Artikelbezeichnung
Also: Artikelname, Artikelbeschreibung, Warenbezeichnung, Produktbezeichnung, Kurzbezeichnung, Artikel-Bezeichnung
AI-generated
The item description is the human-readable name of an item in the inventory management or warehouse management system. It helps people in purchasing, logistics, and planning to quickly identify an item and distinguish it from others.
Key facts
- The item description is the human-readable name of an item and complements the item number as a human-readable identifier.
- A consistent naming convention reduces mix-ups in the warehouse, during picking, and in purchasing.
- Many ERP and WMS systems distinguish between a short description for labels and a long description for documents.
- Multilingual item descriptions are often required in international supply chains and cross-border trade.
- Missing or inconsistent item descriptions are a common cause of poor data quality in intralogistics.
What is an item description?
The item description is the textual identifier of an item within an ERP, WMS, or other master data system. While the item number provides machine-readable identification, the item description is aimed at people: it describes the item in a concise, understandable form and appears on delivery notes, picking documents, purchase orders, and reports. Without a consistent item description, mix-ups, queries, and errors arise in day-to-day operations.
How does the item description work in practice?
In most systems, you can maintain one or more description fields per item. A short description (often limited to 40–80 characters) and a long description for document printing or the web shop are typical. The short description appears on labels and warehouse displays where space is limited, while the long description carries complete product information.
In practice, the following aspects are particularly relevant:
- Uniqueness: A good item description cannot be confused with another — even when item numbers are missing or illegible.
- Structure: Many companies rely on a standardized naming convention, for example "Product group + feature + size + color"
Related terms
- ABC-Analyse
ABC analysis is a method for classifying items, vendors, or processes into three priority classes (A, B, C) based on their economic significance. It forms the basis for differentiated decision-making in warehousing, inventory management, and procurement.
- Artikel
An item is the smallest uniquely identifiable unit in warehousing, procurement, and ERP – described by master data such as name, dimensions, weight, and identification numbers. It forms the basis for planning, order picking, and inventory management.
- Hochregallager
A high-bay warehouse is an automated storage facility with racking from approximately twelve meters in height, where stacker cranes automatically store and retrieve pallets.
- Kommissionierung
Order picking is the process of assembling individual items from warehouse stock to fulfill a specific customer order — the most labor-intensive step in the warehouse.