Create Unique and Consistent Codes for Master Data Records
By default, creating codes for business partners, items, and resources is done manually. Although SAP Business One validates that the assigned code is indeed unique, the manual assignment of codes leaves room for inconsistencies and potential conflicts especially in businesses who use the multiple branches functionality or when working with multiple company databases.
To avoid potential inconsistencies in master data codes, it is recommended to assign numbering series to the different master data types and by that ensure the master data codes are consistent and unique across the various branches or company databases.
Assigning Numbering Series to Newly Created Master Data
Ensuring consistent codes is easy. By assigning numbering series to the relevant master data types, the code for newly created master data is generated and assigned automatically, the same as document number.
Following is an example for assigning two numbering series for item master data. Each series will be assigned to users in different location of the company in the USA. So when a user in L.A. creates a new item, the item code will be generated automatically by the “USA-LA” series.
From SAP Business One Main Menu choose: Administration > System Initialization > Document Numbering. Double-click on “Items”. In the Series – Items – Setup window define the required numbering series. Choose the “Set as Default” button to determine the default numbering series. Choose “Update” in the “Series – Items – Setup” window, and then “Update” in the Document Numbering – Setup” window, to apply your changes.
when creating a new item, SAP Business One generates the code accordingly:
Converting Manually-Assigned Master Data Codes to Numbering Series Generated Codes
Assigning numbering series to master data records is relevant also to existing databases or when having legacy data.
The “Manual Master Data Series Converter” enables you to convert ranges of existing codes that were assigned manually to codes related to numbering series.
This way, the codes of all items, old and new are assigned by the required numbering series.
The “Manual Master Data Converter” is available under Administration > Utilities. In the selection criteria window, define the range of the items and choose the target numbering series.
Choose OK. The “Manual Master Data Converter” window lists all the items in range and indicates whether any error blocks the conversion. Select the item codes to convert and choose the “Convert” button.
After confirming the system message, the selected codes are converted. For example:
