Program Description
This is a new program in Rev 13, which was added to the System Manager Billing System Manager menu (LMSY-2-17). It is used to convert or merge one serial number to another number. The item number for both the old and the new number must be the same. This will convert one serial number at a time. The Serial Batch Conversion/Merge program can be used if more than one conversion is needed. This process is useful when done overnight or over the weekend. This program can only be run when no one is on the system. It will also lockout users from logging in by setting the global file to display Serial Number Conversion/Merge In Progress.
Location: 17 System Manager> 2 Billing> 17 Serial Conversion/Merge
Filename: BISY017A, BISY017B, BISY017C
Rev 15 Changes
Logic has been added to the Serial Conversion/Merge programs to convert the OEM Interface files if the OEM Interface is activated.
Logic was also added to convert or merge the Item Number/Serial Number versus just the Serial Number. There is a new prompt in the program. This is “Enter New Item Number”. It will default to the Old Item Number, but the operator can override it. At this time, there is no Item Search at this prompt. The Item Number needs to be entered in exact.
Screen sample:
If the operator is trying to perform a conversion and the “Old” Item Number is different than the “New” Item Number, the program will check to see if the “Old” machine is on a contract. If it is on a contract where the item has a quantity greater than one, the program will display an error message and ask for new inputs. The message is:
Machine Is On Contract Number XXXX And Line Number XXXX. The Item Line Has A Qty Greater Than 1. This Machine Can Not Be Converted Until It Has A Separate Item Line On The Contract With A Qty Of 1. Please Correct The Contract And Try This Conversion Again.
This message indicates that the contract is set up like the following:
Item Line Item #: SF90 Qty: 2
Serial #: ABC
Serial #: DEF
If you would like to convert Item SF90, Serial DEF to be a different Item Number, you’ll need to adjust the contract to look like this:
Item Line Item #: SF90 Qty: 1
Serial #: ABC
Item Line Item #: SF90 Qty: 1
Serial #: DEF
The conversion program can then change the Item Number in the Item Line to be the new Item Number without effecting Serial #: ABC.
If the Serial Number being converted is in stock, on a rental contract (so in a rental warehouse), or on Order Entry Custody, and the operator is changing the Item Number, the inventory will be effect. This will effect either On Hand, or Allocated in the Item or Item Warehouse File. Example: Assume Item #: SF90 Serial #: ABC is converted to Item #: EP100 and Serial #: XYZ, and it is in warehouse 2. The On Hand For SF90 in Warehouse 2 will have 1 subtracted. The On Hand For EP100 in Warehouse 2 will have 1 added.
This will also create two records in the Inventory Transaction File (IMWACTD) to show the transaction.
If the operator is performing a merge, the inventory will not be updated. The reason for this is because on a merge, only sales history and service history are effected.
If the machine is used for Service Plan Linkage on invoices and orders, you may notice that if the machine was converted to a new Item Number, that the Service Plan Linkage Item number does not change. This may be viewed in the Order / Invoice Inquiry when the operator enters S to display Service Plan Linkage. This is not converted because then all of the Sales History Files, Item MTD/YTD/QTD fields, etc would also need to be converted. This logic is not going to be added at this time.
If Machine Tracking feature is activated, a record will be created to show all Serial Number Conversions and Merges. These activities will appear in the Service History Inquiry when the operator chooses to display Custody calls. If the machine is being merged to another, two Machine Tracking calls will be created. One will be for the old machine and one for the new machine.
Rev 14 Changes
There was a problem if an operator entered the program while other operators were on the system. The program will lock users off the system by changing the Global Record 0 lock users off system switch, display a message stating temporary index is in use and then try to return to menu without turning off the global lockout switch. The program will no longer display a Temporary Index In Use message. When the operator enters the program, if someone has the Serial File opened, the program will display a message “Files Are In Use. Please Be Sure Everyone Is Logged Off The System. Everyone Must Be Off The System While This Program Is Being Ran. Press 'CR' To Return To Menu”. It will return to the menu without locking out other users.
See screen sample below:
Also, if the operator enters the program, and no one is using the Serial file at that time, there has been a message added to the top of the screen stating “*** No One Should Be On The System While This Program Is Ran *** “. See screen sample.
Logic was also added to the program to convert the Serial Number in the new Contract Billing Missing Meter Readings File (CNMISSM.DT) to the new Serial Number.
Rev 13 Changes
The first prompt that appears is Old Serial Number. This is the serial number that exists on the system to be converted or merged to another number. At this prompt, the user can enter the exact serial number, or do a serial number search. With a serial number search, the user can enter the first part of the serial number followed by an asterisk (*) or enter an asterisk (*) with the ending part of the serial number. A search can also be done in the Machine ID field in the Serial file. The serial numbers will be displayed that meet the criteria. The Model # (item number), Description, ID #, Serial # and Customer # will be displayed for each machine. The user will be prompted to select the correct serial number. The item number will be displayed under the Old Serial Number prompt and the user will be prompted to enter the new serial number. See the screen below:
At the new serial number prompt, enter either the serial number that the machine should be converted to, or the serial number that exists on the system that the machine should be merged to. Serial number search works at this prompt also. Enter the first part of the serial number followed by an asterisk (*), or an asterisk (*) followed by the ending part of the serial number to see a list of machines that meet that criteria. Machine ID search is also available at this prompt.
If the new serial number and old item number do not exist in the Serial File (SERIALD), the record will be added to the Batch Conversion/Merge File and the message This Machine Will Be Converted will display on the screen.
If the new serial number and old item number already exist in the Serial File, the program knows that it will need to do a merge. A message stating This Machine Already Exists and Will Be Considered a MERGE will be displayed. The user will be prompted Merge 1) Service History Only, 2) Sales History Only, 3) Both. If the Service History Only option is chosen, the only files that will be updated will be the Service History File (DISP.DT) and the Part File (PART.DT). If the Sales History Only option is chosen, only the Sales History File (SHHIST.DT) will be updated. If the Both option is chosen, all three files will be updated.
If there is a second machine with the same old serial number but with a different item number that the machine being converted or merged, a service plan linkage question is asked. A message stating *** Duplicate Machine(s) Exists With The Same Old Serial Number And A Different Item Number --- Your Options Are: will be displayed. The following options will be displayed: Convert Service Plan Linkage Info. As Long As Customer# Is The Same (Y/N) and Convert Service Plan Linkage Info. If Customer# Is Not The Same (Y/N). These prompts are displayed whether it is a conversion or a merge.
The service plan linkage prompts refer to the service plan linkage serial number stored in the Order Entry Line Item File (OELID), Sales Analysis File (SALID), and Sales History File (SHHIST.DT). The item number of the service plan linkage file is not stored in those files.
If you know for a fact that there are not any duplicate serial numbers, enter Y for yes in the following prompts:
If a duplicate serial number exists with different item numbers, the serial number should be changed to the new serial number as long as the ship-to customer number is the same as the ship-to customer number where the machine is currently placed.
Also, the serial number should be changed in these records even if the ship-to customer number in these files does not match the customer number where the machine is currently placed.
If there are duplicate serial numbers in the system, but never for the same customer number, you may want to enter Y for the first prompt and N for the second prompt. This will convert the serial number in the above files as long as the customer number is the same. The first prompt should never be set to N and the second prompt should never be set to Y. That would mean you would only want to change the serial number on records in which the customer number is not the current customer number where the machine is placed.
The prompt Do You Wish To Continue (Y/N) will be displayed immediately before the conversion starts. This allows the option to cancel and end out of the program without changing anything.
The following files are updated when performing a serial number conversion:
AP History File (APHIST)
The Dealer Serial Number and the Vendor Serial Number on record type 2 records.
Asset File (ASSETD)
The Serial Number. Also the Serial Number in the ASSET3X index.
Coupon Header (CINVHDRD)
The Serial Number. Also the Serial Number in the CINVSER.IX index.
Contract History (CNHIST.DT)
The Serial Number. Also the Serial Number in the CNHIST1.IX index.
Contract Line Item File(CNLI.DT)
The Serial Number on serial line items.
Service History File (DISP.DT)
The Serial Number on active and completed service calls. Also the Serial Number in the MACH.IX and ACALL2.IX indices.
Inventory Transaction File (IMWACTD)
The Serial Number on records with a record type of 10.
Invoice Line Item File (INVLID)
The Serial Number on Serial Message lines. The serial number will not be changed on contract invoices. This is because the item number is not stored on the message line record like it is during normal Invoice Entry, Credit Memo Entry, or Order Release.
Item/Serial Message File (ITMSG.DT)
The Serial Number on records with a Serial Record type. Also, the Serial Number in the ITMSG.IX index.
Meter File (METER.DT)
The Serial Number. Also the Serial Number in the METER.IX index.
Order Line Item File (OELID)
The Serial Number on Serial Message Lines. This may also convert the Serial Number for Service Plan Linkage depending on whether or not the customer number is the same number that the old machine is currently placed yet, and how the user answered the two Service Plan Linkage prompts when running the conversion/merge.
Part File (PART.DT)
The Serial Number of the machine. Also the Serial Number in the PART.IX index.
Sales Analysis File (SALID)
This may convert the Serial Number for Service Plan Linkage depending or whether or not the customer number is the same number that the old machine is currently placed yet, and how the user answered the two Service Plan Linkage prompts when running the conversion/merge.
Accessory File (SERACC.DT)
The Serial Number of the accessory or the Serial Number of the host (depending on which one is equal to the old serial number). It will also convert the Serial Number in the ACCESS.IX and SERACC.IX indices.
Serial File (SERIALD)
The Serial Number of the machine, or the Host Serial Number (depending on which one is equal to the old serial number). It will also convert the Serial Number in the MODSERX, SERIAL.IX, SERIAL2.IX, and HOSTSERX indices.
Sales History (SHHIST.DT)
This may convert the Serial Number for Service Plan Linkage depending or whether or not the customer number is the same number that the old machine is currently placed yet, and how the user answered the two Service Plan Linkage prompts when running the conversion/merge. It will also convert the Serial Number in the SHHIST3.IX and SHHIST4.IX indices.
Sales Management Prospect File (SMPROS.DT)
The Serial Number. It will also convert the Serial Number in the SMPROS9.IX index.
During a merge, the user is given the option to convert only the Service History, only the Sales History or Both the Service History and Sales History records. Service History records consist of the Service History File (DISP.DT) and the Part File (PART.DT). The Sales History records consists of the Sales History File (SHHIST.DT). On a merge, there is no option to merge two serial numbers throughout this system.
During a merge of Service History records, Sales History Records, or both, the Call Date and Meter Reading of the last service call and last PM call in the Serial file will be reset using the Service History of the new machine following the merge. The merge will also go through all service calls for the new machine and reset the Prior Call Date and Prior Meter Reading fields in the Service History file (DISP.DT).