The customer reads the serial number over the phone, the team in the office searches Excel row by row, and the response is delayed. If the warranty query is not clarified within minutes, both trust and cost are compromised.
Warranty status, spare part stock, and service cost are links of the same chain. In this article, we explained serial number-based tracking and part management step by step.
EQLEM is a solution platform; it works together with the stock cards in your existing ERP system to provide warranty visibility in field service.
Table of Contents
Why is a serial number mandatory?
Warranty is tied to the individual device, not the product model; sales dates of the same model may differ. Without a serial number, duration calculation is speculation.
Serial registration also binds which part was installed on which device. Without this link, repetitive failure analysis cannot be performed.
If the device list is kept in the customer card, selection speeds up during call opening. Serial search is not performed from scratch every time.
Scanning a barcode or QR reduces the error rate in the field. Manually typed numbers are the most frequent source of data errors.
The asset tagging approach was covered in the asset tagging article.
How is the warranty record kept?
The start date can be the sales invoice or the installation date; the choice is clarified according to your sector. If the two dates get confused, a duration dispute arises.
The duration must be kept in months and as an end date; a mere "two years" note is not enough. Calendar calculation must be done within the system.
Scope items must also be recorded; whether labor is included or parts are included should appear separately. Ambiguous scope generates negotiations in the field.
Manufacturer warranty and seller warranty must be separated; return and cost pathways are different. Mixed records lead to incorrect invoicing.
When an extended warranty is sold, the new end date is versioned without overwriting the old record.
Quick query in the field
While in the field, technicians should be able to query from the mobile screen instead of calling the office. Waiting customer minutes are expensive.
The result screen must clearly show "under warranty / out of warranty / partial" and list which items are included. No gray areas should be left.
An approved quote workflow must be initiated for out-of-warranty transactions. Verbal pricing later produces disputes.
If the query history is logged, claims of misinformation are resolved. It is known who saw what and when.
We established the opening of the service request in the service request article; the warranty status must be linked to the request.
Spare parts inventory
The service warehouse and sales warehouse must be separated; random picking from the same shelf creates inventory confusion. Separation cleans up reports.
In-vehicle inventory must also be recorded; the technician's trunk cannot be an invisible warehouse. Invisible stock is invisible cost.
Minimum levels are defined for critical parts, and alerts are generated when falling below them. An empty shelf turns into an SLA violation.
Part cards can be synchronized with the existing ERP system to prevent duplicate codes. ERP synchronization plan comes in handy here.
Every part used must be linked to the work order; free-fall drops get lost during audits.
Service cost separation
In-warranty part costs are borne by the company, while out-of-warranty parts are reflected to the customer. This separation is mandatory in records.
Labor hours are also separated with the same logic; otherwise, the profitability report inflates or sinks. Mixed hours mislead management.
Items to be recourse-charged to the manufacturer must be tracked in a separate queue. Untracked recourse means silent loss.
Even if invoicing is done in the existing ERP system, the cost tag must remain visible on the platform. Operations should not wait for accounting.
The service invoice workflow service invoice we summarized in the article.
Supply and critical stock
For frequently failing parts, the lead time is included in the SLA calculation; if there is no part, the resolution time is paused. The pause rule must be in writing.
If an alternative parts list is maintained, the second option is recommended when the first choice is out of stock. Single-source dependency is risky.
Urgent orders must be tracked separately; they should not get lost in the normal purchasing queue. Speed does not come without an urgent tag.
Supplier performance supplier evaluation we discussed in the article.
Critical stock levels can be adjusted seasonally; summer and winter failure profiles differ.
Guaranteed part return
The replaced faulty part must be taken into the return process and tracked by serial number. A faulty part forgotten on the shelf is a loss.
Manufacturer acceptance/rejection results must be recorded; the reason for rejection affects the subsequent purchase. Silent rejection repeats the same mistake.
Warnings must be generated before the return period expires. Expired parts cannot be recourse claimed.
Logistics labels and waybill numbers must also be attached. Returns without documents cannot be tracked.
Failure situations failure and service transaction we monitored in the article.
Contracts and extended warranty
For devices with maintenance contracts, inclusive-of-parts rules are separate; even if the warranty has expired, the contract scope may continue. The two concepts must not be confused.
Extended warranty sales must be linked to the device record and the end date must be updated. An independent Excel row gets forgotten.
If out-of-warranty cost history is shared during contract renewal, the customer sees the value. Data facilitates renewal.
Maintenance contract management article completes this distinction.
If SLA targets are to be paused while waiting for parts, the rule must be clear.
Reporting
The most consumed parts, in-warranty cost, and recourse success rate must be reported monthly. These three metrics inform inventory and supply decisions.
The device-based recurring failure list lays the groundwork for product quality discussions. A concentration is visible within the same serial family.
Devices nearing the end of their warranty can fall into the sales opportunity list. They are natural candidates for extended warranties.
Reports can be linked to the management KPI set; daily KPIs refer to the article.
The financial summary can be transferred to the existing ERP system; operational details remain on the platform.
Points to consider
Do not make a warranty decision without a serial number; guesswork is costly. Make barcode scanning a standard.
Do not leave vehicle inventory off the books; an unseen part is a lost part. A counting routine is essential.
Avoid reflecting in-warranty costs onto the customer; the reverse is also true, do not leave out-of-warranty work free of charge.
Do not replace your existing ERP with EQLEM; clarify card and inventory ownership in the synchronization plan.
A process that does not track return times silently melts away recourse revenue.
Frequently asked questions
What is done if there is no serial number?
Matching with the invoice and installation document is attempted; if not found, an out-of-warranty process and approved quote are opened. Do not count as in-warranty by assumption.
Where should parts inventory be kept?
Service warehouse and vehicle inventory are tracked on the platform; main cards can remain in the existing ERP system. Avoid duplicate codes.
Is EQLEM an ERP?
No; EQLEM is a resolution platform and works alongside your existing ERP system.
How is an extended warranty tracked?
A new end date and coverage are added to the device record; separate Excel rows are not maintained.
When the warranty query is tied to the serial number, the field speeds up and incorrect billing decreases. Guesswork-based decisions are the most expensive mistakes.
Link the spare part to the work order and make vehicle inventory visible. Unseen inventory is hidden cost.
Separate in-warranty and out-of-warranty costs; don't forget the recourse queue. Untracked returns are silent losses.
Do not confuse contracts with manufacturer warranties; the two scopes generate different billings.
Keep critical stock alerts meaningful; an empty shelf directly turns into an SLA violation.
By consulting with the EQLEM team, you can clarify your warranty and spare parts setup.