.svg){kind=icon}
With perishable or sensitive products, time isn’t on your side — but technology is.
From recalls to regulatory audits, everything becomes faster, safer, and more consistent when your inventory system can manage serialized and lot-numbered items. Tracking serial numbers, lot codes, and expiration dates is the only reliable way to protect your inventory quality, your customers, and your reputation.
In this article, we break down who needs granular stock traceability, why it matters, and how to implement it effectively using automated inventory software like HandiFox Online.
Who Needs Granular Stock Visibility — and Why?
Not every business needs serial or lot tracking, but those that handle regulated, perishable, high-value, or safety-critical inventory absolutely do.
Companies that manufacture, store, or sell items with short shelf lives or potential safety risks are expected to maintain strict inventory control. Being able to trace products by lot or serial number — and prove that traceability on demand — is now a standard industry expectation, not an optional workflow.
Industries that most commonly rely on serial/lot tracking include:
- Pharmaceuticals & medical supplies
- Food & beverage
- Cosmetics & personal care
- Automotive components
- Electronics & equipment manufacturing
These sectors face serious regulatory scrutiny, and their products carry safety or performance risks if mishandled. For them, traceability isn’t a “nice to have”—it's essential.
Why Tracking Serials, Lots, and Expiration Dates Is a Must-Do Practice
The impact of implementing proper traceability goes far beyond compliance. Here’s why businesses adopt these workflows:
1. Safety & Regulatory Compliance
Lot and serial tracking makes it possible to identify exactly which products came from which batch, where they were stored, and who received them.
This helps you demonstrate compliance instantly — without spending hours compiling data manually.
2. Faster, More Targeted Recalls
If there is a recall, you don’t have to pull all items off the shelves.
With lot tracking, you can identify:
- exactly which batch was affected
- which customers received products from that batch
- what remains in stock
This reduces waste and protects customer trust.
3. Granular Inventory Visibility
Lot tracking lets you follow inventory from the moment it enters the warehouse to the moment it leaves.
You can see:
- how much remains in each lot
- where it’s stored
- how long it has been there
This improves accuracy without adding extra work.
4. Eliminating Spoilage
Expiration date tracking ensures nothing slips through the cracks.
- You can proactively act on soon-to-expire products
- The system can surface which lots should be sold first
- Waste decreases and quality improves
5. Optimized Order Fulfillment (FIFO & FEFO)
With FIFO or FEFO fulfillment logic, your team can automatically select:
- the oldest items first (FIFO)
- or the soonest-expiring items first (FEFO)
This helps avoid spoilage, reduces landed costs, and keeps inventory fresh.
6. Better Warranty & After-Sales Support
Serial numbers allow end-to-end tracking of individual units.This makes it easier to:
- verify warranty claims
- identify failure patterns
- maintain product histories
- protect your brand reputation
How Lot, Serial, and Expiration Tracking Works in HandiFox Online
HandiFox Online offers flexible tools that support serial numbers, lot numbers, expiration dates, or any combination of these. Here’s how the system brings clarity and structure to everyday workflows.
Setting Up Lot/Serial/Expiration Tracking
When creating or editing an item, you can enable tracking options for:
- Serial numbers
- Lot numbers
- Expiration dates
- Any combination (e.g., Lot + Expiry)
Tracking data can be:
- scanned from supplier labels
- manually entered
- automatically assigned
You also choose the fulfillment logic the system should follow:
- FIFO (First In, First Out) — ideal for products without expiration dates
- FEFO (First Expired, First Out) — essential for products with varying shelf lives
When picking or shipping items, HandiFox suggests the appropriate lots or serials automatically based on your chosen method.
Tracking Serialized and Lot-Numbered Items Across the Supply Chain
HandiFox provides a dedicated Serial/Lot Numbers page, giving you a centralized view of all tracked inventory. Here you can:
- assign lot/serial numbers
- adjust quantities
- see how lots are distributed across locations
- view complete transaction history
Once tracking is configured, you can scan serials and lots throughout every workflow:
- Item Receipts
- Transfers
- Counting sessions
- Invoices & payments
- Picking and packing
.png)
On sales transactions, you can assign serials/lots manually or let the system auto-suggest the correct ones based on FIFO/FEFO rules.
Packing slips and invoices also include serial/lot numbers for customer visibility.
Additional Capabilities You Shouldn’t Miss
HandiFox offers a set of powerful enhancements that make traceability even more accurate and convenient:
✔ Expired & expiring goods write-off
You can automatically write off expired items, generating a counting session that syncs to QuickBooks as an inventory adjustment.
✔ Error-prevention safeguards
Optional settings block transactions from being saved if required serials/lots are missing or incorrect.
✔ Barcode label printing
Print labels with serial/lot information to maintain consistent tracking through the entire product lifecycle.
✔ Full product movement history
The Transactions by Serial/Lot Numbers report shows:
- where each batch moved
- which customers received specific lots
- which shipments contained affected units
This becomes invaluable during audits, recalls, and quality control checks.
Wrap-Up
Whether you're manufacturing, distributing, or running an e-commerce operation, traceability is the foundation of safe, efficient, and accountable inventory management. Lot number control and expiration tracking not only support compliance but also improve operational efficiency, reduce waste, and strengthen customer trust.
With HandiFox Online, businesses gain seamless tools for monitoring lots, serial numbers, and expiration dates across the entire supply chain — ensuring you always know exactly what you have, where it came from, and where it’s going next.
