WMS Expiration Dates: Tracking Made Easy

Expiration date management is a key part of a Warehouse Management System (WMS) that tracks and manages perishable products with expiry dates.

Expiration Date Management

Expiration date management reduces the risk of inventory shrinkage and prevents expired products from being stored and distributed, keeps product quality and customer satisfaction. In many market segments it is a regulatory requirement to keep track of lots and expiration date information. A WMS with expiration date management automates the tracking process, reduces human error and logs expiry dates.

Features and Implementation

A modern WMS gives real time alerts and notifications for products near their expiration dates, so warehouse managers can make informed decisions. It gives a complete view of all product batches and their expiration dates, so planning is effective and waste is minimized. Integration with other enterprise systems ensures information flows smoothly about batches and expiration dates across the supply chain. Also a WMS gives detailed history and traceability of all product batches, very useful in case of product recall or external audit.

Expiration Date Tracking

A WMS uses the FEFO (First Expired, First Out) strategy to put products near their expiration dates first, reduces waste and maximizes product freshness. Expiration date tracking ensures the right products go out of the warehouse at the right time, prevents expired products from being distributed. A WMS automates expiration date management of inventory to reduce waste and inventory accuracy. Expiration date tracking is key to efficient warehouse management and inventory control.

Problems in tracking shelf life

Problems in expiration date management are: accurate tracking and management of expiration dates, prevent storage and distribution of expired products, keep product quality. A WMS can solve these problems by giving real time alerts and notifications, automating the tracking process and logging details. It can also manage products with expiration dates, reduce the risk of expired inventory and customer satisfaction.

Case Study: Incapto

Incapto, a coffee online retailer, has implemented PULPO WMS with expiration date management. They can now manage their inventory efficiently, their coffee products are always fresh and meet their high quality standards. By automating the tracking of expiration dates Incapto has reduced waste and maximized product freshness, customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Industry

Food and Beverage

In food and beverage industry managing expiration dates is key. Products like dairy, beverages and packaged foods must be tracked carefully so they are consumed before they expire. PULPO WMS helps food and beverage companies like Happy Dad to manage their inventory efficiently, on time and accurate delivery.

Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices

Pharmaceuticals and medical devices have strict expiration dates that must be followed for safety and compliance. A WMS ensures these products are managed properly, reduces the risk of expired inventory and compliance with regulations.

Healthcare Products and Supplements

Healthcare products and supplements also need expiry date management. By using a WMS businesses can ensure these products are always safe to consume and meet customer expectations.

Cosmetics and Chemical Industry

Cosmetics and chemical products, cleaning supplies have expiry dates that need to be managed. A WMS System helps businesses to track these dates, product quality and customer satisfaction.

WMS for Expiration Date Management Benefits

Customer Satisfaction

Some customers require products with minimum shelf life, products with expiration or best before date more than 6 or 12 months in the future. A WMS with order processing can help businesses to meet these specific customer requirements, increase customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Fast Recalls

In case of product recall a WMS system can track which customer received which lot. This traceability helps to handle recalls fast and efficient, minimize the impact to the business and customers.

Most products have expiration dates and can be recalled. This includes perishable foods like dairy, meat, seafood, fruits, vegetables and packaged foods like canned goods and snacks. Beverages like bottled water, soft drinks, juices and alcohol are also in this category. Household cleaning products, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, healthcare products, dietary supplements and cosmetics often have expiration dates too. A WMS will allow you to quickly trace and identify which customers got which lots in the event of a recall and handle the recall process efficiently and minimize the impact to your business and customers. This traceability is key to product quality, regulatory compliance and customer trust.

Compliance and Quality Control

A WMS helps businesses to comply with regulations by having detailed records of product batches, production dates and best before dates. This is key to maintain good reputation and avoid penalties.

3PL and Ecommerce Fulfillers opportunities

The growing market of merchants selling perishable products is a big opportunity for 3PL companies. They can offer specialized services like temperature control and expiration date tracking to manage the challenges of handling perishable products. PULPO WMS is designed to help 3PL companies and e-commerce fulfillers to serve this growing market, integrates with leading e-commerce platforms like Shopify, WooCommerce and PrestaShop and various ERP and multi-channel inventory management systems.

Success Story: Click & Pack Fulfillment

Meet Click & Pack Fulfillment, based in the bustling city of Hamburg. This specialized fulfillment logistics company shines in warehousing, packaging, and shipping a diverse array of products from online shops, including cosmetics, food, and dietary supplements. 

PULPO WMS equipped Click & Pack with all the must-have features for top-notch warehouse management. From a scan feature to real-time inventory tracking that customers can access, and the ability to manage expiration dates and batches for food products, we've got it all covered!

🎥 Watch the Full Success Story Here

Summary

PULPO WMS has experience in managing products with expiration dates. By having a WMS with expiration date management businesses can reduce waste, improve inventory accuracy and product quality. This is key for food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, cosmetics and chemical industries. PULPO WMS has the tools to manage this, is part of modern warehouse management.