Change external serial numbers

Question

Hello Folks,
The serial numbers at the Client place have year stamp (external numbers). here is an example of it
ex : 0988880000001
Where first 2  digit "09" is a year stamp
the next 4 digits are material code - "8888"
the last 7 digits are for pieces to procure - "0000001"
totally there are 13 digits and are printed and used as barcodes on the pieces (EAN 13)
I want to know whether i can change this format to "1088880000001" from the next year. (After midnight 31st Dec 09). if yes , how to do this and where, so that the data gets uploading in the same table as a continuation of previous entries. Would there be any inconsistencies like system cannot access previous serial numbers?
Thanks much in advance,
Ashwin.

Answer 1

Angela,
You cannot change in Mass but one by one you can change for that you will have to go into Tcode. OIS2,  Check Column StkCk -Stock check for serial numbers, maintain this column as blank. i.e., StkCk = 0
Else
with StkCk = 2 you cannot enter Stock type, Plant, Storage location if you do it, it will throw an error,
"Stock control active (profile ZXXX) for material XXXXXXXXX in plant XXXX), but you can maintain StkCk = 0 temporarily, until you complete maintaining plant, storage location for all the serial numbers then reinstate StkCk = 2.
Discipline the enduser from clicking "create serial no Automatically" then it will create DUmmy serial nos without plant and storage location.
2. You cannot delete it, but you can set Deletion Flag and you can make serial no active or inactive.
TCode Iq02 : Matserialno --> Functions --> A. Active and B. Deletion flag
Note: Be careful it should not affect other plants.
Regards
Sathya