Batch tracking: if you’re a small business owner, you’ve probably heard of it. For those who aren’t familiar with batch tracking, it’s a specific code that is unique to a group of products that were made at the same time. This code can help trace back to when, where, and what time a batch of products were made. Why is this useful information, and why should you consider it? For several reasons! Let the Inventora team explain…
The Benefits
You may be thinking to yourself “why would it be important for me to know the date and time of when I made a certain batch of products?” The answer, quality control! Some examples may include soaps, candles, food and beverages, skincare, etc. All these products need a batch code so it’s possible to trace back the age and whereabouts of the product.
Think of it as if you were to buy a gallon of milk for the store. You definitely want to know the expiration date so you don’t get sick consuming it after it’s shelf life, or to trace back what exactly happened during this products manufacture to possible correct any mistakes. Batch tracking can vastly improve your product’s quality and regulatory.
Tracking and Recall
As mentioned above, it can be important to know where your product has been. Accidents happen, and when they do, it’s necessary to send a recall to the customers who were affected… but how do you know who has the bad batch and who doesn’t? Your batch tracking number! You, as the maker, will want to make sure each product has a specific batch number labeled somewhere on your product or its packaging. If you can, make it so it’s not visible to your buyers, but accessible if needed.
Enhancing Supplier and Customer Relations
Batch tracking shows not only your consumers, but your retailers that you care about the quality of your products. It also shows the amount of time and detail you put into your inventory control, thus only strengthening your credibility to suppliers and customers.
How to Get Started
Batch tracking manually is doable, however, it’s a little time consuming. You’ll also want to be able to quickly access these records in case you would ever need them. At the time of writing this, Inventora has plans to add this feature, and you can absolutely bet we will let you know when we do! Until then, we recommend using a spreadsheet for your own records.
Whether you decide to implement batch tracking for your business or not, now at least know some of the great benefits it can have on your business efficiency. Want to learn more about why batch tracking is important? Let us know in the comments below, or send us a DM on our Instagram!
