Katana offers multiple product tracking options, including no tracking, batch/lot numbers, and serial numbers. Tracking methods can be set at the item level, ensuring precise inventory control. Switching between tracking methods requires careful data management to preserve historical information.
Within the Item card of a product, you will see three choices under Product tracking: No tracking, Batch / lot numbers, and Serial numbers.
No tracking if item traceability isn't needed.
Batch / lot tracking allows you to assign batch numbers or lot numbers to purchased and manufactured items. Doing this allows you to track batches for products and materials in your stock. You can also assign expiration dates to batches for further control over item shelf life.
Serial number tracking allows you to track products using a unique identifier. You'll be able to track every item's history from the initial production stage to its sale. This is useful for warranty tracking, assistance with device support, refunds, and recalls.
Batch and Serial number tracking are set at an item level, which also affects the item's variants. However, enabling/disabling batch or serial number tracking for one item doesn't affect other items.
Note: Both Batch and Serial number tracking are included in the Full Traceability add-on (automatically available in Professional plans).
If you're enabling batch tracking for an item that already has stock, all existing items are assigned to a batch called unbatched. For historical items in stock, you can connect them with serial numbers by using a stock adjustment or import.
If you're using batches instead of serial numbers, you can't switch from one to the other. Instead, you can create a new item and start serial tracking from scratch or disable batch tracking by selecting No tracking and then enabling Serial numbers tracking.
NOTE: Turning off batch tracking for an item will also delete batch tracking information for all variants of that item. The same applies if you switch serial number tracking to No tracking.
If you enable batch tracking for an item and you've already created batch numbers in Katana, disabling the batch tracking functionality will delete the existing batch tracking information from Katana for that item. We recommend exporting historical batch tracking info before disabling by exporting the data to a CSV file.
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