Product tracking enables the location and history of serial numbered products to be recorded. The product tracking record is created when the serial number is allocated on the work order that creates the product. If a product is being purchased the the record is created at receipt time. It is updated with the customer address when the product is shipped to the customer. The product is then assumed to be at the delivery address of the order, but this can be changed if, for instance, the product is moved to a separate location or returned for service.
Note that product tracking is often used with the dedicated work order feature. This is because a history of the "as-built" product structure is kept, and when using dedicated work orders the structure will often change on each work order.
Licensing
The following optional license modules affect sales orders (See the Admin->Licensing section for more details):
| Product tracking | Required for this feature |
|---|---|
| Serial numbers and lot tracking | Required for this feature |
| Service work orders | If service work is to be linked to a serial numbered product. For example on site service or installation work of a piece of equipment |
The product tracking screen
Records are normally created automatically by work orders or at receipt time for products being purchased. However it is also possible to create a record in the Product Tracking system which is unrelated to previous sales. This may be done for instance if you want to migrate an existing list of sold products into the system at start-up.
It is possible to record other information related to this individual product as described below.
The Product tracking selector lists records which are by serial numbers. Press New to create a new record, but remember that new records are normally created automatically from serial numbered products.
Tracking tab
| Serial number | Serial number of the product. Normally generated automatically by Manu, but can be created manually. |
| Location | Current location of the product. By default is the delivery address of the sales order |
| Agreement | Default comes from the sales order for this product |
| Item | Item id |
| Item descriptoin | Item descriptoin |
| Project | Project default from the sales order |
| Warranty starts | Date when the warranty starts. Default is the delivery date, but can be updated. |
| Warranty ends | Date when the warranty ends. The default is set in the company settings for the default warranty period in months. |
| Work order | The production work order where this product was created. Will be blank if the product was purchased, not made |
| Receipt number | Receipt number if purchased product |
| Dispatch | Dispatch number. From the shipment process |
| Agency | Agency. Used to record a 3rd party company who may be involved in the maintenance of the product. Default is the customer of sales order. |
| Inactive | Selection of this check box inactivates the product card. Inactive product card cannot be linked to an agreement |
| Comments | Comments |
| Comments (hyperlink) | Link field to any external document (URL or file system) |
As Built Structure
This tab displays the product structure of the serial numbered product. It is read from the consumed items on the work order where this product was created. If there was more than one product created on the same work order, it assumes that there product structures are identical. If a component also has serial numbers, it is possible to view that on the as built structure.
Custom fields
It is possible to have custom fields for a tracked product. These fields must be created by the service provider. Normally custom fields will also be implemented on custom reports. They can include such things as "Next service date" for instance
Work history
This lists service work orders that have been carried out and are marked to this product. See the service work orders section in the Production menu.
Activities
PRM activities can be linked to an agreement. See the section on PRM for further details on activities.