About lot and serial numbers

A serial number is a unique number that identifies a single item of stock, such as a camera, DVD player, or bicycle.

Serial numbers can be generated by the system, or you can assign them manually on a per-item basis so the system reflects the numbers provided by the manufacturer.

A lot number is a unique identification code assigned to a specific quantity or lot of a product.
A lot number includes the information about the stock item model and may include an expiration date. The same lot number is assigned to every item of the lot.
The lot size is generally specified on the purchase order or on the Supplier details tab of the Stock items (IN202500) window.

Lot and serial numbers are defined at the item class level using the Lot/serial classes (IN207000) window.
Lot or serial classes are divided into three groups by their tracking method:

• Classes of items that are not tracked by either number; you should define at least one lot/serial class for such items.
• Classes whose items are tracked by lot numbers.
• Classes whose items are tracked by serial numbers.

Consider these guidelines when you are deciding which lot/serial classes to create:

• Define a class intended for items that will not be tracked.
  
  This class can be used as the default lot/serial class if most stock items will not be tracked by any property.
• Create separate groups of classes for items with serial numbers and items with lot numbers.
  
  Within each group, create separate classes for items with expiration dates and without them, if both types of products are involved in your business.
• Use separate classes to group items to which serial numbers are assigned on receipt and on usage.
  
  Items purchased for further sale generally are assigned numbers on their receipt, while items produced (and kits assembled) are assigned numbers on their sale or usage.
• Consider using additional classes for items with different issue methods: FIFO, sequential, date, and custom.

Visma.net ERP provides flexible tools to allow you to configure different templates for generating such numbers, or you can manually enter them.
Other settings of the lot/serial classes define how and when the numbers will be generated, whether expiration dates are assigned and tracked, and what order is used for issuing the items from warehouses.

When creating a class whose items will be tracked by lot or serial numbers, you specify the following information in the Lot/serial classes (IN207000) window:

• Which tracking method is used for the class.
• Whether to track expiration dates or not.
• What is the maximum number of lot or serial numbers that can be assigned at once, controlled by the Auto-generate number batch size option.
  
  If, on a document, a larger quantity of the item is specified, only the maximum number of lot/serial numbers will be generated with the excess quantity remaining with unassigned numbers. You can initiate assignment of lot/serial numbers for an unassigned quantity of the item manually.
• How the numbers are assigned. The assignment method is one of the following:
  • When received: Items get a lot/serial number when they are received, and they're handled as lot- or serial-numbered throughout their "life" in stock until they're issued from a warehouse.
  • When used: The lot/serial number is not assigned to items until theyare issued them from stock or used in assembly; before that, items are handled as stock that is not lot- or serial-numbered.
• What the issue method is for items of the class:
  • FIFO:
    
    Lot/serial numbers are picked for issue by receipt date (oldest first).
  • LIFO:
    
    Lot/serial numbers are picked for issue by receipt date (newest first).
  • Sequential:
    
    Lot/serial numbers are picked in alphabetical order.
  • Expiration:
    
    Lot/serial numbers are picked by expiration date (faster-expiring first).
    
    We recommend that you select Expiration as the issue method for items with a rather short shelf life.
  • Custom (User-enterable):
    This method is not implemented in the current version.

Lot and serial numbers are segmented, and you can decide how many and what kind of segments there should be. Visma.net ERP supports the following types of segments:

• Constant:
  
  A segment of this type is a predefined alphanumerical string to be used in all lot or serial numbers generated for items of the class.
• Date:
  
  A segment of this type will be generated based on the relevant date (of receipt or of usage), which may include day, month number, month name, and two- or four-digit year value.
• Auto-incremental value:
  
  A segment of this type is automatically computed by the system when a new lot/serial number is generated, as it's actually a numbering sequence assigned.

CAUTION:
To correctly configure lot or serial numbers for a class, assign a numbering sequence to one of the segments.

The same numbering sequence can be used for all items of the class if you select the Share auto-incremental value between all class items check box.

In this case, sequential numbers may be assigned to different stock items, which in some cases may be inconvenient. If this check box is not selected, in the Stock items window, you can specify for each stock item of the class, which will have the same segment auto-numbered, a separate auto-incremental values—that is, an individual initial string of digits to be auto-incremented.

To prevent generation of similar serial numbers for different items of the same class, consider using different initial strings (auto-incremented values) for items of the class so that numbers for different items will be generated in non-intersecting ranges.

For example: Imagine that there are 10 items in a lot/serial class. During a year, no more than 1000 units of any item pass through warehouses.
The auto-incremental values for items can be selected in the following way: 000000, 100000, 200000,..., 900000.
If additional items (beyond 10) will be added to the class, new auto-incremental values can be used for them.

Each stock item is assigned to a lot/serial class that defines whether the items will be tracked by lot or serial numbers.
Stock items are assigned to lot/serial classes using the General settings tab of the Stock items (IN202500) window.

After that, lot and serial numbers, if any should be assigned, are generated automatically by the system when the stock items are received, issued, or assembled, depending on the assignment method of the lot/serial class. When such items are moved (transferred between warehouses or sold), you can invoke the Allocations dialog box to view or specify particular lot or serial numbers to be transferred or picked for the sales order, depending on the issue method selected for the class.