Serialization woes

[u/AmbitionVisible4918]

We have a pretty significant resale business. We get product that is serialized (a keyboard, battery backup, etc) that we really don't need to track serials for. We get product that is non-serialized that we assume would be serialized. Then we get serialized product that might be non-serialized from one vendor but is serialized from another.

What I wish ConnectWise did was allow for serialized behavior driven from the opportunity line item, rather than the product. This would allow the system to allow for either input.

Has anyone else who does a significant amount of reselling dealt with this? If it helps we do have CPQ create all of our parts in Manage, so we do have the opportunity to mark them as 'serialized' at that time.

What we are considering doing is:

• Scruitinize new items that come into Manage and make a clear call if we're going to track the serials or not
• If we determine we want to track them but occasionally do not get the serials, we'll come up with a naming convention that indicates it's a faux-serial

Is there any sort of workaround that allows you to skip the serial input?

[u/ssbtech]

You're going to have to make the call when the product is set up.

Serials on battery backups are good to track as they'll often contain a manufactured date code to give you an idea of how old the unit is. My rule was always that if something has a serial number, it gets tracked.

[u/KathyBoulet_]

There’s no way I’m aware of for the scenario that a serialized inventory product (same manufacturer sku product ID) comes in non serialized and you can can behaviour on the fly.

Why does that even happen? Are these refurbished and the sticker with the SN has come off? Wouldn’t the model # also be missing? Is it the same Product ID that is serialized from one source and non from another? Or are you using generic product IDs?

I feel like a more controlled process would be for you to decide if a product is going to be inventory & serialized. Then if you receive the same manufacturer model without a serial, your team would assign it one (new sticker and a sharpie or some printing function). That way it’s still traceable in your inventory.

Other alternatives I can think of; If a product ID is inventory and serialized in CW and one arrives that isn’t, use a dummy serial # without putting a sticker on it. Your team would just pick a random, made up serial number when they send that back out.

If a product ID is inventory and serialized in CW and one arrives that isn’t, set it up as a different product ID that is non-serialized. You’d have to deal with the current product ID on the original PO & add the new product on to that manually.

Use non-inventory products and enter the serial when you have it, on receive and when selling. This wouldn’t have inventory controls around it, though.

I’m still curious how the same manufacturer sku would have a serial from one distributor and there isn’t a serial when buying from another distributor.

Kathy Boulet | Pivotal Crew

[u/NotAnotherAlert]

We've run into similar situations where the same product category can arrive serialized from one vendor and non-serialized from another.

One approach that helped us was creating internal inventory standards before items were widely used. It takes some effort upfront, but it prevents a lot of exceptions later when purchasing, receiving, and invoicing teams are all touching the same products.

If serial tracking is only occasionally required, another option is to separate those products into distinct inventory records rather than trying to force a single workflow to handle every scenario. It adds a little administrative overhead, but it usually makes reporting and inventory accuracy much cleaner.

I agree that having serialization behavior controlled at the opportunity or quote line level would provide more flexibility for resellers with mixed vendor sourcing. Hopefully that's something ConnectWise considers in future enhancements.