Serial No

Overview

Serial No – Business Overview

Serial No is used in Dafater to uniquely identify and track individual units of an item across their entire lifecycle. Instead of managing stock only in quantities, Serial No allows businesses to manage each physical unit separately, which is critical when items have unique identities, warranties, or service histories.

What Serial No Is Used For in Business Operations

Serial No represents one specific unit of an item. Each Serial No is assigned to exactly one item and follows that item through purchasing, storage, sales, delivery, returns, repairs, and after-sales service.

From a business perspective, Serial No helps you: - Track individual items instead of just total quantities - Maintain full traceability from purchase to sale - Manage warranties, guarantees, and service obligations - Control high-value, regulated, or sensitive inventory

Prerequisites and Setup Requirements

Before using Serial No effectively, the following should be in place:

Items must be configured to be serial-tracked
Only items that require individual tracking should use Serial No.
Clear inventory processes
Teams should understand when and how Serial Nos are assigned (e.g., at purchase receipt or manufacturing).
Defined storage locations
Warehouses or stock locations should already be set up to reflect where serialised items are stored.
User discipline
Staff handling inventory must accurately record Serial Nos during receiving, issuing, and transfers.

Typical Workflow and Business Process Fit

Creation or assignment
- A Serial No is created or captured when an item is received from a supplier, manufactured, or otherwise brought into stock.
Storage and availability
- Each Serial No is linked to a specific warehouse or location and reflects availability for sale or use.
Movement tracking
- When the item is transferred, sold, or issued, the Serial No moves with it, maintaining a clear audit trail.
Sales and delivery
- During sales, the exact Serial No is allocated to the customer, ensuring full transparency.
After-sales and lifecycle management
- The same Serial No is used to track warranty claims, repairs, replacements, or returns.

This workflow ensures end-to-end visibility of every individual unit.

Key Business Scenarios Where Serial No Is Essential

Serial No is especially important in the following situations:

Electronics and equipment sales
- Devices like laptops, machines, or tools that require warranty tracking.
Manufacturing and assembly
- Tracking finished goods or critical components used in production.
Healthcare, automotive, or regulated industries
- Where traceability and accountability are mandatory.
Rental or asset-based businesses
- Knowing exactly which unit is with which customer at any time.
After-sales service and support
- Quickly identifying item history when handling complaints or service requests.

Important Considerations for Users

Accuracy is critical
Entering or selecting the wrong Serial No can lead to inventory mismatches, warranty issues, or customer disputes.
One Serial No = one item unit
Serial Nos should never be reused or shared between items.
Operational discipline matters
All stock movements must include the correct Serial No to maintain data reliability.
Training and awareness
Staff involved in purchasing, warehousing, sales, and service should understand the importance of Serial No tracking.
Business visibility
Proper use of Serial No provides management with precise insights into stock movement, asset utilization, and customer ownership.

In Summary

Serial No in Dafater is a foundational setup document that enables unit-level inventory control. It strengthens traceability, improves customer service, supports compliance, and protects the business when managing valuable or sensitive items. When used consistently, it becomes a powerful tool for operational accuracy and accountability.

Distinct unit of an Item

Basic Information

Module: Stock
Document Type: Setup

Fields

Field Name	Label	Type	Required	Options	Description
serial_no	Serial No	Data	✓	-	Unique serial number tracked across Dafater inventory lifecycle
item_code	Item Code	Link	✓	Item	Item identifier linked for serial tracking in Dafater
batch_no	Batch No	Link		Batch	Associated batch number for grouped inventory control
warehouse	Warehouse	Link		Warehouse	Warehouse where the serialised item is currently stored
purchase_rate	Incoming Rate	Float		-	Incoming purchase rate recorded for valuation in Dafater
customer	Customer	Link		Customer	Customer to whom the serialised item is delivered
status	Status	Select		, Active, Inactive, Consumed, Delivered, Expired	Current lifecycle status of the serial number
item_name	Item Name	Data		-	Item name associated with the serial number
description	Description	Text		-	Additional descriptive details for the serialised item
item_group	Item Group	Link		Item Group	Item group classification for reporting and control
brand	Brand	Link		Brand	Brand associated with the serialised item
asset	Asset	Link		Asset	Linked asset record created from this serial number
asset_status	Asset Status	Select		, Issue, Receipt, Transfer	Asset movement status such as issue, receipt, or transfer
location	Location	Link		Location	Physical or logical location of the serialised item
employee	Employee	Link		Employee	Employee responsible for or assigned the serialised item
warrantyexpirydate	Warranty Expiry Date	Date		-	Date when the item's warranty coverage expires
amcexpirydate	AMC Expiry Date	Date		-	Date when the item's AMC coverage expires
maintenance_status	Maintenance Status	Select		, Under Warranty, Out of Warranty, Under AMC, O...	Overall maintenance coverage status based on warranty or AMC
warranty_period	Warranty Period (Days)	Int		-	Warranty duration in days for the serialised item
company	Company	Link	✓	Company	Company owning or managing the serialised item in Dafater
work_order	Work Order	Link		Work Order	Related work order linked to this serial number
purchasedocumentno	Creation Document No	Data		-	Source document number that created the serial record

Permissions

Role	Read	Write	Create	Delete
Stock Manager	✓	✓	✓	✓
Stock User	✓
Item Manager	✓	✓	✓	✓

DocType	Relationship	Module
Quality Inspection	Linked from	Stock
Warranty Claim	Linked from	Support
Asset	Links to	Assets
Batch	Links to	Stock
Brand	Links to	Setup
Company	Links to	Setup
Customer	Links to	Selling
Employee	Links to	Setup
Item	Links to	Stock
Item Group	Links to	Setup
Location	Links to	Assets
Warehouse	Links to	Stock
Work Order	Links to	Manufacturing