Hi,
Per our analysis:
Extract from SAP NOTE "1930424 - How to get External Handling Unit number as alphanumerical type" indicates the following:
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CAUSE
- In SAP standard, it's not possible to get HU identifications with letters.
- Alphanumerical numbers are not allowed. You have to use numerical numbers because the field HU is a numeric field which is hard coded.
- All programs in R/3 are designed to read HU with this data format.
- Number Length Domain is NUMC20
RESOLUTION
- External Alpha Numeric ID is not possible in the HU.
- However, you can implement your own coding to get EXIDV with letters in user-exit EXIT_SAPLV51S_001 (called in V51S_CREATE_HU_HEADER).
- Ensure that changing the number range should not lead to further problems.
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OUR RESEARCH:
Approach - 1: SAP’s mentioned advice as per SAP NOTE 1930424
- Implemented the change in the user exit, by passing the value into the field. But when we tested the result the following happened:
- When the user enters the alphanumeric value on the screen then SAP checks for the validity of the external HU before executing the code in the user exit. Since the SAP standard number range does not accept alphanumeric values it fails and errors out.
Approach - 2: Creating a custom number range and using it instead of the SAP standard
- We created a custom number range ZHU_VEKP and defined it exactly same as the SAP standard number range (HU_VEKP) with the difference of the "Number Length Domain". We defined it as CHAR20 (HU_VEKP had it as NUMC20).
- We then change the "NR Transaction" (found in the "Customizing" section) for ZHU_VEKP to HUEX. This is what is also maintained for HU_VEKP. At any given time there can be only 1-1 mapping between the number range object and the NR transaction. Thus to be able to do this you will have to remove it from HU_VEKP and then add it to ZHU_VEKP.
- After this, whenever you go to (in transaction SPRO) Logistics General --> Handling Unit Management --> External Identification --> Number Range Maintenance for HU identification, you will notice that it will refer to ZHU_VEKP object instead of HU_VEKP.
- The above ensures that a user can maintain ranges in ZHU_VEKP directly from SPRO. But when it comes to assigning it to a Packaging Material Type, it’s a puzzle. To be able to use a number range one needs to assign it to the Packaging Material Type which is available at Logistics General --> Handling Unit Management --> External Identification --> Define Number Assignment for Each Packaging Material Type. Over here, once should be able to assign it under the column "Number Assignment" against the particular Packaging Material Type. But on F4 one notices that there are only the following options (thus clearly indicating that ZHU_VEKP is not available to assign):
A | SSCC18 already at creation of handling unit |
B | Number range interval 'HU_VEKP' |
Any external number can be entered (no HU functionality) |
CONCLUSION:
The only way which we believe we can achieve the requirement is by directly changing the Number Length Domain from NUMC20 to CHAR20. But this would mean changing the SAP Standard.
Regards,
Ujjval