A six-section how-to for Singapore procurement and operations teams on managing a semiconductor materials supplier’s document renumbering: mapping, cross-reference tables, PO and goods-receipt alignment, and a worked hypothetical example.

# Why a numbering change is a handover, not an update

When a semiconductor materials supplier renumbers its documents, the change is rarely just a new file name. It is a handover of record identity. The old number may still appear on open purchase orders, goods-receipt notes, incoming inspection sheets, and quality records. If those references are not mapped deliberately, the same material can end up with two identities in your system, and reconciliation becomes a manual hunt.

Treat the supplier’s notice as the start of a controlled transition. Your goal is a single cross-reference table that lets anyone in procurement or operations answer three questions: what was this document called before, what is it called now, and which purchase orders and receipts are affected. This playbook sets out a practical sequence for that work. It is written for Singapore-based teams handling semiconductor materials, solar grade silicon, wafer reclaim documentation, or power module specifications, but the logic applies to any renumbered document set.

One caution before you start: do not assume the supplier’s new numbering follows a pattern you can decode. Ask for the mapping in writing. If the supplier cannot provide one, build it yourself from the documents you hold and have the supplier confirm it.

# Step 1: Capture the change notice and define scope

The first artefact is a written record of what changed and when. Ask the supplier for the effective date, the list of affected document types, and whether old numbers remain valid for a transition period. Record the name and role of the person who confirmed it.

Define scope by document family, not by folder. For semiconductor materials, the families usually include datasheets, certificates of analysis, packaging specifications, and shipping documents. For wafer reclaim, they may include incoming inspection reports and reclaim service records. For power module work, they may include drawings and test specifications. List each family and mark whether it is in scope.

A simple scope table with columns for document family, old number format, new number format, effective date, and owner is enough at this stage. Keep it in a shared location that procurement and operations can both edit. The point is not elegance; it is a single agreed list that prevents two teams from mapping the same change differently.

# Step 2: Build the cross-reference table

The cross-reference table is the core deliverable. One row per document, with the old number, the new number, the document title, the revision, the supplier contact who confirmed it, and the date confirmed. Add a status column: mapped, pending confirmation, or disputed.

Where the supplier provides a mapping file, import it and check a sample against the actual documents. Where it does not, build the table from your own records and send it back for confirmation. Do not mark a row as mapped until the supplier has confirmed it in writing.

For teams that also handle silicon recovery or solar grade silicon, the same table can carry a material code column so that document numbers and material identities stay linked. This is useful when a single supplier sends both a datasheet and a certificate of analysis under different numbering schemes. The table becomes the place where those schemes meet.

If your organisation uses a document management system, decide early whether old numbers will be retained as aliases. Retaining them as searchable aliases is usually less disruptive than replacing them outright, but confirm this with your quality and IT teams before committing.

# Step 3: Align purchase orders and goods receipts

Purchase orders and goods receipts are where numbering changes cause the most friction. An open PO may reference an old document number in its line text or attachments. A goods receipt may reference the same old number on the packing list. If the supplier ships against the new number before your PO is updated, the receipt may not match the order.

Work through open POs line by line. For each line that references a renumbered document, add a note in the PO text or attachment that records both the old and new numbers, with the effective date. Where your system allows, update the document reference directly. Where it does not, keep the cross-reference table as the authoritative link and make sure receiving staff know where to find it.

For goods receipts, brief the receiving team on the transition window. Ask them to record both numbers on the receipt if the supplier’s paperwork shows only the new one. This is a temporary measure, but it prevents a mismatch from becoming a payment query. If your team handles wafer reclaim paperwork, the same discipline applies to reclaim service records and return notes.

# Step 4: Update internal records and communicate

Internal records include incoming inspection sheets, approved supplier lists, quality files, and any spreadsheets that reference document numbers. Assign an owner for each record set and a target date for update. A short communication to procurement, receiving, quality, and finance explaining the change and pointing to the cross-reference table is usually enough.

Avoid broadcasting the full mapping to everyone. Instead, tell each team which document families affect them and where to find the table. Finance, for example, may only need to know that invoice references may change. Receiving needs the old and new numbers for the affected materials. Quality needs the revision history.

If your organisation works with a supplier such as San Techno, whose product range spans semiconductor silicon materials, silicon wafer reclaim services, and AC-to-DC power module design, the document families may be broader than a single-material supplier. In that case, group the communication by product branch so each team sees only the relevant changes. The San Techno products page lists the branches and can help you identify which document families apply to your orders.

Related resource: products.

# Step 5: Worked hypothetical example

The following example is hypothetical and is included to show the sequence, not to describe any real supplier or transaction.

A Singapore procurement team buys solar grade silicon from a supplier that renumbers its certificate of analysis from an old format to a new one. The supplier’s notice arrives on 1 March with an effective date of 15 March. The team opens a scope table and lists three document families: datasheet, certificate of analysis, and packing list. Only the certificate of analysis is in scope.

The team builds a cross-reference table with five rows, one for each active material grade. It sends the table to the supplier for confirmation and receives confirmation on 5 March. Two open purchase orders reference the old certificate number. The team adds a note to each PO line recording both numbers and the effective date. Receiving is briefed to record both numbers on goods receipts until 15 April.

On 20 March, a shipment arrives with the new certificate number. Receiving records both numbers, and the cross-reference table is used to match the receipt to the open PO. No payment query arises. The team reviews the table on 15 April and marks the transition complete. The example is deliberately small; the same steps scale to more document families and more open orders.

Related resource: San Techno.

# Step 6: Close the transition and keep the record

A transition is complete when no open purchase order, goods receipt, or internal record still depends on the old number without a cross-reference. Set a review date, check each row of the cross-reference table, and mark it closed. Keep the table as a historical record; it may be needed if an old document is referenced in an audit or a warranty query.

For teams that also handle silicon recovery or wafer reclaim, the same closing discipline applies to service records and return notes. The San Techno resources page may be useful for general reference material, and the about page explains the company’s background in semiconductor and solar materials. Neither page replaces your own document control procedure; they are context for understanding the supplier’s product branches.

If you need to confirm contact details for a supplier, use the approved channel rather than an old email thread. Send numbering questions with a sample of the old and new document references, leaving confidential details out of the example. The company is based in Singapore and has been operating since 2006, which may be relevant when checking the age of old document references.

Related resource: resources.

Related resource: about.

# About San Techno

San Techno Pte Ltd is a Singapore-based company working in semiconductor and solar materials, silicon recovery, specialized power module development, and botanical extracts under the ST GREEN brand.