Item Batch
Go to: Inventory → Items → Item Batch
A batch (or lot) is a group of units of the same item that were produced or received together. Batch tracking answers two questions your customers and auditors ask: when does this stock expire, and which customers received the affected lot.
Batches only apply to items where Has Batch Number is switched on.
When to use batches
| Use batches when… | Do not use batches when… |
|---|---|
| Stock has an expiry or shelf life | Every unit is interchangeable forever |
| You need recall traceability by lot | You need traceability of every single unit — use Serial Numbers instead |
| Cost or quality varies per production run | Nothing distinguishes one receipt from another |
An item cannot be both batch-tracked and serial-tracked. Choose one: batch = group identity, serial = unit identity.
Batch fields
| Field | What it means |
|---|---|
| Batch Number | The batch identifier (the document number of the batch record) |
| Item | The batch-tracked item this batch belongs to |
| Batch Qty | Total quantity originally in the batch |
| Qty In / Qty Out | Running totals received into and issued from the batch |
| Manufacturing Date | When the batch was produced — this drives FIFO order |
| Expiry Date | When the batch expires |
| Unit of Measurement | UOM the batch quantity is expressed in |
| Conversion Factor | Factor to the item’s stock UOM |
| Converted Quantity | Batch quantity expressed in the stock UOM |
| On Hold | Blocks the batch from being consumed |
| Status | Draft → Active → Cancelled |
How batches get created
Batches are usually created for you during a receipt, not typed in advance:
| Source | How the batch is set |
|---|---|
| GRN | Type a Batch Number on the item row; ERPX creates the batch if it does not exist |
| Stock Entry (Receipt) | Same — supply the batch on the inward row |
| Manufacturing Entry | The finished-goods batch is created for the production run |
| Stock Opening | Opening quantities can carry batch identity |
| Item Batch screen | Create the batch up front, then select it on the receipt |
Creating batches manually in advance is useful when the supplier’s lot numbers are known before the goods physically arrive, or when you want to pre-set manufacturing and expiry dates.
How batches are consumed — FIFO by default
When you issue, deliver, or transfer a batch-tracked item, ERPX has to decide which batches to draw from. The default is FIFO by manufacturing date — oldest batches first.
You have three options on an outward row:
| Option | Behaviour |
|---|---|
| Leave it to FIFO (default) | ERPX allocates oldest-first across available batches, splitting across batches when needed |
| Pick a specific batch | Pins the row to one batch; FIFO is bypassed and the pin survives approval |
| Enter a multi-batch allocation | You state exactly how much comes from each batch |
FIFO here is about which physical batch leaves the warehouse. It is not the valuation method. Valuation in ERPX is always weighted average, global per item — see Stock Valuation.
On Hold
Switching On Hold on a batch keeps it out of allocation. Use it for stock that is quarantined, awaiting inspection, or reserved for an investigation — without cancelling the batch or moving it to another warehouse.
Serial and Batch Bundles
Behind every batch- or serial-tracked transaction line ERPX creates a Serial and Batch Bundle: a small record that captures which batches or serials that specific line consumed or produced, at what rate, in which warehouse, inward or outward. You normally never open these directly — they are what makes the Batch Wise Item Ledger able to answer “where did batch B-1042 go”.
| The bundle records | Each bundle entry records |
|---|---|
| Item, warehouse, inward/outward, total qty, rate, source document | Batch (or serial), quantity, incoming/outgoing rate, stock value difference |
Creating a batch manually
Open the batch screen
Navigate to Inventory → Items → Item Batch and click New.
Select the item
Only items with Has Batch Number switched on are selectable.
Enter the batch details
Batch quantity, UOM, manufacturing date, and expiry date. Manufacturing date is what FIFO orders by, so set it deliberately.
Save and activate
The batch becomes selectable on receipts once it is Active.
Reporting on batches
| Report | Answers |
|---|---|
| Batch Wise Item Ledger | Every movement of every batch, with running balances |
| Stock Balance | Current quantity and value, per item and warehouse |
| Packing Report | Which physical packings hold which batch |
Tips
- Always fill Manufacturing Date — a blank date makes FIFO order unpredictable.
- Use the supplier’s own lot number as the batch number where possible; it makes supplier claims far easier.
- Do not create a batch per receipt line if the goods really are one lot — you lose the recall grouping.
- Review expiring batches regularly using the batch ledger before they become write-offs.