Using the Serial Number Requirement 

Purpose

You use serial numbers to identify a product uniquely and to provide yourself with an overview of which products you have sold to which customers. The serial number is only unique in conjunction with a product, for example, cell phone CELL PHONE 0000000012345 or engine ENGINE0000000012345.

For example, you can use serial numbers in the following instances:

●      If a freight forwarder damages a pallet during transportation, Extended Warehouse Management (EWM) can show you which engines were on the pallet and could now potentially be damaged.

●      You can tell if a partner reports a product as having been stolen, but later sends it to you for maintenance.

●      If a customer returns a damaged engine, you can determine whether it is actually the engine that you supplied them with.

●      If, during quality control, you determine that a production error has occurred, you can identify the affected product groups by using serial numbers. If necessary, you can also identify the customers to which you have already sold damaged products and inform them of this.

You can use the following serial number requirements:

●      Serial Numbers for Document Items

●      Serial Numbers at Warehouse Number Level 

●      Serial Numbers in Inventory Management

Prerequisites

For a description of the prerequisites, see Making Settings for Serial Numbers (ERP-System and EWM).

Process Flow

The following graphic provides an overview of the process flow for the individual serial number requirements.

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       1.      If you execute a change in stock, EWM identifies the serial number profile that belongs to a product. Depending on your settings in Customizing, this serial number profile can be dependent on or independent of the warehouse number.

The Customizing Scout in the ERP-System sends the product data and the information on which serial number profile belongs to which product to EWM using the APO Core Interface (CIF).

For more information about the Customizing Scout, see the Help Portal at help.sap.com under Documentation → SAP NetWeaver → Prior SAP NetWeaver 04 → SAP Solution Manager → Customizing-Synchronization → Customizing Scout.

       2.      EWM copies either the serial number from the ERP system or you enter it manually.

If you choose the serial number requirement, you have to weigh up administrative expenditure against the degree of detail of the information.

Serial Number Requirement	Entry of Serial Number in Goods Receipt	Entry of Serial Number in Goods Issue	Entry of Serial Number in Internal Warehouse Movements	Information
Serial Numbers for Document Items	Serial number with advanced shipping notification by scanning or entering manually; mandatory if the item type of the delivery has been determined in Customizing	Serial number with advanced shipping notification; mandatory for confirmed quantities if the item type of the delivery has been defined in Customizing	No entry possible	Check if serial number possible, for example, in the returns process
Serial Numbers at Warehouse Number Level	Serial number with advanced shipping notification by scanning or entering manually	Serial number entered manually or by scanning for confirmed quantities	No entry possible	Information about which serial numbers are available in which warehouse
Serial Numbers in Inventory Management	Serial number with advanced shipping notification by scanning or entering manually	Serial number by scanning or entering manually	If Handling Unit is only partly confirmed, serial numbers by scanning or entering manually	Exact storage bin or stock information

For a detailed process flow description of the individual processes, see Serial Numbers for Document Items, Serial Numbers at Warehouse Number Level, Serial Numbers in Inventory Management.

       3.      EWM saves the serial number.