Batch traceability
Quick answer
The ability to track a product batch across the whole chain, from supplier to end customer, for recall and compliance.
Key takeaways
- Upstream - from product back to supplier and raw material
- Downstream - from batch forward to all customers who received it
What batch traceability is
Batch traceability is the ability to reconstruct a batch's full path: from supplier and receipt, through storage and processing, to every customer it was delivered to. Critical in food, pharma, cosmetics.
Upstream and downstream traceability
- Upstream - from product back to supplier and raw material
- Downstream - from batch forward to all customers who received it
An effective recall needs both: knowing what is affected and where it went.
Why it matters
In a food or pharma recall, the speed of identifying affected batches and recipients is the difference between a targeted recall (a few batches) and a catastrophic one (all stock). Regulations require 'one step back, one step forward' traceability.
How CRMconnect helps
The CRMconnect WMS links each unit to batch, supplier, expiry and delivery order. A recall runs in minutes: the system lists exactly the affected batches and the customers they went to.
Real-world example
On an ingredient contamination alert, a food manufacturer identified in 8 minutes, via CRMconnect WMS, the 3 affected batches and the 47 customers who had received them - a targeted recall, instead of pulling the whole category.
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Frequently asked
What does 'one step back, one step forward' mean?+
The legal traceability requirement: for any batch, you can identify who you received the material from (one step back) and who you delivered the product to (one step forward).
Why is traceability critical for recalls?+
It allows pulling only affected batches and precisely notifying impacted customers, instead of recalling all stock - saving huge costs and protecting reputation.
Does traceability need a WMS?+
In practice, yes. Tracking batch at unit, location and delivery-order level in real time is impossible manually at real volumes.
Where CRMconnect fits
Related terms
FEFO (First Expired, First Out)
The rule of shipping the batch with the nearest expiry date first, essential for perishable products.
LogisticsSerialisation (serial number tracking)
Assigning a unique identifier to each product unit for individual tracking, warranty and anti-counterfeiting.
LogisticsWMS (Warehouse Management System)
The system orchestrating physical warehouse operations: receiving, putaway, picking, packing, shipping.
LogisticsInventory valuation methods (FIFO, LIFO, WAC)
Accounting rules to determine the cost of goods leaving stock: first-in-first-out, last-in-first-out, or weighted average cost.