Strict warranty accounting: rules for working with serial numbers

Recording serial numbers and IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) in Torgsoft is carried out using the additional paid option «Warranty Product Tracking by Serial Numbers»

When is recording mandatory?

Entering serial numbers (SN) becomes technically mandatory in the program if the «Maintain strict warranty tracking» setting is enabled for a specific product type.

1. When goods are received (Receipt). In strict warranty tracking mode, you will not be able to save the receipt invoice until you enter a unique serial number (or IMEI) for each unit of goods. The program will not allow you to receipt goods with a serial number that is already in stock.

2. During sale (Sale). You will not be able to sell such goods without scanning or selecting their specific serial number. The program will block the sale of goods whose serial number is not in stock.

3. During transfer and assembly. During internal transfer or creation of product sets, for goods with strict tracking enabled, you must also specify the exact serial numbers.

If the «Maintain warranty tracking» mode (non-strict) is selected, entering SN is desirable for tracking history, but the program will not block actions as strictly as in strict tracking mode.

What does this give a business owner?

Using IMEI and serial number tracking provides the following advantages:

1. Protection against fraud and product mix-ups

• Prevention of substitution. If a customer tries to return a product (for example, a phone) purchased elsewhere, or an old broken device instead of a new one, the program will detect it. You will not be able to process a return for a product whose serial number is not listed as sold in your database.

• Uniqueness control. Strict tracking will not allow the same serial number to be receipted or sold twice, which eliminates duplication and stock confusion.

2. Full product lifecycle history 

The owner can track the entire path of a specific item by its IMEI/SN:

• When and from which supplier the goods were received (receipt invoice number, purchase price).

• When and to whom they were sold (sale date, receipt, customer).

• Whether the goods were repaired or returned.

• How many warranty days remain (goods with an active warranty are highlighted in green).

3. Automation of warranty service

• Printing warranty cards. When selling goods with a serial number, the program can automatically print a warranty card showing the model, serial number, and warranty period.

• Deadline control. The program automatically calculates the warranty expiration date based on the settings of the product type.

4. Efficient repair handling 

If you use the «Repair and Warranty Service» option, linking to the serial number allows you to quickly identify the product when accepting it for repair, check whether it was purchased from you, and review the history of previous requests. The warranty replacement function is also available (replacing the old serial number with a new one).

5. Accurate cost calculation 

When using the method of batch write-off by serial numbers, the program knows exactly at what purchase price this specific phone or device was received. This makes it possible to calculate profit as accurately as possible, even if different batches of the same product were received at different prices.

Recording serial numbers and IMEI is critically important for sellers of electronics, household appliances, and complex mechanisms to ensure accurate inventory tracking, fulfillment of warranty obligations, and protection against dishonest returns.