Lot tracking software for batch numbers and expiry dates
Record the batch number and expiry date when stock arrives, follow every movement of that lot afterwards, and pick the earliest-expiring lot first. When a supplier recalls a batch, flag it and see where it went.
Free plan: 1 user and 100 items, no time limit. Paid plans from $19/month.
What lot tracking is for
Lot tracking ties each unit of stock to the batch it came from. That matters on the day something goes wrong: a supplier recalls a batch, a customer reports a problem, or an auditor asks where a specific lot ended up. Without lot records the honest answer is “we don’t know”, and the safe response is to pull everything.
With lot tracking, the answer is a list: which lot, received when, under which supplier reference, moved to which location, picked on which order. InventoryFlo records that trail as part of normal receiving, transfers, and picking — not as a separate step someone has to remember.
Batch numbers on every receipt
Receiving records a batch number and expiry date, with optional manufacture date and supplier lot reference. Make lot and expiry tracking optional per item, or required for every item in the organization.
Expiry dates and alerts
The expiring list shows lots by date so you can move them before they go out of code. A daily check sends an email and in-app alert for lots expiring within the next 30 days.
FEFO pick suggestions
On a pick list line, InventoryFlo suggests the lot with the earliest expiry that still has stock (first-expired, first-out). Apply it with one click, or choose a different lot when you need to.
Recall flags
Mark a lot as recalled from its detail page. Recalled lots are left out of FEFO suggestions and stay flagged until you clear the recall.
A movement history for each lot
Every lot has its own history: receipts, transfers, picks, adjustments, and counts, each with a date, quantity, location, and the person who recorded it.
Lot and expiry on the label
Print GS1-128 labels that encode the product’s GTIN together with its lot and expiry date, so the batch information travels with the box.
What to look for in lot tracking software
Plenty of inventory tools have a “batch number” field. Whether it holds up during a recall depends on what happens to that field after receiving. Four things to check:
Lot data captured at receiving
Watch for: Lot numbers that can be skipped at receiving leave gaps exactly where you need data later.
How we do it: Set tracking to required and stock movements need a batch number and expiry date before they post.
Traceability after the stock moves
Watch for: Lot numbers that exist on the receipt but disappear once stock is transferred or repacked.
How we do it: Transfers carry the lot and expiry across locations, and repacking records the source lot consumed and the new lot produced.
Expiry-aware picking
Watch for: Picking whatever sits at the front of the shelf, so newer stock ships and older stock expires.
How we do it: FEFO suggestions on pick list lines surface the lot that expires first.
Recall response
Watch for: A recall that turns into searching spreadsheets and email threads for a batch number.
How we do it: Flag the lot, open its movement history, and see every location it passed through.
Traceability built on the ledger
Lot history is not a separate log that can drift. It is read from the same stock ledger that holds on-hand quantities, so the trail for a lot and the stock figures always agree.
Lot tracking on every plan
Lot and expiry tracking and expiry alerts are available on every plan, including Free. Pick lists, where FEFO suggestions appear, are included from Pro.
- Free — 1 user, 100 items, 1 location.
- Starter $19/mo — 3 users, 1,000 items, 1 location. Suppliers, purchase orders, low-stock alerts.
- Pro $59/mo — 8 users, 5,000 items, 3 locations. Adds stock counts, pick lists, and partial receiving.
- Business $159/mo — 12 users, 20,000 items, 10 locations.
Frequently asked questions
- What is lot tracking software?
- Lot tracking software records the batch (lot) number of stock when it is received and keeps that identity attached as the stock is moved, picked, or adjusted. It lets you answer where a specific batch is now, where it went, and which orders it was picked for.
- Does InventoryFlo support FEFO?
- Yes. When you set the lot on a pick list line, InventoryFlo suggests the lot with the earliest expiry date that still has stock. The operator can apply the suggestion or choose another lot. Recalled lots are never suggested.
- How do I handle a product recall?
- Open the lot and mark it as recalled. The lot stays flagged, is excluded from FEFO suggestions, and its movement history shows every receipt, transfer, pick, and adjustment with the location and date — the starting point for pulling affected stock.
- Can I require lot numbers for some items and not others?
- Yes. Lot and expiry tracking each have an organization-wide mode: off, optional (chosen per item), or required for every item. When tracking is required, stock movements must include a batch number or expiry date as configured.
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