Serialised and Batch Inventory

Use serialised and batch inventory when stock must be traced beyond Item and warehouse. NexWave can follow an individual unit by serial number, a group of units by batch number, or both identifiers when the product requires both levels of control.

Serial tracking settings on an Item

Before you start

• You need Item Manager access to configure an Item. Stock transactions normally require a stock, purchasing, sales, delivery, or manufacturing role appropriate to the document. Your organisation may use custom permissions.

• The Item must have Maintain Stock ticked.

• For a serialised Item, open its Default Unit of Measure record and make sure Must be Whole Number is ticked. Serialised stock cannot be handled in fractions.

• Decide whether identifiers will come from supplier or manufacturer labels, or be generated by NexWave.

• Decide whether batches need Manufacturing Date, Expiry Date, or retained sample controls.

• Configure serial or batch tracking before the first submitted stock transaction. The tracking method cannot be changed safely after submitted stock transactions exist for the Item.

1. Configure the Item

Open Item, select the stock Item, open the Inventory tab, and expand Serial Nos and Batches.

Configure serial numbers

1. Tick Has Serial No.

2. Choose how serial numbers will be assigned:

   • For automatic numbering, enter a pattern in Serial Number Series, such as SER-.#####.

   • For supplier, manufacturer, or pre-printed identifiers, leave Serial Number Series blank and enter the serials on each inward stock transaction.

3. Save the Item.

Use a series only when the generated NexWave identifier should be the operational serial number. If the number printed on the unit is needed for warranty, service, or product recall work, enter that printed number instead.

Configure batches

1. Tick Has Batch No.

2. Choose how batch numbers will be assigned:

   • To let NexWave create numbers, tick Automatically Create New Batch and enter a pattern in Batch Number Series.

   • To retain supplier or manufacturer lot numbers, leave automatic creation unticked and enter the printed batch number during receipt.

3. If batches expire, tick Has Expiry Date.

4. Enter Shelf Life In Days when NexWave should calculate the expiry date. It uses Manufacturing Date when provided, or the Purchase Receipt Date when the manufacturing date is blank. When no shelf life is configured, users must provide the expiry date for an expiring batch.

5. If quality control requires a retained sample, tick Retain Sample and enter Max Sample Quantity.

6. Save the Item.

If the Item requires both serial and batch tracking, tick both controls. Each transaction must then identify every serialised unit and the batch allocation that contains it.

2. Recognise the transaction entry layout

Your transaction layout depends on Use Serial / Batch Fields in Stock Settings:

• When enabled, expand the Item row and enter identifiers in Serial No and Batch No.

• When disabled, use Add Serial / Batch No on a Purchase Receipt or Stock Entry. On a Delivery Note, use Pick Serial / Batch No.

A draft, non-return Purchase Receipt for a batch-only Item can also show Manage Batches when direct serial and batch fields are disabled. This editor supports accepted and rejected allocations, existing batches, manual entry, and CSV import. Items that use both serial and batch tracking continue to use the standard serial and batch selector.

For an Item that uses both identifiers, the standard selector's CSV template uses Serial No, Batch No, and Quantity. Enter one serialised stock unit per serial entry and make sure the batch totals equal the transaction quantity.

Whichever layout you use, confirm the Item, warehouse, stock quantity, and identifier totals before saving.

Turn on the transaction summary

Use the optional summary when your team needs a quick review of serial and batch allocations without opening each Item row.

1. Open Stock Settings.

2. Tick Show Item and Batch Summary on Stock Transactions.

3. Save Stock Settings.

4. Refresh NexWave in the browser so the updated setting is loaded.

The Item and Batch Summary appears on saved Purchase Receipts, Delivery Notes, Stock Entries, and Pick Lists. It shows the columns that apply to the document, which can include Item, Type, Serial No, Batch No, Quantity, UOM, Expiry Date, Manufacturing Date, Warehouse, and Movement.

After you change a relevant Item row, save the document before you rely on the summary. NexWave replaces the previous summary with a message that asks you to save, so unsaved allocation changes are not mistaken for current details.

Item and Batch Summary with accepted and rejected batch allocations

In this Purchase Receipt example, accepted and rejected batches are shown separately. Review the quantity, date, warehouse, and Inward movement before submission.

3. Receive serialised stock

Use a Purchase Receipt when serialised units arrive from a supplier.

1. Create a Purchase Receipt, preferably from the submitted Purchase Order.

2. Confirm Supplier, Company, and Date.

3. In the Item row, confirm Item Code, Received Quantity, Accepted Quantity, and Accepted Warehouse.

4. Expand the row and enter or add one serial number for each accepted unit.

5. If rejected units are recorded, keep their quantity and serial allocation separate from the accepted units.

6. Save the Purchase Receipt.

7. Review Item and Batch Summary. Confirm the accepted and rejected allocation type, serial numbers, quantities, warehouses, and Inward movement.

8. Expand the row again. Under Serial and Batch Details, confirm each accepted serial, its warehouse, and the Inward movement.

9. Submit the Purchase Receipt.

10. Open Serial No and confirm that the new records are Active in the accepted warehouse.

When Serial Number Series is configured, NexWave can generate inward serial numbers when none are entered. Save the document before relying on generated or persisted details.

Accepted serial numbers on a saved Purchase Receipt

4. Receive batch-controlled stock

Enter batches with Manage Batches

Use this route when Manage Batches appears on a batch-only Purchase Receipt row.

1. Create the Purchase Receipt and confirm Supplier, Company, Date, Received Quantity, Accepted Quantity, Rejected Quantity, and Accepted Warehouse. When Rejected Quantity is greater than zero, also confirm Rejected Warehouse.

2. Expand the Item row. Under Serial and Batch No, make sure Use Serial No / Batch Fields is unticked, then select Manage Batches.

The Manage Batches button on an expanded Purchase Receipt Item row

The button appears for an eligible batch-only Item when the direct serial and batch fields are not in use.

The dialog keeps accepted and rejected stock separate. For each section:

• Expected is the stock quantity that must be allocated.

• Allocated is the total quantity currently entered in that section.

• Add Existing Batch selects a batch already saved for the Item. Save the Purchase Receipt before using this option.

• Add Row starts a new batch allocation that you complete in the table.

• Download CSV Template and Import CSV support larger allocations.

The empty Manage Batches dialog with accepted and rejected allocation controls

3. Under Accepted Batches, allocate the full accepted stock quantity:

   • Enter Batch No and Quantity. Add Manufacturing Date when it is known.

   • Enter Expiry Date when it is required and not calculated from Shelf Life In Days. When shelf life is configured, NexWave calculates from Manufacturing Date, or from the Purchase Receipt Date when the manufacturing date is blank.

   • Use Add Existing Batch when the receipt adds stock to a batch that already exists for the Item.

4. If Rejected Quantity is greater than zero, complete Rejected Batches separately and confirm Rejected Warehouse. Do not include rejected stock in the accepted allocation.

5. Confirm that Allocated equals Expected for both accepted and rejected sections.

Completed accepted and rejected batch allocations with matching totals

Both sections must match before the allocations can be saved. In this example, accepted stock is 18 Kg and rejected stock is 2 Kg.

6. Select Save Batch Allocations.

7. Save the Purchase Receipt.

8. Review Item and Batch Summary above the item table. Confirm Type, Batch No, Quantity, Warehouse, Movement, Manufacturing Date, and Expiry Date where applicable.

9. Reopen the Item row and review Serial and Batch Details.

10. Confirm the saved allocation details again.

11. Submit the Purchase Receipt.

The same batch number must not be repeated within one accepted or rejected allocation. If a batch appears in both sections, its manufacturing and expiry dates must agree.

Expired batches cannot be added under Accepted Batches. They can be recorded under Rejected Batches, where NexWave displays a warning so the receipt can preserve the rejected-stock trail.

Import a larger allocation from CSV

1. In Manage Batches, select Download CSV Template under the accepted or rejected section.

2. Complete the template columns: Batch No, Quantity, Manufacturing Date, and Expiry Date when the Item uses expiry control.

3. Keep dates in YYYY-MM-DD format.

4. Return to the same section and select Import CSV.

5. Review every imported row and confirm Allocated equals Expected.

6. Select Save Batch Allocations, save the Purchase Receipt, and review the persisted details before submission.

Use separate accepted and rejected files when both quantities exist. An imported file replaces the rows in the section where it is loaded, so review the result before saving.

Use the standard selector or direct fields

If Manage Batches is not available, use Batch No or Add Serial / Batch No, depending on Stock Settings. Select or enter each batch and assign the quantity received into that batch. For Items that use both serial and batch tracking, use the standard selector and allocate every serial number together with its batch. If you import its CSV template, complete Serial No, Batch No, and Quantity, using one stock unit for each serial entry.

5. Move serialised or batch-controlled stock

1. Create a Stock Entry.

2. Select the Stock Entry Type or Purpose for Material Transfer.

3. Enter Source Warehouse, Target Warehouse, Item Code, and Qty.

4. Expand the row and identify the stock being moved:

   • For serialised stock, select the exact serial numbers held in the source warehouse.

   • For batch stock, select each Batch No and the quantity to move from it.

   • For combined tracking, select both the serial numbers and their batch allocation.

5. Save the Stock Entry.

6. Review Item and Batch Summary. Confirm the source and target warehouse, Transfer movement, identifiers, and quantities.

7. Where Serial and Batch Details is available, reopen the row and verify the linked source or outward bundle. A Material Transfer may show only this side of the movement.

8. Submit the Stock Entry.

9. Confirm the destination warehouse after submission through the Serial No record, Batch report, or Stock Ledger.

Do not change a Serial No or Batch master record to move stock. Submitted stock transactions maintain the location and quantity trail.

6. Pick serialised or batch-controlled stock

Use a Pick List when warehouse staff select stock before a Delivery Note or another stock movement.

1. Create the Pick List from the submitted Sales Order or other supported source.

2. Confirm Purpose, Company, Customer, and Warehouse as applicable.

3. Select Get Item Locations, then review the Item Locations table.

4. For tracked Items, expand the row and identify the stock through Serial No, Batch No, or Pick Serial / Batch No, depending on the site's layout.

5. Confirm Picked Qty (in Stock UOM) and the source Warehouse for each row.

6. Save the Pick List.

7. Review Item and Batch Summary. Confirm the item, serial or batch allocation, quantity, source warehouse, and Outward movement.

8. Submit the Pick List when every picked quantity and identifier is correct.

The submitted Delivery Note records the stock movement. The Pick List summary helps confirm which tracked stock was selected before that delivery is completed.

7. Deliver serialised or batch-controlled stock

1. Create the Delivery Note, preferably from the submitted Sales Order.

2. Confirm the row's Warehouse, Item Code, and Quantity.

3. Expand the row and identify the stock using Serial No, Batch No, or Pick Serial / Batch No, depending on the site's layout.

4. For serialised stock, check that the serial count equals Quantity.

5. For batch stock, check that the quantities allocated across batches equal Quantity. Select batches that meet your organisation's expiry, quality, and picking rules.

6. Save the Delivery Note.

7. Review Item and Batch Summary. Confirm the identifiers, quantities, source warehouse, and Outward movement. A return uses an Inward movement.

8. Submit the Delivery Note.

9. Confirm the movement in the Serial No record, Batch-Wise Balance History, or Stock Ledger.

The Sales Order records demand, but the submitted Delivery Note records the outward stock movement.

8. Find and trace serial numbers

Open Serial No from the search bar. Filter by Item Code, Warehouse, or Status.

Serial No list filtered to one Item

Open a serial number and review:

• Item Code: the Item assigned to the identifier.

• Warehouse: the current stock warehouse, when the unit is available.

• Status: whether the unit is active, delivered, consumed, or otherwise unavailable.

• Creation Document No: the inward document that created the serial record.

• Customer: the customer linked after delivery, where applicable.

Select View Ledgers to open Serial No Ledger. Filter by Item Code, Warehouse, Serial No, As On Date, and Posting Time as needed. The ledger is the authoritative movement history for the unit.

Serial No record with status, warehouse and creation document

9. Find and trace batches

Open Batch and filter by Item, Batch ID, Manufacturing Date, Expiry Date, or Disabled as needed.

On the Batch record, review:

• Batch ID and Item.

• Manufacturing Date and Expiry Date.

• Batch Quantity and Batch UOM.

• Supplier, Source Document Type, and Source Document Name where available.

Use Batch-Wise Balance History for quantities and movements across time. Set Company, From Date, and To Date, then narrow the report with Item Code, Warehouse Type, Warehouse, or Batch No. Selecting a batch from the report can take you to its Stock Ledger entries.

Review checks

Before submitting a tracked stock transaction, confirm that:

• Serialised quantities use whole units and the serial count equals the row's stock quantity.

• Every serial number is unique and belongs to the selected Item.

• Batch allocation totals equal the accepted, rejected, transferred, manufactured, returned, or delivered stock quantity.

• Where Item and Batch Summary is enabled, the saved summary matches the expected allocation type, identifiers, quantity, dates, warehouse, and movement.

• Manufacturing and expiry dates are correct, and the manufacturing date is not after the expiry date.

• Inward identifiers use the intended accepted or target warehouse.

• Outward identifiers are available for the selected Item and source warehouse.

• Transferred stock appears in the target warehouse after submission.

• Delivered serial numbers show Delivered after submission.

• Serial No Ledger, Batch-Wise Balance History, and Stock Ledger vouchers match the expected transactions.

For stocktake work, count by serial or batch identifier as well as Item and warehouse. A quantity-only adjustment does not identify which units or lots are present.

Correct a mistake

• If the transaction is still a draft, reopen the Item row, correct the serial or batch allocation, save, and review the persisted details again.

• For a draft batch receipt, reopen Manage Batches. Existing allocations are loaded so they can be reviewed and corrected.

• If the transaction is submitted, use the normal cancellation and amendment process. Do not directly edit system-maintained stock quantities, serial warehouse, or serial status.

• If the identifier has moved again after the document you need to cancel, cancel or reverse the downstream movements first. Then cancel and amend the earlier document.

• Use the appropriate return document when goods come back from a customer or are returned to a supplier. This preserves the stock and accounting trail.

• Existing nonblank Batch dates cannot be overwritten from Manage Batches. To fill a blank date, select Update Existing Batch and confirm the change. This requires permission to write the Batch record.

• A new Batch record created while allocating a draft remains available even if that allocation is later removed or the Purchase Receipt draft is abandoned. Disable or otherwise manage the unused Batch through your normal batch-control process.

Troubleshooting

Related documentation

• Inventory Item Record

• Procure to Pay Process

• Move Stock Between Warehouse Bins

• Pick Sales Orders from Warehouse Bins

• Complete a Stocktake with Stock Reconciliation

• Stock