Lots and serial numbers
Lots and serial numbers make stock traceable — you know which specific unit went to which customer, and you can chase a single defective batch through the supply chain.
Lot vs serial
| Lot | Serial | |
|---|---|---|
| Shared by | Many units | One unique unit |
| Use | Pharma batches, food expiry dates, paint mix codes | High-value goods, electronics, vehicles |
| Storage | One value for the whole batch | One value per item |
| Tracking | "We sold 50 units from Lot ABC-123" | "We sold Serial #4419 to Customer X" |
Configure per product:
Inventory → Products → product → Inventory tab → Tracking:
- No tracking (default)
- By Lots
- By Unique Serial Number
Receipts
When a tracked product arrives:
| Tracking | Prompt at receipt |
|---|---|
| By Lots | "Enter the lot number for these N units" |
| By Serial | "Enter a serial number per unit" (or scan barcodes) |
PLANA records the IDs on the receipt and on the stock move.
Deliveries
When you ship a tracked product:
| Tracking | What |
|---|---|
| By Lots | Pick which lot to ship from (oldest first per FIFO is the default) |
| By Serial | Pick the specific serial number(s) to ship |
The customer's delivery slip shows the IDs. Your record links them.
Traceability report
Inventory → Reporting → Traceability:
| Direction | What |
|---|---|
| Upstream | Where did this lot come from? (PO → receipt) |
| Downstream | Where did this lot go? (delivery → customer) |
| Stock | What's currently on hand for this lot, at which location |
Click a lot → see the full history: who bought it, when it arrived, where it sat, who you shipped it to, with dates.
Expiry dates
For lots that expire (pharma, food, chemicals):
- Removal Date — when stock can no longer be shipped
- Best Before Date — quality indicator (still shippable)
- Alert Date — when PLANA flags stock as "approaching expiry"
Configure dates per lot. PLANA's FEFO (First Expired, First Out) removal strategy automatically ships closest-to-expiry stock first.
Recall workflow
For a defective batch:
- Open Inventory → Reporting → Lots, filter by the lot ID
- Downstream traceability shows who received units from this lot
- For each customer, schedule an activity ("Recall lot ABC-123") on their customer record
- Issue returns (Customer → Stock as "Inventory loss" or "Return for replacement")
The full audit trail stays in PLANA — important for regulator inspections.
Where to read more
- Products and variants — enabling tracking
- Transfers — where lot / serial entry happens
- Receipts — incoming with IDs
- Inventory valuation