Product Manager

Managing Serial Numbers for Individual Products

Managing Products with Serial Numbers

Overview:

Your Pro-Active Website has the ability to manager serialized products in multiple ways. This will allow you the flexibility to associate specific products to orders. For example, let's say that you have 10 Bach Stradivarius Model 180S37 trumpets in stock and you have listed the model on your website.

Previously, you would sell the item and grab one of the instruments to fulfill the order. You probably then would have to write down the serial Number and enter it in your accounting package.

Now, you can enter all of the serial numbers available for that specific item and select one within the order management screen. The serial number will then be included on the invoice, packing slip and remain listed within the order detail screen forever.

Another way of using this would be to incorporate the Master/Slave tool and allow individual SKU pictures to display within the image gallery. For example, let's say that you have 2 Paul Reed Smith Model P-22 Electric Guitars in stock. They happen to be the same model and finish. However, each has its own character with slight differences in the wood grain. Using the Master/Slave tool, you can add a unique serial number to each slave item and they will appear within the drop down menu. Plus the Image Gallery will show a picture of each specific serialized item.

Here's how it works:

ADDING SERIAL NUMBERS TO PRODUCTS
First, after you have entered an item, in this case a Bach Stradivarius Model 180S37, you will notice a SERIAL NUMBERS button in Section C. Click on EDIT and a new window appears. Simply enter each new serial number and click save.

If you ever need to delete a serial number (item is sold or entered incorrectly) simply check the box and save. It will be deleted. You may check multiple boxes if desired.

USING THE MASTER/SLAVE TOOL TO DISPLAY UNIQUE PRODUCTS

This is a used when a product has multiple attributes. Meaning a product with more than one color, finish or size.

First insert the MASTER PRODUCT (which you will not be able to set the price for this item). This nearly empty product will only be used to house all of the other products color/finish/size options.

Next, create your first slave product, using the same product code as the master, and set the Product Attribute and Model to something unique.

When you view the master product in your store, you will see all of the various slaves associated with it in the drop-down window. So for example, let's use a Paul Reed Smith Model P-22. We would set the Product Code and Product Model for the Master as PRSP-22 and set in the Attribute box SERIAL NUMBER (or color, finish or size for other types of products)

For Slaves, we need to make the Attribute the variance. In this example, we are entering a serial number. (12345678, 23456789, etc...) The Product code would be the same, PRS-22, but the model number would be PRSP-22 12345678 and PRS-22 23456789. You would do this for each unique serial numbered item (or type of finish, color or size that you want to display)

Lastly, make sure that you upload the specific image for each slave. It makes sense to add text to your images with the serial number (or other attribute) plus your logo.

Any questions? Please watch the correlating Tutorial Video on this topic and feel free to contact support@pro-activewebsites.com.