Define Number Ranges for Each Material Type in @SAP

Use

In this step, you define the type of number assignment and the number range intervals for material master
records. When creating a material master record, you must assign it a unique number. There are two ways
of doing this:

• internal number assignment

In this case, a number within the number range interval allowed is assigned by the SAP system.
Currently, the maximum length allowed for an internal number is 18.

• external number assignment

Here, the user assigns a number within the number range interval allowed. You can define the
intervals for external number assignment numerically and alphanumerically. For integration
purposes, SAP, currently, allows only the number range length of 18 characters.

You define the number range intervals for so-called groups. You assign one or more material types to each
group.

• If you assign just one material type to a group, you can define both an internal and an external
number range interval for the material type.

• If you group together more than one material type, you can define an internal and an external
number range interval here too. This allows several material types to have the same number range
intervals.

In the step Define attributes of material types, you have defined as an attribute of the material type
whether, with external number assignment, a check is to be made against the number range.

Recommendation

SAP recommends using internal number assignment. Since you can use matchcodes to select materials
according to any desired criteria, it is not normally necessary to use a mnemonic external number.

However, external number assignment can be advantageous if you want to use your materials in other
systems outside the SAP system. However, the field Old material number and a matchcode are also
available as standard for this purpose.

Actions

1. Assign each material type to a group. Remember that you can also group together more than
one material type.

2. Define the number range intervals for each group.

Note

If you have not assigned a particular material type to a group, you can only use it if, in the material type,
you allow external number assignment without a check against the number range.

Notes on Transport

Number range objects can be transported as follows:

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On the initial screen, choose Interval -> Transport.

Make sure that all intervals of the number range object chosen are first deleted in the target system so that,
after the import, only the intervals exported exist. The current number levels are imported with the value
that they have at the time of export.

Dependent tables are not transported or converted.

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Result :

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Material type

Key that assigns the material to a group of materials such as raw materials, operating supplies or trading
goods.

The material type defines certain attributes of the material and has important control functions.

Use

When creating a material master record, the material type determines

• whether the material number is assigned internally or externally

• from which number range interval the material number comes

• which screens are displayed

• the order in which screens are displayed

• which department-specific data is displayed for the user to enter

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