Diagnosing SIMATIC BATCH Unit License Errors and Mandatory Package Requirements in PCS 7

In SIMATIC PCS 7 V9.0, receiving a license error message for Batch Units when opening the Batch Control Center (BCC)—even when Automation License Manager (ALM) holds a valid "Batch Unit 100" or "Batch Unlimited" license and the project only contains 21 units—indicates that a prerequisite base system license is missing or unrecognized. In SIMATIC BATCH, Unit licenses are capacity add-ons that cannot validate unless the foundational server package license ("SIMATIC BATCH Server Basic V9.0" or "SIMATIC BATCH Single Station V9.0"), Client licenses, and Recipe System licenses are installed. Resolving this issue requires auditing the complete BATCH license suite in ALM and confirming that license keys match the exact major PCS 7 software version.

SIMATIC BATCH Multi-Tiered Licensing Architecture

SIMATIC BATCH employs a modular, multi-tiered licensing structure designed to accommodate diverse plant scales, from single-station test systems to multi-server pharmaceutical facilities.

When an engineer opens the Batch Control Center (BCC) and is greeted by a licensing alarm reporting Batch Unit license missing or invalid, the intuitive response is to inspect ALM for Batch Unit keys. When the engineer discovers a valid 'Batch Unit 100' or 'Batch Unlimited' license and only 21 units configured, the error appears paradoxical.

In SIMATIC BATCH, however, Unit licenses are purely additive capacity expansion keys. They do not contain runtime software authorization. If the underlying BATCH Server or Engineering base package license is missing, expired, or version-mismatched, the license arbiter fails to initialize the licensing daemon, generating a generic 'Unit license' failure banner.

Why Unit Licenses Fail Without Foundational Base Packages

The execution of SIMATIC BATCH relies on multiple functional components that must each possess valid licensing:

License Package NamePurpose / FunctionalityInstallation NodeTypical Error if MissingSIMATIC BATCH Server BasicCore runtime recipe engine & AS coordinationBatch Server (or Single Station)BCC fails to start; generic Unit license errorSIMATIC BATCH Single StationCombined ES/OS/Batch standalone runtimeSingle Station PCBCC cannot open local batch databaseSIMATIC BATCH Units (PO Count)Authorizes number of configured Unit classesBatch Server / Single StationPop-up: Maximum unit count exceededSIMATIC BATCH Recipe SystemHierarchical recipe editor in BCCBatch Client / ESRecipe creation and editing blockedSIMATIC BATCH ClientMulti-client operator control stationOS/Batch Client PCsClient cannot connect to Batch Server

If a facility purchases 'Batch Unit 100' (6ES7658-5UA00-0XB0) but forgets to order or transfer the 'SIMATIC BATCH Server Basic V9.0' base license (6ES7658-5AX58-0YA5), the BCC licensing daemon cannot authenticate the runtime engine.

Complete License Suite Checklist for BATCH Architectures

To ensure compliance across typical SIMATIC BATCH architectures, verify the following packages:

[!IMPORTANT]
Commercial Accuracy Guardrail: Software licensing rules, package contents, and pricing vary by region and contract status. Software packages, order numbers, and capacity limits must be verified against current Siemens Industry Mall catalogs and validated through an authorized Siemens distributor quotation prior to procurement.

For an ES/OS/Batch Single Station:
- SIMATIC BATCH Single Station Package V9.0: 6ES7658-5BA58-0YA5
- SIMATIC BATCH Units (PO 100): 6ES7658-5UA00-0XB0
- SIMATIC BATCH Recipe System V9.0: 6ES7658-5CX58-0YA5
For a Redundant Batch Server Client/Server Architecture:
- SIMATIC BATCH Server Basic V9.0 (2x packages, one for each server): 6ES7658-5AX58-0YA5
- SIMATIC BATCH Units (matching total plant units, installed on primary server): 6ES7658-5UA00-0XB0
- SIMATIC BATCH Client V9.0 (for each remote operator workstation): 6ES7658-5BX58-0YA5
- SIMATIC BATCH Engineering V9.0 (installed on ES): 6ES7658-5AF58-0YA5

Auditing and Recovering BATCH Licenses via ALM

To audit and correct BATCH licensing faults:

Open Automation License Manager (ALM) with administrative privileges on the Batch Server / Single Station.
Select drive C: and open the Installed Licenses view.
Review the Version column:
- If running PCS 7 V9.0, all BATCH licenses must state Version 9.0.
- If a license states Version 8.2 or 8.1, it will be rejected by the V9.0 runtime. An upgrade package (e.g., 6ES7658-5AX58-0YE5) must be installed.
Verify that the License Type indicates Floating and License Key status is OK (green indicator).
If licenses reside on a network license server, ensure ALM network connection settings point to the server IP and port 4410.

Verification

To verify that SIMATIC BATCH licensing is resolved:
1. In ALM, confirm that both the foundational BATCH Server/Single Station license and the BATCH Units license show status 'OK' on drive C:.
2. Start Batch Runtime via the Batch Launch Coordinator; confirm the status transitions to 'Standby' or 'Master'.
3. Open SIMATIC BATCH Control Center; verify that the application launches immediately without licensing error dialogs.
4. In BCC, select Help -> About; confirm that the licensed unit capacity (e.g., 100 Units) is displayed correctly and matches configured plant units.

Limitations and Operational Precautions

If the licensed unit count is exceeded during plant operation (e.g., configuring 25 units with only a 20-unit license), SIMATIC BATCH does not immediately stop active batches. However, it enters an unacknowledged license violation state, generating periodic alarm banners and preventing the scheduling of new production batches. Conduct an audit of plant unit definitions in SIMATIC Manager Plant Hierarchy prior to commissioning new equipment phases.

Engineer FAQ

What constitutes a 'Unit' in SIMATIC BATCH licensing?

A Unit corresponds to an autonomous process equipment container (e.g., reactor, mixing tank, holding vessel) represented by an UNIT block instance in CFC and tagged as an equipment unit in the Plant Hierarchy.

Can BATCH Unit licenses be shared across multiple independent PCS 7 projects?

Floating licenses managed via a central ALM license server can be allocated to active servers, but a single BATCH server pair consumes the required unit pool locally during runtime.