Starting with the Business edition, ABRA Flexi allows you to track batches and expiration dates for items.

Batches and expiration dates are independent of each other, meaning an item can track only batches or only expiration dates. Of course, it can also track both.

If you are looking for instructions for the desktop application rather than the web application, switch to the guide for the desktop application.

First, you need to determine which items should track batches or expiration dates. This is done in the price list, in the item detail, on the Warehouse tab.

For our example, we will activate both options - batch tracking as well as expiration tracking.

An additional expiration field can specify the shelf life as a number of days after the expiration date.

This value is for informational purposes only and is used only in the document item (e.g., an issued invoice or delivery note), where the shelf-life date is automatically filled in.

If an item is set up this way, it can be received along with a batch and expiration date. The batch and expiration date for an item can be filled in either from the receipt note, or from the received invoice. We'll demonstrate this on a receipt note; the procedure for a received invoice is analogous, however.

You'll find the option to fill this in right after opening the detailed item editor.

Alternatively, you can add the batch and expiration fields via the form settings, allowing you to fill in these values without opening the document item detail at all.

Any number of items can be received into stock at once within a single batch or expiration entry. Whatever quantity you receive will be recorded with that particular batch and expiration date.

If you need to receive a single item with multiple batches and expiration dates at once, you need to split the item into multiple lines (one for each batch and expiration date, or their combination).

Once the receipt note contains everything you need, you can save the document.

You can find out what batches you currently have in stock in the item detail, in the bottom tab bar.

If you need to see the overall stock status including batches or expiration dates, use one of our add-ons.

All that remains is to issue the item with its batch or expiration date. We'll again demonstrate this on a standard delivery note; however, the analogous process again applies via an issued invoice (which, by default, automatically generates the delivery note itself - depending on the invoice type settings).

So let's create a delivery note with our item.

You'll find the option to specify batches and expiration dates again in the document item detail on the delivery note, or you can again add the batch or expiration fields to the document item overview via the form settings.

The behavior here, however, differs from that of a receipt note. On a delivery note, you select from the batches and expiration dates available in stock, using a drop-down list.

Saving the delivery note item with the batches and expiration dates set this way will cause them to be issued from stock.

If a price list item has active batch and expiration tracking, this needs to be kept in mind when issuing items, and you must remember to specify them for the item.

Both the batch and expiration date are mandatory fields for an item with active tracking. You must fill them in on every receipt note and every delivery note, otherwise you won't be able to save the document.

On the stock card of the relevant items, you'll find the Issue by expiration date flag. Its purpose is to preferentially issue stock with the shortest expiration date, regardless of when it was received.

Batches and expiration dates can also be processed as part of an inventory count.

If an item loaded into the inventory count tracks batches or expiration dates, these are taken into account in the inventory count. The relevant item will be displayed on as many lines as there are combinations of batches and expiration dates for that item. The system-calculated quantity will always correspond to one such combination.

You can find detailed instructions on creating an inventory count on our website.