Material Master EDI question

[rammohan_shenoy]

Hello MM Experts,

In our system, we do not have external number for material master create. So system prevents material master creation with external numbers (as expected).

However when material master is created using EDI / IDOC, system allowed creation of material with external number. Would like your inputs on how this can be prevented.

Thanks in advance and Regards,

[JL23 · Accepted solution]

make sure that the IDOC has no material number and it will post using the next number from the internal number range

Or use the function module NUMBER_GET_NEXT to fetch an internal number from your number range when you create the IDOC..

Who is creating the Idoc?  What is the process?

[rammohan_shenoy · Accepted solution]

Well, the question is "Why the system  allowed material number creation with external number when created via EDI (IDOC)?" The configuration setting does not to allow external number for materials.

Has anyone come across this issue?

[JL23 · Accepted solution]

It is actually a feature and desired functionality, pretty common for any IDOC, not specific to MATMAS. 

IDOCs are used in ALE scenarios between systems. If you distribute materials (or vendors, customers, contracts...) from a central system to a satellite then you usually want that the numbers are equal in all systems.

[rammohan_shenoy · Accepted solution]

Thanks Jurgen for your input. Appreciate it. Is there a setting you can point me to that allows or disallows IDOC to overide system configuration setting?

[JL23 · Accepted solution]

No I do not know such setting.

That is actually the reason why I asked for the process. EDI, ALE or whatever IDOC process is usually a very close relationship between 2 partners.

It is not just like your private mailbox where anybody can leave flyers and unwanted newspapers. You have to setup partner profiles, you can filter outgoing and incoming IDocs, you can replace values.

As it is an automated process that requires good understanding of the application it has a bit a different design than online transactions

[rammohan_shenoy · Accepted solution]

I do understand the EDI, IDOC process. As of now we have decided to use a function module enhancement to fetch the next internal material number and pass to IDOC for material create process.

Thanks everyone.