The Nation’s Combat Support Logistics Agency

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Supply Process 

Review Committee

Defense Enterprise Data Standards 

Office (DEDSO)

Oct 27, 2021, 0900-1200

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Agenda

2 Supply Team, DEDSO

August 25 , 2021

0900-0915 Welcome, Admin, & Introductions

Rafael Gonzalez Administrator, DEDSO/Tad DeLaney, Director, DEDSO / DASD Log

0915-1030

Understanding Purpose code

Rafael Gonzalez/Gail Fuller Administrators, DEDSO

Purpose Codes Attributes

Rafael Gonzalez/Gail Fuller Administrators, DEDSO

Materiel Owner vs Purpose Code

Rafael Gonzalez/Gail Fuller Administrators, DEDSO

Proposed Purpose Code Syntax

Rafael Gonzalez/Gail Fuller Administrators, DEDSO

1030-1045 BREAK

1045-1200

Preventing Abuse of the Purpose Code

Rafael Gonzalez/Gail Fuller Administrators, DEDSO

Purpose Code Example

Rafael Gonzalez/Gail Fuller Administrators, DEDSO

Pre-defined vs User Defined Purpose Code

Rafael Gonzalez/Gail Fuller Administrators, DEDSO

Defense Enterprise Data Standards Office (DEDSO)

Defense IT Standards for Business Systems of the DoD Supply Chain
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Agenda (Continue)

3 Supply Team, DEDSO

August 25 , 2021

Defense Enterprise Data Standards Office (DEDSO)

Defense IT Standards for Business Systems of the DoD Supply Chain

1045-1200

How to Assign a Purpose Code to Materiel in Storage

Rafael Gonzalez/Gail Fuller Administrators, DEDSO

Way Forward

Rafael Gonzalez/Gail Fuller Administrators, DEDSO

Open Discussion

Rafael Gonzalez/Gail Fuller Administrators, DEDSO

1200-1215 Wrap Up Session
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Purpose Code Attributes

Current

• 1 Alpha character

• Limited to intra-Component use

• Not equally implemented 

across DoD

• No physical segregation 

• Available for all commodities

Future

• Up to 6 alpha-numeric characters 

and dashes, no other special 

character or spaces

• Available for cross organization use

• Standard procedures

• Physical and systemic materiel 

segregation 

• New process to assign purpose 

code via transactions

• Provide the means for joint 

operation metrics.

• Available for all commodities

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* All DLMS transactions support 

Purpose Code
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Materiel Owner vs Purpose Code

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Materiel Owner (QTY 7)

Purpose 

Code 3 

(QTY 2)

Purpose 

Code 2 

(QTY 3)

Purpose 

Code 1 

(QTY 2)

• The materiel owner Routing Identifier Code 

(RIC) will remain as the owner for the full 

QTY regardless of the purpose code. 

Storage activities will report and reconcile 

records with the materiel owner RIC 

regardless of the purpose code. 

• Only the materiel owner will be able to 

assign the purpose code. 

• A materiel owner may use a purpose code 

to physically allocate/segregate materiel by 

a purpose, secondary ownership, or a 

program/initiative.

• Purpose code may be assigned at time of 

receipt via DLMS 527D Preposition 

Materiel Receipt (PMR) or while the 

materiel is in storage via the DLMS 940S 

Materiel Staging Request. The PMR must 

be available with the appropriate 

purpose code at time of receipt.
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Proposed Purpose Code Syntax

• The purpose code will be up to 6 alpha-numeric 

characters and dashes, no other special characters or 

spaces are allowed.

• The purpose code must begin with an alpha numeric 

character. This will prevent materiel owners to use a 

dash as a purpose code. 

• The purpose code can be used across 

organizations without creating duplication when the 

materiel in storage is segregated by owner.

• Components may use a DODAAC as a purpose code to 

identify the ultimate owner of the materiel.

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Preventing Abuse of the 

Purpose Code

Proposed methods:

• Limit the number of purpose codes a materiel owner 

can use per NSN, supply condition code, materiel 

owner combination (i.e., 5 purpose codes per 

combination).

• Once the full QTY under a purpose code is issued or 

exhausted, the purpose code will automatically drop. 

• All re-warehousing action that involves ownership 

transfer will not perpetuate the purpose code, to 

include logistic reassignments. 

• Storage activities will reject any request for 

segregation of materiel when the purpose code 

syntax is not in compliance. 

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Yes/No
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Purpose Code Example

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NSN: 1010-001234678

SCC: A Qty: 3 RIC:B16

Purpose Code: A12345

NSN: 1010-001234678

SCC: A Qty: 3 RIC:B16

Purpose Code: A45678

NSN: 1010-001234678

SCC: A Qty: 3 RIC:B16

Purpose Code: 789456 NSN: 1010-001234678

SCC: A Qty: 3 RIC:B16

Purpose Code: 101010

NSN: 1010-001234678

SCC: A Qty: 2 RIC:B16

Purpose Code: ABC123

NSN: 1010-001234678

SCC: A Qty: 3 RIC:B16

Purpose Code: 

Exceeded the limit

NSN: 1010-001234678

SCC: A QTY: 17 RIC: B16

Proposed Limitation to the use of Purpose Code

Up to 5 purpose codes for the same NSN, SCC, Owner RIC. When the purpose code limit is reached, 

the additional materiel will be stored with the general population and not segregated by purpose code. 

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2

3

4

5

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Pre-defined vs User Defined 

Purpose Code

Pre-defined:

DEDSO will create a list of purpose 

codes for all Components as part of 

the initial proposed change. 

Components will contact DEDSO 

to incorporate new purpose codes. 

The approved list of purpose codes 

will be universal for all 

Components. 

Systems may require frequent 

updates as the list of purpose code 

changes. 

When requesting segregation of 

materiel in storage, the purpose 

code must match the approved list. 

Non-pre-defined:

• DEDSO will not maintain a list 

of purpose codes. 

• Materiel owners will create a 

maintain purpose codes, as 

necessary. 

• The purpose code value and 

definition will only be 

meaningful to the materiel 

owner. 

• When requesting segregation of 

materiel, the materiel owner can 

use any value that meets the 

approved syntax.

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DLMS 943A DLMS 943A

Materiel Owner DAAS Storage Activity

How to Assign a Purpose Code 

to Materiel in Storage

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Comments:

1. The QTY must be equal or less than the on-hand balance. 

2. The PMR will be the transaction to request segregation of materiel by purpose code at time of 

receipt.

3. If the purpose code does not comply with the syntax defined in this change, the storage activity will 

store the materiel with the general population and provide a negative response (DLMS 943S) back 

to the materiel owner. The materiel owner will need to submit a request (DLMS 940S) to assign a 

valid purpose code. A purpose code that does not meet the syntax will not result in SDR.

4. At time of receipt, when the purpose code doesn’t not comply with the syntax, the storage activity 

will store the materiel with the general population and will not provide a negative response back to 

the materiel owner. 

5. A dual inventory adjustment will be necessary to assign a new purpose code to materiel in storage. 

Response

Request
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Way Forward

• DEDSO will put together the initial draft proposed change 

in the next couple of months. 

• Components will have 30 days to review and provide 

comments/responses in their official response back to 

DEDSO. 

• After 30 days, DEDSO will coordinate with DASD 

Logistics for approval.

• The target date for this proposed change is no later than 

November 30, 2021. 

• The target date for approval is end of 2nd quarter FY 

2022. 

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Open Discussion

• Questions/Concerns:

– Any additional requirements that we have not 

discussed? 

– Are there any mission critical tasks that can benefit 

from this proposal?

– What is the Implementation target for the proposed 

purpose code? 

– Are there any audit findings/NFRs that can be 

addressed by implementing this proposal?

• Future PRC:

– Any future topics for the upcoming PRC?

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When you write a check, you can add a memo. 

You do it to identify a particular check out of all in 

your checkbook. However, you don’t need to ask 

the bank to approve what you choose to use/write 

in the memo. The memo is only meaningful to you 

and not to the bank. 

The purpose code has the same use 

as the memo in a check. 
Memo: DROTST

NSN: 1223-001456789

NSN: 1223-001456789

Memo: CBM

NSN: 1223-001456789

Memo: F35-DB

NSN: 1223-001456789

Memo: A2

NSN: 1223-001456789

Memo: N00104

Materiel Owner 

RIC: NRP

Purpose: is an alpha numeric variable 

length field that allows materiel owners to 

segregate materiel in the warehouse by a 

given value (i.e. program or purpose). 

There will be no duplication as each 

purpose is by owner. The value of the 

purpose is only meaningful to the materiel 

owner. 

DROTST

CBM

F35-DB

A2

N00104
NSN 1223-001456789 

SCC: A Owner: NRP

Purpose: DROTST

NSN 1223-001456789 

SCC: A Owner: NRP

Purpose: CBM

NSN 1223-001456789

SCC: A Owner: NRP

Purpose: F35-DB

NSN 1223-001456789

SCC: A Owner: NRP

Purpose: A2

NSN 1223-

001456789

SCC: A Owner:F21

Purpose: N00104

Materiel with a purpose value will be stored separately from 

general population for that owner. If the materiel had no 

purpose, it will be stored with the general population of the 

same type and kind by owner.