Serial number tracking is for the tracking of individual components and products through the manufacturing process and then on to the customer or final location.
Serial numbers can be created manually or automatically. Serial numbers are sequential and can have a prefix specified by material id. For instance the prefix can be used to include the product id in the serial number. When serial number tracking for a material is enabled, serial numbers have to be recorded wherever that material is used and created wherever that material is created. So screens for managing serial numbers exist on receipts, shipping and work orders. When serial numbers are being used in both a product and its components, then the component serial numbers have to be entered specific to the individual product. Component serial numbers cannot be marked to a work order in general, it has to be to a specific product. So in practice, serial numbering of components is normally only used if the final products have serial numbering.
Serial numbers must be unique for a certain material item but the same serial number can be used in different items.
From the ‘Traceability’ section in the Warehouse side menu there is a link "Serial number tracking" - from here it is possible to find wherea certain serial number has been used.
Serial numbering is integrated to the Product tracking facility in the Sales section. If serial numbering is enabled for a certain product, serial numbers for that product will be entered automatically into the product tracking system when it is manufactured or received. See the sales section for further information.
Serial number tracking is enabled for a particular material by marking the check box property of that material item in the Technical tab of the item’s card. The prefix is also specified there if necessary.
Serial number record only
If an item is marked as "Serial number record only" then the full serial number traceability is not used for this item, but the serial number is recorded at the time it is dispatched or the time it is used in a work order. I.e. the number is never "created" in the system and so can not be "used" later, but it is only recorded when it is used. This is to simplify the administration of serial numbers when the only business requirement is to find out which product have been sent to which customers, and perhaps to follow that product with the after sales product tracking system.
Typically this is used on purchased items where there is no requirement to know which serial numbers are in stock, but when they are taken from stock and used in a product then they are recorded.
Creating serial numbers
Serial numbers have to be created when materials are received from suppliers, or products are created in work orders. Serial numbers can be created manually by entering a serial number that exists already (for instance printed on the material that is being received). Alternatively, they can be created automatically, in which case the system allocates numbers from the next in a sequential list.
On the work order or sales order dispatch order select the ‘Serial numbers’ subtab under Traceability, then select the correct product (on a receipt where there may be more than one item being received needing serial numbers). Then either enter the serial numbers manually and press [Add] or press the [Autonumber] button to allocate all items with sequential numbers. If entering numbers manually it may be convenient to use a bar code reader if the numbers are available as bar codes. Autonumbering will use the next number from the system’s sequence together with the serial number prefix as specified in the Items properties in the Design section.
Recording the use of serial numbers
In a work order product serial numbers are created and component serial numbers are recorded. Component serial numbers would have been previously created at purchase order receipt or at the work order of a subassembly.
The products must first be allocated their serial numbers as described above. In a dispatch the serial numbers would already have been allocated to the products in the work orders. Press the "Enter serial number" button in the dispatch or work order. There is a button next to each product line identified as "Part Nbrs". Go through each product and select the individual component serial numbers that are being used against that specific product. Each time press Save to continue to the next product.
On a component, it is not possible to enter a serial number that does not exist in the system. This will result in an error message. Using the delete check box will release that serial number from this order; it will not delete the serial number from the system.
Serial number and the Product Tracking facility
‘Serial Number Tracking’ (found from the Traceability side menu in the Warehouse section) allows the status of a serial number to be checked. Serial numbers can be shown by product or by serial number, and information about relevant receipts, work orders or dispatches are shown. A serial number can be released from this page. This will delete the use of the serial number from the system so that it can be used again.