Provisional Serial Number 

Definition

Character string that the system automatically assigns to products requiring serial numbers (serial numbers at warehouse number level or in inventory management).

The provisional serial number must be replaced before the execution of certain process steps in the goods receipt process, by entering a valid serial number manually.

Use

Extended Warehouse Management (EWM) always requires the serial numbers at warehouse number level or in inventory management before the goods receipt posting. If you set the Prov SNs indicator in Customizing, EWM automatically assigns a provisional serial number, if you have not already entered a valid serial number. You replace this serial number with your own in a subsequent goods receipt process.

If you want to track information about serial numbers in the ERP system, do not use provisional serial numbers. As soon as you use provisional serial numbers and replace them with your own serial numbers at a later point in time, EWM no longer reports these serial numbers to the ERP system, meaning that the ERP system does not have an up-to-date information regarding the status of the serial numbers in EWM.

For more information about the prerequisites for using serial numbers and provisional serial numbers, see Using the Serial Number Requirement.

Structure

A provisional serial number always begins with $ and has 30 characters.

Integration

EWM only uses provisional serial numbers for serial numbers at warehouse number level or in inventory management.

Example

You unload a commercial truck and post the goods receipt. At this point, you do not want to specify any serial numbers. In Customizing, under Extended Warehouse Management ® Master Data ® Product ® Define Serial Number Profiles ® Serial Numbers: Settings for Warehouse Number, you have set the Prov.SNs indicator. EWM automatically assigns provisional serial numbers. You do not specify serial numbers until deconsolidation.