Automation · Operations
Batch traceability from raw material all the way to the customer
For every product batch you can trace which raw material delivery it was made from and who it was shipped to, and the other way round. We build it on top of the accounting software or ERP you already have. The data stays in your system.
Part of Quality control
Is this how you trace batches?
A batch gets lost where nobody records it: at receiving, in production or at shipping. Then it is traced from binders.
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“A customer wants a batch traced and we search through binders.”
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“Tracing a batch for a complaint takes us hours, sometimes days.”
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“We only deal with the batch when there is a complaint. Nobody recorded it at receiving.”
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“We made a production lot from two raw material deliveries and nobody wrote down which ones.”
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“If there were a recall, we wouldn’t know exactly who got which batch.”
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“The customer audit wants a traceability test and we have never tried one.”
Flow
Where a batch travels – and where we record it
We automate recording, the links between batches and tracing. People decide on release, blocking and recalls.
- 01
Receiving
The supplier batch, shelf life and supplier are recorded with the goods receipt (handled by the warehouse module Batches and expiry dates). A delivery without a batch stays in quarantine.
Person: Fills in missing data and decides whether to release the delivery.
- 02
Production and packing
The production lot records which raw material deliveries it was made from. Only released deliveries are offered for selection.
Person: Confirms what was actually used.
- 03
Shipping
The delivery note records which batches went to which customer and in what quantity.
Person: Scans the label on the box or pallet.
- 04
Tracing
From a product batch back to the raw materials and suppliers. From a raw material delivery forward to all batches and customers.
Person: Gives the customer or the authority an answer from one overview.
- 05
Recall
Blocks the batch or delivery and lists the affected products, quantities and customers.
Person: Decides on the recall and on whom to inform and how.
What we prepare for batch traceability
Six tasks. You don’t have to take all of them. If your software can handle batches, we start by making sure they are recorded consistently.
Linking raw materials to the production lot
For every production lot or finished product batch, the raw material and packaging deliveries it was made from are recorded, even when two deliveries are mixed in one lot. Without this link you know what came in and what went out, but not what was made from what.
Batches at shipping
The delivery note records which batches went to which customer and in what quantity. A label with a QR code or barcode on the box or pallet speeds up recording: the warehouse worker just scans.
Tracing a batch one step back and one step forward
Enter a product batch and you see the raw materials, suppliers and date of receipt. Enter a raw material delivery and you see all the batches it ended up in and the customers they were shipped to. One tree: material → product → customer.
Blocking and a basis for a recall
When there is a problem with a raw material or a batch, you block it in one step. The overview lists the affected batches, quantities and customers. A person decides on the recall and on whom to notify of what.
Mock recall
A traceability test on a selected batch: back to the raw materials, forward to the customers, with the time measured and a record of what was missing. Useful before a customer audit or before certification.
Link to complaints and non-conformities
A complaint from a customer is linked to the batch. You see right away whether it is one piece or the whole lot, and which raw material delivery it was made from. You can then file a claim for a defective raw material delivery with the supplier, numbers in hand.
Recording batches and expiry dates in the warehouse
Recording the batch and expiry date at receiving, FEFO picking and expiry monitoring are handled by the Batches and expiry dates module.
Batches and expiry datesWhat do you run on?
POHODA, ABRA Gen and ABRA Flexi can all track batches. Here is what is possible.
POHODA
Tracking numbers (batches or serial numbers) on goods receipts, issue slips, invoices, sales receipts, in production, transfers and complaints. For batches an expiry date: filled in at receiving, it carries over into the records. XML import of goods receipts, issue slips and production.
ABRA Gen
Batches and serial numbers, which can also be added later. Issue to production accounts for mixing batches and for expiry dates. The product history record (rodný list) keeps the history of a specific batch including the link to the goods receipt. The Mobile Warehouse app tracks batches and expiry dates.
ABRA Flexi
Batches, expiry dates, best-before dates and production dates on stock movement items. Balances by batch in a separate register, readable via the REST API. Webhooks on changes.
You keep batches in a notebook, in Excel or in another program? In the audit we find out whether your software can handle them, or whether they need to be kept alongside it and connected to it.
When you don’t need us
We don’t sell our own batch system and we don’t do certifications. When what you already have is enough, we tell you.
- Your software tracks batches and you record them consistently
- POHODA, ABRA Gen and ABRA Flexi can all track batches, and ABRA Gen also has a product history record for each batch. Then it is often enough to learn the right report. We show it to you in the audit and build nothing.
- Traceability is already handled by your CAQ, MES or warehouse system
- We don’t build a second system. At most we add recording at the line or the connection to your accounting software.
- You have a few raw materials and a few customers
- If you can trace a batch from delivery notes and one spreadsheet in a moment, the spreadsheet is enough. Just keep it consistently. Automation would not pay off.
- You need a legal interpretation or certification
- We are not a legal advisor or a certification body. What exactly you must record is assessed by a food law expert or your auditor. We build the technical flow accordingly.
We handle batch traceability in our own packing facility too
In our packing facility we can trace the raw material delivery and the customer for every batch.
How it works
- 01
Free audit
30 minutes. Where batches are recorded in your company and where they get lost: receiving, production, shipping.
Output: Recommended next step
- 02
Mock recall today
On one batch we try tracing with your current records and measure the time. You will see what is missing.
Output: Task proposal and price
- 03
Recording in production and at shipping
We add the link from raw materials to the production lot and batches on the delivery note. We change live data only after your approval.
Output: Verified flow
- 04
Second mock recall
The same test after rollout. We compare the time, and you keep the record for customer audits.
Output: Traceability in operation
Frequently asked questions
What does batch traceability one step back and one step forward mean?
How long will it take us to trace a batch when a customer or an inspector calls?
What is a mock recall?
We haven’t recorded batches so far. Can they be added retroactively?
How much does it cost and how long does it take?
Part of: Quality control
Related
Quality control in production
Checklists, non-conformities, 8D, batches and AI label checks on top of your ERP.
MoreNon-conformity register
A non-conformity on a delivery or batch with an owner, a deadline and an effectiveness check.
MoreFood traceability and mock recalls
Article: what Art. 18 of Regulation 178/2002 requires and how to do a mock recall.
MoreEnquiry — Batch traceability
Tell us what you are dealing with. We start with a free 30-minute audit.