Batches and expiry dates

Batches (lots) let you track stock by batch number, for example for medicine, food or cosmetics, with an optional manufacturing and expiry date. Stock of a batch item is held per batch, and expired batches can't be sold.

Turning batches on

1. In Settings › Preferences, turn on Show Batch. Turn on Batch Date too if you want manufacturing and expiry dates shown in the inventory balance report.
2. On each item that needs it, tick Batches, and Expiry Date on Batches if every batch must have an expiry date.

Batches can't be turned on or off once an item has stock movements. Expiry tracking needs batches ("Expiry tracking needs batches: turn on batches for this item."), and can be turned on only when all of the item's batches already have expiry dates.

Creating batches

Batches are usually created as you buy:

• On a purchase bill or a stock adjustment line for a batch item, add a new batch right from the line's batch picker. This needs the create permission for purchases or adjustments (or for batches).
• Or go to Products / Services › Batch List and click Add: choose the Product (and Variant if it has variants), and enter the Batch No, Mfg Date and Exp Date.

Rules:

• A batch number is unique per item.
• The expiry date can't be before the manufacturing date.
• Once a batch has stock movements, its item and variant can't change.
• A batch in use can't be deleted.

The batch list

Batch List shows each batch with its stock, its dates and its status: the number of Days remaining, or Expired.

Selling batch items

On sales invoices, POS and credit notes, you choose the batch on each line, and the stock is taken from that batch. A sale is refused if the batch is expired or doesn't have enough stock in that warehouse.

The Item Expiration Summary report lists batches and their expiry dates; see Inventory reports.