November 6, 2026

5 EWM KPIs every warehouse team should track after go-live

The go-live is complete, the first deliveries are underway – and everyone is breathing a sigh of relief. But whether an EWM system is truly stable isn't revealed on day one, but rather in the weeks that follow. The good news: SAP EWM already provides the necessary data. You just need to know where to look. In this article, I'll introduce you to five SAP EWM KPIs that have repeatedly proven their worth as an early warning system during our hypercare phases.

Why classic logistics KPIs are not enough after go-live

Picks per hour, delivery reliability, throughput time – these classic key performance indicators are also important in SAP EWM, but they only show late that something is wrong. After the go-live, you need key performance indicators (KPIs) that reveal where users are working outside the system's parameters. Because that's precisely where tomorrow's problems will arise: inventory discrepancies, workarounds, and a gradual loss of trust in the new system.

The following five SAP EWM KPIs measure exactly that. They can be evaluated using built-in tools such as the Warehouse Management Monitor (/SCWM/MON) and should be reviewed at least weekly in Hypercare.

KPI 1: Cancelled warehouse tasks

What you measure: The proportion of cancelled warehouse tasks to all generated warehouse tasks, broken down by warehouse process type and activity area.

What he reveals: A warehouse task is cancelled if it cannot or should not be carried out as planned – for example, because the space is full, the goods are missing, or the strategy has found an unsuitable storage location. Individual cancellations are normal. In contrast, a high or increasing rate is almost always an indication of unsuitable storage or retrieval strategies or of faulty master data.

Typical questions: Which type of process is affected? Which users cancel most frequently? Do cancellations occur more often at certain times of day or in certain warehouse types?

KPI 2: Manual warehouse bin transfers

What you measure: The number of manually initiated transfers from one location to another, i.e., outside of replenishment, storage, or order picking.

What he reveals: When employees regularly move goods manually, they are usually correcting errors made by the system. Typical causes include unsuitable replenishment, poor storage location selection, or a lack of capacity checks. Every manual relocation is working time that the system should actually be saving.

Typical questions: Between which storage types are the goods being moved? Are the same products always involved? Can a pattern for replenishment control be identified?

KPI 3: Movements via storage process type 9999

What you measure: The proportion of warehouse tasks with warehouse process type 9999, the process type for ad-hoc movements in the SAP standard.

What he reveals: Process type 9999 is a general-purpose tool. It's practical for quickly getting things done – and precisely for that reason, dangerous. Actions using process type 9999 bypass the strategies and controls defined for your processes. If the percentage increases, that's a clear signal: your users are currently building a shadow process.

Typical questions: Who uses 9999 and in what situations? Is there a missing, suitable process type for this situation? Does training need to be refined?

KPI 4: Exception codes during acknowledgment

What you measure: How often exception codes are used when acknowledging warehouse tasks, for example for shortages or refusal of space.

What he reveals: Exception codes are a valuable tool because they make deviations in the system visible instead of hiding them. If they become frequent, this indicates inaccuracies in inventory or problems in upstream storage. However, if they are not used at all, even though there are deviations in the warehouse, that is also a warning sign.

KPI 5: Faulty queues and open receipts

What you measure: The number of faulty qRFC queues (e.g. in SMQ1/SMQ2) and deliveries that are not properly reconciled between ERP and EWM – particularly relevant in decentralized EWM.

What he reveals: Hanging queues lead to missing deliveries in the warehouse, unbooked goods issues, or inventory discrepancies between systems. This KPI belongs in daily monitoring in hypercare, not in the weekly report.

Here's how to set up SAP EWM KPI tracking in practice.

  1. Set baseline: Measure the first two weeks after go-live without evaluation. This will give you realistic baseline values.
  2. Define target values: Together with warehouse management and key users, determine what quota is acceptable.
  3. Determine the causes, not just the symptoms: Each outlier leads to a specific question: process, master data, customizing, or training?
  4. Report regularly: A short weekly review in Hypercare is sufficient, as long as it is carried out consistently.

Conclusion

The most important SAP EWM KPIs after go-live do not measure performance, but rather the acceptance of the standard. Cancelled warehouse tasks, manual relocations, and ad-hoc movements reveal early on where processes and reality diverge. Taking these signals seriously shortens hypercare and lays the foundation for targeted optimization.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is warehouse process type 9999 in SAP EWM?
The warehouse process type 9999 is used in the SAP standard for ad-hoc movements, i.e. for manual stock transfers without reference to a delivery document.

Where can I find cancelled warehouse tasks in SAP EWM?
In the warehouse management monitor (/SCWM/MON) under warehouse tasks, filtered by status „cancelled“ and time period.

How long should KPIs be closely monitored after go-live?
At least throughout the entire hypercare period, usually four to eight weeks. After that, a monthly review is recommended.

Görkem Serdar, SAP EWM Consultant

Contact & Exchange

A little about me: I'm Görkem Serdar, an SAP EWM Consultant at Noor Vision. I support companies in all project phases – from the explore phase through go-live and hypercare to subsequent optimization.

Which key performance indicators (KPIs) are you tracking after go-live? Feel free to share your experiences in the comments.

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