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Track serials in manufacturing and assemblies

When you build a product, SKU.io follows the serials on both sides. Serialized components that go into the build change to Consumed, because they now live inside another product. Serialized finished units come out of the build with serial numbers of their own. You can name the serials yourself in a manufacturing order, or let SKU.io choose them.

Before you begin​

  • Serial tracking is on for your account, and for each component or finished product you want to track. See Turn on serial tracking.
  • For finished products, choose how serials are created in the product's Generation Mode: Manual means you type them at each build, Auto means SKU.io generates them.
  • You know how to build with a manufacturing order.

Record serials when you record production​

  1. Open the manufacturing order and click Record Production.
  2. Enter the Completed Quantity and the quantities for each line as usual.
  3. Under Outputs, a serialized finished product shows a Serial Numbers field for the Actual Produced quantity:
    • Manual products: enter one serial per unit produced. Record Production stays disabled until the count matches.
    • Auto products: leave it blank and SKU.io generates a serial for each unit, or enter your own.
  4. Under Component Consumption, a serialized component shows a Serial Numbers field for the units drawn (Actual Consumed plus Actual Scrap). Enter the serials of the units you used, one per unit, or leave it blank to use the oldest serials in stock.
  5. Click Record Production.

The component serials change to Consumed. The share you recorded as Actual Scrap changes to Scrapped instead, because those units were thrown away rather than built into anything. The finished units' serials are In Stock at the order's destination warehouse.

A component serial that isn't in stock at the order's warehouse stops the recording, and SKU.io names it. Check the serial on the Serial Numbers list, or leave the field blank to use the oldest serials.

Simple Mode and inventory assemblies​

Manufacturing → Simple Mode (quick one-step assemble or disassemble) and the Inventory → Assemblies screen don't have serial fields. SKU.io handles the serials automatically:

  • Assemble: each serialized component uses its oldest serials in stock, which change to Consumed. A serialized kit set to Auto gets generated serials. A kit set to Manual gets none here, so if you need them, record the build as a manufacturing order instead.
  • Disassemble: the kit's oldest serials change to Consumed, with the reason Disassembled into components. Serialized components set to Auto come back into stock with generated serials; components set to Manual come back without serials.

Contract manufacturing works the same way: components the order consumes use the oldest serials in stock, and finished units received from the contractor get generated serials when the product is set to Auto.

Undo a build​

  • Reverse a production run: on the manufacturing order's Production Activity tab, click Reverse on the run. The component serials it consumed or scrapped go back to In Stock, and the serials created for its finished units are removed.
  • Delete an assembly: the component serials go back to In Stock, and the kit serials the assembly created are removed.

Next steps​

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