Batch numbers are useful when it comes to tracing products. Batch numbers or lot numbers denote similar products that were manufactured in the same production cycle. These numbers simplify the process of tracking products, their ingredients, and their expiration dates. Both manufacturers and stakeholders in the supply chain can utilize these batch numbers to identify the expiry date of goods.
Significance of Batch Numbers, Expiry Dates and ERPs
Batch numbers play a crucial function in the quality management and safety compliance of products. Product traceability entails identifying, tracing, and tracking each component of a product from its raw material stage to the point it becomes finished goods.
Manufacturers employ these batch numbers to identify and trace any product, its journey down the supply chain, and its expiry date. Using batch numbers can simplify the recall process and ensure safety compliance in food products and drugs. Products near their expiry date can be traced through their batch numbers and can be recalled.
However, manually tracking batch numbers does require time and labor. Integrating an inventory management software with your system can facilitate the tracking procedure. A suitable Enterprise Resource Planning solution will enhance efficiency and productivity by reducing the time required for physical operations like manual product traceability. An ERP system allows for all tracking operations to be run in one place.
Processes involving inventory management and infinite batch numbers can be performed with ease using an appropriate ERP system. Automation not only increases efficiency but also improves accuracy. Errors make in manual operations are omitted through automation. It allows for every single unit product to be traced and accounted for. Inventory solutions also allow real-time access to your data for checking expiry dates and maintaining quality control.
Finding Expiry Date Through Batch Number
Manufacturers generally denote the safety period by printing “use by” or “best before” on their products. Beyond the mentioned dates, the product starts to go bad. These dates are calculated by tracing the manufacturing cycle of the product through its batch number. The format of this information varies depending on the company, the type of product, and the product design. The batch number of a product can be found, on the exterior packaging, in the manufacturer and supplier records, and the inventory management software
The batch number of a product can be decoded as follows:
- The year of manufacture is represented by the first two digits of the batch number
- The third and fourth digits of the number refer to the month of production
- The fifth and sixth figures identify the day it was manufactured
- The following four digits represent the plant number
- The last two figures denote the batch of the day the product belongs to
Conclusion
There is a high risk of human error when manually recording these lengthy numbers. These errors can become costly for your company. Employing an ERP system for this purpose can minimize the risk of error and produce more accurate data. Automation can make your operations run seamlessly by reducing time, scanning batch numbers faster, calculating expiry dates, and reducing manual labor.
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