How Events Are Updated Between SAP TM and SAP EM

In my previous block post we discussed the SAP TM Visibility Processes in detail. Also check out the 2 detailed articles on SAP EM and TM. Part 1 and Part 2. One more on SAP Fiori...

In SAP TM, if the freight order receives an event message, all of the freight units associated with the order will be updated with the status. Transportation units associated with the freight order will also be updated. This functionality must be configured in SAP TM by activating the “Propagate Execution Information” field. If an event message is received at the freight unit level, the status will not be updated until all associated freight units have received the same event message. Automatic propagation at the higher level of a freight order or forwarding order will occur automatically.

For statuses “Loading Begin” or “Unloading Begin,” the population of the first freight unit will occur when the first event message is received. “Loading End” or “Unloading End” event messages will not update the freight units they are associated with until all of the freight units have the same status. SAP TM verifies in a freight order, with multiple freight units, that all of the units are in the same status before it will update the status of the freight order.

The following diagram shows the flow of information between documents in SAP TM, and also to and from SAP TM and SAP EM.

Resource Tracking Management for SAP Transportation Management - Resource Tracking Management for SAP Transportation Management, Version 1.1, November 2013, SAP AG (C))

In the first diagram, the event message is entered into SAP EM at the freight unit level. The status of the freight unit event message is sent to SAP TM using Rule Set Activity TM_MAINTAIN_EXEC_INF. The SAP TM freight unit updates its associated transportation unit and freight order through BOPF determination.

The SAP TM transportation unit event message updates the SAP EM transportation unit event handler that was created when the transportation unit was selected during the planning phase. The same information is used to update the SAP EM Resource Event Handler.

The SAP TM freight order event message, through event types, updates the SAP EM freight order event handler that was generated when the freight order was created. The SAP EM Resource Event Handler is also updated with the same event message information, in the same manner.

The following SAP TM and SAP EM business objects contain that same event message status:

• TM Freight Unit

• TM Transportation Unit

• TM Freight Order

• EM Freight Unit Event Handler

• EM Transportation Unit Event Handler

• EM Freight Order Event Handler

• EM Resource Event Handler

In the second diagram, the event message is entered into the freight order in SAP TM. Through BOPF determinations, the SAP TM freight order updates the associated transportation unit, and ultimately, the freight unit that is a part of the freight order. The SAP TM freight unit uses event type to update the freight unit event handler in SAP EM. SAP TM updates its documents as described above: the transportation unit updates the SAP EM transportation unit event handler and Resource Event Handler, while the SAP TM freight order updates the SAP EM freight order event handler and the resource event handler, through event types.

In my next blog we'll take a look at an International Ocean Transportation example.