Serial Numbers in Physical Inventory (SAP Library - Inventory Management and Physical Inventory (MM-IM))

Serial Numbers in Physical Inventory

Use

When carrying out a physical inventory for materials that have serial numbers, you can enter the serial numbers while you are entering the results of the physical inventory count.

This is possible for the following transactions/events:

Entering the physical inventory count (MI04)
Entering the physical inventory count without reference to a document (MI09)
Entering the count and posting differences in one step (MI08)
Creating a physical inventory document, entering the count, and posting differences in one step (MI10)
Changing the physical inventory count (MI05)

Prerequisites

Physical inventory with serial numbers is carried out for all materials that require serial numbers. You have to make the following settings for this:

In the material master record, a serial number profile must be entered in which the indicator for serial number use is configured so that serial numbers have to be assigned for the serialization procedure MMSL (maintaining goods receipt and goods issue documents).
The stock check indicator in the serial number profile should be configured so that an error message appears when there are inconsistencies in Inventory Management.

You maintain the basic settings for the serial numbers in the step Serial Number Profiles in Customizing for Serial Number Management.

You can configure serial number management for physical inventory in the Settings for Physical Inventory step in Customizing for Inventory Management.

Features

You cannot enter the serial numbers first and then deduce the counted quantity from that number. Inspection lot comparison (stock type 2) with serial numbers is not supported.

Activities

Entering and Editing Serial Numbers

When entering or changing a count, you can edit the serial numbers entered for every item from collective processing or the overview by choosing Edit ® Change serial number. To do this, place the cursor on the line number whose serial numbers you want to change.

Displaying Serial Numbers

You can display the serial numbers from the display of the physical inventory document item. Choose Goto ® Serial numbers.

Solving Problems with the Status Management of Serial Numbers

If a serial number is not correctly assigned to an individual material because the serial number and the serialized material are assigned to two different stock types, you cannot post inventory differences.

If, for example, you mix up the serial number when you transfer a serialized material between two storage locations, the serial number is assigned to one storage location while the serialized material pertaining to it is located in the other storage location. In this case, the system does not allow you to post the inventory difference for this item and issues an error message.

To enable you to post the inventory difference, you have to create a new physical inventory document via a recount for the item concerned. Choose Phys. inventory doc. ® Recount. After you create the new physical inventory document, you can carry out a transfer posting for the serialized material so that the serial number assignment is consistent again.

You can obtain an overview of the items for which you have initiated a recount by going to the inventory history of the original document. If you do not require information on the inventory history, you can proceed as follows:

Delete from the physical inventory document the item that cannot be posted. Carry out a transfer posting for the serialized material. Create a new physical inventory document for the serialized material you have transferred.

Difference Posting for Serial Numbers only

Even if you did not determine differences in stock during the count, the system may still determine differences for the relevant serial numbers in a stock type. This occurs when the available serial numbers differ from the counted serial numbers. The system may therefore post differences for the serial numbers concerned only.

See also:

Serial Numbers in Inventory Management