Manufacturer Checkstring Maintenance - WM2 15

This maintenance file, accessed via IWMS menu WM2 15, automates the process of assigning checkstrings to items. Item checkstrings are 5 character numbers that provide another layer of tracking and mistake prevention. This maintenance program checks to see if an item has a checkstring during Item Master File Maintenance. If no checkstring is currently assigned to the item, the program uses this file and assigns one.

This file works as follows:

  • Set-up a manufacturer in this file
  • Perform a Item Master maintenance
  • The Item master maintenance program determines if the current item has a checkstring.
  • If no checkstring is currently assigned to the item, the program uses this file to increment the last checkstring used for the manufacturer then assign that checkstring value for the item being maintained.
  • If the item being maintained is assigned to a manufacturer that has not been established in this file, then a new checkstring is not created.
  • The Item master maintenance does not change/assign a checkstring if there is a duplicate. This prevents two items for the same manufacturer from having the same checkstring.

On IWMS menu WM2, select option 15 - Manufacturer Checkstring Maint.

A listing of the established manufacturers appears.

Note: To add or update a manufacturer, press F23 and then a password.

The entry under the Last Checkstring is the most recent checkstring assigned to this manufacturer. It is updated every time a new checkstring is created for an item related to this manufacturer.

The new checkstrings are incremented based on the last checkstring. For example, using the information in the figure above, if we updated an item for manufacturer SAI that did not already have a checkstring, when Enter was pressed on the Item File the system would assign checkstring number HHIIH.

The next checkstring assigned would be HHIII. This sequence would continue until the last character reached Z and then the next number would be HHII1. If eight more checkstings were added the number would be HHII9. At that point, the fourth character (in this case an I) is incremented, making the next checkstring HHIJA.

Note: This utility does not work with the Item File Mass Updates feature (FIL 101).