Exceptions for Part Numbers
The following are exceptions to the object numbering criteria specified:
• Part numbers assigned through the API do not need to fall within the external number range defined. The reason provided by SAP is as follows:
There is currently no number range check in the ALE inbound. It is expected that the material number is correct. The main reasoning behind this is so that you can create materials in a special number range in one system and send them to another system. This ensures that you can create materials in a number range in the target system and if the number range does not exist there, you do not need different material numbers in dependent systems.
• All numeric part numbers must be 18 characters. If a numeric part number is less than 18 characters, the part number must be padded with zeroes.
• Alpha or alpha-numeric part numbers do not need to be 18 characters.
• If an all numeric part number is sent from an external system that is less than 18 characters, a success message will be returned from the API; however, the part will not exist in the SAP system. This will cause a data inconsistency between the two systems.