Serial products

Serial numbers are unique identification numbers that are used to track a product from manufacturing to the final sale to the customer. Serial number can also be used when service or replacement is required.

Each unit must have its own serial number, and each serial number must have a Product Extended Serial Number Setup record. The Product Extended Serial Number Setup record contains this information:

  • Receipt date
  • Cost
  • Order number
  • Customer purchasing the item
  • Invoice the item was sold on
  • Price
  • All associated dates
You can assign a serial number to a product when it is being received in the warehouse or when it is shipped to your customer. Administrator options control the point at which serial number assignment is required. These options are available:
  • During receipt
    If you select Assign Serial # During Receiving in SA Administrator Options-Products-Default, you are required to enter serial numbers when the serialized products are received in these functions:
    • Purchase Receipt of Inventory Entry
    • Transfer Receipt of Inventory Entry

    You can override this setting for a product by selecting Sales in the Serial Receiving field in Product Warehouse Product Setup. You must first select Serial in the Control field.

    If you select Require Serials on Direct POs in SA Administrator Options-Products-Defaults, serial number assignment of direct order purchase orders (DO POs) is required in Purchase Receipt of Inventory Entry. The ties sales order is automatically shipped after the serial numbers are assigned.

  • During shipping

    If Force Serial/Lot Input in SA Administrator Options-Documents-Sales Orders-Entry Settings is selected, you must specify serial numbers in Sales Order Entry. If serial numbers are not assigned in Sales Order Entry, the product is picked without regard to serial numbers. You must then assign the serial numbers during shipping before the order can be invoice processed.

    If you select Require Serials on non-Direct WTs in SA Administrator Options-Products-Defaults, serial numbers must be assigned in Transfer Shipping Entry before shipping a non-direct warehouse transfer. If you select this option, these settings are ignored:
    • Assign Serial# During Receiving option in SA Administrator Options-Products-Defaults
    • Serial control setting in Product Warehouse Product Setup for the product that is used to override the administrator option

    If you select Require Serials at Shipping in SA Administrator Options-Products-Defaults, serial number assignment for non-direct warehouse transfers tied to a sales order is required when the order is shipped in Sales Entry Shipping Feedback Report. The tied sales order is automatically shipped after the serial numbers are assigned. This option can only be selected if the Require Serials on non-Direct WTs is selected.

The Product Serial Number Report provides an audit trail of the history of each serial product. The report includes this information:

  • Current stage of the serial number
  • How and when it was received
  • How and when it was sold
  • Product cost and price