Serial Tracking
Serial Tracking assigns a unique serial number to each unit and follows it through receiving, production, transfers, shipping, returns, and adjustments. It enforces one-to-one matching (serials = quantity) and blocks duplicates, giving audit-ready traceability for quality, warranty/RMA, and compliance. Optional auto-generation speeds high-volume entry and keeps formats consistent.
Overview / Insight
Serial Tracking assigns a unique serial number to each unit and follows that unit across locations and inventory stages (receiving, shipping, transfers, builds, adjustments).
It improves traceability (quality/recall), accuracy, and accountability.
Works in two modes inside transactions: add serials (bring into stock) and remove serials (take from stock).
System rules: serial numbers must be unique, quantity must be an integer for serial-tracked items, and the count of serials must equal the quantity on each transaction or save is blocked.
Where to Access
System setup: Top-right User name → Settings → General tab → Tracking Settings
✅ Enable Serial Tracking (auto-saves)
(Optional) ✅ Enable Auto Serial Number
Per-item setup: Inventory → Items → Add New / Edit → Inventory tab
Track Serial Numbers
(Optional) Auto Serial Number + Auto Serial Number Format
Initial stock serials: General tab → Initial Stock Quantity, then Inventory tab → Initial Stock Serials
Serial list & history: Inventory → Serial List
Click a serial to open Serial History (modal).
In transactions: Item Receipt, Shipment, Transfer, Relocation, Adjustment (increase/decrease), Build (finished goods / component consumption), Restock.
Key Attributes (all settings & rules)
Core settings
Enable Serial Tracking: Turns on serial control platform-wide.
⚠️ If you disable it, all serial-tracking data is deleted and cannot be undone.
Enable Auto Serial Number (optional): Auto-generates serials when you enter quantity for serial-tracked items.
Benefits: No manual typing, prevents duplicates/missing serials, ideal for high volumes.
Per-item controls
Track Serial Numbers (item level): Activates serial tracking for the item.
Initial Stock Serials: If the item has beginning inventory, you must enter the same count of serials as the initial quantity.
Add to existing items: If stock already exists, you must initialize serials for that on-hand quantity (you’ll see “Serial tracking not initialized” → use Adjust Stock to load serials).
Auto Serial Number Format (required when using auto-generation)
Token requirement: The format must contain exactly one auto-increment token:
[[INCNUM,resetCycle,digits,startNumber]]
Reset cycles:
NONE – never resets (e.g., [[INCNUM,NONE,4,1]] → 0001, 0002, …)
DAILY – resets each day (today: 0001…; tomorrow: 0001…)
MONTHLY – resets on the 1st of each month
Other tokens: Plain text; date/time tokens ([[DATE]], [[YEAR]], [[MONTH]], [[DAY]], etc.).
Examples:
SN-[[INCNUM,NONE,6]] → SN-000001, SN-000002, …
ITEM-[[YEAR]][[MONTH]]-[[INCNUM,DAILY,4]] → ITEM-202412-0001, …
[[DATE]]-[[INCNUM,NONE,3,1]] → 2024-12-01-001, 2024-12-01-002, 2024-12-02-001, …
Validation & data rules
Counts must match: Serial count must equal the transaction quantity (or initial stock).
Uniqueness: Serial numbers must be unique system-wide; used serials can’t be reused.
Integers only: Serial-tracked quantities must be integers.
Save blocking: If counts don’t match, Save is disabled and an error is shown.
Key Functions (complete workflows & operations)
4.1 Platform enablement
Enable in Settings
User name → Settings → General → Tracking Settings → ✅ Enable Serial Tracking.
(Optional) ✅ Enable Auto Serial Number.
Verify both toggles (Auto is optional).
Item-level setup
New item
Create item → Inventory tab → Track Serial Numbers.
(Optional) Auto Serial Number + enter Auto Serial Number Format (use tokens; must include one [[INCNUM...]]).
If there is initial stock: General → Initial Stock Quantity, then Inventory → Initial Stock Serials (enter exactly the same count of serials as the quantity).
Existing item
Open item → Inventory tab → Track Serial Numbers.
If on-hand exists, initialize serials: when “Serial tracking not initialized” appears, click Adjust Stock and enter the serials for the current stock.
(Optional) Set Auto Serial Number Format → Save.
⚠️ Disabling serial tracking deletes all serial data (irreversible).
Serial Number Modal — entering serials
A) File upload
Supported: .xlsx / .csv / .txt.
Drag & drop or click to upload; duplicates are auto-removed.
B) Auto-generate (Prefix/Start/End/Padding/Suffix)
Prefix: fixed text before numbers (e.g., SN-)
Start: starting number (e.g., 1)
End: auto-calculated after Start
Padding: digit width (4 → 0001)
Suffix: fixed text after numbers (e.g., -A)
Examples:
SN- + Start 1 + Padding 4 → SN-0001, SN-0002, …
Start 100 + Padding 3 + Suffix -A → 100-A, 101-A, …
C) Manage the list
Collapsed ranges by default (e.g., SN-0001 – SN-0010 (10)).
Show all to expand; Collapse to compress.
Delete one (trash icon) or Clear to remove all.
D) Quantity check & save
Header shows (entered / required), e.g., Serial numbers (5 / 10).
Save is enabled only when counts match.
⚠️ Serials must be unique and match quantity exactly.
Use in transactions
Add serials (bring into stock)
Item Receipt, Build (finished goods output), Adjustment (increase), Restock.
With Auto Serial Number on: serials auto-generate when you enter quantity.
Or click Serials to open the modal and enter/import serials manually.
Rules: serial count = quantity; serials unique; integer quantity only.
Remove serials (take from stock / consume)
Adjustment (decrease), Build (component CONSUME), Shipment, Transfer (move between locations), Relocation (move between companies).
The modal lists on-hand serials for the item; select the ones to remove.
Tools: Filter/Search, Select All, Auto Select, review selected list.
Ensure selected count equals the quantity.
Serials already used elsewhere can’t be selected.
General notes
Quantity must be an integer for serial-tracked lines.
Serials are unique across the system and cannot be reused once consumed/used.
4.5 Serial list & history
Serial List
Inventory → Serial List shows all serials in a table.
Serial History (modal)
Click a serial to open its detailed history.
Each row links to the original transaction (opens in a new modal).
Transaction types include: SHIP, RECEIVE, ADJUST, MOVEIN, MOVEOUT, BUILD, CONSUME, WORKBUILD, WORKCONSUME, RETURN
Columns include Related Document, Date/Time, Quantity, Location.
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