MATNR 18 to 40

[Former Member]

Hi Experts,

Is there any way I can increase the size of MATNR from 18 to 40?

Thanks,

Venkat.

[Former Member]

Hi,

It is not possible to change the size of the MATNR from the 18 to 40 instead you can add the z field for the MATNR with size 40.

[Former Member]

Can you explain me the scenario, exactly why do you want to increase the size of MATNR.

[Former Member]

My Business users are looking for Material number more than 18 characters in length.

[Former Member]

In my opinion, ur reason/business requirement explanation is not sufficient to suggest a solution by experts......i guess, just for 1 business requirement, its not good idea to change its length......so, ask ur functional folks about the excat business requirement....i am surprising with this kind of req.(changing MATNR length in standard SAP), matnr is such a field,it comes into many many pictures in standard sap functionality. Anyways, wait for some replies from experts

thanq

[Former Member]

If it is for comparision with some other field.

Take a variable,say matnr1, length 40 and

loop ur table,

move the original matnr to this variable..matnr1,

endloop.

Edited by: Harini Krishna on Apr 8, 2009 6:26 AM

[mvoros]

Hi,

generally you can change definition of data type from SAP. You will have to generate access key for this field. Anyway it does not sound as a good idea. Could you post your motivation for this change?

Cheers

[Former Member]

Hi Venkat,

As the Above users said, Added to that,

An Example: My current client is a top international client and they are using only 8 characters for MATNR,

for a general talk, 18 CHAR probability, we can maintain Billions of Materials...

So changing MATNR length is not a good idea,

Is it for a specific report or like the complete business process,,,

if only a specific task, then take MAKT-Long text Char-40 as a replacement of MATNR...

Thanks & regards,

Dileep .C

[Former Member]

sorry, i guess, even MAKT-long text is also not a good idea.......bcoz, it is possible to hv those values like below,

matnr----

---

MAKT-long text

1234----

---

SRL Camera

5678----

---

SRL Camera

sorry, if am wrong!!

thanq

[Former Member]

Hi SAP ABAPer,

Sorry for what I was not clear,

The suggestion was given to MAKTX is at the worst conditions...

And MATNR -Char-18

MAKTX -Char-40.

Both are same data type...

and my point is when he has a specific seperate task,, then he can use MAKTX,

And he need to take care of updating with string comparisions, like "CA" sy-abcde & Space...

Correct me if anymistakes,

Thanks & regards,

Dileep .C

[Former Member]

yes, got it.

thanq

[Former Member]

why dont you try for the following data element??

MATNR_EXT                      External Long Material Number
MATNR_LONG                     Long Material Number
APOMATNR                       Material number in APO
BASE_MATNR                     Material or Product (External Description)
CIFMATNR                       Material Number
COMT_MATNR_EXT                 Long Material Number

[Former Member]

Hi Venkat,

My suggestion is....

Even though if you designed in such a way of having MATNR (40)...I think we cannot get the Full fledged Functionality of MARA table.

So, What you can do is...

Create a Z table which resembles MARA table but with a field MATNR (40).

And deisgn a Conversion Routine Function Module which will convert MATNR(40) to MATNR(18).

When ever a material is created,

Just call the Conversion rutine, which will converts MATNR(40) to MATNR(18) and create it in MARA.

Thanks & Regards,

Vamsi.

[Former Member]

sorry, i dont understand ur suggestion,

And deisgn a Conversion Routine Function Module which will convert MATNR(40) to MATNR(18).

say, as per ur suggestion, the user has entered the matnr(40) as 1234567890A1234567890B1234567890 in a input screen..........so, how it will b converted to MATNR(18) with the help of conversion routine? and there by into MARA table entry creation?

thanq