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Specify Batch Level and Activate Status Management

In this IMG activity, you specify the following:

• the level at which batch numbers are unique

• whether batch status management is active in the client

• the plants in which batch status management is active

• the initial status of new batches

Batch level

Batch numbers can be unique at the following levels:

• at plant level

• at material level

• at client level for a material

If you choose plant level, the batch number is unique in conjunction with the respective material and the plant. If you choose material level, the batch number is unique together with the material. At client level, the batch number is unique in the whole client.

To change the batch level, you have to start a conversion program. This program first checks whether conversion is possible and outputs an error log containing all batch numbers that occur more than once at the new level. Now you need to manually transfer these batch records to batch numbers within Inventory Management using a transfer posting 'material to material'.

If you change the level from plant level to a higher level, it is possible that batches with the same batch numbers in different plants are actually identical. In this case, all you have to do is remove stocks (including previous period stocks) so that all batches with the same batch numbers, except one, can be reorganized.

When you convert from plant level to material level, the material is then to be handled in batches in all plants in which it is defined.

Standard Settings

In the standard R/3 System, batches are unique at plant level.

Activities

To change the batch level, proceed as follows:

Further Notes

Note that you cannot reset conversion from plant level to a higher level in the standard.

If you create a client by copying an existing client, initially, there are no settings in the target client at batch level. The system makes the settings in the target client only when you have carried out an activity (maintaining master data or posting a goods movement, for example). The client level is not transported. If you copy a client with client level, you have to manually set the client level in the target system.

SETTINGS BEFORE/AFTER CLIENT COPY:

Source client Target client

Client levelMaterial level (change setting manually)
Material level Material level
Plant level Plant level

Batch status management

Batch status management is an additional function provided by the standard R/3 System.

Standard Settings

Batch status management is not active in the standard R/3 system.

Activities

To activate batch status management, proceed as follows:

Further Notes

Batch status management is linked to the batch level. At material and at plant level, the status management settings are valid within the client, that is for all plants. However, if you have defined batches to be unique at plant level, you have to select the plants in which status management is to be active using function Plants with status management.

If you activate status management, all existing batches are assigned status 'unrestricted'. If you deactivate status management, the system transfers all restricted batches to unrestricted stock within conversion. Restricted stock only exists if status management is active.

If you create a client by copying an existing client, status management is automatically activated if batches exist in the target client, independent of the settings in the source client. If no batches exist in the target client, it is not activated. In this case, you have to activate or deactivate status management manually, if required.

Plants with batch status management

Activities

To select the plants in which status management is to be active, proceed as follows:

Initial status of a new batch

Using this function, you can specify for each material type which initial status new batches are to be assigned. However, if you use a quality management system, this specifies the status of the batches.