Material Master Length

[Former Member]

We are converting from a system where the material number is 25 characters long to SAP where I believe it is 18 characters long. What are our options for conversion? Can we store the 25 character number in another field? Or can we increase the 18 character limit by using some other feature like Extended Long Material number?

Thanks in advance,

Matt

[JL23]

search OSS, there are hundreds of notes

start with

Note 735529 - FAQ: DIMP/DI long material number and MPN

and 831966 - Restrictions when Implementing the Long Material Number LMN

[poovancheerirajendra]

Why can't you use coding for material and use Material Description (Short Text) for detail where u can go up to 40 Chara.

Thanks & Regards

Rajendran

[Former Member]

Hi,

It is better to design and use short forms (like Material=Matl) to bring the 25 characters into 18.

Regards,

BK

[Former Member]

Hi ,

25 char material length is too long....better it to re-classify & keep it to 18 char.length.You cannnot maintain more then 18 char length as MARA-MATNR field length is 18 char.

Regards

[Former Member]

hi

as per material master

material length in sap is 18 characters long

once it configured it check its existance in all transaction to be used

so i can bet u , u cant create more than 18 character

regards

leo

[former_member182379]

Hi,

In material master the field lenght is 18 also there is field in basic data 1 there you can maintain the material code as per your old system but for that also the lenght is only 18, you can use screen exit with this you can add new field in material master with lenght 25 character.

regards,

zafar

[JL23]

I bet that this 25 characters long material number has some logic within which is usually not needed when working with SAP and all the options you have there to search for a material number.

You can use the material classification to store this old material number, and it is even possible to search for this number in standard mateial matchcodes then.

however, it requires some development if you want print this number anywhere in forms or reports.

SAP has as well the feature to use long material numbers (and there a many OSS notes for program fixes in this area too, so it is not even easy for SAP to work with such long numbers) if you have to stay with these numbers for some "legal" reasons.