Warranty Tracking and Claims

AccuArk allows you to track warranty periods on serialized items and manage warranty claims through a structured workflow. This helps your business handle manufacturer warranties, process customer warranty requests, and maintain a complete record of every claim filed against a serialized unit.

Setting Warranty Dates

Warranty start and end dates can be set in two ways:

• During purchase order receiving — When you receive serialized items on a purchase order and enter serial numbers, you can also enter warranty start and end dates for each serial. This is the recommended approach because it captures warranty information at the point of entry.
• Manually in the Serial Detail form — Open the serial record and enter or edit the warranty start and end dates directly in the warranty fields.

If you set warranty dates during an Excel import, the dates from columns C and D in your spreadsheet are used as the warranty start and warranty end dates respectively.

When a warranty start date is set on a serial, the warranty status is automatically set to Active.

Warranty Status Values

Every serial has a warranty status that is determined automatically based on the warranty dates and any manual overrides:

Automatic Expiration

AccuArk displays the warranty status based on the current date compared to the warranty end date. You do not need to manually update the status when a warranty expires — the system determines this automatically each time the serial record is viewed. If today is past the warranty end date and the warranty has not been voided, the status displays as Expired.

Filing a Warranty Claim

To file a warranty claim against a serialized item:

1. Open the Serial Detail form for the serial
2. Click the File Warranty Claim button
3. Fill out the claim form and click Save

Filing a warranty claim requires the INV_MANAGE_WARRANTY_CLAIMS permission.

Claim Form Fields

The warranty claim form contains the following fields:

• Claim Number — Auto-generated in the format WC-YYYYMMDD-XXXX (e.g., WC-20260304-0001). This number is assigned automatically and cannot be edited.
• Claim Date — Defaults to today's date. You can change this if you are recording a claim that was initiated on a different date.
• Description — Describe the issue that prompted the warranty claim. Be specific about the defect or malfunction so there is a clear record.
• Resolution — This field is typically left blank when first filing the claim. Fill it in later when the claim is resolved to document how the issue was handled (e.g., “Replaced unit with serial SN-67890”, “Manufacturer repaired and returned”).
• Status — The current status of the claim in the workflow.

Claim Status Workflow

Warranty claims follow a structured workflow:

1. Open — The initial status when a claim is filed. The issue has been reported and the claim is awaiting action.
2. In Progress — The claim is being investigated or processed. The item may have been sent to the manufacturer or an internal repair team.
3. Approved or Denied — A decision has been made on the claim. Approved means the warranty covers the issue. Denied means it does not.
4. Closed — The claim has been fully resolved and finalized. The resolution field should be filled in with the outcome before closing.

You update the claim status by opening the claim record and changing the status dropdown. Each status change is saved to the claim record.

Viewing Claims

Warranty claims appear in the Warranty Claims section of the Serial Detail form. Each claim in the list shows:

• Claim number
• Claim date
• Current status
• Description summary

Click on a claim to open its full record and view or edit all fields including the resolution.

CRM Integration

If a customer contacts your support team about a warranty issue, you can connect the serial number to a CRM support ticket for end-to-end tracking:

1. Open or create a CRM support ticket for the customer
2. On the ticket form, locate the Serial Number dropdown
3. The dropdown shows all serials belonging to the customer on the ticket
4. Select the relevant serial to link it to the ticket

This links the support conversation to the specific product unit, giving your support team immediate access to the serial's history, warranty status, and any existing claims.

Best Practices

• Record warranty information at receiving — Enter warranty start and end dates when you receive items on purchase orders. This ensures accuracy and saves time compared to entering dates later.
• File claims promptly — Create warranty claims as soon as an issue is reported. This establishes a clear timeline and prevents delays in resolution.
• Document resolutions clearly — When closing a claim, write a detailed resolution note. This creates a valuable reference for future issues with similar products or for the same customer.
• Use the Void status carefully — Only void a warranty when there is a documented reason (unauthorized modification, physical damage from misuse, etc.). Voiding is not reversible through the standard workflow.