Sometimes, there are cases where we have a material, but no stock data is maintained for it in the SAP ERP. To carry out transactional operations within SAP, several Transaction Codes are used, and to maintain stock for a particular material, we use the transaction code MB1C in SAP. In this article, we will see how to load initial stock into SAP – we will add stock for a particular material in SAP. By default, SAP does not maintain any stock for the material. 

In SAP we can maintain different stock for a particular material in a different storage location (Storage location is a place where the materials are stored inside the plant temporarily) within a plant (Plant is a place where materials are manufactured). For example, there is a plant 1200 and it has 2 storage locations i.e. 0001 and 012. In storage location 0001 we can maintain a stock for a material as 10 and for the same material we can maintain stock as 20 within the storage location 012. Thus, we can maintain different stocks in different storage locations within the same plant.

To get an approval a request document called Purchase Requisition which contains information such as materials, services, delivery date and quantity needs to be prepared.  Check out Purchase Requisition in SAP ERP!
In our example, 100-100 material has stock as 123, 143 in Storage location 0120 and plant 1200.

  • To check the stock availability for a material, select Logistics -> Inventory Management -> Environment -> Stock -> Plant Stock Availability in SD Master Data Screen. 

plant-stock-availability-sap-sd-master-data-screen

  • Enter Material no. and plant. In our example we entered material no. as 100-100 and plant as 1200.
  • Click on Execute.

plant-stock-availability-sap-sd-master-initial-screen

In the plant availability screen, you can notice that 100-100 material has 123,143 pieces has a quantity.

sap-sd-plant-availability

Now I will add a quantity to existing stock.

To add a quantity to a material, follow these steps.

Step 1:

  • In the SD Master Data Screen, enter transaction code: MB1C.

sap-sd-master-data-transaction-code

Step 2:

  • Enter the Movement type as 561, Plant, Storage Location.
  • Click on Enter. Thus, you can specify in which plant you want to maintain stock for a particular material.
  • In the below example we are giving movement type as 561, plant as 1200, storage location as 0120.

sap-sd-good-receipts-initial-screen

Step 3:

  • In the Enter Other Goods Receipts screen below, enter material no. for which we need to create stock and the quantity of material for stock creation. 
  • In the below example we are giving material no. as 100-100 and quantity as 10. Thus we can maintain stock as 10 for a material 100-100 in plant 1200 and storage location 0120 and click on Save.

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Step 4:

  • Now check the Plant Availability for material 100-100, you can observe that stock has been incremented to 123,153 pieces for material 100-100 in Storage location 0120 within Plant 1200.

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How to Load Initial Stock into SAP Using MB1C

Step 1: Enter Transaction Code MB1C 

Open the initial stock screen by typing the code MB1C.

  • Command: Type MB1C and press Enter.
  • Screen Elements: Shows fields for movement type, plant, and storage location.
  • Compatibility: Works in both ECC and S/4HANA GUI.

Step 2: Enter Movement Type and Organizational Data 

Fill in the movement type 561 and your plant and storage details.

  • Movement Type: 561 for initial stock entry.
  • Plant: Input your plant code
  • Storage Location: Input the Address
  • Document Date: Defaults to today but can be changed.
  • Posting Date: Must align with your financial period.

Step 3: Enter Material and Quantity 

Add which material and how many units.

  • Material: Enter the material code
  • Quantity: Type the number of units to add.
  • Unit of Measure: Ensure it matches the material’s UoM.
  • Valuation (S/4HANA): Optionally enter unit value.
  • Text Field: Add a note if needed for context.

Step 4: Save and Verify Stock 

Post your entry and then check stock levels.

  • Save: Click the Save icon or press F11.
  • Confirmation: Look for “Material document posted” message.
  • Stock Check: Run transaction MMBE to view updated stock.
  • Adjustment: Confirm the new total matches your entry.
  • Audit Trail: Note the material document number.

How to Load Initial Stock into SAP Using MIGO

Step 1: Enter Transaction Code MIGO

Open the goods movement screen by entering MIGO.

  • Command: Type MIGO and press Enter.
  • Action Field: Select “Goods Receipt.”
  • Reference: Choose “Other” (R10).
  • Movement Type Field: Ready for type entry.

Step 2: Set Movement Type

Choose the correct movement type for initial entry.

  • Movement Type: Enter 561 for initial stock.
  • Screen Check: Ensure “Goods Receipt” and “Other” are selected.
  • Layout: Material grid appears for entries.

Step 3: Enter Material and Quantity

Fill in the item code and amount you want to post.

  • Material Field: Enter the material number.
  • Quantity Field: Type the units to add.
  • Unit of Measure: Verify it matches.
  • Value Field: If needed, enter price per unit.

Step 4: Enter Location and Post

Provide plant and storage details, then post the receipt.

  • Plant: Enter your plant code.
  • Storage Location: Enter the storage area code.
  • Review: Check all entries for accuracy.
  • Post: Click the Post icon.
  • Confirmation: Look for “Goods receipt posted” message.

Important Considerations

When you load your opening stock, keep these in mind to avoid errors and extra work.

Interim Storage Type

Use an interim storage type as a holding area before final stock placement.

  • Staging: Holds new goods until checks finish.
  • Config: Set up in warehouse settings (OX09).
  • Visibility: Shows in MMBE as interim stock.
  • Process: Move goods from interim to final bins.
  • Control: Tracks unprocessed stock.

Physical Inventory

Ensure SAP stock matches your real warehouse count.

  • Counting: Physically count items on hand.
  • Variance: Compare count with SAP levels.
  • Adjustment: Post any differences in SAP.
  • Schedule: Do counts regularly, such as quarterly.
  • Accuracy: Keeps your data trustworthy.

Movement Type 561 Variations

Movement type 561 can post quantity-only or value-based entries.

  • Quantity-Only: Adds units without affecting value.
  • Value Entry: Sets both units and price.
  • Currency: Use local currency for valuation.
  • Tolerance: Auto-post small rounding differences.
  • Batch: Post by batch if required.

Valuations

Stock valuation shows how much inventory is worth in SAP.

  • Valuation Class: Links materials to G/L accounts.
  • Price Control: Choose standard or moving average.
  • Recalculation: Moving average updates with each entry.
  • Batch Valuation: Value by batch when using batch management.
  • G/L Posting: Check financial entries for each movement.

LSMW

LSMW helps you upload large volumes of stock data at once.

  • Mapping: Define source to SAP field links.
  • Recording: Capture a sample transaction in LSMW.
  • Conversion: Map and convert your upload file.
  • Batch Input: Run the batch job to post data.
  • Logs: Review logs to fix any upload errors.

Conclusion:

Thus we can maintain different stock for different materials in different storage locations within a plant in SAP.

Manually managing this bulk of data for different stocks for multiple materials across several storage locations is not feasible. Through the implementation of APPSeCONNECT’s robust connectors for SAP ERP, you can effortlessly integrate and automate data flow across all your business applications and achieve unparalleled growth! 

Now, you can easily integrate SAP ERP with your Ecommerce Store/CRM to automate the business process!
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