Global Shop allows for automatic serialization of parts by part number and revision, which will segregate parts by revision level and assign serial numbers specifically to each part. Implementing serialization in Global Shop may cost several thousand dollars for report modifications. Alternatively, the company could manually track serial numbers as is currently done until existing work orders are completed. A thorough review of all serialization and shipping scenarios is needed to properly map out the new Global Shop serialization process.

1. Serialization in Global Shop
Currently we have Global Shop quoting automatic serialization by part number and revision. This will
segregate each part number by revision level and allow the serial numbers by applied specifically by
part. After getting some quotes back on modifying some reports, I am expecting this to cost several
thousand dollars. If we had to, we could always change our serialization to match the current method in
Global Shop. Below is a brief summary of the Serialization process in Global Shop and what we could do
right now to at least start tracking serial numbers in the system. what do most of our customers
currently require?...eg SLB. Most of my additional comments and questions count on using
what I perceive as the GS method which is to serialize every part from one to eternity as it
enters our work order system. By part would be cool but most benefits to that can be
realized in other ways of reporting.
When to serialize?
o Only two choices available. At Work Order generation or as packages are created.
 Once a part is flagged to be serialized it will automatically default to serialize
every time a work order is created. This can be overridden by unchecking the
box and serial numbers can be applied later on. Serializing at work order
creation will be difficult until all work orders already in system are serialized and
we determine the last S/N used for every part.
How to serialize work orders already in system?
o Work orders already in the system can be serialized by rescheduling the work order and
selecting ‘Serial Numbers required. Using the GS method?
o Work order number will have to be cross referenced to Production Control to get the
serial numbers that were used for that work order. It is a good idea to document serial
numbers directly on the work order additional description because they don’t appear
otherwise. Yes
o This can be made short work if we get Elyse to go through work orders that already have
material applied and have Joanne do all of the work orders that don’t have serial
numbers applied at all. A report is available in Global Shop to list all WOs with material
and labour applied and all those that do not. (WIP Report or Open Work Orders)
o This seems like something that should be completed before we start any new work
orders under this system and it will have to match what has been started by Joanne?
It would be coolest if we could manually do it and just take earliest to latest and use
the GS method but manually or as a small custom program?
Keeping track of the last S/N used for each part in Global Shop
o Because we will be assigning serial numbers manually Global Shop doesn’t track what
serial number we left off at, this will have to be a manual function. Can we just restart
the numbering system at new work orders and keep deathstar or just manually enter
it into the system until the current orders in the system are out of the system? What
kind difficulty will this cause?
o All of the serial numbers are kept in Production Control but we can also leave notes
under that part number in Supply and Demand. This is the easiest and most readily
accessible place to put this information. (Open to other, better suggestions) I don't
understand exactly. Surely this cannot be the case if we use the GS numbering

2. system. This could be for the manual entries potentially used just for the orders
currently in the system?
WIP to Finished Goods
o After serial numbers are assigned to work orders the process of WIP to FG changes
slightly. A screen will pop up asking what serial numbers you want to transfer. Select the
appropriate S/N and it automatically puts each S/N in a separate lot/bin record. NICE
Shipping parts and creating packing slips
o Shipments and packing lists are created the same way only you have to select what
serial numbers you are shipping by selecting the corresponding lot/bin record. If lot/bin
is not selected at time of creating the packing slip, Global Shop will select the first “X”
number of records. This could cause problems if we don’t ship the S/Ns Global thinks we
did.
o Lot/bin and serial numbers can be printed on the packing slip. But because they are in
separate lot/bin records it takes up a lot of room on the packing slip when you have any
substantial amount of parts to ship. (See attached packing slip)
o This is where I think we could spend money on customization because it is what is
being presented to the customer and for our internal reviews as well. The whole
process really needs to be reviewed carefully from Tim to Jim and back again from the
customer in case of quality issues. I am assuming that scrapping, etc is well-handled by
GS in the Quality Module. We really need the various scenarios mapped out and
accounted for (all at once).
Tracking what S/N got shipped against what Purchase order
o Currently this is done through the “Death Star”. In Global Shop this same function can
be done through Inventory>View>Item History.
o Multiple ways to search item history
 Invoice number
 Part number
 Serial number
o Death Star would still need to be accessible for historical records, but all new shipments
could be tracked through Global Shop.
Alternative methods of Serialization
o Hexadecimal Format as proposed by Eric VanDamme
 Uses numbers 1 thru 9 and letters A thru F
 Where 1 thru 9 equals 1 thru 9 and A thru F equals 10 thru 16
o This method reduces the size of serial numbers considerably by taking the serial number
in Decimal form and converting it to Hex form. For Example:
 5000 in decimal form = 1388 in hexadecimal form
 5001 in decimal form = 1389
 5002 in decimal form = 138A
 1 Million in decimal form = F4240

3. o Most parts only have room for a 5 character serial number. The number of possible
serial combinations using 5 characters is 1.04 Million. Based on 25,000 parts per year
and a 5% growth rate per year, we would have enough serial numbers for the next 23+
years.
o Key is to change presentation within Global Shop to this format.
o I trust this would be for the custom program only? I have to admit that I do not
understand the hexadecimal system. If I am understanding correctly, this would sure
be difficult to teach everyone.