A group of data, summarized by a four-digit identification code, that defines the conditions and business procedures involved when assigning serial numbers to items of material.

You enter the serial number profile in the master record at plant level for the material whose individual pieces are to be managed using material numbers. This means that an individual serial number profile can be assigned to a piece of material per plant. In this way a certain material can require serial numbers at one plant, and not at others.

If you use different profiles for a material, the plants must be logistically independent of one another, because it is only possible to transfer stocks from one plant to another if the profiles are the same at both.

Serial number profiles are defined during system configuration in Customizing for Plant Maintenance.

The serial number profile contains the following information:

• The business procedures for which serialization

• Can be performed
• Must be performed
• Is performed automatically
• Is not performed

• Information on whether for a particular business procedure

• Serial numbers can be assigned, for which a master record does not yet exist in the system
• Serial numbers that already exist in the system as a master record must be specified

• Information on whether for a particular business procedure, a stock check should take place, and how the system should react in the event of inconsistencies
• The business procedures for which an equipment master record should or should not additionally be created for each serial number
• The equipment category that the system uses when assigning serial numbers automatically in the case of equipment master records.