In SAP S/4HANA, a material availability check ensures components are available before production proceeds. This check can be triggered automatically:
* By order release(C): When a production order is released (transaction CO02 or mass release via CO05N), the system can perform an availability check based on settings in the order type-dependent parameters (Customizing: Production > Shop Floor Control > Define Order Types). The "Availability Check" field (e.g., "2 - Check at Release") triggers this automatically, ensuring materials are reserved or shortages are flagged.
* By mass processing(D): Using transaction COHV (Mass Processing of Production Orders), planners can execute availability checks for multiple orders simultaneously. The function "Check Material Availability" can be scheduled or run manually, automating the process across orders.
By capacity planning(A) focuses on work center capacity, not material availability.By order confirmation(B) may trigger a check for remaining quantities, but it's not a standard automatic trigger point-it's more relevant for backflushing or goods issue. This is outlined in SAP's production order management documentation.