Label as per Material Description

[Former Member]

Dear Expert,

There are 2 types of material description.

Normal Description: Benzene

For specific customer descritpion is BJT Benzene

now in the label, the requirement is that, when the BJT material is there then it should print barcode otherwise not.

I have requried code to print barcode but the doubt is, how i can put this logic that when description contains BJA at start then print barcode otherwise not.

Regards

Amol

[christoph_bergemann · Accepted solution]

Dear Amol

interesting demand. First question: how do you maintain both material descriptions?

Normal Description: Benzene => I assume part of "normal" material maintenance process

For specific customer description is BJT Benzene => how do you maintain ? do you use material customer info record?

The logic would be "quite" simple. If you use a Function module: you would first check if customer requieres special name and retreive this; if not you use normal name. Problem is:

To my knowlegde in most cases only in "Make to order" process you know the customer. How to solve that in "make to stock" process?  There are options but quite complex. And why not create simply a "customer specific material" with this name? It would be then only a MM "post" (material to material). You create first (by production) the "Benzene" and use in "Make to stock" the "Benzene" label. Then you map to the SAP SD order of customer and book stock to stock (Benzene => BJT Benzene) and then you create simply the new label (relabeling). Or you just use the "customer specific" material direct in production generate the label etc. So in case you need more "Benzene" you need to perform only once again a "stock <=> Stock" transfer (material to material) as the chemistry is really the same.

The topic fo customer specific names is well known. Many solutions exists. Check my proposals. Simple and robust (ok: you need to adapt SAP process a little bit but ... thatmeans you need to may be train the logistic people)

C.B.

PS: my explanation is more reletaed to "how to retrieve the right material description"; but if you succeed to "detect" that you need a "special" name you could print "Bar code".

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hi Christoph / Subhash,

Thanks for the replies.

I would like to convey that, althogh both the material are same but they have created 2 material codes for same material one is Normal and Other is with BJT

I have already propose a solution of creating a FM by which we can read a first 3 characters and then behave accoridngly but client is not much willing to go for development. He want something at template level without development

Finally now, I am opting the last solution of creation of 2 differnt templates one with Barcode and other is without

so seems that, issue is resovled at this moment.

Thank you All !

[christoph_bergemann · Accepted solution]

Dear Amol

nothing is really stable. There is always a change to consider (e.g. REACh). Today you have "Benzene" and "BJT Benzene" (one with Barcode, the other without). Tomorrow you have "SAP Benzene" (and once again you need to decide whether or not a Barcode is needed.

From point of developper: Different WWI template is "easy" (ok: you need label view mantained, generation variant etc). but you need no Function module (or separate report symbol).

If material 1 needs a label the report without Barcode should be found in label printing; in the other case that with Barcode. But the "only" logic is: the user need to know that the term "BJT" triggers different label view maintenance, different use of gen var etc.

So developper is "lucky" because this is related to training on user side only. And it seems to be that you have only on case like that (really only one? I can not believe it...).

As it is "quite" normal to have sometimes "customer" specific trade names once again: developper is lucky. If needed he would "simply" generate one additional layout etc.

But there might be only one "but". E.g. if we are talking about a "non" GHS enhanced label and now GHS would get focus developper need to adapt any template (he is lucky, he need to do something);: company might not be "lucky" as once again a developper need to be paid; testings must be done etc.

Only one idea: may be by using a "material" class (and a report symbol with function module etc.) you might get a more "future" orientied solution. By using the material class you could specify that "Barcode" is needed or not. GenVar would be only one. Template would be only one: And there is only the need to read data from material class and then based on this information you would print barcode (i would use only "positive" effect. That means characteristic must be e.g. "X" to print Barcode. Default would be "Space" = no Barcode required). User can use same gen variant in label view etc. The only but is "maintenance" of a material class.

May be this idea might help you to convince your customer.

C.B.

[Former Member]

Hi..!

Maintain the customer specific product name as "identifier" in specification data or product description in "label data".

In Report template, use conditioned output to check for the specific product identifier and print as barcode.

or you have to create customer specific template, and in labelling scenario you have to pick that template..!

Regards,

Subash Sankar

[Former Member]

Hi Subhsh,

Thanks for reply.

creating separate template is my last option in case i do not get any smart solution.

regarding the suggestion of identifier or product description,  this is a change of Buiness Process and as you know, the for big gaint chemical companies, the chagne of business process is very difficult.

is it something we can do at template ?

I have one solution ready with me is to write FM which will read first 3 characters of description and act accordingly but this is again a development.. which i wanted to avoid at this point of time...

Regards

Amol

[Former Member]

Hi..!

I have a doubt -  the three character prefix is already added in ERP or it has to added in template level..?

1.this three character prefix, "BJT" is added at the material description, or product identifier level..? (then we can verify "first three character in FM & print barcode)

or

2.This three character prefix should only be used for specific customer...? (if customer is "A", add three character prefix and print barcode..?, may be you can avoid customer specific template creation by doing so)

or

3.If that material description is used exclusively for a specific customer, in your report template, verify for the "sold-to-party" = Customer A, then print Barcode.

Another idea is to replicate(copy) the template, and in "Application object" you can restrict the template to a particular "material" or "specification"(it may not be a viable option since the no of materials will be so huge)

Regards
Subash Sankar