Assigning identifiers is usually part of internal policy of each company. Problems appear when you can find one item under multiple IDs or when you have to use different IDs or names for the same item in question.

Let us take a look at the following example:

Your company sells DONIT oil filters (ID for the item is FILTDON15). This filter can be used as a spare part in cars manufactured by FIAT, AUDI, and MERCEDES. All three manufacturers use their own ID for the (same) part. When the owner of a FIAT vehicle comes to your store, he’ll specify FIAT’s factory number for the part. You must find the corresponding item. Instead of digging through thick catalogs, you can list IDs used by a supplier or customer for an item entered in the database – in PANTHEON, these IDs are called external IDs.

Specify external IDs:

• In order to make entering of items easier. To do this, you have to set the appropriate settings in the Read External ID field in the Program Parameters (Settings | Program | Administration Panel | Settings | Program Parameters | Items | General).
• in order to show external IDs and names. To do this, you have to set the appropriate option in the Show External ID field in the Program Parameters (Settings | Program | Administration Panel | Settings | Program Parameters | Items | General).

External IDs can be entered:

• in the Items register, more precisely, in the External IDs panel,
• in the Subjects register, more precisely, in the External IDs panel.

For a detailed treatment see:

1. Using External IDs by Entering Items. External IDs are usually used when entering lines in documents of receiving.
2. Using External IDs by Creating Reports.
3. External IDs in reports are usually used when issuing.