Difference between revisions of "Serial, Lot Number and Expiration Date Tracking"

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== Overview ==
 
== Overview ==
  

Latest revision as of 15:11, 11 July 2022

This article describes the capabilities Serial/Lot Number and Expiration date tracking for products in HandiFox.


We also have a video on the subject, if you wish to see these features in action:




Overview


Serial/Lot Numbers page of the web app

Capabilities

HandiFox allows to record tracking information for stock entering or leaving your inventory (e.g. when it is sold). As stated, serial numbers, lot numbers and expiration dates can be tracked for products, as well as their combinations: Serial numbers & Expiration dates, and Lot numbers & Expiration dates. Tracking is manually enabled for specific products, without complicating the work with other items for which it is not required.

Once tracking is enabled for a product, the users can enter tracking information for the existing stock as well as for any new stock arriving or leaving (e.g. when receiving inventory or fulfilling orders). Also, at any moment a list of serial/lot numbers and/or expiration dates currently on hand can be viewed both in the web app and mobile app.

Barcode labels can be printed containing both the product code and all tracking information applicable to this product.

When counting, receiving or selling inventory, both manual input and barcode scanning can be used to enter tracking information.

Prerequisites

Tracking can be enabled for items of Inventory type (a.k.a. Inventory Part), but not for Non-Inventory or Service items, since quantity on hand is not tracked for them.

In order for tracking to be enabled for an item, its quantity on hand must not be negative on any of your inventory sites.

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Enabling Tracking for Products

Tracking must be enabled for each product individually. There are 2 ways to do so: you can enable tracking while creating or editing items from the Item List, or through the Serial/Lot numbers page. Either way, the process is basically the same, except that Create/Edit Item requires you to first check the Tracking box. Let's look at the example with enabling tracking through the Serial/Lot numbers page. Go to Inventory → Serial/Lot Numbers. In the left part of this page you will be shown a list of all Inventory type items for which tracking could be enabled.

If you highlight an item that is not being tracked yet, you will see the following settings in the right pane:

Web-sled-not-enabled.png

Here you can choose how the item will be tracked and enable tracking for it. A product can be tracked by:

  • Serial number,
  • Serial number and expiration date,
  • Lot number,
  • Lot number and expiration date,
  • Expiration date alone.

Also, you can choose how the Auto-Pick function will work for this product:

  • "First In - First Out" — the system will try to auto-pick items in the order they entered your inventory.
  • "First Expired - First Out" — HandiFox will try to auto-pick items that expire the earliest.
  • "None" — items will be auto-picked at the system's discretion (typically in the alphabetical order of their serial/lot numbers).

Once you've made these two choices, click Enable Tracking to start tracking this item as configured.

Warning-sign.png Once tracking is enabled for a product, you cannot turn it back off, nor can you change how it is tracked. If you need to stop tracking this product in the future or track it differently, we suggest creating a new inventory item to represent this product and making the old one inactive.

Now you can repeat this procedure for your other products that require tracking.

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Initial Entry of Tracking Information

After enabling tracking for a product, you will see this notice when highlighting it in Inventory → Serial/Lot Numbers:

Web-sled-none-assigned.png

This means the item is being tracked, but there isn't any tracking information in the system yet — no serial/lot numbers or expiration dates are known for any of the stock currently on hand.

The Unassigned Qty field will show how many pieces are missing this tracking information.

It is a good idea to enter tracking information next after enabling tracking for an item. To do so, click Assign Numbers.

You will be taken to the Serial/Lot/Expiration Dates for Item page which will look differently depending on how the item is tracked. We will look at two examples: a) tracking by serial numbers and b) tracking by lot numbers and expiration dates.

Example 1. Items tracked by Serial Number

Serial/Lot/Expiration Dates for Item page of the web app (tracking by serial number)

This is the simplest possible case, since there is only one field to fill, and the quantity for each row will always be 1.

First, choose the inventory site for which you will be entering serial numbers in the Site dropdown (if you don't have any extra sites, just leave it set to Main).

Next, type a new serial number into the field in the Serial Number column and click Web-icon-plus-gray.png. The number you entered will be added to the list, and a new row will appear below, which you can use to add another serial number.

Ideally, your goal is to provide a serial number for every piece listed as Unassigned Qty, but this is not necessary to start using the tracking features in your workflow.

You can also use a barcode scanner for serial number entry. Set the cursor in the Scan Serial/Lot field and scan barcodes containing your serial numbers, then hit the Enter key on your keyboard. They will be added to the list. If you change your mind, you can delete unnecessary numbers by clicking HFO delete cross button.png

In the end, if you've entered as many new serial numbers as the current quantity on hand for this item and site, the Unassigned Qty field will disappear, meaning that every piece in your inventory is now accounted for in terms of serial number tracking.

When done, click Save to record entered tracking data and leave the page.

Example 2. Items tracked by Lot Number and Expiration Date

Serial/Lot/Expiration Dates for Item page of the web app (tracking by lot number and expiration date)

This case is more complex since there are three fields to fill in: the lot number, the expiration date, and the quantity.

First, choose the inventory site that has the stock you want to add tracking information for (or leave it set to Main if you don't have any extra sites).

Next, enter a lot number in the respective column and click Web-icon-plus-gray.png. The number you entered will be "locked in", and the rest of the row will become available for editing. Also, a field for another lot number will appear below.

Enter the expiration date, then enter the quantity of items that have this lot # and expiration date. If you wish to track the same lot number with several expiration dates, simply click on Web-icon-plus-gray.png near the entered expiration date to add another line.

Fill in more rows by repeating the same steps, as necessary. If you change your mind, you can delete unnecessary numbers by clicking HFO delete cross button.png You can also use a barcode scanner for lot number entry. Set the cursor in the Scan Serial/Lot field and scan barcodes containing your lot numbers, then hit the Enter key on your keyboard. If the lot number hasn't been registered yet - it will be added to the list. If it is already on the list - the quantity will increase by 1. In the end, if the quantities in all rows add up to the current quantity on hand for this item and site, the Unassigned Qty field will disappear, meaning that every piece in your inventory is now accounted for in terms of lot # and expiration date tracking.

When done, click Save to record entered tracking data and leave the page.

Info-sign.png NOTE: It is impossible to edit the quantity of entered serial/lot numbers and expiration dates once they have been saved. It can be done only by Adjusting Quantity.
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Viewing Tracking Information for Products on Hand

For any product that is tracked by serial/lot number and/or expiration date, this tracking information can be viewed both in the web app and mobile app.

In the web app

To view the tracking information for a product in the web app, go to Inventory → Serial/Lot Numbers and highlight the item you are interested in. All tracking information that is known to the system will be listed in the right pane.

An example listing of tracking info for a product tracked by serial numbers

By default, the information is listed for all inventory sites combined, but you can choose a specific site in the Site dropdown.

You can also search for specific numbers or dates using the search field above the list. It is also possible to sort the list of existing numbers by clicking on the respective column header.

Printing labels for tracking numbers
You can mark some rows and click Web-icon-print.png to print labels with the product code as well as tracking details displayed as scannable barcodes. First, fill the Copy number field, which stands for the number of copies of the label for a specific item. When you click on the Print button, you will see a pop-up window that will allow you to determine what will be shown on the label. Next, choose the label size in the drop-down list. The available label sizes are 2-3/7” X 2-1/2” and 2-3/7" X 1-1/7". When you are ready, hit Print. The label parameters that you choose will be remembered for all items that have the same tracking method, saving time in the future.

If you still have some Unassigned Quantity for this item, you can add more tracking information for the pieces that are missing it by clicking Edit Numbers.

In the mobile app

To view tracking information for a product in the mobile app, go to Inventory → Item List. Find and tap the item that interests you, then tap Serial/Lot.

An example listing of tracking info for a product tracked by serial numbers in the Android app
An example listing of tracking info for a product tracked by serial numbers in the iOS app



You can use the Look for Serial/Lot field to search for specific numbers, or scan a barcode containing such a number to quickly locate it in the list.

Info-sign.png This screen lists tracking information only for the current inventory site. This is a part of the general limitation that every mobile device can only see or work with the inventory present at the site it is assigned to.

When done, tap Close (Android) or Back (iOS) to leave this screen.

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Products with Tracking in Transactions

You can track Serial/Lot numbers and Expiration dates across the following transactions: Invoice, Pick Invoice, Pick Order, Sales Receipt, Credit Memo, Item Receipt, Transfer, and Inventory Counting.
When creating transactions, extra steps are required to enter tracking information for products that support it. These steps are very similar for all transaction types, so we will talk about all of them in general.

If you want to avoid a situation where tracking numbers/dates haven't been selected for some of your tracked stock in transactions, you can enable "Do not allow saving transactions with unassigned serial/lot numbers" checkmark in Settings → Inventory. If the setting is enabled, you will not be able to save a transaction if for any tracked items, entered serial/lot numbers and/or expiration dates do not account for the whole total quantity specified.


In the web app


An example inventory counting session where the first two items are tracked by serial or lot numbers, and the last one is not.


Whenever a tracked product is present in a transaction, you can click Web-icon-expand.png to reveal the tracking details where you can enter or edit the serial/lot numbers and/or expiration dates.


Expanded tracking details for an inventory counting item that is tracked by lot number and expiration date.


When working with such items, it is recommended to first enter the total quantity for the item in the "main" row (where the item name and description are shown), if this quantity is already known. You can also enter it later.

Then, proceed to populate the serial/lot numbers and/or expiration dates for the item. You can choose the numbers and dates from a list or add new ones (when applicable) by typing in the search field and then selecting the option that says "new". By clicking on HFO calendar icon.png you can change the expiration date of the existing lot number, essentially creating a new one. You can check the available quantity of the existing number or date by clicking HFO exclamation mark quantity.png.

Alternatively, you can click Add From List to get a list of all present serial/lot numbers for which the quantity is not 0, where you can mark multiple records and add them all at once. For convenience, you can sort the list by clicking on the column headers.

You can also use a barcode scanner to select or create Lot or Serial numbers by setting the cursor in the Scan Serial/Lot field and scanning, then hitting the Enter key on the keyboard. Each consecutive scanning will increase the quantity by 1.

Below the tracking information you will be able to see the Total Quantity for all serial/lot numbers entered, as well as the Unassigned Quantity remaining based on the overall item quantity entered earlier in the "main" field.

For transactions that result in items leaving your inventory (e.g. invoices, pick lists, sales receipts), the Auto-Pick button will be shown below the tracking details. You can use it to have the system automatically fill in the tracking information with the most suitable serial/lot numbers, according to the item quantity entered and the tracking settings for this product (e.g. FIFO). Another Auto-Pick button is located above the item list - this one will allow you to let the system automatically pick numbers for all applicable items in the transaction.

To give you an indication of whether entered tracking information is consistent with the overall item quantity, the background is highlighted in green when the quantities match, and in red otherwise.

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In the Android app

When tracked items are present in a transaction on an Android device, you will see the Mobile-icon-itemdetails.png icon next to them:

Tracked items on an example sales receipt

When adding a tracked item to a transaction, first enter its total quantity in the Qty column, and then tap Mobile-icon-itemdetails.png to go to the Item Details screen and add serial/lot numbers used.

The Item Details screen

There are several ways to populate this list:

  • Scan barcode labels containing the right serial or lot numbers.
  • Tap Add Line and select a single serial/lot number from a list of all numbers in stock, repeat if needed. Here you can also add new serial/lot numbers, if applicable, by tapping Add New.
  • Tap Add From List to mark multiple numbers with checkmarks and add them all at once.

You can use the Auto-Pick function either to auto-pick all applicable items at once, or to do this selectively. If you tap Mobile-icon-autopick.png in the Create Transaction screen - all applicable items' tracking will be populated. If you want to auto-pick only a certain item, tap Mobile-icon-itemdetails.png to go to the Item Details screen, and then tap Mobile-icon-autopick.png. The list will be populated with one or more serial/lot number records that constitute the correct quantity, based on this product's Auto-Pick preference (e.g. FIFO).

When finished, tap OK. If the added tracking information adds up to the total quantity on the transaction, the Mobile-icon-itemdetails.png icon will turn green to indicate that. Otherwise, you will receive a warning.

In the iOS app

When tracked items are present in a transaction on an iOS device, you will see a dot next to them:

Tracked items on an example invoice

When adding a tracked item to a transaction, first enter its total quantity in the Qty column, and then tap the item and tap Serial/Lot. Here you can add serial/lot numbers.

The Serial/Lot screen

There are several ways to populate this list:

  • Scan barcode labels containing the right serial or lot numbers by tapping HFO iOS scan button.png.
  • Tap Plus iOS HFO.jpeg to add serial or lot numbers manually:
    • Tap Add Line and select a single serial/lot number from a list of all numbers in stock, repeat if needed.
    • Tap Add From List to mark multiple numbers with checkmarks and add them all at once.
    • Tap Add New to add a new serial or lot number.

You can use the Auto-Pick function either to auto-pick all applicable items at once, or to do this selectively. If you tap IOS ellipsis menu.jpeg in the Create Transaction screen and then tap IOS auto pick.jpg - all applicable items' tracking will be populated. If you want to auto-pick only a certain item, tap the item and tap Serial/Lot, and then tap IOS auto pick.jpg. The list will be populated with one or more serial/lot number records that constitute the correct quantity, based on this product's Auto-Pick preference (e.g. FIFO).

When finished, tap OK checkmark iOS.jpeg. If the added tracking information adds up to the total quantity on the transaction, the previously red dot near the tracked item will turn green to indicate that. Otherwise, you will receive a warning.

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Adjusting Quantity

Once the lot numbers are set up, it is impossible to edit their quantities. If you want to change the quantities of your lot numbers, you need to count your inventory. You can read more on adjusting quantity here: Inventory Counting. The process of adding tracking numbers to a New Counting Session is basically the same as any other transaction, so, you can refer to this section for a more in-depth explanation: Products with Tracking in Transactions. Let's look at an example here:

SLED counting.png

There are currently 25 items in stock on the site, all of which are accounted for. We do not want to change the actual quantity on hand of the item, but we want to assign one lot number to all of the existing stock. For that, we need to increase the quantity of one lot # and decrease the quantity of the other.

  1. First, select the site that you want to work with.
  2. Next, add the desired item.
  3. Enter the necessary quantity in the New Qty field near the description of the item. In our case, we don't need to change the quantity on hand, so we type in the same number as the current quantity.
  4. Click on Web-icon-expand.png near the item's name and add the lot numbers.
  5. Type the desired new quantities in the New Qty field near the respective lot numbers. Once the lines turn green - that means that all of this item's stock is accounted for.
  6. Click Save or Save and Apply when you are done.

You can also adjust quantities in the mobile app by following the same logic described here: Products with Tracking in Transactions in the Mobile App.


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Transactions by Serial / Lot Numbers

Example of a Transaction by Serial/Lot Number Report

If you need to trace the path of a specific piece or lot through your company, you may use our Reports functionality. Go to Reports → Transactions by Serial / Lot numbers.

First, choose the item that interests you in the Item dropdown. You can then filter the transactions that you want to see by clicking on the Filter button. In the Number From fields, you may enter a single number or a range of numbers to search for. You can also select an Exp Date Range if you wish to filter products that are tracked by expiration dates. Filtering also allows you to show transactions for a specific site by selecting it in the Site dropdown. You may select the Transaction type and set a Date Range for them. By default, transactions for the last 30 days are shown.

You will see all transactions that contain the item in question with the specified serial or lot numbers.
You can export the report by clicking on Hfo-exportbutton.PNG


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