Missing/skipping Order Numbers - next numbering

[deepakmec]

Hi experts,
We are facing a situation where a few order numbers are being skipped. The order number is using the next numbers by company/fiscal. And the same NN is shared by different order types like SO,SI,ST ect. The problem is that a few order numbers are mysteriously disappearing. Couldn't find out those numbers in F4201 or F42019. I have oberved that most of the times 154 numbers are skipped. It will be great if someone can give some reason for this or provide some light on where to search for these missing numbers.
We are on World A73Cum11.

Thanks,
Deepak

 

[G_Smith]

There may a couple of reasons you are not able to find missing order numbers.

1. Someone starts an order and doesn't complete it. This would assign an order number and depending on the program (P4201A, P4210/P4211, P4242, or P4243) may not create any F4201 and/or F4211 records.

2. If you have specified the use of a check digit in the next number set up for the system/company in P0002/P00021 then of course the numbers don't look sequential because the last digit is a derived digit. The first seven digits will be sequential.

Also just thought about EDI/Batch Interface bringing orders into the system (P47011 or P40211Z) may be running and assigning order numbers but the orders are "stuck" and won't advance into F4201/F4211 files.

I know these are a reach but they are all possiblities. The most common one is an order entry taker will start an order to check on a price of an item or quote a total for an order but then abandon the order because it was just research. In P4211 the records will probably be written at a cancel status, '999', but with P4201A the records are not written until the program is completed.

You might also want to double check your order activity rules to verify which documents are using which next number index for the numbering sequence.

 

[deepakmec]

Hi George,

Thanks for the reply. About your first point, we are not missing one or two numbers but more than 100+. So we can leave out that possibility. Also check digit is not being used. So the numbers have to be in sequence.
About the EDI/Batch interface, I will try to find them in the system. But I don't think that can be the reason since the missing order numbers are never appearing on F4201/F4211. Anyway I will check it and let you know the results.

Thanks,
Deepak

 

[deepakmec]

I checked for these missing records in F47011 and F47012 files. They are not available there also.

Thanks,
Deepak

 

[Aarto]

I'd put my money on F47011/F47012 with unprocessed records. Possibly the item/branch record is missing or similar to prevent the order from being finalized when R47011 is trying to process these.
(so these records are being picked up every time R47011 is run)

/Aarto

 

[deepakmec]

Hi Arto,

You nailed it. We are having some unprocessed records in F47011 and F47012 which are never getting processed. So everytime R47011 is run, SO number is assigned to these records inside F47012 but they are not getting processed. Now I think we can flag these records as processed using SQL update so that they will not be picked up by R47011 in future. Thanks a lot for all your help.

Deepak