How to Parameterize Decision Rules in SAP TM with BRF+

Introduction

• Which sales orders should be consolidated into a Freight Unit (FU)? 

• Which carrier should be chosen? 

• What type of tendering process should apply? 

• Which surcharges or discounts should be added? 

• When should deliveries be split? 

Why BRF+ Matters

• Flexibility: Rules can be changed without new developments. 

• Business empowerment: Analysts and process owners can update rules directly. 

• Centralized logic: All business rules are managed in one framework instead of scattered BAdI implementations. 

• Performance: The BRF+ engine is optimized for high-volume data. 

• Testing: Rules can be simulated before being activated in production. 

Usage Areas of BRF+ in SAP TM

1. Freight Unit Building (FUBR)

• Consolidation rules: 

• Same customer + same destination + same delivery date → one FU. 

• Same product group → one FU. 

• Split rules: 

• Volume > 20 m³ → split FU. 

• Weight > 10 tons → split into two. 

• Pallet count > 33 → create additional FU. 

• Product-based rules: 

• Glass → max 500 kg per FU. 

• Chemicals → max 1 ton. 

• Electronics → max 100 items per FU. 

2. Carrier Selection

• Cost + KPI combination: Choose based on both freight cost and on-time delivery rate. 

• Business share: Ensure Carrier X does not receive more than 30% of the total volume. 

• Seasonal/Climate rules: In winter months, only carriers with snow-chain certified trucks. 

• Customer-specific rules: Some customers require only contracted carriers. 

3. Tendering

• Tender type: 

• Express shipments → Direct Tender (auto award). 

• Standard shipments → Peer-to-peer. 

• Low-value shipments → Broadcast. 

• Response times: 

• Express → 30 minutes. 

• Standard → 2 hours. 

• International → 6 hours. 

• Fallback logic: 

• If the first carrier rejects → go to the second. 

• If no response → trigger broadcast tender. 

• Region-specific behavior: 

• Europe → Peer-to-peer. 

• Domestic (Turkey) → Direct Tender. 

4. Charge Management

• Surcharges: 

• Weekend delivery → +10%. 

• ADR (dangerous goods) → +200 €. 

• Airport handling fee → +50 €. 

• Discounts: 

• Carrier X → 5% discount. 

• Customer Y → 10% discount for specific routes. 

• Mode-based logic: 

• Road → per km. 

• Air → per kg. 

• Ocean → per container. 

• Time-based rules: 

• Night delivery → +15%. 

• Public holiday → +20%. 

5. Compliance and Constraints

• Dangerous goods (ADR/DG): Certain classes can only be handled by DG-certified carriers. 

• Country-specific rules: 

• Germany → extra customs documents required. 

• USA → export license mandatory. 

• Customer-specific constraints: 

• Customer A → only contracted carriers allowed. 

• Customer B → ADR transport not permitted. 

6. Integration Scenarios

• Delivery split rules: Decide when ERP deliveries are split in TM. 

• Event management: Trigger alerts if expected events don’t occur. 

• Pre-settlement checks: If price deviation > 5%, require approval. 

• EDI/IDoc filtering: Decide which messages should be sent. 

7. Planning Scenarios

• Optimizer parameters: Prioritize cost vs. service time dynamically. 

• Constraint handling: Consider vehicle capacity, driver hours, or legal restrictions. 

• Prioritization: VIP customer orders always planned first. 

• Load planning: Certain product types only allowed in specific vehicle types. 

Case Study: Automotive Industry Carrier Selection 

• Problem: Changing KPI weightings required ABAP development each time. 

• Solution: A BRF+ decision table was created: 

• Premium service → KPI 70%, Cost 30% 

• Standard service → Cost 80%, KPI 20% 

• Result: Business users could adjust weights themselves. Within 3 months, customer satisfaction improved by 15%. 

Technical Framework

• Decision Tables: Most common; IF/ELSE rules modeled in tables. 

• Expressions: Formula, case, lookup for more complex rules. 

• Data Access Definition (DAD): Data provider layer for BRF+ (e.g., FU volume, carrier KPI). 

• Simulation: Run rules before activation. 

• Integration: Rules can be called from BOPF determinations or BAdI implementations. 

Consulting Best Practices

1. Start simple: Begin with decision tables before adding complex formulas. 
2. Central documentation: Prevent “rule spaghetti” by managing rules in one place. 
3. Involve business users: Teach analysts to maintain decision tables. 
4. Always test: Use simulation before moving rules to production. 
5. Monitor performance: Overly complex tables can slow down processing. 

• Business agility improves, 

• IT workload decreases, 

• Regulatory compliance and customer satisfaction both increase.