Release focus: This post breaks down two practical Field Service enhancements in MYOB Acumatica 2025.1:
- support for assigning lot/serial numbers “When Used” directly on Appointments, and
- tighter integration of project-specific inventory with Service Orders and Appointments.
Why this matters
- Technicians can finish the job in one pass: Capture the exact lot/serial number at install time, even when the specific unit wasn’t known before dispatch.
- Cleaner costing and availability on projects: Project stock is tracked where the work happens, so quantities and costs reflect reality—before billing.
1) On-site lot/serial assignment (When Used) in Appointments
What’s changed
Appointments (FS300200) now support stock items whose lot/serial class is set to:
- Tracking method: Track Serial Numbers or Track Lot Numbers (1)
- Assignment method: When Used (2)
This unlocks the ability to assign the lot/serial at the time of service—exactly when the technician installs or consumes the item.
(The following screenshot is provided to illustrate the settings closely related to the new functionality. However, no new elements have been added to the Lot/Serial Classes form.)
The stock item's lot or serial class settings
Feature flag: Requires Lot and Serial Tracking enabled on Enable/Disable Features (CS100000).
Billing context: Applies to customers with a billing cycle that processes billing for appointments.
How the new UI behaves
Assignment depends on Auto-Generate Next Number (3) in the item’s lot/serial class (IN207000):
- Auto-Generate Next Number = selected
The system automatically generates the lot/serial and inserts it into Lot/Serial Nbr. on the appointment Details tab. - Auto-Generate Next Number = cleared
The user can manually generate numbers on the appointment: select the line → Lot/Serial Nbrs. (table toolbar) → Generate in the Line Details dialog.
In the Line Details dialog you’ll see new/updated elements:
- Unassigned Qty. – how many items still need numbers
- Quantity to Generate – defaults from Actual Quantity and can be edited (generate some now, the rest later)
- Start Lot/Serial Number – start value per the stock item’s settings
- Generate – creates the numbers and lists them in Lot/Serial Nbr.
The new UI elements in the Line Details dialog box
The generated serial numbers
For items that auto-generate, Unassigned Qty. and Quantity to Generate will be 0 by default since the system assigns numbers on save.
Guardrails and limitations
- Service Orders (FS300100): For When Used items, lot/serial cannot be generated/assigned on Service Orders; do it on Appointments. Numbers generated on Appointments are not copied to related Service Orders.
- Mobile: This functionality is not available in the MYOB mobile app.
Outcome
- Accurate traceability without pre-picking specific serials.
- Fewer service reworks: the tech records the real unit installed, on the spot.
2) Project-specific inventory in Service Orders and Appointments
What’s changed
For projects with Track by Project Quantity and Cost enabled on Projects (PM301000), the Service Orders (FS300100) and Appointments (FS300200) forms now fully support project stock:
- Serial/lot selection is available for project stock items tracked by lot/serial.
- The table footer on the Details tab shows project stock vs free stock quantities:
- First value = available quantity in the Project cost layer for the selected project/task
- Second value = available free stock (Normal layer) plus any project stock in the specified warehouse location
- Inventory allocations created for service documents now carry the correct Project cost layer (e.g., FS Prepared, FS Booked, FS Allocated), visible on Inventory Allocation Details (IN402000).
The lot or serial numbers for a project-reserved stock item
The list of serial numbers available for the selected project-specific stock item
Project-specific and free stock quantities displayed in the table footer
An allocation type specified according to the Project cost layer
Feature flag: Requires Project-Specific Inventory enabled on Enable/Disable Features (CS100000).
Technician & dispatcher workflow updates
- Service Orders: In Line Details, the Lot/Serial Nbr. column now supports selection for project-tracked, lot/serial-tracked items.
- Appointments:
- The Lot/Serial Nbr. lookup shows only serials/lots for the selected project stock item.
- The Line Details dialog likewise filters to that project’s numbers.
- Tip: If the item’s class uses When Used, assign its lot/serial on Appointments (not Service Orders).
Outcome
- Reliable availability while planning and executing project work—no more misleading quantities before billing.
- Cleaner project costing without manual reconciliation.
Quick “Do This Now” Checklist
Admins
- Enable features: Lot and Serial Tracking; Project-Specific Inventory (CS100000).
- Review lot/serial classes (IN207000): Confirm When Used and Auto-Generate Next Number settings align with field workflows.
- Validate billing cycles: Ensure appointments are in scope for billing where this behavior is desired.
- Permission & training: Grant access to Line Details actions; train users on partial generation and re-opening the dialog to finish remaining quantities.
- Update SOPs: Clarify that When Used numbers are assigned on Appointments and won’t copy to Service Orders.
Dispatch & Field Ops
- Coach techs to enter or generate serials during install.
- Use Quantity to Generate for partials (e.g., multi-unit installs across multiple visits).
- Note current mobile limitation; plan capture on web if needed.
Project & Finance
- Confirm project stock shows correctly in footers and allocations carry the Project cost layer.
- Review reports/dashboards that depend on project availability and costing.
Frequently Asked (and Useful) Questions
Q: Can I assign When Used serials on Service Orders?
A: No. Generate/assign them on Appointments; they won’t copy back to the Service Order.
Q: Is this available on the mobile app?
A: Not at this time.
Q: What if Auto-Generate Next Number is on?
A: The system fills Lot/Serial Nbr. automatically on save; Unassigned Qty. and Quantity to Generate will show as 0.
Q: Do I need to enable anything for project stock improvements?
A: Yes—turn on Project-Specific Inventory. Also ensure your project uses Track by Project Quantity and Cost.
Q: What do the two numbers in the footer mean again?
A: First = available Project layer quantity for the selected project/task. Second = available free stock plus any project stock in the specified warehouse location.
How Avanza Solutions can help
We can set this up end-to-end for your field team in New Zealand:
- Tune lot/serial classes and appointment workflows for “When Used” scenarios
- Enable and test Project-Specific Inventory with your real projects
- Train technicians and dispatchers, and adjust SOPs and dashboards
- Validate allocations and costing so finance trusts the numbers
Want us to configure this in your sandbox and hand you a playbook? We can do that.
