Batch Management V/s Serial numbers

[Former Member]

Hi ,

Could anyone pls differentiate betn Batch and serials. I could understand from help ....

Batch : If you want to assign batch number to received Material Lot. It's like a LOT number management where you can assign a unique number to each lot received.

Later you can track the lot using this batch number

Serial : Unique number to each unit which mean each unit of the received lot will have unique ID.Like If I receive 10 pcs of material then 10 serial numbers will get generated (if automatic assignment is configured) and assigned to each unit of the material.

But I am getting confused when I am tyring to understand configuration of Serial numbers.Here are few queries i have

1) why serial number mangement available under "Plant Maintenance and CUSTOMER SERVICES" menu.

2) Is it only related with Equipments , NOT applicable for RAW MATERIAL / Assembly/ FG Material.

Thx for reply in advance.

REGARDS

SANDEEP

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Thx for your all replies ....

Things are little bit clear to me now , but few queries are still distrubing my mind

:-((

Riti , the example you have given are from FG point. What if I want to assign serial numbers to my critical raw material , do I still need to create a equipment for that.

For Example in TV industry , Picture tube is one of the critical and most expensive raw material and companies wants to assign a unique number to each tube when it is received.This number is used to track picture tube / vendor etc in case any failure is reported from market.

So in that case how we should go in SAP. Although I can see there is Field in SERIAL number CONFIGURATION where we can define "Serial Procedure wise equipment reuirement" . Do we need to set it as "01" (without equipment).

If this is the case then what EQUIPMENT CATEGORY we should select for such Serial Profile

I hope my questions are not too stupid to answer )

Regards/

Sandeep

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hi Sandeep,

Actually the Serial numbers are Unique numbers like you are assigning this serial number the Material master just like for your TV picture tube, so you assign the serial number to this TV picture tube.so for each parts of TV you can assign a seperate serial number.

Equipment is a product like it is TV set combining all the parts also has warranty, product details, serialized materials.

For this equipment also you can assign a seperate serial number and can be tracked based on this number.

Equipment category will group the equipments based on same basic attibutes such as function and use of the equipment.

hope you understand the difference.

rgds

Chidanand

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hi Sandeep,

For the business scenario which you have quoted, let us assume two different cycles

1. Vendor selling RM ( PT ) for the TV manufacturing Plant.

In this case, We can define an equipment master provided your vendor needs the database for his tracking purpose. It means that whenever a new PT is manufactured in your vendor premises, immediately a equipment master and a unique serial number will be assigned to the product ( Note the RM material code will be different ) and equipement master and the serial number are material specific.

When the Manufacturing plant puts a PO and tries to do the GR, before doing GR, the system will ask to create a equipment master ( a mirror image of what is avaible) in your vendor end.

2. Dealer Purchasing TV and the Manufacturing plant.

In the second case the equipment master and the serial number will be maintained for the entire TV ( Different Material Number )

In both the cases, the equipment category should be marked as Customer and the equipment req should be checked.

Regards,

RitiG

[Former Member]

Thx to all for such beautiful explaination .....

Appreciated

Regards/ Sandeep

[Former Member]

Hi friends ... pls reply

[Former Member]

Thx ...

But what is the relation betn serial numbers and EQUIPMENTS .... what does eqipment stands for in SAP ?

Sandeep

[hnmuralidhara]

Hi Sandeep,

Equipments used with Serial Number for the purpose of tracking.

This comes under PM module.

Bye,

Muralidhara

[Former Member]

Hi Sandeep,

An equipment is a database containing the details of a Machine as per the PM concept, whereas with the perspective of MM, an equipment can be defined as a unit that is purchasable and saleable.

For examaple, in the Hyundai industry for each of the car rolled out an equipment master is created with the colour and the serial number in order to track the vehicle.

Whereas in a two wheeler industry such as TVS motors, a two wheeler will be considered as a equipment.

In simple, a equipment master is similar to a material master which comprises of all the details of the equipment.

Regards,

RitiG

[hnmuralidhara]

Dear Sandeep,

For a moment forget about nitty-gritty of SAP System. As per KISS (Keep it Simple and Sweet) definition goes as below;

Batch Management is used for tracking goods in Supply chain management. Whereas; Serial Number management is used to track goods with specific serial Numbers. Batch management widely used in Pharma, Chemical Industry.

For example, Refrigerator, Spark Plug or any white goods are unique in nature. Therefore for the purpose of identification required when goods sold from Plant / Depot.

Serial Number management used in all most all industries.

For a same material, you can use both functionality too in SAP System

Bye,

Muralidhara