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Serial Number Lookup

Track and locate serial-tracked items across your entire warehouse system.

Overview

The Serial Number Lookup feature provides a centralized, read-only view of all serial numbers in your system. Quickly search for serial numbers, view their current status and location, and track their complete movement history from receiving through shipping.

Unified Tracking

Serial Number Lookup consolidates information from receiving, inventory, orders, and shipments into a single searchable interface, making it easy to locate and track individual items.

Key Capabilities:

  • Search serial numbers by partial or complete number
  • View current status and location for any serial number
  • Track complete movement history
  • Filter by product or status
  • Navigate directly to related records
  • Mobile-optimized for warehouse floor use

Accessing Serial Number Lookup

From the Navigation Menu

  1. Navigate to Products in the sidebar
  2. Click Serial Number Lookup
  3. The Serial Number Lookup page opens

The Serial Number Lookup page provides:

  • Search bar - Find serial numbers by partial match
  • Product filter - Narrow results to specific products
  • Status filter - Filter by serial number lifecycle status
  • Results table - View all matching serial numbers

Searching for Serial Numbers

Search by Serial Number:

  1. Enter any part of the serial number in the search bar
  2. Results filter as you type
  3. Click any result to view detailed information

Examples:

  • Search "SN-123" to find all serial numbers starting with SN-123
  • Search "456" to find all serial numbers containing 456
  • Search exact serial number for precise match

Filter by Product

Narrow search to specific product:

  1. Click Product filter dropdown
  2. Select a product from the list
  3. Only serial numbers for that product display

Use Case: Finding all serial numbers for a specific model or SKU

Filter by Status

Filter by lifecycle status:

  1. Click Status filter dropdown
  2. Select one or more statuses
  3. Results show only serial numbers in selected states

Available Statuses:

  • EXPECTED - Serial number created during receiving order setup
  • RECEIVED - Item physically received into warehouse
  • IN_INVENTORY - Currently stored in inventory location
  • ALLOCATED - Reserved for a specific order
  • PICKED - Picked from inventory for shipment
  • SHIPPED - Dispatched with a shipment

Combining Filters

You can combine search with filters for precise results:

Example: Search "SN-2024" + Product "Laptop Model X" + Status "IN_INVENTORY"

Result: All Laptop Model X serial numbers starting with SN-2024 currently in inventory

Serial Number Lifecycle

Understanding serial number statuses helps track items through your warehouse operations.

Status Flow

graph LR
    A[EXPECTED] --> B[RECEIVED]
    B --> C[IN_INVENTORY]
    C --> D[ALLOCATED]
    D --> E[PICKED]
    E --> F[SHIPPED]

    D -.Cancel Order.-> C
    E -.Return.-> C

Status Definitions

EXPECTED - Serial number created when receiving order is planned - Item not yet physically received - Common for advance shipment notifications (ASN)

RECEIVED - Item physically received at warehouse - May be in receiving staging area - Not yet put away to inventory location

IN_INVENTORY - Item stored in inventory location - Available for allocation to orders - Normal resting state for inventory

ALLOCATED - Reserved for a specific customer order - Not available for other orders - Waiting to be picked

PICKED - Item picked from inventory location - Staged for packing and shipping - Order fulfillment in progress

SHIPPED - Item dispatched with shipment - Out of warehouse custody - Final status in warehouse system

Viewing Serial Number Details

Opening Detail View

  1. Click any serial number in the search results
  2. Serial Number Detail modal opens
  3. View comprehensive information

Detail View Sections

Serial Number Information: - Serial number identifier - Current status badge - Product details (name, SKU, description) - Link to product page

Current Location: - Warehouse name - Inventory location (if IN_INVENTORY) - LPN container (if applicable) - Staging area (if staged for shipment)

Order Information: - Associated receiving order (if EXPECTED or RECEIVED) - Customer order number (if ALLOCATED or PICKED) - Shipment details (if SHIPPED) - Direct links to order/shipment records

Quantity Information: - Quantity: Always 1 (serial-tracked items) - Status indicator with color coding

Movement History: - Complete audit trail of all movements - Timestamps for each status change - LPN transfers and relocations - User who performed each action

Date Information: - Date received - Date allocated (if applicable) - Date picked (if applicable) - Date shipped (if applicable) - Last updated timestamp

Common Use Cases

Locating a Specific Item

Scenario: Customer calls asking about a specific serial number

Steps: 1. Open Serial Number Lookup 2. Search for the serial number 3. View current status and location 4. Provide customer with accurate information

Example: Customer inquires about warranty item SN-2024-5678 - Search "SN-2024-5678" - Status: SHIPPED on 2024-01-15 - Shipment tracking available

Inventory Verification

Scenario: Verify which serial numbers are currently in inventory

Steps: 1. Open Serial Number Lookup 2. Filter Status: "IN_INVENTORY" 3. Optionally filter by Product 4. Review list of available serial numbers

Use Case: Confirming available inventory for high-value items before promising to customers

Tracking Item Through Warehouse

Scenario: Follow an item's journey from receiving to shipping

Steps: 1. Search for serial number 2. Open detail view 3. Review Movement History section 4. See complete timeline of status changes

Example Timeline: - Jan 5, 10:00 AM - EXPECTED (Receiving Order RCV-001) - Jan 5, 2:30 PM - RECEIVED (Received by John) - Jan 5, 3:15 PM - IN_INVENTORY (Put away to A-15-C) - Jan 8, 9:00 AM - ALLOCATED (Order ORD-456) - Jan 8, 2:00 PM - PICKED (Picked by Sarah) - Jan 8, 4:30 PM - SHIPPED (Shipment SHIP-789)

Resolving Discrepancies

Scenario: Customer claims item not received, but you show it shipped

Steps: 1. Search for serial number from customer's order 2. Verify status is SHIPPED 3. Check shipment details and tracking 4. Review movement history for audit trail 5. Provide documentation to customer or carrier

Finding Available Units

Scenario: Need to find which serial numbers of a product are available

Steps: 1. Filter by specific Product 2. Filter Status: "IN_INVENTORY" 3. Review available serial numbers 4. Note their locations for picking

Use Case: Customer requests specific model, need to identify available units for order fulfillment

Mobile Access

Serial Number Lookup is fully optimized for mobile devices.

Mobile Features

Touch-Optimized Interface: - Large search bar for easy typing - Card-based results layout - Swipe to view details - Bottom navigation for quick access

Barcode Scanning: - Tap camera icon in search bar - Scan serial number barcode - Instant lookup results

On-the-Floor Usage: - Look up serial numbers while walking warehouse - Verify locations during cycle counts - Confirm status during picking operations

Mobile Workflow Example

Scenario: Warehouse worker needs to verify serial number location

  1. Open mobile app
  2. Navigate to Serial Number Lookup
  3. Tap camera icon
  4. Scan serial number barcode
  5. View current location instantly
  6. Navigate to location for pick or count

Integration with Other Features

Product Management

  • Link from serial number detail to product page
  • View all serial numbers for a product
  • Product tracking requirements displayed

Inventory Management

  • Serial numbers in inventory show precise locations
  • Click location to view all inventory at that location
  • Useful for putaway and location verification

Order Management

  • Allocated/picked serial numbers link to orders
  • View which order a serial number is assigned to
  • Track order fulfillment status

Receiving Operations

  • Expected serial numbers link to receiving orders
  • Verify which serial numbers are planned for receipt
  • Confirm receipt status

Shipping Operations

  • Shipped serial numbers link to shipment records
  • View shipment tracking information
  • Access bill of lading or shipping labels

Reporting and Analytics

Available Reports

Serial Number Status Report: - Count of serial numbers by status - Identify bottlenecks in workflow - Monitor inventory levels

Serial Number Movement Report: - Average time in each status - Identify slow-moving items - Warehouse efficiency metrics

Product Serial Number Report: - All serial numbers by product - In-stock vs. shipped analysis - Warranty tracking

Exporting Data

Export Options: - Export search results to CSV - Include status and location information - Use for external reporting or analysis

Best Practices

Search Efficiency

Use Partial Matches: - Search "2024" to find all 2024 serial numbers - Use product prefixes for quick filtering - Combine with status filter for precision

Bookmark Common Searches: - Bookmark frequently accessed products - Create shortcuts for inventory status searches - Save time on repetitive lookups

Data Accuracy

Verify Information: - Always check status and location before making decisions - Use movement history to verify recent changes - Confirm timestamps for time-sensitive inquiries

Report Discrepancies: - If location doesn't match physical inventory, report to supervisor - Use cycle counting to verify and correct - Maintain data integrity

Warehouse Operations

Cycle Counting: - Use Serial Number Lookup to verify expected serial numbers at location - Compare physical items to system records - Investigate missing or unexpected serial numbers

Putaway Verification: - After receiving, verify serial numbers show IN_INVENTORY status - Confirm correct location assignment - Check for any stuck in RECEIVED status

Order Fulfillment: - Before picking, verify serial numbers are ALLOCATED - After picking, confirm status changed to PICKED - Verify serial numbers match pick list

Troubleshooting

Serial Number Not Found

Possible Causes: - Serial number not yet entered in system - Typo in serial number - Serial number from different warehouse or system

Solutions: 1. Verify serial number spelling 2. Check if receiving order exists but not yet received 3. Try partial search (e.g., last 4 digits) 4. Contact administrator if serial should exist

Incorrect Status Displayed

Possible Causes: - Status not updated due to workflow interruption - System lag in updating status - Data sync issue

Solutions: 1. Refresh the page to reload data 2. Check movement history for recent changes 3. Verify related records (orders, shipments) 4. Report to supervisor if status clearly wrong

Location Not Showing

For IN_INVENTORY Status: - Location should always display - If missing, item may need putaway - Check if in receiving staging area

For Other Statuses: - Location may not display if not yet put away - Check receiving order for staging location - Verify putaway was completed

Missing Movement History

Possible Causes: - Serial number recently created - Movement tracking not enabled historically - Data migration issue

Solutions: 1. Recent serial numbers have complete history 2. Older serial numbers may have partial history 3. Check related records for additional information

Need Help?

Questions?

Last Updated: January 2025