Stock Lots & Lot Tracking
Understand IEMSuite's lot tracking system - how lots are created, their lifecycle statuses, expiry tracking, and how FIFO/FEFO ordering works.
A Stock Lot is a traceable batch of a specific product at a specific location. Lot tracking gives you end-to-end traceability - from supplier delivery through production to the customer who received the goods.
What Is a Stock Lot?
Every unit of stock in IEMSuite belongs to a lot. Lots are created when:
- An inbound shipment is logged (supplier stock arrives)
- A production batch is completed (manufactured goods are output)
- A manual adjustment adds positive stock
A lot record contains:
Lot Lifecycle
A lot's status reflects where it is in the quality and fulfillment process:
When an inbound lot has QC disabled it starts directly as AVAILABLE. When QC is enabled it starts as PENDING_QC until an inspector passes or fails it. Reservations for orders are tracked separately - a reservation record links the lot to an order; the lot itself stays AVAILABLE but the reserved quantity cannot be allocated elsewhere.
Lot Statuses
| Status | Meaning | Available for Orders? |
|---|---|---|
| AVAILABLE | Good stock, ready to use | ✓ Yes |
| PENDING_QC | Awaiting quality inspection result | ✗ No |
| QUARANTINE | Failed QC or manually quarantined - under investigation | ✗ No |
| REJECTED | Formally rejected after QC or NCR resolution; awaiting disposal | ✗ No |
Expiry Date Tracking
Set an expiry date on any lot at inbound time. IEMSuite will:
- Show an expiry countdown badge on lots expiring within the configured alert window (default 30 days)
- Flag lots as past-expiry on the dashboard and in critical alerts when the date passes
- Use expiry date as the sort key when your org uses FEFO allocation
- Warn when an expiring lot is selected in orders or production
FIFO vs FEFO
Your organization's allocation strategy determines which lot is picked first when fulfilling an order or consuming raw materials in production:
FIFO - First In, First Out
Lot with the oldest receive date is picked first. Good for non-perishable goods with a general "use older stock first" rule.
FEFO - First Expired, First Out
Lot with the nearest expiry date is picked first. Required for food, pharmaceuticals, and other perishables. Lots without expiry dates fall back to FIFO.
Lot Reservations
When an order is confirmed, IEMSuite creates Stock Reservations - soft locks on specific lots for specific quantities. The reserved quantity is still counted as on-hand but is blocked from being allocated to a different order.
Splitting and Merging Lots
You can split a lot into two - useful when a large delivery needs to be stored in two locations, or when part of a lot is quarantined. Splitting creates a child lot with a linked lot number (e.g., LOT-0042-A and LOT-0042-B).