Arya
Your query belongs to one of the very beginning questions which a customer asks while module implementation but there can be multiple dimensions to it.
I'd answer your present dimension first.
- Forget about Serial numbers. For present query it is not a dependent. When you mention "an assembly is attached to equipment and have its own equipment number" , you are indirectly hinting at the Material code is maintained in the Construction type Field of the Equipment master. As I said this is not related to your present query.
- Your query can be rephrased like "While replacing a Defective Equipment by another Ready one, should the Equipment number in the structure change or remain the same?" The answer is 'It should change'. Otherwise there is no meaning of an Equipment master and the vital reports it gives you like Usage list.
- Here comes the Dismantling / Installing activity we do in the Structure tab of the Equipment master.
- You might need one or two more Functional Locations in your structure (if you do not have already) such as
- 'Work shop'
- 'Ready'
- When an Equipment is dismantled in structure it is installed under 'Workshop' and when it gets ready it is dismantled from there and installed under 'Ready'.
- Similarly An Equipment from 'Ready' F/Locn is installed in Structure while replacing another which is going to Workshop.
- In this process, the Equipment master(IE03) or IH08 gives to the total track of a particular Equipment. This track is called the Usage list which gives you all periods the Equipment moved from time to time.
- This report for a single Equipment can be got from IE03 (or IE02) through Extras > Usage list.
- So I'd say the Best practice is this, rather than keeping the same Equipment number and changing Equipment master. As Pete mentioned people might be doing this too.
Other dimension I was referring to is
- You might be asking this later.
- This is about the Repair process during the Equipment stay in the Work shop.
- Here comes the function 'Refurbishment' which you might be implementing later.
- If you are likely to go for this in future then Serialization will be a must, in case you want the Repair process to be linked to Equipment numbers.
Good luck
KJogeswaraRao