Background: Batch Number Setup

Use the Batch Number Setup (XBC) program to set up batch numbering formats for GL registers. See Road Map for work flow.

This topic has these subtopics:

Global vs. Local
Setting Up Batch Numbers
Allow Manual Assignment
Constants
Temporary Item Numbers for PRC

Global vs. Local

You can have the system assign batch numbers enterprise-wide (global) or by branch (local). Batch numbers are assigned by program. Therefore, you can assign batch numbers globally for some programs and locally for others. For example, you could assign batch numbers for programs that update the GL globally and physical inventory cycle count numbers locally.

The first step in setting up numbering systems is to determine which number you want to assign at each level. For each program, select G or L for the Local\Global ind field.

Setting Up Batch Numbers

Whether you assign numbers globally or locally, you use this program to designate the format of the number. You can use the same pattern for all system assigned batch numbers, or you can make each type of number different as appropriate for your business.

The only requirement is that the assigned batch number not exceed 12 characters.

Allow Override?

If you select Allow override?, you give users the option of either using the system assigned number or entering their own number. If you leave Allow override? blank, users must use the system assigned number.

Constants

Whether you assign numbers globally or locally, you have the option of a user-defined constant as part of each number. The maximum length of a constant is 4 characters. For purchase orders, you might use PO, PUR, or PURC. It is strongly recommended that you not use special characters (e.g., ?, #, &, +, |, <, >, *, :, /, \, [, ]) in constants.

You can also use standard constants. If you select BRCH, the system includes the branch number in the batch number. If you select INIT, the system includes the User ID from the User Maintenance (UIM) program of the person who creates the batch as part of the batch number. Both of these constants have an assigned length 4. If a user has a 5-character User ID, only the first 4 characters are used.

You also have a choice of date constants.

Batch number length + Constant length must be at least 6 and cannot exceed 12. If you enter 6 in the Batch number length field, the total batch number length can be 10. If you want to use the maximum batch number length, enter 8 in the Batch number length field.

You can have the constant appear at the beginning (Prefix) or end (Suffix) of the batch number. For example, if you use INIT as a prefix, your User ID is BOB, and the next number is 43, the batch number would be BOB000043. If you use the constant as a suffix, the number would be 000043BOB.

Note
These examples show a batch number length of 10, but the batch number itself can be shorter. This is because the User ID (BOB) has fewer characters than the constant length (3 rather than 4).