Serial Numbers

functionality and
Configuration in SAP PP
Serial Numbers functionality and configuration in PP
The first feature that comes to mind while writing about the serial number is the serial key
we usually use when installing software. Within the same software used by thousands of
users, the only way to distinguish a particular user is by his unique identification number.
This unique identification number is the serial number, in brief.

In one of my SAP implementation projects, the client required a unique identification

number for an electronic device that it produces to implement proper tracking for the
device's warranty. Depending on the business requirements, these numbers can be
implemented at any stage of material flow.

Setting up Serial number profile (T Code OIS2)

IMG path:

Plant Maintenance and Customer Service–> Master Data in Plant Maintenance and
Customer Service–> Technical Objects–> Serial Number Management –> Define Serial
Number Profiles

In SAP, serialization can be used at different stages of material flow (inbound, outbound,
internal movements, etc.). The serial number has significant use in equipment numbers in
SAP Plant Maintenance as well. A Serial Profile is a key that holds this information, and the
system acts according to the set up that we configure in the serial profile.

I have created a new serial number profile Z001 by copying from 0001.

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Fig 1: Define Serial Number Profile

Here, I have defined the setting such that system will create the serial numbers
automatically after the creation of the production order.

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Fig 2: Serializing Procedure

In the serializing procedure (Fig 2), we can see the options whether the serial procedure is
relevant to Production Planning (PP), Quality Management (QM), Material
Management (MM), Sales and Distribution (SD), or Plant Maintenance (PM) equipment
master records. Depending on the business requirement, the required procedures are set in
a profile.

This is the main configuration for setting up serialization in SAP. Below we'll see how this
serial profile is maintained and used in the transaction.

Serial Profile Maintenance at Material Master

As described, serialization can be used for different stages of a material movement. It is also
used in various other SAP modules, so a serial profile needs to be set at the right material
number. Once the serial profile configuration is completed, we need to set it in relevant raw
material, finish goods or spare parts, etc.

When we set the configured serial profile at a specific material, the system considers this
material master record linked with the serialization procedure. Hence, the system will
create serial numbers for the materials in relevant SAP transactions.

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Fig 3: Serial Profile in Material Master

For example, the above serialization procedure in Fig. 3 is for Production Planning (PP), and
the finish goods material master is maintained accordingly. We'll see the generated
numbers for the production order in the next steps.

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Serial Number generation in Production Order

Based on the configuration in the serial profile, the number can be generated during
Production Order creation or release. In the example below, we can see the number is
assigned for the material that we maintained with a serial number profile.

As the PO quantity was 10, the system generated serial numbers 1 to 10, that means one
number for a piece of finished goods. If I create the next Production Order for this material,
the system will start from number 11; thus, a unique number will be assigned for a
material. Creation of the production order for 5 quantities

Checking the serial numbers

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No automatic serial number assignment

Saving the order

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Checking the serial numbers again and releasing the order

This time serial number assigned automatically by the system after the creation of the
production order.

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Fig 4: Serial number generation in Production Order

Once the number is generated, we need to perform the subsequent transactions with these
numbers accordingly. For example, when we'll perform a goods receipt for this PO, we need
to complete it with the number. In the ideal case, the GR should be in the warehouse area
with an RF gun. So, physically whatever serial number has arrived at the warehouse for a
PO, the barcode should be scanned, and the relevant transactions should be completed.

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Fig 5: Production Order GR with Serial Number

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Serial Number History

A serial number can be checked at any point in time for checking the relevant information.
We use SAP transaction code IQ09 to display a number. For example, let's review the
numbers that we generated in previous steps:

Fig 6: Serial Number display in IQ09 transaction

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Fig 7: Number History

Note- We can see the above details using MMBE also.

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Serial Number Logic

Some organizations might have a requirement to implement some specific logic or naming
conventions to determine serial numbers. In SAP, the particular logic can be implemented
using BAdI.

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To summarize, a serial number helps a business to track certain details for specific
material. However, keep in mind that it is essential to align the physical process
accordingly, as transactions need to be performed with those serial numbers.

Some Detailed Information-

EqR: This field specifies that whether an equipment master record is created at the time of
serial number generation or at a later stage.

When the setting is 01 the equipment is not generated at the time of serial number
generation and can later be generated from the IQ02 transaction by clicking on the
Equipment view icon there.

Normally when we have a finished assembly alone which requires serialization, we do not
need any equipment creation at all. Tracking is sufficient at this serial number of the
assembly material itself.

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ExistReq check box: If the business practice is to create serial numbers manually and then
assign them during production order creation for instance, then this needs to be checked
ON. Else if we create a serial number on the fly/automatically then this needs to be left
blank.

Cat: Category of the equipment that is associated at the time of serial number generation.
Has its Own number range and gets created in the background. If no value is specified here
the same is picked from the Define Default Equipment Categories for Serial Numbers config
and this also specifies whether the combination of material number and serial number
should be unique or not.

StkChk: Ensures Stock check during goods movement based on the serial number status
(like the production order statuses) that is set automatically by the system. 3 Options are
provided (No Stock validation, Inconsistencies in Stock data–>Warning and Inconsistencies
in Stock data– >Error).

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