Inventory Number API

Manage lot numbers and serial numbers for inventory tracking and traceability.

Endpoints

Method	Endpoint	Description
GET	/record/v1/inventoryNumber	Retrieve list of inventory numbers
GET	/record/v1/inventoryNumber/{id}	Retrieve a specific inventory number
POST	/record/v1/inventoryNumber	Create a new inventory number
PATCH	/record/v1/inventoryNumber/{id}	Update an existing inventory number
DELETE	/record/v1/inventoryNumber/{id}	Delete an inventory number

Key Fields

Field	Type	Description	Required
inventoryNumber	String	Lot or serial number identifier	Yes
item	Object	Item reference {"id": "789"}	Yes
expirationDate	Date	Expiration date for lot-tracked items	No
memo	String	Notes about this lot/serial number	No
status	String	Status reference (custom status values)	No
location	Object	Location reference	No
units	Object	Unit of measure reference	No
cost	Number	Cost associated with this lot/serial	No

Example: Create Inventory Number

Request

POST /record/v1/inventoryNumber
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "inventoryNumber": "LOT-20251225-001",
  "item": {"id": "789"},
  "expirationDate": "2026-12-25",
  "memo": "Production batch from December 2025",
  "location": {"id": "1"}
}

Response

{
  "id": "45678",
  "inventoryNumber": "LOT-20251225-001",
  "item": {
    "id": "789",
    "refName": "Widget A - Lot Tracked"
  },
  "expirationDate": "2026-12-25",
  "memo": "Production batch from December 2025",
  "location": {
    "id": "1",
    "refName": "Main Warehouse"
  },
  "quantityOnHand": 0,
  "quantityAvailable": 0,
  "links": [
    {
      "rel": "self",
      "href": "https://{{account}}.suitetalk.api.netsuite.com/services/rest/record/v1/inventoryNumber/45678"
    }
  ]
}

Example: Create Serial Number

Request

POST /record/v1/inventoryNumber
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "inventoryNumber": "SN-2025-12345",
  "item": {"id": "790"},
  "memo": "Serial number for laptop computer",
  "location": {"id": "1"}
}

Response

{
  "id": "45679",
  "inventoryNumber": "SN-2025-12345",
  "item": {
    "id": "790",
    "refName": "Laptop Computer - Serialized"
  },
  "memo": "Serial number for laptop computer",
  "location": {
    "id": "1",
    "refName": "Main Warehouse"
  },
  "quantityOnHand": 0,
  "quantityAvailable": 0,
  "links": [
    {
      "rel": "self",
      "href": "https://{{account}}.suitetalk.api.netsuite.com/services/rest/record/v1/inventoryNumber/45679"
    }
  ]
}

Example: Update Inventory Number

Request

PATCH /record/v1/inventoryNumber/45678
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "memo": "Production batch from December 2025 - Quality checked",
  "expirationDate": "2026-11-25"
}

Response

{
  "id": "45678",
  "inventoryNumber": "LOT-20251225-001",
  "memo": "Production batch from December 2025 - Quality checked",
  "expirationDate": "2026-11-25",
  "links": [
    {
      "rel": "self",
      "href": "https://{{account}}.suitetalk.api.netsuite.com/services/rest/record/v1/inventoryNumber/45678"
    }
  ]
}

Sublists/Line Items

Inventory numbers themselves don't have sublists, but they are referenced in sublists of other transactions:

Referenced in Inventory Adjustment

{
  "item": {
    "items": [
      {
        "item": {"id": "789"},
        "adjustQtyBy": 100,
        "location": {"id": "1"},
        "inventoryDetail": {
          "items": [
            {
              "inventoryNumber": {"id": "45678"},
              "quantity": 100
            }
          ]
        }
      }
    ]
  }
}

Referenced in Item Fulfillment

{
  "item": {
    "items": [
      {
        "item": {"id": "790"},
        "quantity": 1,
        "inventoryDetail": {
          "items": [
            {
              "inventoryNumber": {"id": "45679"},
              "quantity": 1
            }
          ]
        }
      }
    ]
  }
}

Query Filters

Filter by Inventory Number

GET /record/v1/inventoryNumber?q=inventoryNumber = 'LOT-20251225-001'

Filter by Item

GET /record/v1/inventoryNumber?q=item.id = 789

Filter by Expiration Date Range

GET /record/v1/inventoryNumber?q=expirationDate BETWEEN '2025-01-01' AND '2025-12-31'

Filter by Location

GET /record/v1/inventoryNumber?q=location.id = 1

Find Expiring Soon

GET /record/v1/inventoryNumber?q=expirationDate <= '2025-12-31' AND expirationDate >= '2025-12-01'&orderby=expirationDate ASC

Filter by Item and Location

GET /record/v1/inventoryNumber?q=item.id = 789 AND location.id = 1

Search by Partial Number

GET /record/v1/inventoryNumber?q=inventoryNumber LIKE '%LOT-2025%'

Important Notes

Lot vs Serial Numbers

Lot Numbers:

• Track groups/batches of items
• Multiple units share the same lot number
• Common for manufacturing, food, pharmaceuticals
• May have expiration dates
• Example: LOT-20251225-001 for 100 units

Serial Numbers:

• Track individual items uniquely
• Each unit has a unique serial number
• Common for electronics, equipment, high-value items
• Typically no expiration dates
• Example: SN-2025-12345 for 1 unit

Item Configuration Required

Before creating inventory numbers, ensure:

• Item has lot/serial tracking enabled
• Item type supports lot/serial tracking (inventory items, assembly items)
• Item is properly configured in NetSuite

Inventory Number Creation

• Inventory numbers can be created manually via API
• They are also auto-created during transactions if the number doesn't exist
• Pre-creating numbers allows adding expiration dates and memos
• Once created, the number is available for use in transactions

Quantity Tracking

• quantityOnHand: Total quantity across all locations
• quantityAvailable: Available for transactions (on hand - committed)
• Quantities are read-only in the inventory number record
• Quantities change via inventory transactions (adjustments, receipts, fulfillments)

Permissions Required

• Create: Lists > Inventory Numbers > Create
• Edit: Lists > Inventory Numbers > Edit
• Delete: Lists > Inventory Numbers > Delete
• View: Lists > Inventory Numbers > View

Best Practices

1. Establish naming conventions for lot/serial numbers (e.g., prefix, date, sequence)
2. Include expiration dates for perishable or time-sensitive items
3. Add descriptive memos for important batch information
4. Pre-create lot numbers for manufacturing runs with known batch details
5. Track serial numbers for warranty and support purposes
6. Regular audits to identify expired or low-stock lot numbers

Limitations

• Cannot delete inventory numbers with transaction history
• Cannot change the inventoryNumber value once created
• Cannot change the associated item once created
• Some fields may be read-only depending on configuration
• Serial numbers must be unique across all items in some configurations

Expiration Date Management

For lot-tracked items with expiration dates:

• NetSuite can enforce FEFO (First Expired, First Out) logic
• Expired lots may be blocked from fulfillment
• Set up alerts for lots nearing expiration
• Run reports to identify expiring inventory

Data Validation

• inventoryNumber must be unique for the item (or globally, depending on settings)
• Expiration date should be in the future for new lots
• Item must support lot/serial tracking
• Status values (if used) must be valid status references

Common Use Cases

1. Manufacturing: Create lot numbers for production batches
2. Receiving: Create serial numbers when receiving serialized items
3. Recalls: Track affected lot numbers for product recalls
4. Warranty: Track serial numbers for warranty claims
5. Compliance: Maintain traceability for regulated industries
6. Inventory Planning: Monitor lot expiration dates for rotation

Integration Tips

• Validate item supports lot/serial before creating numbers
• Check for existing numbers before creating duplicates
• Use batch processing for creating multiple numbers
• Implement error handling for duplicate number scenarios
• Store external system IDs in the memo field for reference

Reporting and Analytics

Query inventory numbers for:

• Expiring lots report
• Lot/serial number availability
• Transaction history by lot/serial
• Quality holds or quarantine status
• Cost tracking by lot number