Barcode support in SAP Business ByDesign

Barcode and barcode scanning are functionality that can simplify both sales and logistic processes for an organization. In the following I present an example of how standard barcode functionality in Business ByDesign can be used for purchasing of a product with serial numbers, so they are added into SAP Business ByDesign as registered products. I then sell the product also using barcode in the sales order and in the delivery process.

The process is general shown in below flowchart. All “blue” tasks are described in detail in the blog. The Bold text is referred to APP’s in SAP Business ByDesign

Figure 1 Flowchart of the process

To run the process I use a reasonable priced USB Barcode scanner.

Materials master data

First, master data on the material. The material must have Serial Number Profile as shown in the figure below. For purchased products, it is ok to use the default Number Range. You will load Serial Numbers delivered from your supplier.

Figure 2 Serial Number Profile

When registering the product, do also add the GTIN code on the product, this can be used directly on the sales order. Be aware that if you have the GTIN code as a barcode, you can populate the field by scan the GTIN.

Figure 3 Maintain GTIN number on Basis UoM

To simplify the process, it is also wise to maintain Price List (sales price), List Price (purchasing price) and Fixed Source of Supply as indicated in the flow diagram above.

The Procurement Process

In the procurement process there is made a Purchase Order. I have selected to use warehouse task to demonstrate the registration of serial numbers. So, I make a New Supplier Delivery Notification.

Figure 4 Make New Supplier Delivery Notification

In the Line Items part of the Delivery Notification you can maintain the serial numbers that are expected in the delivery, either by:

• “Add Row” and scan serial numbers delivered as bar codes
• “Upload” serial numbers delivered in an excel sheet

Then “Save and Create Warehouse Request”.

Figure 5 Delivery Notification with expected serial numbers

Inbound Warehouse Tasks – New Labels

Open the list of “Warehouse Tasks”, here you can either confirm the warehouse task directly or you can choose to make new labels. In this example I will first demonstrate how to make New Labels before I confirm the task.

Figure 6 List of Warehouse Tasks

The internal Label in SAP Business ByDesign are used for Barcode Input, these labels have a prefix telling what sort of label it is. The relevant labels for this example are Uniform Content that have a reference to the purchase order and the Serialized Product Label that can be used to make printable serial number labels for products where these are not delivered as a barcode from the supplier.

Figure 7 New Labels

The system proposes one row with labels, if you need 2 rows, use “Add Row with Reference to”.

The “Label Type – Serialized Product” will make one label per serial number registered in the referenced “Inbound Delivery”. When labels are made, “Print All Labels” and “Save and Close”.

Figure 8 Internal Serial Number Label

To simplify the logistic process, these labels can be glued to the package containing the product.

Figure 9 Internal Label related to a given Purchase Ordre

These labels can then be used in the following logistic processes.

Inbound Warehouse Tasks – Confirm Inbound Delivery

We can now confirm the Inbound Delivery

The confirmation of serial numbers can either be done scanning the serial number barcodes printed on the product (if available) or using the SAP Business ByDesign internal generated barcode for serial numbers.

Figure 10 Scan of serial numbers – 2 possibilities

The check of the Serial Inventory Overview will show the products and related serial numbers in the warehouse.

Figure 11 Serial Inventory Overview

The Sales Process

Make a New Sales Order and scan the GTIN on the product.

Figure 12 Scan GTIN on product in Sales Order

The sales order is populated with relevant information from the master data on the material. Submit the order.

Continue the standard “Order to Cash process” with Release of Customer Demand and a Delivery Proposal is made.

In this example we select to confirm the Delivery Proposal directly and makes an outbound delivery.

Figure 13 Confirm Outbound Delivery with Scanning of Barcode

We scan the barcode, either the «internal one» under Barcode Input or the “Serial number barcode” under Serial Numbers.  Note! “Internal Serial Number Labels” can not be used in “Over the Counter Sales”. No “Bar Code Input” available.

When the outbound delivery is released, the delivery note is made containing products and relevant Serial Number delivered.

Figure 14 Delivery Note with serial numbers.

Sum Up

Use of standard Barcode Functionality in SAP Business ByDesign can simplify several logistical processes. The system can scan GTIN and Serial Number Barcodes on products directly. There is also functionality for making “Internal Labels” to be used in logistical processes in SAP Business ByDesign.