Lot report
When a supplier recalls a batch or an inspector asks where a lot went, the lot report shows each lot number with what's left, what sold, what was adjusted and when it expires.
Lot report in SeroPOS
Lot by lot
Each lot number recorded on a purchase or opening stock has its own row.
Current stock
How many units of the lot are still in the store.
Units sold
How many units from that lot have gone out on sales.
Units adjusted
How many were written off or corrected through stock adjustments.
Expiry date
The lot's expiry date, when expiry tracking is turned on.
Filter by location
Run it for a single store or for every location at once.
What the lot report shows
Open Reports, then Lot Report. Each lot number appears with its product and four figures: current stock, units sold, units adjusted and expiry. Add those up and you can account for the whole batch, which is exactly what a recall notice or an audit asks you to do. Filter by location to look at one store.
Because lots are kept separate, two deliveries of the same product don't blur together. A recall of one lot affects only that lot's remaining stock, and the report tells you how much of it is still on the shelf. The rest of the product's stock, in other lots, is left alone and can keep selling as normal.
Turning on lot numbers
Lot numbers are switched on in Business Settings, on the Purchases tab, with Enable Lot Number. After that, each purchase line has a lot number field, along with manufacture and expiry dates if expiry tracking is on. Opening stock and purchase returns take a lot number too. Where expiry tracking is on too, the lot's dates are entered on the same line.
Enter the lot number printed on the case or the supplier's invoice as the stock is received. Barcode labels from Print Labels can include the lot number, which helps staff pick the right batch when a customer brings something back. The stock expiry report also lists stock left per lot, so the same numbers carry through.
- Business Settings, Purchases: Enable Lot Number
- Lot number, MFG and EXP dates on each purchase line
- Lot and expiry on opening stock
- Lot number on purchase returns
- Lot printed on barcode labels
Handling a recall
Start with the lot report to find the lot and see how many units are still in stock. Pull those from the shelf and send them back to the supplier through a purchase return, choosing the same lot, or remove them with a stock adjustment if they're to be destroyed.
To see who bought from the lot, open the product sales report in its Detailed (with purchase) view. It shows each sale with the purchase reference, lot and supplier it came from, which gives you the list of sales to follow up. Filter by the product and the dates when the lot was on sale to keep the list short.
Lots and expiry together
Lot tracking and expiry tracking are separate settings, but most stores that use one use the other. The lot report shows expiry beside each lot, and the stock expiry report lists stock left per lot by date. Between them, you know which batch to sell first and which to clear.
Food producers, grocers, pharmacies and anyone selling supplements or cosmetics are the usual users. If your suppliers print lot numbers on their cases, recording them costs a few seconds at receiving and can save a lot of work later. Without them, a recall means pulling every unit of the product rather than just the affected batch.
Frequently asked questions
What is lot tracking?
Lot tracking means recording the batch or lot number of stock as it comes in, so you can follow that batch through to sale. In SeroPOS you enter the lot number on each purchase line, and the lot report shows each lot's stock left, units sold, units adjusted and expiry.
How do I turn on lot numbers?
In the back office, open Business Settings, go to the Purchases tab and tick Enable Lot Number. From then on, purchase lines, opening stock and purchase returns have a lot number field. The lot report appears under Reports once the setting is on.
Can I find out which customers bought a lot?
Use the product sales report in its Detailed (with purchase) view. It lists each sale with the purchase reference, lot number and supplier it came from. Filter by the product and date range, then look for the lot in question.
What's the difference between the lot report and the stock expiry report?
The lot report accounts for each lot: stock left, units sold, units adjusted and expiry. The stock expiry report focuses on dates, listing stock left per lot with manufacture and expiry dates, so you know which lots to write off with a stock adjustment. Most stores use both.
Is batch tracking the same as lot tracking?
For most stores, yes. Batch and lot both mean a group of units made or delivered together under one number. SeroPOS calls it a lot number, and that's the field you fill in on purchases and opening stock. Enter whichever number your supplier prints on the case.