Managing a material batch

• US 20050261992A1
• Filed: 07/20/2004
• Published: 11/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Eigemann, Sven-Eric, Elfner, Stefan, Wettengl, Juergen
• Granted Patent: US 8,090,631 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0875 Itemisation or classification of parts, supplies or services, e.g. bill of materials

Abstract

Inventory may be managed by affixing to material batches respective documentary batch numbers that are associated with the material batches in a computer system. The material batches may be placed as inventory in a warehouse. The documentary batch number of any of the material batches that is removed from the warehouse may be registered, wherein the documentary batch numbers are not used in managing the inventory. A material batch may be managed by affixing to the material batch a documentary batch number that is associated with the material batch in a computer system. Upon a predetermined action being taken with regard to the material batch, the documentary batch number may be received in the computer system. The documentary batch number may be read from the material batch, wherein any action taken with regard to the material batch before receiving the documentary batch number upon the predetermined action is not tracked.

Claims

1. A method of managing a material batch, the method comprising:

affixing to a material batch a documentary batch number that is associated with the material batch in a computer system; and

upon a predetermined action being taken with regard to the material batch, receiving the documentary batch number in the computer system, the documentary batch number being read from the material batch, wherein any action taken with regard to the material batch before receiving the documentary batch number upon the predetermined action is not tracked.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined action includes removing the material batch from inventory for delivery.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein non-tracked actions include movement of the material batch in a warehouse.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the computer system proposes the documentary batch number and generates a label bearing the documentary batch number that is affixed to the material batch.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein a label bearing the documentary batch number is affixed to the material batch, and wherein the documentary batch number is read from the label into the computer system to associate the documentary batch number with the material batch.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the label is obtained from a group of labels bearing pre-generated documentary batch numbers.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising performing a tracing using the documentary batch number.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the tracing includes determining at least one material from which the material batch is manufactured.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the tracing includes determining at least one material that is manufactured from the material batch.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the material batch includes at least one selected from the group consisting of:

a product, a material, a mixture, and combinations thereof.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein several material batches are associated with the documentary batch number.

12. A computer program product tangibly embodied in an information carrier, the computer program product including instructions that, when executed, cause a processor to perform operations comprising:

associate in a computer system a documentary batch number with a material batch, the documentary batch number being affixed to the material batch; and

upon a predetermined action being taken with regard to the material batch, receive the documentary batch number in the computer system, the documentary batch number being read from the material batch, wherein any action taken with regard to the material batch before receiving the documentary batch number upon the predetermined action is not tracked.

13. A method of managing inventory, the method comprising:

affixing to material batches respective documentary batch numbers that are associated with the material batches in a computer system;

placing the material batches as inventory in a warehouse; and

registering the documentary batch number of any of the material batches that is removed from the warehouse, wherein the documentary batch numbers are not used in managing the inventory.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein registering the documentary batch number comprises receiving the documentary batch number upon it being read from the material batch.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the material batch is being removed from the warehouse for an action selected from the group consisting of:

shipment, use in creating another product, mixing into a composite product, and combinations thereof.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein not using the documentary batch numbers in managing the inventory comprises that warehouse relocations of the material batches are not recorded in association with the documentary batch numbers.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein before the affixing step the computer system proposes the documentary batch numbers and generates labels bearing the respective documentary batch numbers to be affixed to the material batches.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein labels bearing the documentary batch numbers are affixed to the material batches, and wherein the documentary batch numbers are read from the labels into the computer system to associate the documentary batch numbers with the respective material batches.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the documentary batch numbers are pre-generated documentary batch numbers.

20. The method of claim 13, further comprising performing a tracing using the documentary batch number of the material batch that is removed from the warehouse.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the tracing includes determining at least one material from which the material batch is manufactured.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the tracing includes determining at least one material that is manufactured from the material batch.

23. The method of claim 13, wherein each of the material batches includes at least one selected from the group consisting of:

a product, a material, a mixture, and combinations thereof.

24. The method of claim 13, wherein at least two of the material batches are associated with one of the documentary batch numbers.

25. A computer program product tangibly embodied in an information carrier, the computer program product including instructions that, when executed, cause a processor to perform operations comprising:

associate in a computer system documentary batch numbers with respective material batches, the documentary batch numbers being affixed to the material batches and the material batches being placed as inventory in a warehouse; and

register the documentary batch number of any of the material batches that is removed from the warehouse, wherein the documentary batch numbers are not used in managing the inventory.