or when the warehouse has to keep running independently of the ERP. Decentralised EWM always requires the Advanced licence.
Do we still need the equipment manufacturer’s software for our conveyor systems?
Not necessarily. With material flow control in EWM, SAP takes over control down to the level of the conveyor elements. This saves the intermediate system including its licences and an interface that regularly becomes a point of contention between the parties involved when faults occur.
Can we switch from WM or a third-party system during ongoing operations?
Yes. The switch is planned to the hour, from the stock transfer to the ramp-up curve. We support it on site and keep a fallback option ready until operations are running stably.
How long does an EWM implementation take?
That depends on the size of the warehouse, the level of automation and the number of processes. After a workshop on site, we name a realistic time frame. We consider blanket figures in months without looking at the warehouse to be unprofessional.
Does EWM work with our scanners?
As a rule, yes. EWM runs on the common mobile devices in the warehouse, from industrial scanners (RF) to SAP Fiori apps. As a Zebra partner, we also know the devices from the hardware side.
Continue to
Matching solutions
Services