Previous blog explained the seamless integration with Alternative based confirmation in Advanced ATP. This blog presents the configurable sequencing options available with Product interchangeability in ABC
When multiple substitute products are available, the order in which they are evaluated can significantly influence inventory consumption & order fulfillment.
Product Interchangeability provides flexible sequencing options that allow organizations to align substitute selection with their business objectives.
Why Substitute Sequence Matters
A requested product may be associated with multiple alternatives through:
- Supersession Chains
- Form-Fit-Function (FFF) Classes
- Combined Product Interchangeability networks
In such scenarios, the system must determine the sequence in which substitute products should be evaluated.
Organizations often have different fulfillment priorities. For example:
- Promote successor products during product transitions.
- Consume older inventory before introducing newer products
Substitute Sequence Determination enables organizations to control this behaviour through configuration.
ABC Configuration
Sequence Determination is available as a configuration option in the Configure Substitution Strategy app.
Product Interchangeability in Alternative-Based Confirmation (ABC) supports eight different sequencing configurations, providing flexibility to model a wide range of business scenarios.
Assume the following supersession chain is maintained in Product Interchangeability.
Scenario 1: Consume Successors Only
When only newer product versions should be used to fulfil demand, the chain is traversed forward only from the requested product to the end of the chain. The below configuration helps in achieving the behaviour.
Chain entry Point | Traversal Direction | Behaviour at chain end |
Requested Product | Forwards | Stop |
With the above configuration maintained, the traversal is as shown below for the requested product XX-PRD-V3. Only successor products are considered.
Fulfillment sequence:
- 10. XX-PRD-V3
- 20. XX-PRD-V4
- 30. XX-PRD-V5
Scenario 2: Consume Predecessors Only
When the objective is to sell inventory of older product versions, the chain is traversed backward only from the requested product to the beginning of the chain. The below configuration helps in achieving that objective.
Chain entry Point | Traversal Direction | Behaviour at chain end |
Requested Product | Backwards | Stop |
With the above configuration maintained, the traversal is as shown below for the requested product XX-PRD-V3. Only predecessor products are considered.
Fulfillment sequence:
- 10. XX-PRD-V3
- 20. XX-PRD-V2
- 30. XX-PRD-V1
Scenario 3: Oldest to Newest
This option prioritizes inventory consumption beginning with the oldest product version and progressing sequentially to the latest version. The configuration is as follows:
Chain entry Point | Traversal Direction | Behaviour at chain end |
At beginning of chain | Forwards | Stop |
The sequencing is as shown below for the requested product XX-PRD-V3
Fulfillment sequence:
- 10. XX-PRD-V1
- 20. XX-PRD-V2
- 30. XX-PRD-V3
- 40. XX-PRD-V4
- 50. XX-PRD-V5
Scenario 4: Newest to Oldest
When fulfillment should begin with the latest product version and move backward towards older versions, this configuration can be used.
Chain entry Point | Traversal Direction | Behaviour at chain end |
At End of chain | Backwards | Stop |
With the above configuration maintained, the sequencing is as shown below.
Requested Product: XX-PRD-V3
Fulfillment sequence:
- 10. XX-PRD-V5
- 20. XX-PRD-V4
- 30. XX-PRD-V3
- 40. XX-PRD-V2
- 50. XX-PRD-V1
Scenario 5: Forward Cyclic Consumption
This option prioritizes successor versions before returning to the oldest versions and sequencing further. The configuration is as shown below.
Chain entry Point | Traversal Direction | Behaviour at chain end |
Requested product | Forwards | Continue Forwards from begin/Continue backwards from end |
For the above configuration, the sequencing is as shown below for the requested product XX-PRD-V3.
Fulfillment sequence:
- 10. XX-PRD-V3
- 20. XX-PRD-V4
- 30. XX-PRD-V5
- 40. XX-PRD-V1
- 50. XX-PRD-V2
Scenario 6: Backward Cyclic Consumption
Older versions are prioritized first, followed by the latest versions sequencing backward. The configuration is as shown below.
Chain entry Point | Traversal Direction | Behaviour at chain end |
Requested product | Backwards | Continue Forwards from begin/Continue backwards from end |
For the above configuration, the sequencing is as shown below. Requested Product: XX-PRD-V3
Fulfillment sequence:
- 10. XX-PRD-V3
- 20. XX-PRD-V2
- 30. XX-PRD-V1
- 40. XX-PRD-V5
- 50. XX-PRD-V4
Scenario 7: Previous Versions Before Successors
Under this configuration all predecessor versions are consumed first, followed by successor versions.
Chain entry Point | Traversal Direction | Behaviour at chain end |
Requested product | Backwards | Continue backwards from Requested/Continue forwards from Req |
The sequencing is as below for the above configuration.
Requested Product: XX-PRD-V3
Fulfillment sequence:
- 10. XX-PRD-V3
- 20. XX-PRD-V2
- 30. XX-PRD-V1
- 40. XX-PRD-V4
- 50. XX-PRD-V5
Scenario 8: Successors Before Predecessors
For this last configuration successor products are prioritized before predecessor products.
Chain entry Point | Traversal Direction | Behaviour at chain end |
Requested product | Forwards | Continue backwards from Requested/Continue forwards from Req |
The sequencing looks as follows for the requested product XX-PRD-V3
Fulfillment sequence:
- 10. XX-PRD-V3
- 20. XX-PRD-V4
- 30. XX-PRD-V5
- 40. XX-PRD-V2
- 50. XX-PRD-V1
Conclusion
These sequencing configurations address a broad range of business requirements and provide complete control over substitute stock consumption within Alternative-Based Confirmation
Look out for the next blog, as we explore flexible date usage options in calculating substitute validity.
Want to learn more?
For an overview of Product Interchangeability, and its highlights, refer to Product Interchangeability in S/4HANA
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