diff --git a/frontend/src/components/domain/unified-wizard/wizards/CustomerOrderWizard.tsx b/frontend/src/components/domain/unified-wizard/wizards/CustomerOrderWizard.tsx
index a1ab0c7b..dc81cf57 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/domain/unified-wizard/wizards/CustomerOrderWizard.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/domain/unified-wizard/wizards/CustomerOrderWizard.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import React, { useState, useEffect, useRef } from 'react';
+import React, { useState, useEffect } from 'react';
 import { WizardStep, WizardStepProps } from '../../../ui/WizardModal/WizardModal';
 import { AdvancedOptionsSection } from '../../../ui/AdvancedOptionsSection';
 import Tooltip from '../../../ui/Tooltip/Tooltip';
@@ -526,8 +526,6 @@ const OrderItemsStep: React.FC<WizardDataProps> = ({ data, onDataChange }) => {
 
 // Step 3: Delivery & Payment with ALL fields
 const DeliveryPaymentStep: React.FC<WizardDataProps> = ({ data, onDataChange }) => {
-  const hasGeneratedOrderNumRef = useRef(false);
-
   const [orderData, setOrderData] = useState({
     // Required fields
     requestedDeliveryDate: data.requestedDeliveryDate || '',
@@ -604,26 +602,6 @@ const DeliveryPaymentStep: React.FC<WizardDataProps> = ({ data, onDataChange })
     metadata: data.metadata || '',
   });
 
-  // Auto-generate order number if not provided
-  // Only watches orderNumber field to avoid unnecessary re-renders
-  useEffect(() => {
-    // Only auto-generate order number if:
-    // 1. We haven't generated before
-    // 2. Order number is empty
-    if (!hasGeneratedOrderNumRef.current && !orderData.orderNumber) {
-      hasGeneratedOrderNumRef.current = true;
-      const orderNum = `ORD-${Date.now().toString().slice(-8)}`;
-      const newData = { ...orderData, orderNumber: orderNum };
-      setOrderData(newData);
-      onDataChange({ ...data, ...newData });
-    }
-
-    // If user manually clears the order number, allow regeneration
-    if (hasGeneratedOrderNumRef.current && !orderData.orderNumber) {
-      hasGeneratedOrderNumRef.current = false;
-    }
-  }, [orderData.orderNumber]); // Only watch orderNumber - prevents unnecessary interference
-
   // Update parent whenever order data changes
   const handleOrderDataChange = (newOrderData: any) => {
     setOrderData(newOrderData);
@@ -660,17 +638,18 @@ const DeliveryPaymentStep: React.FC<WizardDataProps> = ({ data, onDataChange })
 
         <div>
           <label className="block text-sm font-medium text-[var(--text-secondary)] mb-2">
-            Order Number
-            <Tooltip content="Auto-generated order reference number">
+            Order Number (Read-only - Auto-generated)
+            <Tooltip content="Automatically generated by backend on order creation (format: ORD-YYYYMMDD-####)">
               <Info className="inline w-4 h-4 ml-1 text-[var(--text-tertiary)]" />
             </Tooltip>
           </label>
           <input
             type="text"
-            value={orderData.orderNumber}
-            onChange={(e) => handleOrderDataChange({ ...orderData, orderNumber: e.target.value })}
-            placeholder="ORD-12345678"
-            className="w-full px-3 py-2 border border-[var(--border-secondary)] rounded-lg focus:outline-none focus:ring-2 focus:ring-[var(--color-primary)] bg-[var(--bg-primary)] text-[var(--text-primary)]"
+            value={orderData.orderNumber || 'Auto-generated on save'}
+            readOnly
+            disabled
+            placeholder="Will be generated automatically"
+            className="w-full px-3 py-2 border border-[var(--border-secondary)] rounded-lg bg-[var(--bg-secondary)] text-[var(--text-tertiary)] cursor-not-allowed"
           />
         </div>
       </div>
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/domain/unified-wizard/wizards/InventoryWizard.tsx b/frontend/src/components/domain/unified-wizard/wizards/InventoryWizard.tsx
index 1a37382a..e36b87ea 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/domain/unified-wizard/wizards/InventoryWizard.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/domain/unified-wizard/wizards/InventoryWizard.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import React, { useState, useEffect, useRef } from 'react';
+import React, { useState } from 'react';
 import { WizardStep, WizardStepProps } from '../../../ui/WizardModal/WizardModal';
 import { AdvancedOptionsSection } from '../../../ui/AdvancedOptionsSection';
 import Tooltip from '../../../ui/Tooltip/Tooltip';
@@ -11,8 +11,6 @@ interface WizardDataProps extends WizardStepProps {
 
 // Single comprehensive step with all fields
 const InventoryDetailsStep: React.FC<WizardDataProps> = ({ data, onDataChange }) => {
-  const hasGeneratedSkuRef = useRef(false);
-
   const [inventoryData, setInventoryData] = useState({
     // Required fields
     name: data.name || '',
@@ -80,27 +78,6 @@ const InventoryDetailsStep: React.FC<WizardDataProps> = ({ data, onDataChange })
     customFields: data.customFields || '',
   });
 
-  // Auto-generate SKU from name if not provided
-  // Only watches SKU field to avoid interfering with typing in name field
-  useEffect(() => {
-    // Only auto-generate SKU if:
-    // 1. We haven't generated before
-    // 2. SKU is empty
-    // 3. Name has at least 3 characters (so we can take substring)
-    if (!hasGeneratedSkuRef.current && !inventoryData.sku && inventoryData.name && inventoryData.name.length >= 3) {
-      hasGeneratedSkuRef.current = true;
-      const sku = `SKU-${inventoryData.name.substring(0, 3).toUpperCase()}-${Date.now().toString().slice(-4)}`;
-      const newData = { ...inventoryData, sku };
-      setInventoryData(newData);
-      onDataChange({ ...data, ...newData });
-    }
-
-    // If user manually clears the SKU, allow regeneration
-    if (hasGeneratedSkuRef.current && !inventoryData.sku) {
-      hasGeneratedSkuRef.current = false;
-    }
-  }, [inventoryData.sku]); // Only watch SKU, not name - prevents interference with typing
-
   // Update parent whenever local state changes
   const handleDataChange = (newInventoryData: any) => {
     setInventoryData(newInventoryData);
@@ -177,8 +154,8 @@ const InventoryDetailsStep: React.FC<WizardDataProps> = ({ data, onDataChange })
         <div className="grid grid-cols-1 md:grid-cols-2 gap-4">
           <div>
             <label className="block text-sm font-medium text-[var(--text-secondary)] mb-2">
-              SKU
-              <Tooltip content="Auto-generated from name, or enter custom SKU">
+              SKU (Optional)
+              <Tooltip content="Leave empty to auto-generate from backend, or enter custom SKU">
                 <Info className="inline w-4 h-4 ml-1 text-[var(--text-tertiary)]" />
               </Tooltip>
             </label>
@@ -186,7 +163,7 @@ const InventoryDetailsStep: React.FC<WizardDataProps> = ({ data, onDataChange })
               type="text"
               value={inventoryData.sku}
               onChange={(e) => handleDataChange({ ...inventoryData, sku: e.target.value })}
-              placeholder="SKU-XXX-1234"
+              placeholder="Leave empty for auto-generation"
               className="w-full px-3 py-2 border border-[var(--border-secondary)] rounded-lg focus:outline-none focus:ring-2 focus:ring-[var(--color-primary)] bg-[var(--bg-primary)] text-[var(--text-primary)]"
             />
           </div>
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/domain/unified-wizard/wizards/QualityTemplateWizard.tsx b/frontend/src/components/domain/unified-wizard/wizards/QualityTemplateWizard.tsx
index 40743c00..5b1c6c48 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/domain/unified-wizard/wizards/QualityTemplateWizard.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/domain/unified-wizard/wizards/QualityTemplateWizard.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import React, { useState, useEffect, useRef } from 'react';
+import React, { useState } from 'react';
 import { WizardStep, WizardStepProps } from '../../../ui/WizardModal/WizardModal';
 import { AdvancedOptionsSection } from '../../../ui/AdvancedOptionsSection';
 import Tooltip from '../../../ui/Tooltip/Tooltip';
@@ -11,8 +11,6 @@ interface WizardDataProps extends WizardStepProps {
 
 // Single comprehensive step with all fields
 const QualityTemplateDetailsStep: React.FC<WizardDataProps> = ({ data, onDataChange }) => {
-  const hasGeneratedCodeRef = useRef(false);
-
   const [templateData, setTemplateData] = useState({
     // Required fields
     name: data.name || '',
@@ -52,27 +50,6 @@ const QualityTemplateDetailsStep: React.FC<WizardDataProps> = ({ data, onDataCha
     specificConditions: data.specificConditions || '',
   });
 
-  // Auto-generate template code from name if not provided
-  // Only watches templateCode field to avoid interfering with typing in name field
-  useEffect(() => {
-    // Only auto-generate template code if:
-    // 1. We haven't generated before
-    // 2. Template code is empty
-    // 3. Name has at least 3 characters (so we can take substring)
-    if (!hasGeneratedCodeRef.current && !templateData.templateCode && templateData.name && templateData.name.length >= 3) {
-      hasGeneratedCodeRef.current = true;
-      const code = `TPL-${templateData.name.substring(0, 3).toUpperCase()}-${Date.now().toString().slice(-4)}`;
-      const newData = { ...templateData, templateCode: code };
-      setTemplateData(newData);
-      onDataChange({ ...data, ...newData });
-    }
-
-    // If user manually clears the template code, allow regeneration
-    if (hasGeneratedCodeRef.current && !templateData.templateCode) {
-      hasGeneratedCodeRef.current = false;
-    }
-  }, [templateData.templateCode]); // Only watch templateCode, not name - prevents interference with typing
-
   // Update parent whenever local state changes
   const handleDataChange = (newTemplateData: any) => {
     setTemplateData(newTemplateData);
@@ -150,8 +127,8 @@ const QualityTemplateDetailsStep: React.FC<WizardDataProps> = ({ data, onDataCha
         <div className="grid grid-cols-1 md:grid-cols-2 gap-4">
           <div>
             <label className="block text-sm font-medium text-[var(--text-secondary)] mb-2">
-              Template Code
-              <Tooltip content="Auto-generated from name, or enter custom code">
+              Template Code (Optional)
+              <Tooltip content="Leave empty to auto-generate from backend, or enter custom code">
                 <Info className="inline w-4 h-4 ml-1 text-[var(--text-tertiary)]" />
               </Tooltip>
             </label>
@@ -159,7 +136,7 @@ const QualityTemplateDetailsStep: React.FC<WizardDataProps> = ({ data, onDataCha
               type="text"
               value={templateData.templateCode}
               onChange={(e) => handleDataChange({ ...templateData, templateCode: e.target.value })}
-              placeholder="TPL-XXX-1234"
+              placeholder="Leave empty for auto-generation"
               className="w-full px-3 py-2 border border-[var(--border-secondary)] rounded-lg focus:outline-none focus:ring-2 focus:ring-[var(--color-primary)] bg-[var(--bg-primary)] text-[var(--text-primary)]"
             />
           </div>