What Are Special Stocks

Explain the meaning of special stocks in SAP.

Special Stocks are stocks that are accounted for but are not owned by the client, or are not stored at a regular facility. Consignment, sales order, and project stock are examples.

The list of special stock are as below:

  • Orders on hand
  • Consignment (vendor)
  • Ret.trans.pkg vendor
  • Parts prov. vendor
  • Pipeline material
  • Project stock
  • Ret. pkg w. customer
  • Consignment (cust.)
  • Shipping unit (whse)
In tcode MIGO, you can see the list of Special Stock Indicator available in the SAP system.

Special Stock Indicator

In SAP R/3 Special Stocks are managed separately because of their special features. These stocks can be divided as follows:

  • Company’s own Special Stocks
  • Externally-Owned Special Stocks
Company’s Own Special Stocks

These types of stocks belong to your company that is stored with the vendor or the customer. Since these are not located at your own company, they are managed at plant level and not at storage location level. These stocks can be allocated as unrestricted-use stock and Quality inspection stock. We cannot allocate these stocks as blocked stocks. In the R/3 System the following types of company’s own special stocks are available:

  • Stock of material provided to vendor
  • Consignment stock at customer
  • Returnable packaging stock at customer
Stock of Material Provided to Vendor

These are your company's own stocks that you provide to the vendor (subcontractor) to manufacture a product you have ordered. However, this stock is still your company's property.
This stock is available for Materials Requirement Planning. Movement of this stock is possible in SAP R/3.

Consignment Stock at Customer

This is consignment material belonging to your company that is stored with the customer. This stock is not available for materials planning. In Inventory Management, you can post the goods movements & reversal of this stock.
Returnable Packaging Stock at Customer

This is packaging materials or means of transport (for example, pallets or crates) which are supplied by your company to a customer and must be returned. Returnable packaging stock is not available for Materials Planning. In Inventory Management, you can post the goods movements & reversal of this stock.

Externally-Owned Special Stocks

An externally-owned special stock belongs to a vendor or customers that are stored at your company. Since these special stocks are located at your company, they are managed at storage location level. . These stocks can be allocated as unrestricted-use stock, Quality inspection stock and blocked stock. In the R/3 System the following types of externally-owned special stocks are available:

  • Vendor consignment
  • Returnable transport packaging
  • Sales order stock
  • Project stock
Vendor Consignment

This type of stock comprises consignment material belonging to the vendor that is stored on your premises. Consignment stocks from the vendor are available for MRP. Goods Movements for consignment stocks from the vendor are possible in SAP R/3.

Returnable Transport Packaging (RTP)

Returnable transport packaging (RTP) is a multi-trip packaging medium (pallets or containers) in which goods can be transported more than once between vendors and customers.

It is the property of the vendor and is therefore not included in the customer’s valuated stock. RTP stock is always unrestricted-use stock. The stock can neither be in quality inspection nor blocked. It can also be managed as negative stock. Goods Movements for returnable transport packaging are possible in SAP R/3.

Sales Order Stock

This stock is used for a sales order. It is directly allocated to an individual item within a sales order. Components can only be used to produce material ordered by the customer and the finished product can only be delivered to the customer via that specific sales order item. It can be managed as valuated or non-valuated. It is available for MRP purpose and goods movement is possible in SAP R/3.

Project Stock

This stock is held for the completion of a project. The project stock is allocated to a work breakdown structure (WBS) element. Components can only be withdrawn for the WBS element. It can be managed as valuated or non-valuated project stock. Project stock is available for the project from an MRP point of view. Goods movement is possible in SAP R/3.

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See also
344 343 Movement Unrestricted To Blocked Stocks

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