If you work with lot numbers and serial numbers in Business Central, you can make the master data information you record on a lot or serial number follow the item all the way from production or purchase through to the sales order and onto the posted document. This means quality control data, maintenance details, or any other information you attach to a specific serial or lot number stays with the item when you sell it.
You set this up in two places. In the master data information setup you decide whether item tracking lines copy to the document, with options to prompt, never transfer, or transfer automatically. In the master data on document setup you define which master data fields should flow, using separate columns for serial number tracking and lot number tracking.
The master data is only inserted when you close the item tracking window, because that window is temporary. You also keep the option to modify or add further information directly on the sales document.
Making lot and serial number information flow through to sales orders
The core idea is straightforward. When you create a lot number or serial number, you also create an information card for it. On that card you can add any data relevant to that specific number. This could be quality control information, maintenance information, or anything else that matters for that exact item.
Take a serial number on item 5000 as an example. You can add master data information to that serial number, all tied to that one specific unit. Once it is set up, that information can flow from the serial number through to a sales order and finally to the posted document.
How the information transfers when you create a sales order
When the setup is done, the process works like this. You create a new sales order and select your item. For a serial number controlled item, you go into the item tracking information and select from the serial number list, where you can see the available quantity just as you know it from standard Business Central. You pick the serial numbers you want to ship.
One thing to be aware of: the master data information is only inserted when you close the tracking window, because it is a temporary window. If you look at the master data information while the window is still open, nothing is assigned yet. When you close the window, the system asks whether you want to copy the tracking information.
If you say yes, the master data you configured to transfer is inserted into the item tracking lines for each serial number. You can then open the master data information on each line and see the transferred data.
When you post the sales order, for example by posting the shipment, the information flows through to the posted document. On the posted shipment you can open the item tracking lines and see the master data attached to each serial number.
Setting up the transfer in two places
The functionality is configured in two separate places.
First, in the master data information setup, you choose whether to copy item tracking lines to the document. You have three options:
- Prompt for copying, so the system asks each time, as shown in the example
- Do not transfer anything
- Transfer item tracking information automatically
Second, in the master data on document setup, you determine which master data should flow and you enter your specific setup line. In the document template you have two columns: one for master data serial number tracking and one for master data lot number tracking.
For each of these columns you can drill in and select the master data on document. You can choose whether to include the long description and the normal setup for the serial number, as well as the master data on document content. The content defines exactly which master data is transferred to the serial number, and likewise for the lot number.
Recording information early and carrying it through the sales process
This setup lets you enter information about a lot number or serial number early in the process, in the production area or on the purchase side. When you later sell the item, that information transfers to the open sales document and onward to the posted documents.
As with all master data on documents, you can also modify it on the sales document. You can enter further information on the serial numbers or lot numbers directly in the sales moment, so you are never locked into what was recorded earlier.
Q&A
Where do I set up which master data should flow to the sales order?
You set it up in the master data on document setup. There you define which master data should flow and enter your specific setup line. The document template has two columns, one for master data serial number tracking and one for master data lot number tracking, and you drill into each to select the content to transfer.
Why is the master data not showing up in the item tracking lines?
The master data information is only inserted when you close the item tracking window, because it is a temporary window. While the window is open nothing is assigned. When you close it, the system asks whether you want to copy the tracking information, and only then is the data inserted into the item tracking lines.
Can I avoid being prompted every time about copying the tracking information?
Yes. In the master data information setup you choose how item tracking lines copy to the document. You can set it to prompt for copying, to never transfer, or to transfer the item tracking information automatically.
Does the master data follow the item to the posted document?
Yes. When you post the sales order, for example the shipment, the master data flows through to the posted document. On the posted shipment you can open the item tracking lines and see the master data attached to each serial number.
Can I change the master data on the sales document after it transfers?
Yes. Like all master data on documents, you can modify it on the sales document and enter further information on the serial numbers or lot numbers directly during the sales process.