How do you keep track of which batch went to which customer?

As long as everything goes smoothly, a batch number is just an administrative detail. But the moment a supplier recalls a batch or a customer complains about a product, it becomes the difference between a targeted action and recalling everything you’ve ever sold.

It starts the moment you walk in

A batch number is recorded when the inventory enters the warehouse, along with the shelf life. From that point on, it is clear which batch is located where. If you do not include that information with your shipment, it will no longer be possible to link the information later.

And it continues when picking

When an order is picked, the system records which item was taken from which batch. This establishes the link between a batch and an order—and thus between a batch and a customer. That’s exactly the information you need if something goes wrong.

How you can use it in practice

You can look up which orders a batch was shipped to, and vice versa—trace a complaint back to the batch. This makes a recall targeted and limited in scope, rather than a recall where you have to contact everyone because you’re not sure.

Why This Is Especially Important for Cosmetics

When it comes to cosmetics, as the responsible party, you must be able to demonstrate what you have sold and to whom, if necessary. The record-keeping involved is not extra work if it is properly documented upon receipt, but it becomes nearly impossible to reconstruct if it is not.

You remain the responsible party

The warehouse records and processes the information, but you remain the one responsible for your product to a regulator or a customer. So make sure you have access to the data yourself and know how to retrieve it before you need it.

What You Need to Submit

For each delivery, please specify the batch numbers included and their corresponding expiration dates. The more structured the information is when it comes in, the less manual work it requires and the more reliable your records will be.

Check it out sometime

After a few weeks, pull a random order and see if you can trace it back to the batch it came from. If that works, your tracking system is working. If it doesn't, you'll know now instead of when it really matters.

The same principle applies to other product groups

Batch registration isn’t limited to cosmetics. If you work with medical devices, stricter requirements apply, and traceability plays an even greater role. The way the warehouse records information is the same in both cases; what differs is how quickly and how completely you must be able to demonstrate it afterward.