Product group batch/serial numbers

Find this screen

Open: Stock Control > Stock Maintenance > Product Groups

When you Add or Edit a product group, use the Batch/Serial Numbers tab to enter the batch and serial number settings for traceable items.

Note: The Batch/Serial Numbers tab only appears if you have selected Items use batch or serial numbers on the Details tab.

How to

Enter batch/serial number settings

Open: Stock Control > Stock Maintenance > Product Groups.

Click Add.

The Add New Product Group window appears.
Select the Batch/Serial Numbers tab.

Note: This tab only appears if you have selected Items use batch or serial numbers on the Details tab.
Select either Batch numbers or Serial numbers for the item.
- Batch numbers.
  
  Select this to trace items in groups (e.g. wallpaper rolls).
- A sale may only be from a single batch.
  - Select this option to make sure a quantity sold to a customer is supplied from a single batch. This ensures the required item quantity all use the same batch number.
    
    You cannot select this option if you have chosen to Allow negative stock on the Details tab.
    
    This is applied when processing sales orders. It is not applied when recording stock in and out in the Stock Control module.
    
    These items are exclude from the automated purchase order generation process.
    
    You will always allocate the batch number for this stock item on order entry, even if you have not enabled Allocate stock on order entry in SOP Settings and have enabled Numbers selected when despatching stock in Stock Control Settings.
    
    To amend the allocation for this item, you must amend the sales order, edit the item line in the order, then select Amend/Batch Serial. You cannot amend an allocation for this item using Amend Stock Allocations.
  - Clear this option to make up the required quantity from several item batches.
- Serial Numbers.
  
  Select this to trace a single item using a serial number.
  
  Serial numbered items cannot be used in conjunction with trade units of measure.
Select Allow duplicate numbers to use duplicate batch/serial numbers. You would use this if you are receiving stock with the same serial numbers from several suppliers.

Clear this option to make sure you use unique batch/serial numbers.
You can record additional information about traceable items. Select from the following:
- Alternative references.
  
  Select this to add an alternative reference to a transaction.
  
  For example, if you are buying mobile phone handsets to sell on as a phone package with a phone number, you would enter the handset serial number when it is recorded into stock. This is the primary reference number. When you allocate the phone number to the handset for sale, you would enter the phone number as the item's alternative reference.
  
  If your customer loses the phone, they will be able to give you the phone number and you can then trace the handset serial number.
  
  Alternative references simply provide you with the ability to trace stock items, based on two references rather than just one reference.
- Sell by dates.
  
  Select this add a sell by date to an item as it is recorded into stock.
- Use by dates
  
  Select this to add a use by date to an item as it is recorded into stock.
Note: Items that pass their Sell by or Use by date can still be sold or issued, as long as you have not chosen Sell by or Use by date as the fulfilment method. Stock items that have Sell by or Use by date set as the fulfilment method cannot be allocated to a sales order once the sell by or use by date has passed.
Enter your Batch Attributes if applicable.

You can record variations between examples of the same stock item or batch using batch attributes. For example, if you have a quality control process, you can set up attributes for each person who carries out the quality checks on your stock.

To create batch attributes:
1. Click on the Batch attributes grid.
2. Type in the name of the first attribute.
3. If an attribute must be used in the product group, select the Compulsory checkbox.
4. The In Use check box is selected by default. This indicates that the system can use the batch attribute. If you do not want to use the attribute in the product group, deselect the check box.
You can also view and edit your batch and serial attributes from any window where a stock item's batch and serial numbers are displayed.

Note: If you delete an attribute from the product group, the attribute details entered on stock items in the group are deleted.
To continue to enter your product group settings, select the Searching tab.

Useful info

About traceable batch or serial numbered stock items

Batch or serial numbered items are used to trace stock from purchase through to sale. These stock items are assigned an identification number, so that stock movements and order processing details associated with the item can be traced.

Use serial numbers when you need to trace items individually.
Use batch numbers to trace items from a group (e.g. wallpaper rolls) using their batch number. When you set up the batch item, you can also choose if the quantity sold to a customer must be supplied from a single batch.

Batch and serial numbering

The batch or serial numbers are manually recorded for the stock item, and Sage 200 does not assign the batch or serial numbers.
To trace items effectively, you must use unique serial or batch numbers. You can set up batch/serial numbered items to recognise duplicate numbers, and prompt you to record a unique number. If you intend to record the manufacturer's batch or serial numbers on the goods you receive, you cannot be sure the numbers are unique.
You can control when batch/serial numbers are recorded for an item.
- If you enable the Stock Control setting Numbers must be recorded when goods are received, then you will be asked to enter batch/serial numbers when the stock is added.
- If you don't enable this setting, you can must enter the batch/serial numbers afterwards, using Assign Batch / Serial Nos.
You can also control the selection of batch/serial numbered items during despatch. You can choose to select the numbers when you:
- Allocate stock, which means staff will select items with those specific serial/batch numbers. The serial/batch numbers can be printed on a picking list.
- Despatch stock, which means staff have the flexibility to select items from those in stock, and then record the batch/serial numbers they have retrieved.

Notes for using batch and serial numbered items

Batch/serial items can be allocated to an internal area or to a customer free of charge using Stock Control processes when there is insufficient stock.
Batch/serial items can be allocated for sales purposes when there is insufficient stock available provided they are set to allow negative stock levels.
Batch/serial items cannot be issued or despatched until a serial or batch number has been assigned to them.
Batch/serial items cannot be issued or despatched unless sufficient stock is available, regardless of a negative stock setting on the product group Details tab.
Once a batch/serial numbered item has been allocated to an order, customer or internal area, it cannot be transferred from one warehouse to another.
Stock items that are sold from a single batch are excluded from the automated purchase order generation process in Purchase Order Processing.
Stock items that are sold from a single batch are always allocated the batch number on order entry, even if you have not enabled Allocate stock on order entry in SOP Settings and have enabled Numbers selected when despatching stock in Stock Control Settings.
Stock items that are sold from a single batch cannot be used for direct delivery.
Direct delivery can be used with traceable numbers.
Trade units of measure can be specified only for batch numbered items, and cannot be used with serial numbered items.
Sell by and use by dates can be recorded with batch/serial items. You can check these dates when you select items for issue or sale.