Batch Number Tracking
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George Sutton
Updated : Created :
Page Contents:
Enable Batch Tracking for a Product
View Batch Expiry in the Dashboard
Transactions with Batch Number Tracking
Bulk Assign Oldest Batch Numbers
Bulk Assign Oldest Batch Numbers per transaction
Bulk Assign Oldest Batch Numbers to multiple transactions
Batch Tracking allows you to trace a batch of products from its creation or receipt into Unleashed, right through to its sale. Within the Batch Number detail you can choose to include an Expiry Date to highlight a warranty period or lifespan of that Batch's quantity of products.
Batch Tracking provides you with the freedom and flexibility to track your products quickly and accurately. For example, if you work in the food safety industry and you have a batch that gets compromised, you'll be able to easily identify the batch and contact any affected Customers and Suppliers. You can track any food through all the stages of manufacturing; from processing right through to distribution (including importing and at retail levels).
Enable Batch Tracking
To use Batch Tracking within your products and subsequent transactions you will need to enable it within your Company Settings. Go to Settings | Company, then in the Configuration tab toggle on Batch Tracking and select Save.
NOTE: Once Batch Tracking in enabled and has been enabled in a product, you will no longer be able to disable the function in your Company Settings.
Enable Batch Tracking for a Product
Once enabled in Company Settings, you will then have the option to enable Batch Tracking on a per product basis. This way, you have the flexibility to use batch tracking on only the products that require it.
To enable Batch Tracking for a product, follow the below steps:
- Go to the product's record
- In the Details tab, under the Type section on the right of the page toggle on Batch Tracked
- If the product has no stock on hand, select Save.
- If the product has current stock on hand, a pop-up window will appear in which you can allocate new Batch Numbers with optional Expiry Dates to the current Quantity. Each Warehouse that currently holds stock on hand will have a tab in which you will advise Batch Numbers for.
- Once all stock on hand has a Batch Number allocated, click Save.
Once Batch Tracking is enabled for the product, any transaction created will require a Batch Number to be allocated before it can be completed.
NOTE: You cannot enable Serial Tracking and Batch Tracking on the same product record. Both options are available and can be enabled simultaneously in your account but only one option can be enabled at the product level.
View Batch Expiry in the Dashboard
When your products are batch tracked, you review the products which have Batch Expiry Dates that are closest to expiring.
Go to your Dashboard and select show in the tab towards the bottom of the page. The tab will then move up your page to reveal the Batch Expiry tile which includes:
- Expires: The number of days before the batch expires.
- Batch Number: The Batch Number that's due to expire.
- Product: The Product Code and Description of the expiring batch.
- Value: The total value of stock within the expiring batch.
- Quantity: The number of units on hand for the expiring batch.
You will also be shown a red banner, highlighting how many batches currently on hand have expired.
Transactions with Batch Number Tracking
The following lists Transactions in Unleashed which include Batch Number Tracking as part of their workflow.
| Transaction | Allocating Batch Numbers |
|---|---|
| Receipt (Purchase Order) |
At the point of receipting stock for a Purchase Order, you'll be able to allocate a New or Existing Batch to the quantities being receipted. For more details, see Receipt Purchase. |
| Supplier Returns |
If the Return checkbox is ticked in your Supplier Return, use the Batch column to assign the Batch Number that is being returned to the Supplier. |
| Sales Orders |
When creating a Sales Order with a Batch Tracked product, soft allocate an existing Batch Number using the Batch column in the Order Lines tab. Use the Select Oldest function in the top right of the pop-up window to allow Unleashed to allocate the oldest existing Batch Numbers to the order. Use the Select None function to remove all Batch allocations currently saved on the Order. Use the open text field at the bottom of the pop-up window to manually enter the Batch Numbers you want to allocate. NOTE: If the Batch Number is allocated to the Sales Order, any Shipment or Invoice created for the order afterwards will automatically allocate the Batch Number selection. If the Sales Order's Batch Number allocation is changed after the Shipment or Invoice has been created, the Shipment/Invoice's batch will not retroactively update to align with the Sales Order's newly allocated Batch and they will need to be updated manually. |
| Shipments | Within a Sales Shipment, you can apply or update the Batch Numbers allocated via the Batch column. Select the range of Batch Numbers you want to review for allocation using the Selected on Order or All Available Batches options, below the Filter Batch Number field.
NOTE: Batch Numbers will not hard allocate to open Shipments and can therefore be allocated to another Shipment if it's dispatched before the existing Shipment. A warning icon will appear on the Batch Number to advise if it's been over allocated. |
| Invoices | Batch Numbers are not required to be allocated to an Invoice in order it to be completed. However, the Invoice will update to include the Batch Numbers allocated to the Sales Order/Shipment once the stock is dispatched. |
| Credit Notes | If the Return checkbox is ticked in the Credit Note, you can then allocate the Batch Numbers that are being returned to stock. NOTE: You can only return the Batch Numbers that were dispatched for the original Sales Order. If the Batch Number that's been returned does not match the Batch originally sold, create a Free Credit instead. Free Credits will allow you to Return any Batch Number. For more details, see Add a Credit Note. |
| Warehouse Transfers | Similar to Sales Orders, you can allocate Batch Numbers to the stock you're transferring from the Source warehouse to it's Destination. Use the Batch column to assign Batch Numbers to the Transfer's quantity. Only the Batch Numbers available in the Source warehouse will show in the Batch Number list. |
| Create Stock Count | On the Create Stock Count page, you can print and view which batch number(s) you are supposed to have in your warehouse. |
| Stock Count Entry | On the Stock Count Entry page, you can adjust your stock levels during a stock count by adding and removing batch numbers. |
| Stock Adjustments |
If you are adding Batch Tracked stock via a Stock Adjustment, use the Batch column to add a new Batch or advise an existing Batch that the adjusted quantity should assigned to. If you are removing Batch Tracked stock, use the Batch column to assign the Batch Number that's being removed from your stock on hand. |
| Assemblies | In the Production module, you can assemble new batches, apply batch components plus various other options. Batch Number Tracking can be used with any assembly in Unleashed; this enables continuous monitoring of a component or ingredient throughout the process. As you receive a component, you can record its batch number, the batch is then tracked throughout your assembly process all the way to the customer. |
Bulk Assign Oldest Batch Numbers
Whilst you can assign Batch Numbers to your transactions on a per line basis, there is also the option to assign the Oldest Batch Numbers in bulk, either in a specific transaction or across multiple transactions. This bulk update option enables you to efficiently allocate Batch Numbers to your orders whilst prioritizing the oldest stock, optimizing your sales process.
NOTE: The oldest is defined as the Batch Number that's existed the longest in the product.
Bulk Assign Oldest Batch Numbers per transaction
When available, the Batch column's header in a transaction will show a Action Cog. Hover over the Action Cog to see the option "Assign Oldest Batch Numbers". Select this option and all Batch Tracked products on the page will be allocate the oldest available Batch Number, where
Bulk Assign Oldest Batch Numbers to multiple transactions
If you want to update multiple transactions with the Oldest Batch Numbers available, at the same time, navigate to the View page of that transaction e.g. View Sales Orders and use the checkboxes (or use "Select All" in the Header's Action Cog) to select the transactions you want to update. Hover over the Header Action Cog and then select "Assign Oldest Batch Numbers".
Recall a Batch
If, for any reason, you need to recall a Batch you'll need to find the Customers and/or Suppliers that batch has been sent to or from. To do this, follow the below steps:
- Go to Reports | Inventory | Batch Numbers Enquiry.
- Filter the Batch Numbers Enquiry by any relevant detail, e.g. Batch Number and Product Code. Update the Batch Number Status' drop-down menu to blank and Run.
- Confirm the batch number details displayed before exporting.
- In the top right of the the Batch Number Enquiry page, select the Export drop-down menu and click Export Batch Information. Unleashed will generate a CSV download populated with a transaction history (including Purchases, Shipments and Assemblies) of the Batch Number filtered report, including the Customer the specific Batch Number has been sent to as well as all transactions that Batch Number has been assigned to.
- Communicate the recall details to the Customers found in the Batch Number Enquiry's export.
For more details, see Batch Numbers Enquiry.
Best practices when using Batch Numbers
To ensure Unleashed continues to function optimally and process your transactions successfully we recommend following the below guidelines:
- Limit a life span of a batch to around 1000 transactions. The more transactions a single batch is used on, the longer it takes that batch (and subsequent transactions) to load/complete.
- Ideally, on a single Sales Shipment there should be no more than 100 lines of batch tracked products. When possible, avoid listing the same product as multiple lines of the same Sales Order, to help avoid processing delays.