Serialized items in Warehousing

In Warehousing, you can use serial numbers to track serialized items through receipts, transfers, storage, or issues, the latter of which is mandatory. You can also track serialized items back to their source. The source of a serialized item is, for example, the purchase order or the production order that caused the receipt of the serialized item, or the sales order or the work order that caused the issue of the serialized item.

The need to track items by means of serial numbers arises from the items' cost. The more expensive the item, the more closely you want to monitor the item during its life cycle.

In general, expensive items are produced and handled in relatively low quantities, whereas the goods flow of less expensive items involves higher quantities. In LN, this concept is modeled in the low volume and the high volume scenarios that provide various options to register and track serialized items.

Low volume scenario

This scenario is used for expensive items produced and handled in relatively small quantities that require intensive tracking throughout the warehouse flow.

During receipt in the warehouse, for each serialized item an individual receipt line is created and, either manually or automatically, a serial number is allocated. For more information, refer to To register serial numbers in the low volume scenario.

Upon receipt, each item/serial number combination is individually stored in inventory and, consequently, financial transactions are initiated for each individual serialized item. For each inventory transaction, such as a receipt, transfer, or an issue, the inventory records of the serialized items are updated.

When issued from the warehouse, for each serialized item LN creates an individual outbound advice line and, if applicable, a shipment line, and allocates a serial number.

As a result of receiving a serialized item and registering the serial number, you can track the serialized items in the sessions involved in warehouse transactions and storage, such as:

  • Receipt Lines (whinh3112s000)
  • Outbound Advice (whinh4525m000)
  • Item - Serials and Warehouses (whltc5100m000)
  • Shipment Lines (whinh4131m000)
  • Picking List (whinh4525m100)
Serialized item status

For easier handling of serialized items that are individually stored in inventory, serial statuses are added. The serial item status is displayed in various sessions, such as the following:

  • Item - Serials and Warehouses (whltc5100m000)
  • Outbound Order Lines (whinh2120m000)
  • Item - Serials - Receipts (whltc5511m000)
  • Order - Serials (whltc5512m000)
  • Serial Tracking - Overview (whltc5515m000)
  • Cycle Counting Order Line Lots and Serials (whinh5106m000)
  • Adjustment Order Line Lots and Serials (whinh5126m000)
Note

The Serial Status field in the Outbound Order Lines (whinh2120m000) session enables users to issue serialized items with a new status.

High volume scenario

The high volume scenario is used for relatively less expensive items produced and handled in large quantities that require less intensive tracking. In this scenario, serialized items are not individually stored in inventory. Consequently, no inventory records exist that show updates on inventory transactions. Unlike the low volume scenario, in the high volume scenario LN does not create receipt lines, inbound or outbound advice lines, inspection lines, and/or shipment lines for individual items.

For each item-by-warehouse you can specify whether serial numbers must be registered for receipts, transfers, and/or issues. This helps you obtain an overview of the whereabouts of particular serialized items through warehousing but also enables you to skip scrutinizing serials where you do not need it.

You can track the serialized items in the sessions in which you register the serial numbers. In the Item - Warehousing (whwmd4100s000) session, you can specify that serialized items are registered for any of the following stages of the warehousing flow:

  • Receipts into the warehouse

    For example, to track the receipt of purchased serialized items that can be used as components for the production of end items, or the receipt of manufactured serialized items that are received into the finished goods warehouse, users must register serial numbers in the Receipt Line Serials (whinh3123m000) session for the items they are receiving. For further details, see To register serial numbers in the high volume scenario.

    If you receive serialized items, receipt lines are created in the same way as they would be for non-serialized items. For each receipt line, you must register serial numbers for the items.

  • Approvals
    If warehouse inspections are included in your warehouse flow, the serialized items that you entered in the Receipt Line Serials (whinh3123m000) session are also displayed in the Warehouse Inspections (whinh3122m000) session. In addition, you can indicate the serialized items that must be rejected or destroyed in the Receipt Line Serials (whinh3123m000) session.
  • Issues from the warehouse
    In LN, warehouse issues are initiated from various sources. For issues originating from service orders, work orders, or production orders, see the descriptions under the Production and Service and Maintenance headings of this list.

  • For warehouse issues of all other types, you must register serial numbers in the Shipment Line Serials (whinh4133m000) or the Outbound Advice Serials (whinh4126m000) session for the items that you issue, for example, to track the shipment of serialized items to a customer.

    If you use cross-docking to send a purchased component directly to a work center, the item does not pass through the warehouse's inbound procedure and outbound procedure. To make sure that you can still register serial numbers, set the Create Shipment field in the Default Order Types by Origin (whinh0120m000) session to Cross-docking Lot/Serial for the relevant combination of warehouse and work center. For more information, refer to Create Shipment.

  • Cycle counting/Inventory adjustment
    If cycle counts result in inventory variances of serialized items, in the Cycle Counting Order Line Serials (whinh5106m000) session, you can register serial numbers to adjust the variances.
  • Production
    For serialized manufactured end items, you must register serial numbers in the Serial End Item - As-Built Headers (timfc0110m000) session. In this session, you can register serial numbers during various moments of the production process. These moments are determined parameter settings in the Shop Floor Control Parameters (tisfc0100s000) session in Manufacturing.
  • For component items, you must register serial numbers in the Outbound Advice Serials (whinh4126m000) session during the issue of the components from the warehouse to the shop floor, or in the Serial End Item - As-Built Components (timfc0111m000) session before or after the release of the production order for the end item. This depends on settings in the Item - Warehousing (whwmd4100s000) session. For further information, see To set up serialized items.
  • Service and maintenance

    After you release a service order, LN issues the serialized component items required to carry out the repair or maintenance activities described on the service order by means of outbound order lines of the Service origin.

    Settings in the Item - Warehousing (whwmd4100s000) session determine whether you must register the serial numbers for the serialized component items in the Outbound Advice Serials (whinh4126m000) session or in the Service Order Actual Material Costs (tssoc2121m000) session. For further information, see To set up serialized items.

  • After you plan a work order, LN issues the serialized item that you want to repair or maintain to the repair shop by means of outbound order lines of the Maintenance Work origin.

    Settings in the Item - Warehousing (whwmd4100s000) session determine whether you must register the serial numbers in the Outbound Advice Serials (whinh4126m000) session or the Work Orders (tswcs2100m000) session.

  • Next, after you release the work order, LN issues the serialized component items required to carry out the repair or maintenance activities described on the work order by means of outbound order lines of the Maintenance Work origin.

    Settings in the Item - Warehousing (whwmd4100s000) session determine whether you must register serial numbers for components in the Outbound Advice Serials (whinh4126m000) session or the Work Order Material Resources (tswcs4110m000) session. For further information, see To set up serialized items.

Tracking originating orders for serialized items

Warehousing also provides the option to track the orders that initiated the receipt, transfer, or issue of serialized items, such as production orders, purchase orders, or sales orders. This option is available for both the low volume scenario and the high volume scenario. For further information on serial tracking options, see Serial Tracking.

Performance aspects

Using serialized items and lot controlled items results in data growth, which may affect system performance. For more information, refer to Using lots and serials.

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