A serial format is the pattern Scannable uses to generate your serial numbers. You choose which parts it contains, and the order they appear in. You need a serial format before you can generate serials. See Create serials.
Only Admins can create, edit and delete serial formats.
Create a serial format
In Production, select More actions, then Manage serial formats.
Select + Create.
Enter a Name that describes the format.
Under Format type, choose Serial format.
Choose the parts you want to include. Each part is described below.
Under Your serial number format, drag the parts into the order you want.
Select Create.
Parts of a serial format
Prefix: fixed text at the start, such as ABC.
SKU: the SKU of the item.
Date of manufacture: the date in the format you choose, such as YYMM, YYMMDD or YYYYMMDD.
Batch number: the batch number entered on the purchase order.
Customer reference: the customer reference entered on the purchase order.
Sales order number: the sales order number entered on the purchase order.
Purchase order number: the purchase order number entered on the purchase order.
Increments: a running number. Choose whether to pad it, such as 0001, and how many characters it has, from 1 to 7. The default is 4.
Country of origin: a country code in the serial, such as USA.
Suffix: fixed text at the end.
A serial format can also set a Country of origin on items. This isn't part of the serial number. It's saved on every item made with the format, printed on its labels, and overrides the SKU's country of origin. Leave it blank to use the SKU's.
If a format includes a batch number, customer reference, sales order number or purchase order number, you must enter it on every purchase order that uses the format.
Example
The format ECNZ0001 is made of:
EC: the prefix
NZ: the country of origin
0001: the increments, padded to 4 characters
Automated batch numbers
A serial format can also generate your batch numbers. Under Format type, choose Automated batch number, then build it from the same parts.
When your organisation has an automated batch number, new purchase orders fill in the batch number for you, marked Auto-generated. To type your own instead, remove the auto-generated value.
Choose who can use each format
Admins can limit which serial formats each team member sees when they create a purchase order. On the Team page, select Assign serial formats. A team member with no formats assigned can use all of them.
Edit or delete a serial format
Go to Production › More actions › Manage serial formats. Select a format's name to edit it, or use Delete in its menu.