To set up serialized items

To make the serialized item functionality work in the preferred way, proceed as follows:

Step 1. Define serialized item

To enable the allocation of serial numbers to items, you must define an item as a serialized item. You can define every type of item defined in LN as a serialized item.

Note, however, that to define an item as a serialized item, the inventory unit defined for the item multiplied by the item's rounding factor must be a full integer, such as 1.0. This is because serial numbers are only allocated to individual items, not fractions thereof. You can define units and rounding factors in the Units (tcmcs0101m000) session.

The following options are available to define items as serialized:

  • Serialized in Service
    To define an item as serialized in Service, in the Configuration Controlled field of the Items - Service (tsmdm2100m000) session, select Serialized. If you define an item as serialized in Service, the item is serialized for all transactions in the service and maintenance goods flow. However, LN enters serial numbers for items that are only defined as serialized in Service both in the Serialized Items (tcibd4501m000) session in Common and in the Serialized Items (tscfg2100m000) session.
  • Serialized in Warehousing
    To use serialized items in Warehousing, in the Warehouse Master Data Parameters (whwmd0500m000) details session, select the Serialized Items in Use check box.
  • Serialized in the other LN areas
    To define an item as a serialized item for all other LN areas, you must select the Serialized check box in the Item - General (tcibd0101s000) session.
Step 2. Define mask

LN generates serial numbers according to a mask. See To define a mask for information on how you can define masks for serial numbers and link the masks to:

  • Item groups
  • Items
  • Tools
  • Lots

If no specific mask can be found, LN uses the company's default mask.

If the mask includes a SSA ERP LN Field segment that reflects the contents of an LN field, the mask is only generated correctly if the following conditions are both true:

  • The field belongs to the package in which the serial number is generated.
  • The field has a value.
Step 3. Select scenario for serialized item

To select the low volume scenario, in the Item - Warehousing (whwmd4100s000) session, select the Serials in Inventory check box. Clear this check box if the high volume scenario is required. For further information on low volume and high volume scenarios, see Serialized items in Warehousing.

Note that if the Serials in Inventory check box is unavailable, make sure the Direct Process Warehouse Order line check box in the Items - Production (tiipd0101m000) session is cleared.

Step 4. Select additional tracking

To track the orders by means of which serialized items were received or issued, in the Item - Warehousing (whwmd4100s000) session, select the Serial Tracking check box. This setting applies to both the high volume and the low volume scenario. However, for the high volume scenario, to view orders for which serialized items are received, you must also select the Serial Number Entry During Receipt check box.

Step 5. Select high volume serial number registration options

For the high volume scenario, in the Item - Warehousing (whwmd4100s000) session, the following parameters are available to enable registration of serial numbers:

You must always register serial numbers for warehouse issues that are not controlled by:

  • Lot and serial registration templates
  • The Register Serial Issue During As Built parameter
  • The Register Serial Issue in Service & Maintenance parameter

For example, you issue goods from the warehouse for sales orders. You must register serial numbers for such warehouse issues, because there is no serial registration template that specifies that no serial registration must take place for warehouse issues based on sales orders. For more information, refer to Lot and serial registration templates and How to define lot and serial registration templates.

If you selected Yes for the Register Serial Issue During As Built and/or the Register Serial Issue in Service & Maintenance fields, you must register serial numbers for warehouse issues of origins other than SFC Production. For an overview of what these settings accomplish, see Overview of the high volume serial registration settings.

Step 6. Specify settings in Manufacturing

For details on the available settings in Manufacturing, see Serialized items in Manufacturing.

Converting items

You can convert non-serialized items and low volume serialized items that fulfil particular criteria to high volume serialized items. Converting an item can impact the lots and serials sessions linked to the inbound order lines, receipt lines, ASN lines, outbound order lines, and shipment lines on which these items occur. For further information, see To convert items to high volume serialized items and The impact of serialized item conversion.

Performance aspects

Using serialized items and lot controlled items results in data growth, which may affect system performance. For more information, refer to Using lots and serials.

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