Part number length

[dmrVA]

We have purchased a new product line. Their existing part numbers are 25 characters. We would like to maintain that structure for the customers convenience. We are on Progression Pervasive 7.6.300 SPA
PSQL 8.5
Netware 5.1 SP6
Crystal 8.5.0.217

Does service pack B or C change the field length for part number in the part master (currently 15).
If not, is my only alternative is to utilize the OE, Customer items?

Thanks

 

[abaldwin]

No they do not change it. The only change in Item Number length, I believe is to
1. Upgrade to SQL
2. Upgrade to ES (One of ES's changes was to increase the item number field size to, I believe, 30 characters.

In Pervasive you could probably create the times using new part numbers and use the Description fields to hold the old part number.

If you were in SQL I could suggest using a custom table to be used as a linking table between "their" part number and "your" part number (new numbers to be created). This could be comined with Flex to choose their part number but fill the item line with your part number.

Reports and all could then be generated using the custom table.

As for being on Pervasive, you could still do this but I would suggest you make the custom table in Access and stay away from modifying the pervasive ddf's.


Andy Baldwin

"Testing is the most overlooked programming language on the books!

 

[dgillz]

I would use the customer item master (30 characters) or use a user defined field.

The strongest arguments for using the customer item number is that you can actually search for this number while entering a new order, and the field is readily available (or already on) the Macola invoice forms.

Software Sales, Training, Implementation and Support for Macola, eSynergy, and Crystal Reports

http://www.gainfocus.biz

 

[MacolaHelp]

Peak Data did a 30 character source code mod for a longer part number. They added the filler field of 15 together with the item master field of 15 to make the 30 characters. Macola had reserved the filler for exactly this reason & used it to create the 30 character number in ES. The mod was pretty expensive from Peak because the item number is linked into so many other tables where the filler is not available as in imitmidx. I like using the customer item # myself & would stay away from trying to do a 30 character part # myself in an external or embedded table. Lots of things could go wrong, you'd spend a long time doing it & have upgrade issues in future progression or ES versions. I am not aware that upgrading to SQL for progression would add additional characters for the part number. Andy, can you elaborate more on that?

 

[dgillz]

I think Andy's answer was not clear. Upgrading to SQL in and of itself does not add characters to the item_no field, it is simply the first step for a Pervasive user to upgrade to Macola ES, which does change the item_no to 30 characters.

Software Sales, Training, Implementation and Support for Macola, eSynergy, and Crystal Reports

http://www.gainfocus.biz

 

[MacolaHelp]

It would be a pretty expensive undertaking to go from where you are at to ES: new MSSQL server & database manager unless you can put it on the same box, data conversion pervasive to sql, data conversion progression to ES. How much of an IT budget do you have? Just curious about the reticence to use customer account numbers as a relatively simple way to cross reference your part number to the customer part number. It would be transparent to the customer that they aren't one and the same. While accountants will probably eventually prefer the excel based user interface in ES, I often find they are resistant to change. When it's that big a change they start thinkng about another system instead.

 

[abaldwin]

I was simply saying that the only really good way to get a longer part number is to go to ES. The first step would be to get to SQL and progression then settle down and go to ES. Probably not one of my better worded answers.

As for using Peak. Talk about future upgrade issues!

Experience shows that if you use customer master or user fields or peak or whatever, you are eventually going to update/upgrade and then want the larger character spaced used.

In essence there is no REALLY good answer here. I was thinking that an external table (that could be linked in searches etc.) would eventually allow you to upgrade and change your part numbers back to the 30 character one.

Inexpensive = NO
Simple = NO

Just tossing out alternative ideas.



Andy Baldwin

"Testing is the most overlooked programming language on the books!

 

[dmrVA]

Thanks for all the feedback. We do not have a budget to go to ES, nor time to train. This is an immediate need as we are getting in machines and will start running next week.
Would have been nice to have had a little extra time to know about and figure this out, but wasn't the case.

Based on comments, I am going with the customer field. I think I will be able to create labels, invoices, etc. with the least amount of confusion to the customer with this.

Donna