Tracking items by batch or serial number

Some goods need more than a count. Batch tracking records a batch number, manufacturing date and expiry for each receipt, which suits medicines, food and FMCG. Serial tracking records every unit on its own, which suits mobiles, electronics and vehicles.

Turn on batch or serial tracking

1. Go to Sales → Inventory and open the item form: New Item for a new item, or Edit item from the item's menu in the Actions column.
2. Make sure Type is Product.
3. Under Stock Tracking, choose Batch & expiry or Serial numbers.
4. For batches, leave Track expiry dates on if every batch has an expiry date.
5. Click Create Item or Save Changes.

If the item already had stock counted by quantity, you're asked to add batch or serial details for that stock after saving.

Record batches or units as stock comes in

1. Choose Add batch or Add units from the item's menu in the Actions column. You can also click Add Batch or Add Units on the item's details.
2. For batches, fill in Batch No., Mfg Date, Expiry and Qty under Batches received. Click Add another batch for more rows.
3. For serial units, enter how many arrived in Quantity, then fill in the identifier for each unit.
4. Set Received On and, if you like, a Reason / Reference.
5. Click Apply.

Entering a batch number that's already in stock tops that batch up. You can record up to 100 units at a time.

Stock without details

Stock that arrives on a purchase invoice, or that was counted before you switched tracking on, adds to the count without batch or serial details. The item's details then show how many still need details, with an Add Details button. That stock can't be sold on an invoice until you add them. To find these items, set the Stock filter on the Inventory page to Missing batch or serial.

Use your own identifiers

Every serial-tracked unit gets a Serial No. unless you give it a field of your own, such as IMEI or chassis number.

1. On the Inventory page, click Custom Fields.
2. Click New Field and enter a Field Name, such as IMEI.
3. Under What Does It Describe?, choose Each unit.
4. Under Applies To, choose all serial-tracked items or Only items I choose.
5. Turn on Must be unique so the same number can't be sold twice, and click Save Field.

Choose Each batch for values that change from batch to batch, such as MRP. Industry templates adds the usual fields for automobiles, mobiles, grocery and other trades in one go.

Manage batches and units

• Click an item to see its Batches, with what's left of each and its expiry status, or its Units, each marked In stock, Sold or Written off.
• To correct a unit's details, click its pencil icon, make the change and click Save Unit. Sold units can't be changed.
• To remove a unit that isn't actually there, click its bin icon and choose Remove from Stock. Choose Clear Details Only if the unit is there but its details were entered wrongly.
• Expired batches can't be invoiced. To write them off, click Write Off on the item's details, or choose Write off expired from its menu.

Tips

• Batches expiring within 90 days are flagged. Set the Stock filter to Expired or expiring to find them.
• You can't switch an item away from batch or serial tracking while batches or units are still in stock.
• On sales invoices, batch stock is taken from the earliest expiry first, and you choose which serial units each line sells.

Related articles

• Adding an inventory item
• Adjusting stock
• How sales and purchase invoices move your stock