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Serial Number Tracking

Introduction

IP1 system allows serial number tracking for items that require serial numbers. All stock movements in and out of warehouses, e.g. receipts, sales, transfers and adjustments allow for serial numbers to be captured for each item/quantity. Item classifications in the system must be set up appropriately to allow serial number tracking on dispatch and receipt as required.

Serial numbers for  Already delivered/charge only orders are captured during order entry since this picking method bypasses the warehouse process to capture serial numbers during pick, pack and dispatch process.

An order will pend with pending code ‘BX’ if serial numbers are missing for items in the order that require serial numbers.

View setup requirements

Business rules & item classification setup

The following business rules have to be setup to handle Serial number tracking. Business rules for Serial number tracking must be setup with support from Iptor IP1 consultants. It is critical to understand the setting of control files and how it works. Control files must be setup correctly for the system to operate as intended. Any changes to the control files setup should be addressed cautiously and in consultation with Iptor IP1 consultants.

Note This document does not cover customised setup tasks of specific companies. Deviations from this setup should be covered by setup tasks written by individual companies.

 

Business rules  Setup
TMSDS/IC-SRL  Track Item Serial Numbers This system defined control file is used to determine if an item is serial number controlled.

0 =  serial number tracking is not required.

1 =  track serial numbers without any validation on the serial number

2 = track serial numbers and validate against Warranty & Service serial number map file. (Warranty & Service feature that maintains serial number mapping is WSM210 – Serial number map maintenance).
TMSDS/IC-SRLB  Serial Control Base Item This control file holds all the valid serial base items used in serial number tracking. All serial controlled items that have a base item must have item classification IC-SRLB defined in Item master with one of the codes from this control file.
TMSDS/IC-SRLE  Serial Entry This system defined control file determines when serial numbers are to be captured for items that are applicable for serial number tracking, i.e. at receipt and dispatch or just at dispatch time. A system wide default  can be setup on TMSDS/ASRL-CLS to determine this. With the default setup there is no need to create IC-SRLE for individual items. 
TMSDS/ASRL-CLS  Serial Number Item Classification This control file holds the following.

  • Item classification – item classification for serial number tracking.
  • Item Class (Base) – control file that contains all the valid base items used in serial number control.
  • Vers/ref – this allows hiding of version and reference number on serial number entry panel to speed up capture of serial number. (Blank is same as 0 = do not hide)
  • Ent Dft – default entry to determine when the serial numbers are to be captured.
  • Serial entry – item classification to determine when to capture the serial numbers; can be left blank if a default entry exists in the previous field.
TMSWH/ENT-SRL When to enter serial number? This control file is used to validate the existence of serial numbers and when to validate. In dispatch only  mode (D), only document type ‘A’ (invoice)  will activate the serial number entry program. Blank warehouse code can be used as a ‘catch all’ default.
TMSWH/SRL-FMT Serial Number Extract Format This control file is used to format the serial number in Warranty & Service WHM275 Pallet Receipts by Model & Serial.

Max Characters to Extract – defines how many characters to extract. is has a maximum limit of 20 characters as the size of Serial number on our files is 20. Note : If entry is only 1 digit (say 8), then it should be entered as right justified (i.e. as 08).

Left/Right Justified –   whether to extract from Left or Right.  Valid entries are ‘L’ or ‘R’.

Strip Char Type: Whether to strip (exclude) alphabets(A-Z), numbers (0-9), Special characters (/*@+-%etc). Valid entries are ‘Y’ or ‘N’.

The following Item classifications are for serial number tracking.

Procedure

It is your responsibility to ensure that you understand this procedure before performing the following tasks.

Note Deviations from this procedure should be covered by procedures written by your company. Before performing any tasks please ensure all the business rules are set-up accordingly.

Serial number tracking

 Process Steps
Orders   – Already delivered/charge only  Serial numbers for  Already delivered/charge only orders are captured during order entry since this picking method bypasses the warehouse process to capture serial numbers during pick, pack and dispatch process.

  1. In the menu, expand Distribution > Order Processing & Billing > Order Processing > Order Entry > Already Delivered/Charge Only > Order Types  and then double-click AD Normal Order Entry. DSE005A Order entry – already delivered panel appears.
  2. Enter the customer number for the order and click OK.
  3. Enter all the order header information, as necessary and click OK to access the order detail panel.
  4. Once all the detail order lines are entered click Pfrm Calc.
  5. Click OK to complete the order.

The system will check/apply the following for serial number tracking.

  • Check if serial tracking applies for the order/picking method.
  • It will check if any of the items on the order requires serial number tracking.
    1. check serial tracking flag on the  item master using item classification IC-SRL
    2. check if serial control base item exists on the item master for the base item classification on TMSDS/ASRL-CLS (IC-SRLB). If the base item classification exists on TMSDS/ASRL-CLS then item master must have the serial base item against that item classification, otherwise serial number entry would not apply. If the base item classification does not exist on TMSDS/ASRL-CLS then the serial number entry would apply as per a. above.
    3. If  IC-SRLE classification for Serial entry is defined on TMSDS/ASRL-CLS then check item master on when to capture serial number/s.  If its not defined  then the default entry on  TMSDS/ASRL-CLS would apply.

If the above conditions hold then WHM280 Serial Number Entry panel will appear for each item that requires serial number/s.

  1. Enter the serial number for each item quantity.
  2. Enter the version and reference number if required (as per setting in control file TMSDS/ASRL-CLS).
  3. Click OK to complete the order. The system will check the entered serials numbers are in stock before it can complete the order.
Note There is a pending check in place for serial controlled items; if serial numbers are not captured then the order will pend (pending code BX). This will apply for any potential backorders, i.e. not yet supplied items with unknown serial numbers.

 
Consignment transfers Consignment transfer orders for serial controlled items are entered via Loan/C Entry/Issue (DSE005) and the serial numbers will be captured not during issue entry but in the WH pick/pack confirm by container process as explained in the next step.
WH pick/pack confirm by container During Warehouse pick/pack confirm by container, the system will allow serial number entry for each individual item/quantity as it is scanned/keyed.

  1. In the menu, expand Base Modules > Distribution > Inventory Management > Warehouse Management > Warehouse Control > Pick/Pack/Dispatch Confirm > Pick Confirm and then double-click WH Pick/Pack Confirm by Container. WHE100 Pick/Confirm by Container panel appears.
  2. Enter the picking slip number and click OK. The following panel appears.

  1. Enter the carrier and the tracking reference details and click OK. The following panel appears.

  1. Click function New container to open a new container.

  1. Enter/scan each item/quantity. The system will check if the item requires serial number tracking (as outlined in the Already delivered pick method above). If serial number tracking applies then WHM280 Item Serial Number Entry panel will appear prompting for serial numbers for the scanned/entered quantity.

  1.  Scan/enter the serial number for each item quantity. The system will check the entered serials numbers are in stock. Once the serial numbers/s are successfully entered the system will return to scan/enter next item/quantity and serial number/s.
  2. Repeat steps 5 & 6 for each item/quantity that’s being packed into this container. Note: If the container is full use function New container to open a  new container.
  3. Once the items have been scanned/entered click function Cfm container to close the container. A window pops up allowing you to scan in the weight.
  4. Scan/enter weight and click OK.
  5. After all the items are picked and all the containers are closed, click function Complete order. If there are any short picks the system will ask you to confirm those, otherwise it will complete the order.
Claims entry During claims entry process, the system will check if the claim is for serial controlled items for non-location control warehouse. If so then it calls WHM280 Item Serial Number Entry program to capture the serial numbers.
Returns registrations In Returns registration, if the serial number tracking is applicable then the system will capture serial number for each individual item/quantity just after it has been scanned.
Consignment returns On consignment returns, the system will allow serial number entry for each returned item/quantity as it is scanned/keyed if the item requires serial number tracking..

  1. In the menu, expand Base Modules > Distribution > Inventory Management > Warehouse Management > Warehouse Control > Returns > Returns and then double-click WH Consignments  – Return Entry. DSE185 Consignment Returns Registration panel appears.
  2. Enter the From/To warehouse, Customer number and Customer reference and click OK.
PO receiving/Shipping receipt entry (non-location control) Serial numbers are captured in PO receiving & Shipping receipts entry via WHM280 Item Serial Number Entry.
View serial number history, stock inquiry & movements Following inquiry programs are available for serial number tracking.

  • DSI020 Item stock inquiry – use option Serial to view breakdown of serial numbers in stock and history of movements for each serial number via WHM280 Item Serial Number Inquiry.
  • DSI120 Transaction inquiry – use option Serial to view breakdown of serial numbers in stock and history of movements for each serial number via WHM280 Item Serial Number Inquiry.

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