Why batch management is critical today
Batch management (lot tracking) is the foundation for quickly identifying affected products in the event of quality issues or recalls and removing them from circulation in a targeted manner, instead of “blindly” blocking entire inventories. In regulated areas such as pharmaceuticals/medical devices, complete documentation and batch-level traceability are core requirements, typically linked to best-before/expiry dates and clearly documented stock movements.
In the food industry, traceability along the supply chain is legally anchored (e.g., EU Regulation 178/2002, Art. 18), which in practice requires systems and processes for rapid evidence and recall execution.
Industries that struggle every day
Many medical facilities manage medicines and practice supplies with expiry dates and need to capture inventory quickly and with minimal errors – Scanwiz highlights exactly this use case in a customer testimonial (medical practice) and emphasizes everyday stocktaking and scanner usage.
In production & industry (e.g., mechanical engineering, chemical-adjacent manufacturing, consumables), transparency across batches and variants is crucial to enable root-cause analyses, complaints handling, and process optimization – Scanwiz cites “batch management and variant handling” as a concrete benefit from the customer perspective.
In food/cosmetics/consumer goods, lot tracking along the supply chain is a standard to ensure safety, quality, and recall readiness, often tied to best-before (FEFO) logic.
The 7 must-haves of modern batch management
- Batch ID + best-before/expiry: Record each lot uniquely and manage it with an expiry date so FEFO/expiry logic becomes possible.
- Complete stock movement history: Digitally document goods receipt, transfers, withdrawals/issues, and stocktaking to truly fulfill traceability.
- Barcode scanning instead of typing: Scanning reduces manual errors and speeds up real-time postings.
- Multiple storage locations/sites: Batches must be findable down to the exact bin/location so blocks and withdrawals can be handled precisely.
- Variants + batches together: Especially for similar items (size, concentration, kit, supplier changes), variant and batch logic prevents mix-ups.
- Stocktaking workflows: Digital stocktaking with clear steps is essential to establish inventory accuracy.
- Reporting & audit readiness: Analyses of movements and stock levels create transparency and help measurably improve processes.
If batches, variants, and inventory are still living in Excel, lists, or “tribal knowledge”: use a 14-day trial and build a real scanner-based batch routine.
Practical blueprint: How to implement batch management properly
- Define items & storage locations: Create the item master, storage locations, and opening balances; Scanwiz describes fast setup and a clear overview of all storage locations and item data.
- Goods receipt with scan + batch capture: Capture the batch number and best-before/expiry date directly at receipt (instead of adding it later) to ensure traceability from the very first moment.
- Scan transfers & withdrawals/issues: Scanwiz names goods receipts, transfers, and withdrawals as core processes that can be posted “lightning fast” in the app.
- Digitize stocktaking: Scanwiz describes digital stocktaking workflows including efficient review and direct posting.
- Regular reviews via reporting: Use movement data to identify shrinkage, posting errors, and stock shortages and to optimize processes.
If you like, this blueprint can be translated into your warehouse/practice setup in a 30-minute check (item groups, minimum data, scanner touchpoints, roles, stocktaking cadence).
Why Scanwiz is a good “batch engine”
Scanwiz promotes managing inventory, batches, variants, and stock movements “easily” and provides barcode scanner integration, stocktaking features, and reporting for this purpose. The system is cloud-based and ready to use immediately, which is a decisive lever for teams without an IT project (medical practice, SMEs, workshop, smaller production). For data protection/compliance, Scanwiz explicitly mentions a German data location and GDPR standards, which can be an important decision criterion, especially for medical environments.
Try it now: Register a demo account and start as a pilot with a critical product group (e.g., medicines, chemicals, consumables with best-before dates).