How to track products by serial number

To track every unit on its own, turn on Lots & Serial Numbers in the Inventory settings, set the product to Track Inventory ‣ By Unique Serial Number, then enter one serial number per unit on the receipt. On the delivery, Viindoo proposes the serial numbers to ship and you can change them. The Traceability report of each serial number shows its full history.

Who	Inventory Administrator to turn on the setting and edit products; Inventory User to enter serial numbers on transfers.
App	Inventory

Before you start

• Install the Inventory app.

• Turn on Lots & Serial Numbers in Inventory ‣ Configuration ‣ Settings ‣ Traceability (see How to track products by lot number).

• Use serial numbers only for products that need after-sales follow-up, such as warranty. For batches of identical goods, lots are lighter.

How do I set a product to be tracked by serial number?

1. Go to Inventory ‣ Products ‣ Products and open the product.

2. On the General Information tab, make sure Product Type is Goods and tick Track Inventory.

3. In the field next to it, choose By Unique Serial Number, then click Save.

How do I enter serial numbers on a receipt?

1. Go to Inventory ‣ Operations ‣ Transfers ‣ Receipts and open the receipt.

2. Click the list icon at the end of the product line to open the line details. Each serial number is one line with a quantity of 1.

3. Enter the serial numbers in one of three ways:

   • Type them: click Add a line and type one serial number in Lot/Serial Number. Repeat for every unit.

   • Generate them: click Generate Serials/Lots, enter the First Serial Number and the Number of SN, then click Generate. Viindoo counts up from the last number in the first serial number, so it must contain at least one digit (MK18V-0006, MK18V-0007, …). Tick Keep current lines to keep the lines you already entered.

   • Paste them from a spreadsheet: click Import Serials/Lots, paste the column of serial numbers (one per line) and click Generate.

4. Click Save, then Validate.

Every serial number now exists as its own record under Inventory ‣ Products ‣ Lots / Serial Numbers.

How do I choose the serial numbers to deliver?

1. Open the delivery order from Inventory ‣ Operations ‣ Transfers ‣ Deliveries.

2. Click the list icon at the end of the product line. Viindoo has already reserved serial numbers according to the removal strategy of the product category (FIFO by default).

3. To ship other units, change the serial number on a line, for example because the customer asked for a specific unit, then click Save.

4. Click Validate on the delivery.

For the removal strategies, see How to choose which goods leave first with removal strategies.

How do I trace a serial number?

1. Go to Inventory ‣ Products ‣ Lots / Serial Numbers and open the serial number.

2. Click Traceability to see its movements from the receipt to the delivery.

3. Click Location to see where the unit is now.

Note

The Transfers button of the serial number lists the transfers that contain it, including the delivery to the customer. Use it together with warranty information for after-sales service.

Common errors

Message	What to do
You need to supply a Lot/Serial number for products …	Validate was clicked while a unit has no serial number. Enter one serial number per unit.
You can only process 1.0 Units of products with unique serial number.	A serial number line has a quantity other than 1. Set the quantity to 1 and add one line per unit.
You cannot use the same serial number twice. Please correct the serial numbers encoded.	Two lines of the same transfer carry the same serial number. Remove or correct one.
The combination of lot/serial number and product must be unique within a company …	The serial number already exists for this product. Use a new number.
The Serial Number (…) is already used in location(s) …	The unit is already in stock. Check that this receipt is not a duplicate; correct the number if it is a typing error.

Next steps

• How to manage product expiration dates

• How to choose between lots and serial numbers

Version notes

• The tracking choice is on the General Information tab of the product.

• The serial number record shows Customer, Supplier and Service State fields filled from its transfers.