- Sap Serial Number Profile Configuration
- Sap Serial Number Report
- Sap Serial Number Profile Customizing
- Serial Number Tracking In Sap
Serial numbers are a powerful tool in SAP’s armoury, allowing warehouse managers to access information at an individual unit or piece of equipment level rather than at pallet level. Without the serial number or equipment master record, warehouse staff would typically rely on the material or and/or batch master record which would contain all of the data for describing and managing a piece of material (e.g. a pallet), but which does not enable you to differentiate between individual items of that material.
Dear All, Consider scenario where we have procurement type X for finish material. So some time this material is produced and some time it is purchased from outside.
Serial advantage
The key advantage for those utilising serial number management is an enhanced ability to monitor and track inventory. The option to track stock at an individual item level is clearly an attractive one, particularly to those dealing in industries which require after sales customer service and under-warranty returns. In practice the process works quite simply and, in conjunction with Handling Unit Management, serial number management allows warehouse operators to receive serialised materials and track exactly where each unit is located throughout the supply chain, whether that is on the receiving dock, in a specific bin in the warehouse or issued to another site or customer. Therefore, it is now possible to not only know how much of a particular item you have in a warehouse at any one time and where the item is located, but you now also know which warehouse bin location contains which specific individual serialised unit(s).
Enhanced stock overview
Each material has its own label with a unique identifier so that when one is removed, all the picker needs to do is scan that label and the central record of both the item and the pallet will be updated accordingly. This not only affords a detailed stock overview, but enables accurate tracking of returned and faulty goods. Because of the track and traceability power it offers, serial number management is most typically employed by warehouses processing stock such as consumer electronics, along with those in the automotive and assembly unit industries.
An extended history of materials
If a pallet of six microwaves is received by the warehouse, managers can track which item has gone where, and when, at any point in the supply chain. The manufacturer can also delve deeper, using serial number management to bring up the service history and warranty status of each microwave, a critical additional layer of traceability for such industries.
Is it right for you?
However, serial number management is not necessarily something you should be rushing to implement. Not every sector requires such depth in its tracking ability, and some operate warehouses without ever requiring such a detailed level of information about their stock. The flipside of serial number management is that an added level of transactional compliance is demanded, where warehouse operatives must perform additional scans or entries to accurately capture relevant data. If manually entering the serial numbers, this presents multiple additional opportunities for mistakes to be made, and in the case of scanning of other automated entry methods, extra chances to overlook stock entry or registration of picking. For those industries where only an idea of the stock levels of a material are required, rather than specific unit level stock information, managers would perhaps opt for more straightforward warehousing functionality with less transactional compliance for the end user.
An elegant solution
In our experience, serial number management is a critical option for those utilising SAP WM who absolutely require detailed track and trace of stock at an individual item level. It provides an elegant solution within the existing SAP architecture and, for those who require such functionality, its benefits far outweigh the inconvenience of additional transactions.
To find out how we can benefit you, get in touch. We'll be happy to show you a demo.
![Sap Serial Number Profile Sap Serial Number Profile](/uploads/1/2/6/4/126479057/999426578.jpg)
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Sap Serial Number Profile Configuration
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Using serial numbers, you can easily track the location of goods in the warehouse. A serial number can be used to identify the vendor and receiver details who has sent and received goods in a warehouse.
A serial number is a series of characters that have been assigned to each product in the warehouse so that it remains separate and are identified in the warehouse system. You can use serial numbers up to a length of 30 characters in an EWM system. However, SAP recommends to use a maximum of 18 characters to make it compatible with the ERP system.
Types of Serial Number Profiles
To assign serial numbers to a product, you use a serial number profile that determines transactions for issuing a serial number to the products.
There are two different types of serial number profiles that can be used −
- Sales General Plant − This serial number profiles are used in the ERP system and must be defined to use serial numbers in the delivery documents for goods issue or receipts.
- LES Serial Number − This is maintained in the product master data view.
When you click on the WM execution, you need to select serial number profile which is sent to SCM system and is used in EWM.
Sap Serial Number Report
A serial number profile is maintained in the ERP or in the EWM system. There are four types of serial number requirement available in the system −
![Serial Serial](/uploads/1/2/6/4/126479057/430465247.gif)
- Serial Number for Document items − This serial number is used for returns. When a customer complains about a product and return is raised, you can perform a check if this is the same product that is supplied to him. This serial number is not used for other warehouse tasks.
- Serial Numbers on warehouse number level − This serial number requirement type is used to check which serial number is available in your warehouse.
- Serial number of warehouse movement − This serial number requirement type is used to know the exact storage bin information for products. Serial numbers are used in each warehouse task and must be entered before posting goods receipt or goods issue.
- No Serial number requirement − This requirement type is used when some products are serialized in few of the warehouses.
Issuing a Provisional Serial Number
Sap Serial Number Profile Customizing
It is required to enter serial numbers before posting a goods issue or a goods receipt. In this scenario, you can configure the system to use provisional serial numbers.
Serial Number Tracking In Sap
The provisional serial numbers are 30 characters and always start with a $ sign. When you post goods receipt, provisional serial number is assigned and when you confirm putaway warehouse tasks, you must replace the provisional serial number with the real ones.