How to track products by lot number

To track products by lot, turn on Lots & Serial Numbers in the Inventory settings, set the product to Track Inventory ‣ By Lots, then enter a lot number for every receipt line. Viindoo keeps the stock per lot, so you can count each lot separately and open the Traceability report to see where a lot came from and which customers received it.

Who	Inventory Administrator to turn on the setting and edit products; Inventory User to assign lot numbers on transfers and count stock.
App	Inventory

Before you start

• Install the Inventory app.

• Not sure whether you need lots or serial numbers? Read How to choose between lots and serial numbers.

How do I turn on lot tracking?

1. Go to Inventory ‣ Configuration ‣ Settings.

2. In the Traceability block, tick Lots & Serial Numbers, then click Save.

How do I decide when lot numbers are created or reused?

Each operation type tells Viindoo whether staff may create new lot numbers or must pick existing ones.

1. Go to Inventory ‣ Configuration ‣ Warehouse Management ‣ Operations Types and open an operation type, for example Receipts.

2. In the Lots/Serial Numbers section, tick the option you need:

   • Create New: staff can type a new lot number on the transfer. Keep it ticked on receipts.

   • Use Existing ones: staff can only pick a lot that already exists. Keep it ticked on delivery orders and internal transfers.

3. Click Save.

How do I set a product to be tracked by lot?

1. Go to Inventory ‣ Products ‣ Products and open the product.

2. On the General Information tab, make sure Product Type is Goods and tick Track Inventory.

3. In the field next to it, choose By Lots, then click Save.

Note

Stock received before you set the tracking has no lot number. Count it again per lot (see below).

How do I enter lot numbers when receiving goods?

1. Go to Inventory ‣ Operations ‣ Transfers ‣ Receipts and open the receipt (or click New).

2. On the product line, click the list icon at the end of the line to open the Detailed Operations window of that line.

3. Enter the lots in one of three ways:

   • Click Add a line, type the number in Lot/Serial Number and the received Quantity.

   • Click Generate Serials/Lots, fill the table below and click Generate.

   • Click Import Serials/Lots, paste one lot per line (a tab or semicolon followed by a quantity is accepted) and click Generate.

   Field in Generate Serials/Lots	What it does
   First Lot Number	The first lot number. It must contain at least one digit; Viindoo counts up from the last number in it (NM261003, NM261004, …).
   Quantity per Lot	How many units go into each lot. The last lot takes the remainder.
   Quantity Received	Total quantity of the product you received.
   Keep current lines	Tick to keep the lines already entered; leave empty to replace them.

4. Click Save, then Validate on the receipt.

You should now see each lot with its quantity under Inventory ‣ Products ‣ Lots / Serial Numbers.

Tip

Use a code you can read at a glance, for example NM261001: NM for the product, 26 for the year, 10 for the month and 01 for the batch of the month.

How do I count stock per lot?

Go to Inventory ‣ Operations ‣ Adjustments ‣ Physical Inventory. Each lot has its own line with its Lot/Serial Number. Enter the counted quantity of each lot in Counted Quantity, then click Apply on the line.

For all the options of this screen, see How to process an inventory adjustment.

How do I trace a lot?

1. Go to Inventory ‣ Products ‣ Lots / Serial Numbers and open the lot.

2. Use the buttons at the top of the lot:

   • Traceability: the movements of this lot, from the vendor receipt to the customer delivery.

   • Location: where the stock of the lot is now and how many units are there.

   • Transfers: the transfers that contain this lot (shown once the lot is on a transfer).

3. Click Traceability to open the Traceability Report: one line per movement with the reference, date, source, destination and quantity.

Viindoo also fills the Customer, Supplier and Service State fields of the lot from its transfers.

Common errors

Message	What to do
You need to supply a Lot/Serial number for products …	You clicked Validate while a tracked product has no lot. Open the line details and enter the lot numbers.
The combination of lot/serial number and product must be unique within a company …	The lot number already exists for this product. Type a different number, or pick the existing lot if the operation type is Use Existing ones.
You are not allowed to create a lot or serial number with this operation type …	The operation type does not allow new lots. Tick Create New on the operation type, or choose an existing lot.

Next steps

• How to manage product expiration dates: give each lot an expiration date.

• How to track products by serial number: track every unit one by one.

• How to receive goods in one step: the full receipt flow.

Version notes

Track Inventory and the tracking choice are on the General Information tab of the product.