With Retail POS's Serial number feature, retailers can capture serial numbers for specific products and record these when sold on the Sell screen.
This allows retailers to keep track of exactly which unit of a product is sold to which customer, ensuring that if returns are made (i.e unwanted purchases or warranty claims), the specific unit returned is the correct one.
Setting up serial numbers for products
Use the Serial numbers page to pre-record serial numbers to keep track of what is currently in stock and automatically attach sales when a product with a recorded serial number is sold. To ensure serial numbers are easily recorded and tracked, serial numbers are found under Inventory > Serial numbers.
To record new serial numbers for your products:
- Navigate to Inventory > Serial Numbers.
- Click Add Serial Numbers.
- Enter and select the product name you're recording serial numbers for in the Product field.
- Select the outlet where these serial numbers will be located in the Outlet field.
- Enter each serial number, separated by a comma, in the Serial Numbers field.
- Once all serial numbers have been entered, click Add Serial Numbers.
Each serial number you have added will now appear as an individual line on the Serial Numbers page.
When adding a serial number to a product that is part of a composite, you need to wait 3 minutes before adding the product to a new sale. After this time, you will be prompted to add the serial number for the product during the sale.
Enabling serial numbers for products at the time of sale
After completing the steps to set up serial numbers for products, you can enable recording serial numbers at the time of sale by turning on serial numbers for individual products in your product catalog. The serial number will then be saved to the Serial Numbers page, and the corresponding sale will be automatically attached.
The setting to turn on recording serial numbers at the time of sale is only available for existing products. You are unable to activate this functionality when creating a new product and the Has Serial Numbers function is disabled by default.
To enable serial numbers at the time of sale:
- Navigate to Catalog > Products.
- Locate the product you want to enable serial numbers for, using the filters if required.
- Click the pencil icon (Edit) to open the Edit product page.
- Locate the Serial Numbers checkbox:
-
Standard products: Scroll to the Serial Numbers section and select the Has Serial Numbers checkbox.
-
Variant products: Scroll to the Variants section and click a variant to expand. Click the Serial Numbers tab and select the Has Serial Numbers checkbox. Repeat for each variant that has serial numbers.
-
Standard products: Scroll to the Serial Numbers section and select the Has Serial Numbers checkbox.
- Click Save.
Recording serial numbers on the Sell screen
When selling a product that has serial numbers recorded against it at the specific outlet, cashiers will be prompted to enter the serial number to confirm it's available to sell.
To complete a sale of a product with a serial number enabled:
- During a sale, add the customer details as needed.
- Add the product to the Sell screen by scanning the barcode, using the search bar, or selecting it on the quick keys.
- Click Pay.
- In the Record a serial number box, enter the serial number of the product being sold (often located on the physical product).
- If the serial number entered does not match any captured on the Serial Numbers page, Retail POS will prompt you to capture it as a new serial number or retype the serial number.
- If the serial number entered does not match any captured on the Serial Numbers page, Retail POS will prompt you to capture it as a new serial number or retype the serial number.
- Click Continue.
- Process the rest of the sale as normal.
Tracking sales of products with serial numbers
You can track which serial numbers have been sold on the serial numbers page (Inventory > Serial numbers). On each serial number line, sale information will be recorded in the Sold On column.
This sale information will display the sale date and time, as well as have a direct link to the sale in the Sales history.
Each serial number will remain on the Serial Numbers page until removed using the trash icon (Delete).
Disabling serial numbers for individual products
Once a serial number has been recorded against a product or the Has Serial Number setting has been turned on in the Edit product page, the cashier will be prompted to enter a serial number each time the product is sold.
To no longer record serial numbers at the time of sale:
- Navigate to Catalog > Products.
- Locate the product you want to disable serial numbers for, using the filters if required.
- Click the pencil icon (Edit) to open the Edit product page.
- In the the Serial Numbers section, deselect the Has Serial Numbers checkbox.
- Click Save.
Any serial numbers (sold or unsold) recorded against the product on the Serial Numbers page will remain regardless of the Has Serial Numbers checkbox being enabled or disabled.
Serial numbers are unique to each individual unit and are therefore separate from SKU codes.