Serial Number

As discussed in the Item page, if an Item is serialized, a Serial Number (Serial No) record is maintained for each quantity of that Item. This information helps track the location of the Serial No, its warranty and end-of-life (expiry) information.

You can also track from which Supplier you purchased the Serial No and to which Customer you have sold it. The Serial No status will tell you its current inventory status.

If your Item is serialised you will have to enter the Serial Nos in the related column with each Serial No in a new line. You can maintain single units of serialised items using Serial Number.

To access the Serial Number list, go to: Home > Stock > Serial No and Batch > Serial No

1. Prerequisites

Before creating and using a Serial Number, it is advised that you create the following first:

• Item
• Enable ‘Has Serial No’ in the Item master 

2. How to create a Serial Number

Usually, Serial Numbers are auto-created when transactions are made against a serialized Item. This works only when ‘Has Serial No’ is enabled and a series is set in the Item master.

For example, a series was set for the following Item as ‘PB2L.#####’. Then a Stock Entry was submitted to receive the Item. The Serial Numbers were created accordingly.

However, if you want to create a Serial No manually follow these steps:

1. Go to the Serial Number list, click on New.
2. Enter a Serial Number.
3. Enter the Item Code and details will be fetched.
4. If any transaction is done with an item, Serial No cannot be set or unset.
5. Save.

Inventory of an Item can only be affected if the Serial No is transacted via a Stock transaction (Stock Entry, Purchase Receipt, Delivery Note, Sales Invoice). When a new Serial No is created directly, its Warehouse cannot be set.

2.1 Notes about Serial Number

• The Status is set based on Stock Entry.
• Only Serial Numbers with status ‘Available’ can be delivered.
• Serial Nos can automatically be created from a Stock Entry or Purchase Receipt. If you mention Serial No in the Serial Nos column, it will automatically create those serial Nos.
• If in the Item Master, the Serial No Series is mentioned, you can leave the Serial No column blank in a Stock Entry / Purchase Receipt. Serial Nos will automatically be set from that series.

3. Features

3.1 Purchase/Manufacture details

The document from which the Serial No was created will be shown. If you purchased it from a Supplier, it’ll be linked here.

3.2 Delivery Details

If the Serial No was generated from a Sales Order, the Customer will be linked here.

3.3 Warranty/AMC Details

If the Item is under warranty or AMC (Annual Maintenance Contract), the expiry dates for these can be set.

Batch

Batch feature in ERPNext allows you to group multiple units of an Item and assign them a unique value/number/tag called Batch No.

This is done based on the Item. If the Item is batched, then a Batch number must be mentioned in every stock transaction. Batch numbers can be maintained manually or automatically. This feature is useful to set the expiry date of multiple Items or move them together to different Warehouses.

To access the Batch No list, go to: Home > Stock > Serial No and Batch > Batch

1. Prerequisites

Before creating and using a Batch, it is advised that you create the following first:

• Item
• Enable ‘Has Batch No’ in the Item master 

2. How to create a new Batch

To set item as a batch item, “Has Batch No” field should be checked in the Item master. If you have not selected “Automatically Create New Batch” when creating an Item, you will have to make Batches Manually as you go along.

To create new Batch No. master for an item, go to:

1. Go to the Batch list, click on New.
2. Set the Batch ID.
3. Select the Item.
4. If any transaction is done with an item, the batch cannot be set or unset.
5. Save.

When Batches are enabled for an Item, the option to retain sample stock also becomes available.

2.1 Batch Auto Creation

If you want automatic batch creation at the time of Purchase Receipt, you must tick ‘Automatically Create New Batch’ in the Item master:

3. Features

3.1 Splitting and Moving Batches

When you open a batch, you will see all the quantities that belong to that batch on the page.

• To move the batch from one Warehouse to another, you can click on the Move button.
• You can also split the batch into smaller one by clicking on the Split button. This will create a new Batch based on this Batch and the quantities will be split between the batches.
• If you set expiry date, the Batch will show ‘Not Expired’ until the expiry date, after which it’ll show ‘Expired’. If a date is not set, the Batch will show ‘Not Set’.

3.2 Transacting Items with Batches

A Batch master should be created before the creation of Purchase Receipt. Hence, every time a Purchase Receipt or Work Order is being made for a batch item, you will first create its Batch No, and then select it in the Purchase order or Stock Entry.

On every stock transaction (Purchase Receipt, Delivery Note, Invoice) with a batch item, you should provide the Item’s Batch No.