Serial Numbers and materials

By Willem Hoek
Serialization is a way to keep track of individual items (material masters). When processing
transactions, example Goods Receipt, Physical Inventory, etc.. you don't just type in material and
quantity but also the serial numbers of the individual items. Serial numbers is a unique number that
identify an item. Example if quantity is 2, one need to indicate serial numbers of the two items. A report
is available to show all movements for a spesific serial number.

Lets go through a simple example to do a Physical Inventory posting on a material where we activate
serial numbers.

Setting up -- Master data

A material is activated in Plant / Data Storage 2 view of material master. Field MARC-SERNP
.The options (serialization profiles) are set up in configuration and define how it will be used
(see below).

Using it in transactions

Lets look an an Inventory Management transaction for this material, transaction MI10 to do a
stock adjustment and see where the serial numbers are used.

For this material, serialization is active, so the system force you to enter the serial numbers of
the items, in this case the quantity was 2, therefore 2 serial numbers

Lets look at stock overview -- tcode mmbe and see if the serial numbers are visible.

Showing all the serial numbers

Double clicking on the serial number take you to transaction IQ03 -- serial number per
material.

History of all inventory management transactions related to this serial number are visible by
hitting the 'History' button

Setting up -- Configuration

IMG Menu: Sales and Distribution > Basic Functions > Serial Numbers > Determine Serial
Number Profile - tcode OIS2

For every profile, one needs to specify the area in SAP where it will be used and how it will be
used.
Serial number usage:
01 - None
02 - Optional
03 - Obligatory
04 - Automatic

Equipment required indicates if a equipment is required.

01 - Proposal without equipment
02 - always with equipment