Configuring the serial tab

Use the Parsing - Fixed section if the serial number that is in portion of the bar code that contains the serial number always begins in the same position. If the Fixed method is used, the Delimited Parsing must be zero.

Parsing - Fixed: Starts at Position

Specify the position of the bar code string where the serial number begins. For example, if the serial number always starts at the 11th character of data, the starting position is 11.

Use the Parsing - Delimited section if the portion of the bar code that contains the serial number can vary and is indicated by a delimiter somewhere in the string. If the Delimited method is used, the Fixed Parsing must not be defined. If using the delimited method, but Starts after and Occurrences of must be used.

Starts after

If you use delimited, specify a number between 1 and 9 that indicates the count of the delimiter indicator defined in the Occurrences of.

Occurrences of

Specify the number, letter, or other characters used to indicate that the serial number portion of the bar code is immediately following. For example, if the serial number starts after the second asterisk (*) in the data, the setup for these fields is 2 for Starts after and * for Occurrences of.

Length (characters)

Specify the number of characters that make up the actual serial number. The system bar code can include more characters, but the serial number is only a portion of the string that is scanned. The length applies to the fixed parsing rules or delimited parsing rules.

Masking Format

Specify a masking syntax to ensure that the correct format is followed for the string that is scanned as the serial number.

Regardless of when the serial number is scanned, the masking format is checked to ensure the number that is scanned is consistent with a syntax identified for the item. If it is not, the user cannot complete the transaction.

These values are suggested masking configuration values:

• N: numeric
• A: alpha
• C: alpha or numeric
• D: character such as -, #, *, etc.
• B: blank space

Examples using these values:

• If an item's serial number is AABBCC1234, then the masking format is AAAAAANNNN
• If an item's serial number is SER-90800Z-10001, then the masking is AAADNNNNNADNNNNN

These parameters are used to separate into individual serials a long bar code that includes multiple serial numbers. These serials can be separated by either using a number of fixed length characters or by using a delimiter to break up the serials. These parameters can be used to break the bar code into a series of ‘Serial Number Long’ values.

Fixed Length

Specify the fixed length that identifies the length of the full string that contains one serial number.

Example:

• Fixed length = 10
• Barcode scanned = T709Z87124Y324A80909G767R09821

  This bar code contains three separate serial numbers; each is 10 characters as defined by the Fixed Length of 10.

• T709Z87124
• Y324A80909
• G767R09821

  This character string can contain only the serial number or more data in addition to the serial number. If it contains more than the serial number, the parameters defined in the Serial Number Configuration section can be defined to extract the serial number from a longer string.

Delimited by

Specify the delimiter that indicates how a full data bar code string is broken into individual serial numbers.

Example:

• Delimiter = Z
• Barcode scanned = ZT709987Z24Y324AZ090944G76ZR09821

  This barcode contains four separate serial numbers indicated by each occurrence of Z.

• T709987
• 24Y324A
• 090944G76
• R09821

  This character string can contain only the serial number or more data in addition to the serial number. If the character string contains more than the serial number, the parameters defined in the Serial Number Configuration section can be defined to extract the serial number from a longer string.

Use the serial increment rules for these two scenarios:

• The product always has sequential serial numbers and every time a bar code is scanned the system creates or uses the next defined number of serials in a sequence.
• The user scans a range of serial numbers and the product has all sequential serial numbers. By scanning the first and last number of a range, the system determines all of the serial numbers within that range.

Increment Start Position

If the number of serial numbers represented by a bar code is greater than one, specify which portion of the serial number to increase to generate the other serial numbers. This information is determined by defining the increment start position for which the numbers increase and the Increment Length to indicate the length of the portion of the serial that to increment.

This configuration also applies if you can use a range to capture multiple serials that are in a sequence.

Increment Length

Specify the length that applies to the fixed parsing or delimited parsing rules. When used with the increment start position, the increment length represents the number of characters that are included in the portion that is increasing.

Example:

If the serial number in the bar code data is AABB123CC and the bar code represents 10 serial numbers, AABB123CC, AABB124CC, AABB125CC, … AABB132CC, one is added to the number found in the fifth, sixth, and seventh characters of the serial number.

In this case, the Start Position would be 5, and the Length would be set to 3.

If only one serial number is represented by a barcode, these settings are ignored.

Automatically Increment Sequential Serials

Select this check box to record the scanning of multiple serial numbers by performing a single scan. For example, you can scan the bar code on a case label and the serialized contents are automatically recorded because they are always in sequence.

When this check box is selected, the first serial number found from the bar code string is selected and the next sequential serial numbers are automatically created or utilized as configured.

The individual serial numbers are never handled separately when you use this configuration for an item. The scan of one serial always implies the use of the next sequential serial numbers as defined in this configuration.

Note: If you use this feature, you must define Serials per Barcode.

Serials per Barcode

Specify the number of serials to be added with each scan if the Automatically Increment Serials check box is selected.

For example, if the barcode represents 10 serial numbers, set the default for C to 10. The default value for this is 1.