Implementing Document and Master Data Numbering

• The sales staff at DG Industries are divided into three separate market areas, each with a different set of customers.
• The sales documents produced by each area should be numbered differently so they can be tracked to each area.
• Additionally, the customers for each area are coded differently.
• Solution: You can define multiple document numbering series, and customer master data numbering series, and assign these series to specific users.

• Each company has its own numbering method and rules. The document numbering function provides the flexibility to define unique numbering schemes for both master data records (customers, vendors, items and resources) as well as for individual documents and transactions.
• Document numbering is defined in a series for each document type.
• The document numbering series tracks the next document number to be allocated for each document type. The system will automatically allocate numbers incrementally from the first number and will record the next number to be allocated for each document type.
• Note that some localizations have legal regulations regarding document numbers.

• A new company database has a predefined series of numbers for each document type, starting at 1. This is called the Primary series.
• The series has no ending number therefore the numbering is uncapped. You can use these series right out-of-the-box if the company wants to start document numbers at 1.
• Multiple users can share the same series.
• Alternately you can define additional numbering series for different users so they can work with different ranges of numbers.

• In a new SAP Business One system, you can change the starting number in the default Primary series for any document type. You must do this before a document has been posted. One reason for doing this is so that document numbers follow incrementally on from the legacy system numbers.
• To change the default numbering series, double-click the row for the selected document type to open the series setup window.
• In the Primary series row you can enter a new starting number for the series, and optionally a final number for the series.
• If you change the default series the change will be instantaneous and when documents are created they will start with the new number.

• If only one series is required within the company, you can use the default Primary series for all users.
• However you have the option to create additional series for a document type, and allocate different series to different users. This is useful if you want each user to work with a defined range of document numbers.
• To create a new series, open the series setup window then right-mouse click on the Primary series row and choose the option to add a new row from the context menu.
• Enter a name for the series, together with the starting number and optional last number. The system populates the Next No. field automatically.
• Note: when you create a new series, you must enter the final number in the previous series (including the Primary series). This is to avoid overlapping numbers between series. If legally acceptable in the localization, the system allows gaps in the numbering between series.
• The example shows three new series for sales quotations. Each series will be used in a separate area of the business. Each new series starts with the next consecutive number after the previous series, to ensure there are no gaps in the document numbers.
• If the localization permits a document numbering series containing more than one document type, you will be able to set this up in this window provided the Permit More than One Document Type per Series checkbox is ticked in the Company Details. This setting is irreversible.
• Note: when you save the new numbering series the system requires you to also update the main document numbering window.
• To create and maintain document series, you need the general authorization Administration > Document Numbering.

• You can enter a prefix or suffix (or both) for any series, including the primary series.
• The prefix or suffix is not part of the actual number that is assigned to the document, but will appear when the document is printed.
• You can also enter remarks on the row pertaining to the series.
• The Lock checkbox allows you to remove a series from allocation. No further documents can be created with the numbers in that series. To continue operations, ensure that another series is set as the default.

• When a new user account is created, that user has no access to any document numbering series, even to the default series. This means that the user cannot open the initial window for any document type, until they have general authorization to the numbering series group.
• Each numbering series can be assigned to a group in the series setup window. You can select a group number between 1 and 10. There can be more than one numbering series with the same series group.
• You can then authorize users to one or more numbering series groups according to their document numbering needs. There are two ways to authorize a user:
  • Assign the user to an authorization user group that has the authorization to the group associated with the numbering series. Note: An authorization user group is not the same as a numbering series group.
  • Manually assign the user Full authorization to a numbering series group in the Authorizations window.
• The general authorization is called Numbering Series and there are 10 authorizations which map to the groups in the series setup window.
• In the slide example, the primary numbering series is assigned to group 1 and the new LOC2 numbering series is assigned to group 2.
• In the general authorizations window the user George is given full authorization to series group 2. This means that George can create documents in the LOC2 series.
• For more information on general authorizations and authorization groups, see the companion course General Authorizations.

• The Period indicator column on the series row aligns the series directly to a financial posting period, for example, FY2019, FY2020. As a result, documents can be posted with numbers from the series only if the period indicator matches the current posting period.
• An example might be to use a new numbering series at the start of a new financial year. If you use a different period indicator for each new posting period, you can define a new numbering series and set the first document number to 1 for each new fiscal year.
• Period indicators are optional. When you define a new posting period the Default period indicator is assumed if you do not select a specific period indicator. This is also the default period indicator for a new numbering series.
• Note: If you create a new period indicator and want to use this for the existing posting periods, you must do this before any document postings.

• If a document has the ability to be cancelled by the user, you will see a cancellation checkbox on the series row. If you select this checkbox you can dedicate the series to cancellation documents. When the user cancels a document, the document is closed with its original number, and a new document is issued with the cancellation number from the series. The cancellation series is only used when the system creates a cancellation document.
• This allows the document numbering in the current series to continue incrementally.
• By default, cancellation documents take numbers from the cancellation series with the lowest numeric range, even if you have specified a non-cancellation series as the default series.
• Therefore, in order to manage your documents more easily, we recommend that you add cancellation documents to cancellation series only.

• If a user is authorized to multiple series, you can set one series as the default for the user.
• To assign a default series, in the series setup window select the series row and choose the Set as Default button. You can assign the series as default for the current user, for all users, and for selected users by name. When the user creates a document, the default series is automatically selected for the new document and the next number from the default series is allocated to the document.

• If a user is authorized to multiple numbering series for a document the dropdown list in the document will show all the series the user is authorized to. The default series for the user is automatically selected first.
• In the example the user has authorization to groups 1 and 2. The series Sales 1 has been set a default for the user so this series initially shows when the user creates a document. The user can open the dropdown list to see all series to which they have authorization, and select a different series.
• A cancellation series never appears in the dropdown list.
• If period indicators are used in a series, the series will not show in the dropdown list until the system date is within a posting period with the same period indicator. In the example, the current period does not have the same period indicator, therefore the series S2016 and S2017 do not appear in the dropdown list.

• Authorized users and super users can enter a manual document number. This is useful if you are entering legacy documents during an implementation and the customer needs to use the exact numbers from the legacy system. The general authorization is Document Manual Numbering.
• Select the Manual series from the dropdown list and enter a number in the document
• If a legacy document already has the same number, the system will skip this number in future when it allocates from the series.
• Note: When they are added, manual documents automatically have the status "Open - Printed".

• By scrolling to the right of the document numbering setup window you will see the a column where you can change the name of a sales, purchasing or inventory document name in the main menu. This might be required if the customer uses unique terminology to describe these documents.
• To specify a new name, enter it in the row for the document in the numbering setup window.
• You can change document names even if documents have already been entered in the system. The new name appears in the SAP Business One Main Menu and in the title bar of documents of this type.
• Note: this change affects all users.

• In a new company the system provides a manual series for master data: customer and vendor master data, item master data, and resource master data for production.
• Double-click the series row to open the setup window. This manual series is grayed out and cannot be edited or deleted, although it can be locked. The manual series is default for all users and the user manually enters a code when they create new master data.
• Note that if fixed assets functionality is enabled, it will use the numbering series for item master data.

• You can define automatic numbering ranges for master data. These series function similarly to the document numbering series, and they track and allocate numbers when new master data is created.
• Defining a new series for master data is very similar to defining a numbering series for documents.
• To define a new series, enter the first number for the series. This will be allocated by the system as the code (key) for new master data records. The system then increments the next number for the series by 1.
• You can optionally enter a suffix and/or a prefix for each series. Unlike the prefix or suffix for a document number, the master data prefix or suffix will be added to the master data code that is generated when the master data is created. This gives you the ability to create multi-part numbers such as 01-0001-01. Note that only the main part of the number is incremented, not the prefix or suffix which in this example would remain as 01.
• For a master data series you must specify the number of digits for the code. If you set the starting number to 1, and the number of digits is 4, leading zeroes will be added to the code so that it is allocated as 0001.

• You can set authorizations for users based on the selected Group in the series setup window. This is identical to document numbering series.
• And you can set a master data series as a default for one or more users.
• There is an optional checkbox to display a message when master data is created using a series that is not the manual series.
• Note: you cannot align a master data numbering series with a period indicator.

• Because in master data the prefix and/or suffix is part of the code, different series can have overlapping numbers.
• In the slide example, each series has the same range of numbers but because we have also defined a prefix for each series, the actual codes generated are unique.
• The generated code will always contain the exact number of digits specified and leading zeroes will be added in front. For example, if a series starts at 1, and the number of digits is 3, the code allocated in the master data is 001. If the number of digits is 6, the generated code will be 000001. Note: The number of digits for a series cannot be changed after a master data record has been created.
• Care should be taken since the number of digits can be a limiting factor for the size of the series. In the example shown, in the series Computer there can be 9999 possible items since the number of digits is defined as 4.

• A utility is provided to check for duplicated or missing numbers in documents or master data. In the selection criteria you can select documents by type, and include master data numbering as well.
• The report shows a list of missing or duplicate numbers. You can use this report to check numbers after an initial upload of documents during implementation.

Here are some key points to take from this topic:

• The document numbering function allows authorized users to establish ranges of numbers that will be automatically assigned in documents and master data
• You can create a numbering series for each document type, and for business partner, item and resource master data
• Users must be authorized to use a numbering series. To do this, first assign the numbering series to a series group, then authorize users to the series group using the general authorization
• If users are authorized to multiple numbering series you should set one as default to prevent a user from selecting the wrong series in the series dropdown list in a document.
• Document numbering series can have a prefix and/or suffix. The allocated document number does not include the prefix or suffix, therefore numbers cannot overlap between series. Master data numbering series also include the prefix or suffix, and the allocated number does include the prefix and/or suffix, therefore master data numbers can overlap between series.
• Document numbers can restart each year if a period indicator is used in the series definition.
• In master data series you must specify the number of digits for the allocated code. The code will be padded with leading zeros until the number of digits is reached.
• In the document numbering setup window you can change the name of a sales, purchasing or inventory document name in the main menu. This might be required if the customer uses unique terminology to describe these documents.