Direct configuration in test tenant/production tenant

[snigdhodeep]

SAP Gurus,

We have a tricky situation in an implementation project. When an all numeric product code is created, that code is padded with leading zeros making the code right justified. This is an issue as we have codes that start with a 0.

The way to fix this is to check the Lexicographical box in the Define Output Format of Material Numbers:

Now the problem is, we have realized this issue after we uploaded the data in customizing client. Once we a all numeric code is created, we cannot change this setting. 

This means, we cannot have this setting through TR in test/production tenant. So, the question is, is there a way we can make this setting directly in test and production systems? If not, any idea how to fix this issue?

Thanks

Snigdhodeep

[dawid90 · Accepted solution]

Dear @snigdhodeep,

The Lexicographical indicator in Define Output Format of Material Numbers (102320) cannot be switched ON or OFF once any purely numeric product/material numbers exist in that system. SAP blocks it with message BMG265 (Numeric material numbers already exist in system) because changing the rule would make existing numbers ambiguous / not interpretable

SAP Note below:

https://me.sap.com/notes/0003516603

In Public Cloud (3-system landscape) you also can’t just maintain it directly in Test/Production to bypass transports, business configuration is provided via SAP Central Business Configuration (CBC) connected to DEV, and then moved via the transport tools/process to Test/Prod

SAP Note below:

https://me.sap.com/notes/0003482742

In my opinion you have two options:

Option A: Recommended if you’re still in implementation / test data)

To change the Lexicographical setting, you must get to a state where no numeric product numbers have been used yet. SAP own guidance is archive/remove the numeric materials first only then can you change the indicator. In real projects this usually means one of these approaches depending on what’s feasible in your tenant and how much dependent data exists:

• Refresh/reset the DEV/customizing tenant or request a clean tenant and set Lexicographical before any product creation/migration, then re-migrate
• If you already created products and even transactions, deletion is often messy the clean tenant + re-load approach is usually the least risky

SAP Note below:

https://me.sap.com/notes/0003516603

Option B: Accept SAP product number behavior and introduce a business-facing ID for example Custom Field. If you cannot remove those numeric product numbers, then you cannot solve this by changing Lexicographical so a workaround can be:

• Add/repurpose a field for the business product code that must keep meaningful leading zeros for example a dedicated custom field like ZZ_EXT_PROD_CODE or a standard legacy/old product number style field if it fits your governance
• Use that field in:
• migration templates / interfaces,
• search/display in Fiori apps as a visible column and filter,
• outputs/printing/integration mappings

This is the only safe path if production data must remain intact.

Best Regards,

Dawid

[snigdhodeep · Accepted solution]

Thank you so much. I appreciate the detailed response. I will keep the thread open for a few days while I go through these options. Once we finalize the approach, will close the thread.