stockflow
Start for free

Batch & Lot Tracking

By Tibeau De Grauwe, FounderUpdated October 2026

Start for freeSee what the free plan includes
  • 14 days of Pro, free
  • No credit card
  • Free Starter plan after the trial

What Is Batch & Lot Tracking?

Batch tracking assigns a single batch or lot number to every unit produced or received together, instead of tracking each unit individually. This is the right approach when units within a batch are interchangeable think a production run of yogurt, a shipment of cosmetics, or a batch of chemical compound but you still need to trace the group back to its origin. For businesses that need per-unit identity instead, see serial number tracking. Many businesses use both together: a serial number for the unit, and a batch number for the production run it belongs to.

Why Batch Tracking Matters

Food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetics regulators require traceability from raw material to finished product to customer. Without batch tracking, a single contamination or defect report forces a business to pull every unit of a product costly and reputationally damaging. With batch tracking, you isolate exactly the affected batch, search sales history for every order that shipped it, and issue a recall notice for that batch alone. Pairing batch numbers with expiry date tracking also lets staff pick the oldest or soonest-expiring batch first, cutting down on waste.

Batch Tracking Features

Batch & Lot Numbers on Every Receipt

Assign a batch or lot number every time stock is received or produced, without slowing down receiving.

Full Traceability

Trace any unit forward to the customer or backward to the supplier and production date, by batch.

FEFO & FIFO Picking

Pick the oldest or soonest-to-expire batch first automatically, reducing waste on perishable stock.

Targeted Recalls

Search by batch number to instantly find every location and order that received an affected batch.

Lot Numbers vs Serial Numbers

Both identify where stock came from. The difference is how many units share one number. Pick based on what you need to answer when something goes wrong.

Lot / batch numberSerial number
IdentifiesA group of units made or received togetherOne single unit
Typical productsFood, cosmetics, chemicals, supplements, raw materialsElectronics, machines, tools, medical devices
AnswersWhich orders and locations received this run?Who has this exact unit, and what happened to it?
DatesExpiry and production date per lot, used for FEFOPurchase and warranty date per unit
GS1 barcode fieldAI (10) batch/lot, often with AI (17) expiryAI (21) serial number

Units that need their own history get a serial number; see serial number tracking for how that works, including products that carry both. Not sure which one you need? Read serial number vs batch number.

How to Set Up Lot Numbers

  1. Use the supplier lot when there is one. If the label already shows a lot number, record that one. A supplier recall then matches your records without a lookup table.
  2. Pick one pattern for your own lots. Product code, date and a sequence letter (for example BRD-20261020-A) is easy to read on a shelf and sorts by date. Never reuse a number.
  3. Record the lot at receiving or at the end of a production run, together with the expiry date when the product has one. Adding it later from memory is where traceability breaks.
  4. Print or keep the lot on the label so staff scan or read it when picking, and pick the lot that expires first.

Lots through production

For manufacturers, the chain matters as much as the number. Raw materials arrive with supplier lots, they are consumed in a production run, and the run produces a finished lot. In StockFlow a production run records a lot number per stage, with the parent and child lots of the same run linked, so you can open a finished lot and see where it came from. See bill of materials software for how bills of materials and work orders drive those runs.

Who Uses Batch Tracking?

Food & Beverage

Trace ingredients and finished goods by production batch to meet food safety law and respond to contamination reports quickly.

Pharmaceuticals & Supplements

Meet GMP and regulatory traceability requirements, and support fast, audited recalls down to the affected lot.

Cosmetics & Chemicals

Track raw material lots through manufacturing into finished product batches for compliance and quality control.

Benefits of Batch Tracking

Isolate and recall a single batch instead of an entire product line
Meet food safety, GMP, and pharmaceutical traceability requirements
Reduce expired stock write-offs with FEFO picking
Know exactly which supplier and production run a batch came from
Track multiple active batches of the same SKU without mixing stock
Trace batches across every warehouse or store location
Build an auditable paper trail for compliance inspections
Available on StockFlow's free Starter plan

Trusted by small businesses

What our customers say

“Super Kind! Quick replies from their support and very easy fixes, changed the dashboard a bit and customized it. Also gave me 450 items extra on the free plan just for me. Highly recommend and again great service!”

Erasable Trading AU

“Best customer service! Stockflow's customer support is fast and extremely helpful. They assisted me with customization of the software to improve my experience as a user.”

Justin M.

Co-Owner, Consumer Goods

Frequently asked questions

What is batch and lot tracking in inventory management?
Batch (or lot) tracking groups units of the same product that were produced or received together under a single batch/lot number. Instead of tracking every individual unit, you track the batch so when a batch is sold, used, or recalled, every unit that shares that lot number is identifiable and traceable back to its production or receiving date.
What is the difference between batch tracking and serial number tracking?
Batch tracking identifies a group of units made or received at the same time under one shared lot number used when individual units don't need a unique identity (food, cosmetics, chemicals). Serial number tracking assigns a unique identifier to every single unit used when each unit needs individual traceability (electronics, medical devices). Some businesses use both: a serial number for the unit and a batch number for the production run it came from.
Why do food and pharma businesses need batch tracking?
Regulators (FDA, EU food safety law, GMP standards) require food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic manufacturers to trace every batch from raw material to finished product to customer. If a contamination, defect, or safety issue is found in one batch, batch tracking lets you isolate and recall exactly that batch instead of pulling all stock of a product, which limits cost and protects customers.
How does batch tracking support FEFO or FIFO picking?
Each batch carries a manufacture or receipt date, so batch tracking naturally supports First-Expired-First-Out (FEFO) or First-In-First-Out (FIFO) picking: staff pick the oldest or soonest-to-expire batch first. This reduces waste and write-offs, especially for perishable goods.
Can one product have multiple active batches at once?
Yes. A single SKU can have several batches in stock simultaneously, each with its own batch number, quantity, and expiry or manufacture date. Batch tracking software keeps these separate in inventory counts and lets you pick, sell, or adjust stock from a specific batch without mixing it with others.
What happens during a recall if you use batch tracking?
With batch tracking, a recall starts by identifying the affected batch number from your supplier or quality team. You then search your inventory and sales history for that batch number to see exactly which locations received it, how much is still in stock, and which orders shipped it turning a recall from a guessing exercise into a targeted, auditable process.
How should I format lot numbers?
Use a fixed pattern that tells you something at a glance, for example product code, production or receipt date, and a sequence letter (BRD-20261020-A). Keep it short enough to print on a label, never reuse a number, and when a supplier already prints a lot number, record theirs instead of inventing your own so a supplier recall matches your records directly.
Can a product have both a lot number and a serial number?
Yes. A medical device or an electronics product often carries a lot number for the production run and a serial number for the individual unit. The lot number lets you find every unit from a bad run in one search; the serial number tells you which customer has which unit.
Does batch tracking work across multiple warehouse locations?
Yes. Batch tracking software records which locations hold units from each batch, so a single batch can be split across multiple warehouses or stores while remaining fully traceable. This is essential for recalls and audits when stock has moved between locations.

Related articles

Production

Production Tracking Software

Read more
Production

Work Order Management Software

Read more
Production

Production Planning Software

Read more