What is Lot Tracking?

Lot tracking is something that isn’t always easy to understand conceptually, but we want to give it a crack because we here at iNECTA find it very important. Lot tracking is crucial to facilitating a productive distribution process. In order to properly dissect what lot tracking is and what it does, we need to look at the details. Lot tracking is essentially a system that has the ability to properly track product lots from start to finish along the supply chain. You may be asking what a “lot” actually refers to. The word lot refers to manufactured lots or, in other words, “batches.”

Lot tracking software is designed to allow companies to carefully track which of their customers have received shipments of product, and more importantly, highlight when it was received. In addition, the supplier’s info and date of purchase are also tracked. Lot tracking is a way for a business to keep track of all their products, from any particular group or batch of that product. As you may or may not have guessed, this is crucial during the unfortunate circumstance which dictates a product recall. 

 

Certain products are higher risk than others. Obviously, perishable items that have an expiration date attached to it need this kind of efficient tracking. There is always the risk associated with a product recall. A product recall isn’t always easy for a company to bounce back from, that is why it is important to implement a premier lot tracking software that can keep your product in good standing order throughout the supply chain. A recall can trigger an undesirable chain of events which go beyond just perishable products like food items. Not many industries are recall-proof when you really try to narrow them down. Everything from automotive, children’s toys, medical and pharmaceutical products are susceptible to a recall. They all need to be carefully tracked for if and when a recall is ever necessary. 

Lot tracking is the catalyst in making sure products can be properly traced from the point of creation by the manufacturer, through the supplier or retailer, and finally to the customer who purchases it. The whole point is to keep tabs on which customers purchased specific lots. This makes it easier for supervisors and managers to account for the product through it journey along the supply chain. This process, if conducted properly, offers the responsible party various auto-generated reports with granular detail regarding the product. Typically, lot numbers are assigned to one or multiple units of product that are manufactured and/or purchased on a given date. This lot number can also be tied to an expiry date if dealing with a perishable product. There are a few lot tracking systems that are more advanced than others, wherein the system is fully automated. With an advanced tracking system, businesses can track a product’s movement within the supply chain, create lot reports and initiate recalls at any given time. 

iNECTA’s solutions have unparalleled lot tracking capability. Your business is in good hands, with the lot tracking features necessary to account for your product every step of the way.