How do expiration dates and lot numbers work?

If your product range includes expiration dates or batch numbers, these are recorded upon receipt and factored into the picking process. This allows you to trace which batch went into which order, and ensures that the inventory with the shortest shelf life is shipped first.

Who this applies to

Food, supplements, cosmetics, and personal care products almost always have an expiration date. For medical products and organic items, batch registration is also required. And even if it’s not mandatory for your product, it’s helpful to be able to see what you shipped and when.

First come, first served

If expiration dates are known, items are not picked based on which is closest, but on which expires first. That sounds obvious, but it’s exactly the difference between inventory that moves through the system smoothly and leftover stock that you have to write off at the end.

What you provide yourself

The record will only be accurate if the information is available at the time of delivery. Therefore, please specify for each shipment which batch it is and what the expiration date is. If this information is printed on the box or on the item itself, please provide it so that it can be recorded upon receipt.

If the same item code arrives in multiple batches, be sure to keep them separate in your own purchasing records. Otherwise, there will still be a discrepancy between your figures and those of the warehouse.

What you can do with it

The main use is for tracking. If there’s a problem with a batch, you’ll want to know which orders contain that batch without having to go through your entire customer database. You can also see which inventory is nearing its expiration date, so you can sell it off instead of writing it off.

What You'll See in Your Account

The recorded data is listed next to the item in your Picqer account. This means you can see for yourself which batches are available and their dates, without having to call.

Document the agreements

Discuss in advance what should be done with items that are nearing or have passed their expiration date: return them to you, dispose of them, or set them aside. That’s an agreement that should be included in the contract, because it’s your inventory and therefore your decision.

Certification

Organic products are subject to a specific requirement: a fulfillment partner must be SKAL-certified to store and process them. Cenfil is SKAL-certified. If there are other requirements for your product group, please submit them, and we can review each requirement to determine what can and cannot be accommodated.