Volume 3 • Article #06 Routes: /inventory/trackSerial • /inventory/serialSettings Difficulty: Intermediate
360° Serial Number, Warranty & RMA Command Center & Studio
Track every individual hardware unit from Supplier Purchase Order intake to Warehouse custody, Customer Tax Invoice dispatch, Field Service Job Card assignment, live SLA Warranty countdown, and Quarantine RMA resolution.
In This Article
1Why 360° Serial & RMA Provenance Protects Your Profit Margins
If your business sells or installs high-value equipment — such as solar inverters, lithium batteries, laptops, CCTV cameras, network routers, or industrial machinery — tracking total quantity alone is not enough. When a customer walks in with a faulty inverter claiming it is still under warranty, you need to answer four critical questions in under 5 seconds:
1. Did we actually sell this unit? Prevents fraudulent warranty claims on grey-market hardware bought from a competitor.
2. Is the Customer SLA still valid? Shows the exact Tax Invoice dispatch date, warranty expiry date, and grace period status.
3. Is our Supplier OEM Warranty still active? Links the serial back to the original Vendor and Purchase Order so you can claim a free replacement from your supplier.
4. Is the faulty unit isolated from saleable stock? Automatically quarantines returned RMA units into
WH-RMA so another salesperson doesn't accidentally sell a faulty unit!2Command Center Header, 6 KPI Cards & 8-Stage Lifecycle Pipeline
Navigate to Inventory → Serial & Warranty Tracker (or click Serial Tracker inside the Inventory Command Center to open /inventory/trackSerial).
📸 [SCREENSHOT PLACEHOLDER: sn-01-serial-command-center.png]
How to capture this screenshot:
- Navigate to
/inventory/trackSerial(without a specific serial selected, or click Clear in the scanner bar). - Capture the Top Command Bar (5 buttons), the 6 KPI Cards, the 8-Stage Serial Lifecycle & Warranty Pipeline strip, the Instant 360° Barcode Scanner Bar (with clickable quick-scan chips), and the Master Serial Registry table.
- Save as
sn-01-serial-command-center.png.
Top Command Bar Buttons
- Inventory Catalog: Returns to
/inventory/index. - Allocate / Transfer: Opens
#allocateSerialModalto transfer a serial between warehouses, dispatch it to a Customer Tax Invoice, or assign it to a Field Service Job Card. - Log RMA Claim: Opens
#createRmaClaimModalto log a hardware fault or warranty return. - Customize: Opens the Serial, Warranty & RMA Studio (
/inventory/serialSettings). - Register Serials: Opens
#registerSerialsModalto bulk-scan or auto-generate serial numbers.
The 6 Serial & Warranty KPI Telemetry Cards
| KPI Card | Metrics Displayed |
|---|---|
| 1. Tracked Serial Units | Total serialized hardware units in the database, plus total Tracked Asset Value (Cost) in currency. |
| 2. Available In Stock | Count of units with status In Stock ready for immediate dispatch, plus count of Reserved units held for quotes/orders. |
| 3. Dispatched & Sold | Total units allocated to Customer Tax Invoices and Field Service Job Cards. |
| 4. Active SLA Warranties | Count of customer units currently under active warranty coverage, plus your configured SLA grace period (e.g., 7d grace). |
| 5. Expiring ≤ X Days | Count of customer warranties expiring within your warning window (default 30 days) — ideal for upselling extended care packs — plus total expired warranties. |
| 6. Open RMA & Quarantine | Count of open RMA / Warranty claims requiring technician attention, plus count of units physically sitting in RMA / Defective quarantine. |
The 8-Stage Serial Lifecycle & Warranty Pipeline Strip
Clicking any of the 8 pipeline stages filters the workspace in one click: 1. All Tracked Units → 2. In Stock (Ready) → 3. Reserved / Allocated → 4. Sold & Dispatched → 5. Active SLA Warranty → 6. Expiring ≤ 30d → 7. RMA / Quarantine → 8. Defective / Returned.
3Instant Barcode Scanner & The 360° Serial Provenance Passport Dossier
Below the pipeline sits the Instant 360° Barcode / Serial Passport Scanner Bar (name="sn"). You can scan any 1D/2D barcode with a USB/Bluetooth scanner, type a serial number, MAC address, or IMEI and click Trace 360° Passport, or click any of the Quick Scan Sample Units chips underneath the search bar.
📸 [SCREENSHOT PLACEHOLDER: sn-02-360-serial-passport-dossier.png]
How to capture this screenshot:
- In
/inventory/trackSerial, click on one of the Quick Scan Sample Units chips (or click any Serial Number in the registry table) so that the URL includes?sn=SN-.... - The 360° Serial Provenance Passport Dossier will appear directly below the scanner bar, displaying the 4-Stage Provenance Cards and the 2-Column Custody Timeline & RMA Service Ledger.
- Capture this complete passport dossier card and save as
sn-02-360-serial-passport-dossier.png.
Inside the 360° Serial Provenance Passport
When a serial number matches, Keystone X renders a comprehensive forensic dossier for that exact physical unit:
- Passport Header Bar: Displays the
360° SERIAL PROVENANCE PASSPORTbadge, Current Lifecycle Status badge, Condition Grade badge (e.g.,Condition: New), SecondaryMAC/IMEIbadge, Serial Number, and a clickable link to the Item Cockpit. - 4 Header Action Buttons:
- Warranty Certificate: Opens the printable Official Hardware Provenance & SLA Warranty Certificate modal (
#warrantyCertificateModal). - Allocate / Transfer: Opens
#allocateSerialModalpre-loaded with this serial unit. - Extend Warranty: Opens
#extendWarrantyModalto add +3, +6, +12, +24, or +36 months of Care Pack coverage. - Log RMA Claim: Opens
#createRmaClaimModalpre-linked to this serial, its customer, its tax invoice, and its job card.
- Warranty Certificate: Opens the printable Official Hardware Provenance & SLA Warranty Certificate modal (
- The 4-Stage Provenance Cards:
- Card 1 — Origin & Warehouse Custody: Current Warehouse Code & Name, Bin/Rack coordinate, FIFO Batch Lot number, clickable Supplier Purchase Order link, Vendor Name, and Unit Cost vs. Retail Price Ex VAT.
- Card 2 — Customer & Tax Invoice: Clickable Allocated Client profile link, clickable Tax Invoice link, Invoice Date, Customer Phone/Email, and exact Dispatch Timestamp.
- Card 3 — Field Service & RMA Desk: Clickable Primary Job Card link, count of Linked Job Cards, count of RMA Claims Logged, clickable Credit Note link (if credited), and technician notes.
- Card 4 — Live SLA Warranty Radar: Displays the exact Warranty Expiry Date, live countdown badge (
X Days Left,Expiring in Xd,Grace Period, orExpired Xd ago), visual progress bar, Coverage Tier (e.g.,12 Months Carry-In), and Supplier OEM Warranty Expiry date.
- Bottom Left — 360° Serial Custody & Lifecycle Event Timeline: Chronological table of every state change from birth to present (Timestamp, Event Type badge, Status Change
In Stock → Sold, Warehouse Location, Provenance Notes, Actor Name, and Reference Document code). - Bottom Right — Serial RMA Claims & Field Service Log: Lists every RMA claim filed against this serial (with a one-click Manage RMA → link) and every linked Field Service Job Card.
4The 4 Operational Mode Tabs (?mode=)
| Mode Tab | Filters, Columns & Row Actions |
|---|---|
| Mode 1: Master Serial Registry ( ?mode=registry) |
5-Control Filter Bar: Search box (filter_q), Warehouse dropdown (warehouse_id), Lifecycle Status dropdown (status: All, In Stock, Reserved, Sold & Dispatched, RMA / Quarantine, Defective, Returned), Warranty SLA dropdown (warranty_sla: Active, Expiring ≤ X Days, Expired, Unassigned / Pre-Sale), and Condition Grade dropdown (condition: New, Refurbished, Grade A, Open Box).Row Action Icons: • Open 360° Serial Passport • Allocate / Transfer Custody • Extend / Adjust Warranty SLA • Log RMA / Warranty Claim • Edit Serial Metadata |
| Mode 2: Active & Expiring Warranty Radar ( ?mode=warranties) |
Dedicated SLA monitoring board showing all units with assigned warranty dates. Displays Serial Number & Item, Customer & Tax Invoice, Coverage Tier, Supplier OEM Expiry vs. Customer SLA Expiry, visual Remaining SLA Countdown Bar, and quick Extend () and RMA () buttons. |
| Mode 3: RMA & Warranty Claims Desk ( ?mode=rma) |
Full returns and quarantine management desk. Filter Bar: Search by RMA Claim #, Serial, SKU, Customer, or Fault ( rma_q), plus RMA Status dropdown (Open, In Quarantine, Under Inspection, Awaiting Vendor RMA, Repaired, Replaced, Credited, Closed).Columns: RMA Claim # (e.g., RMA-1001) & Opened Date, Serial & Hardware Item, Customer & Linked Invoice/Job Card, Claim Type & Reported Fault, Warranty Verified badge (Covered by SLA vs. Out of Warranty), Quarantine Bay & Resolution Path, Claim Status badge, and Update Diagnostics & Resolution () button. |
| Mode 4: 360° Serial Event Audit Log ( ?mode=audit) |
Chronological forensic log of every serial lifecycle event across the company. Filterable by search keyword (event_q) and Event Type (Registered, Warehouse Transfer, Dispatched / Invoiced, Job Card Assigned, Warranty Extended, RMA Claim Opened, RMA Claim Updated). |
5All 7 Serial, Custody, Warranty & RMA Modals Explained
📸 [SCREENSHOT PLACEHOLDER: sn-03-rma-claim-and-certificate-modals.png]
How to capture this screenshot:
- In
/inventory/trackSerial, click Log RMA Claim in the top header to capture the Log Official RMA / Customer Warranty Claim modal (#createRmaClaimModal). - Optional second capture: Open a serial passport and click Warranty Certificate to capture the printable certificate modal (
#warrantyCertificateModal). - Save as
sn-03-rma-claim-and-certificate-modals.png.
| Modal Name & ID | Fields, Dynamic Sections & System Actions |
|---|---|
| 1. Register or Auto-Generate Serial Numbers ( #registerSerialsModal) |
• Hardware Item (item_id)* & Receiving Warehouse (warehouse_id)*• Link to FIFO Batch Lot ( batch_id) & Supplier Purchase Order (po_id)• Hardware Condition Grade ( condition_grade): New (OEM Factory Sealed), Certified Refurbished, Grade A (Tested), or Open Box.• One-Click Sequence Generator: Enter a count (1–50) in #autoGenCountInput and click Auto-Generate Sequence to fetch official sequential serial numbers (e.g., SN-2026-10001) via AJAX directly into the textarea!• MAC Address / Secondary IMEI ( mac_or_imei), Supplier OEM Warranty Expiry, Customer SLA Warranty Expiry, and Provenance & Intake Notes. |
| 2. Allocate or Transfer Serial Custody ( #allocateSerialModal) |
Features a dynamic Custody Operation Mode (operation_type) selector that switches between 3 workflows:• Mode 1 — Inter-Warehouse Custody Transfer ( transfer_warehouse): Selects Destination Warehouse and Post-Transfer Status (In Stock, Reserved, or RMA / Quarantine).• Mode 2 — Allocate to Customer / Tax Invoice ( dispatch_customer): Selects Customer Account, Linked Tax Invoice, and Warranty Duration (Months) or Explicit Expiry Date. Marks unit as Sold and starts the customer SLA warranty clock!• Mode 3 — Assign to Field Service Job Card ( assign_jobcard): Selects an active Field Service Job Card, automatically synchronizes jobcards.equipment_serial, and logs a Job Card Assigned event on the serial's passport. |
| 3. Extend or Adjust Serial Warranty SLA ( #extendWarrantyModal) |
Allows adding +3, +6, +12, +24, or +36 Months to the current expiry date (or setting an exact override date), updating the Warranty SLA Tier (Carry-In Depot, On-Site Field Engineer, Next Business Day Swap, Extended Care Pack), updating Supplier OEM expiry, and logging the Care Pack invoice/audit reason. |
| 4. Log Official RMA / Customer Warranty Claim ( #createRmaClaimModal) |
• Serial Number Under Claim (serial_id)*• Claim Classification ( claim_type): Warranty Repair, DOA Replacement, Defective Return, Supplier OEM RMA, or Customer Exchange.• Priority / Severity ( severity): Low, Medium, High, or Critical (System Down).• Customer Account, Origin Tax Invoice & Linked Field Job Card (auto-detected when opened from a serial passport). • Reported Hardware Fault & Symptoms ( fault_description)* & Initial Bench Diagnostic Notes.• Target Resolution Path ( resolution_action): Pending Bench QA Inspection, In-House Bench Repair, Swap / Replace Unit, Issue Customer Credit Note, or Escalate to Supplier OEM RMA.• Switch — Automatically transfer serial unit into RMA & Returns Quarantine Bay ( move_to_quarantine): Moves the physical unit to WH-RMA and flags its status as RMA. |
| 5. Manage RMA Claim & QA Resolution ( #updateRmaClaimModal) |
Used by bench technicians to update RMA Claim Workflow Status (Open → In Quarantine → Under Inspection → Awaiting Vendor RMA → Repaired / Replaced / Credited / Rejected → Closed), record QA Bench Diagnostic Findings & Root Cause, link a repair Job Card, and toggle Release repaired unit back to In Stock inventory (release_to_stock). |
| 6. Edit Serial Metadata ( #editSerialModal) |
Direct administrative override for Lifecycle Status (including Scrapped), Condition Grade, Warehouse Location, MAC/IMEI, Customer Warranty Expiry, Supplier OEM Expiry, and Serial Notes. |
| 7. Printable Warranty & Provenance Certificate ( #warrantyCertificateModal) |
Generates a formal, double-bordered Official 360° Hardware Serial Provenance & Warranty Coverage Certificate showing Company Name, Serial Badge, Issue Date, Hardware Item & SKU, Allocated Customer & Invoice, Condition & Batch Lot, Warranty Tier, SLA Valid Until date, and your custom legal Warranty Terms & Conditions, with a one-click Print Official Certificate button. |
6Serial, Warranty & RMA Customization Studio (/inventory/serialSettings)
Clicking Customize (or Serial & SLA Rules) in the Serial Tracker opens /inventory/serialSettings. The top banner displays a live, real-time preview of your next generated serial number (e.g., SN-2026-10001) and next RMA Claim number (e.g., RMA-1001) as you type!
📸 [SCREENSHOT PLACEHOLDER: sn-04-serial-warranty-rma-studio.png]
How to capture this screenshot:
- Navigate to
/inventory/serialSettings?tab=numbering. - Capture the Live Serial & RMA Format Preview Banner at the top, the 3 Studio Tabs, the Serial Number Sequence & Prefix Builder on the left, and the Live Sequence Preview & Governance Rules on the right.
- Save as
sn-04-serial-warranty-rma-studio.png.
| Studio Tab | Configurable Settings & Automation Switches |
|---|---|
| Tab 1: Serial Numbering & Barcode Engine ( ?tab=numbering) |
• Serial Prefix (sn_prefix): Default SN-.• Date Segment Format ( sn_date_format): Choose YYYY- (Year Prefix e.g. SN-2026-10001), YYMM- (Year+Month e.g. SN-2610-10001), or None (Compact e.g. SN-10001).• Next Sequence Number ( sn_next_number) & Zero-Padding Digits (sn_padding): Controls numeric counter and zero-padding (3 to 10 digits).• Switches:
|
| Tab 2: Warranty SLA Tiers & Certificate Terms ( ?tab=warranty) |
• Default Customer Warranty Months (inv_default_warranty_months): Default 12 months.• Warranty Countdown Trigger Event ( inv_warranty_trigger): Tax Invoice Date, Warehouse Dispatch Date, or Job Card Completion Date.• Expiring Soon Radar Threshold ( warranty_expiring_days): Days before expiry to flag units on the radar (default 30 days).• Warranty SLA Grace Period ( warranty_grace_days): Extra days after official expiry where claims are still honored under grace (default 7 days).• Switch — Track Back-to-Back Supplier / OEM Warranty Expiry ( warranty_track_supplier): Tracks vendor warranty alongside customer warranty.• Printable Warranty Certificate Terms & Conditions ( warranty_certificate_terms): Custom legal text printed at the bottom of every customer Warranty Certificate. |
| Tab 3: RMA Claims Desk & Quarantine Rules ( ?tab=rma) |
• RMA Claim Number Prefix (rma_prefix) & Next Sequence Number (rma_next_number): Controls RMA ticket numbering (e.g., RMA-1001).• Designated RMA & Quarantine Warehouse ( rma_quarantine_warehouse_id): Selects the default quarantine bay (e.g., WH-RMA).• Switch — Automatically Move Serial Unit to Quarantine Warehouse When an RMA Claim is Opened ( rma_auto_quarantine): Isolates defective returns from saleable stock.• Switch — Prompt / Link Field Service Bench Diagnostic Job Cards on Warranty Repair Claims ( rma_auto_create_jobcard): Connects the RMA desk directly to the Field Service workshop. |