In this article:

What is lot control?

Lot control (also known as lot tracking) is an inventory system that groups identical products together so they can be traced back to their manufacturing run. Often, a lot number is assigned during manufacturing and assigned to the products.

Goods should be assigned lot numbers and/or expiration dates before they arrive at RyderShip warehouses. Lot numbers and expiration dates are used to easily identify items that belong to the same lot.

If your lot-controlled items will not have lot numbers/expiration dates assigned before arriving at the warehouses, check out your next steps here.

When is lot control used in RyderShip?

RyderShip recommends lot control for items that require tracking for quality, safety or regulatory reasons. Some common types include perishable items, consumable items, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics.

Lot tracking workflow

See the workflow below to better understand how lot-controlled items are handled in RyderShip.

The RyderShip API is required to pass lot numbers/expiration dates through the Shipnotice. You can’t create a Shipnotice via the UI with lots.

If you do not use the API, check out your best next steps here.

Important notes

During RyderShip’s receiving process, the lot number and/or expiration date is captured and saved to the assigned location and all Ship Notice items.

Lot-controlled products are received into distinct locations. Only items that arrived on the same Shipnotice are stored together. This allows RyderShip to trace the unit a consumer received back to the Shipnotice the unit arrived on.

Lots cannot mix on the shelf at warehouses, so using lot control takes up more space and may result in increased storage charges.

Ship Strategy settings

Lot-controlled items are batched, picked, and shipped following one of the Ship Strategies: Default, First Expired/First Out, and First In/First Out.

Ship Strategies take precedence over the Batch Strategies used for batching/picking/shipping non-lot-controlled items.

You can set the ship strategy under the customer’s Preferences > Lot Control tab or at the Item Details > Lot control tab level. Lot control must already be enabled to use these strategies. See here for more details.

Preferences > Lot Control tab > Ship Strategies

Item Details > Lot Control tab > Ship Strategies

You must first enable Lot Control for the item.

The lot control setting in the customer's Preferences > Lot Control tab takes precedence over the Lot Control setting on the item level.

Ship Strategy	How this strategy works
Default	Ships from the location with the lowest stock first, as this minimizes storage costs.
First Expired/First Out (FEFO)	Ships the stock with the oldest expiration date(s) first. You can set a cutoff period where stock within that timeframe will not be shipped. Expiration dates are required for FEFO. RyderShip can also generate reports upon request that highlight soon-to-expire products or products that are past their expiration date.
First In/First Out (FIFO)	Ships the oldest units of a product first, based on the order they are received at the warehouses. Once FIFO is enabled, orders continue to be assigned to the nearest in-stock warehouse, but within the warehouse, the oldest inventory is shipped first. FIFO uses the lot created_at timestamp of the units as well as the item’s receiving history to ship units in the order they arrive at warehouses (e.g. older items ship before newly received ones). Note: Expiration dates are not required for FIFO. You can use them – just not required.
Inherit (item-level only)	Allows you to use the ship strategy selected at the customer Preference level (default). Note: You also can change the strategy for this item only.

Known limitations

If a manufacturer sends multiple lots or expiration dates of a product on the same Ship Notice, RyderShip will not be able to differentiate between them. It is critical that you discuss your requirements with your manufacturer to ensure consistency inside the RyderShip warehouse.
FIFO, FEFO and lot control can only be applied to products after the options are activated. Inventory received before this will remain as they were received.

Notes about the RyderShip API & lot control

Lot control information is passed through the Shipnotice create call via the RyderShip API. Below are some helpful tips:

A ship notice can be created via the API without lot information – whether or not lot control is enabled. Lot control information is not required.
If you do pass lot information, and you have FIFO enabled, then you can leave the expires_on date blank (it’s optional). Here’s an example:

If you do pass lot information, and you have FEFO enabled, then you cannot leave the expires_on date blank (it’s NOT optional). You’ll receive an error. Here’s an example:

FAQs

How should I configure lot control for my inventory if I have both lot-controlled items and non lot-controlled items?

If you have some products that are lot controlled and some that are not, then you should only enable lot control at the item level (Item Details > Lot Control tab). It’s not recommended that you use the account level.

If every one of your items is lot-controlled, then it’s recommended to enable lot control at the account level (customer Preferences > Lot Control tab).

What if I have physically different versions of the same product?

Don't use lot control! Instead, create a new item.

What if the Lot Number is not on my items?

Don't use lot control! RyderShip won't be able to identify things on the shelf, and there won’t be a way to understand which lots to use on your items.

What if I have different suppliers and want to keep inventory from each separate?

Lot control may only be used if the lot number is physically on the item. Your suppliers will need to add lot numbers to your items before they ship them.

Do not use a PO number in place of a lot number because this can lead to confusion.

What should I do if my items won’t have lot numbers when they arrive, or I don’t use the RyderShip API?

In these cases, customers should work with their Customer Success Manager (CSM) to collaborate on a good process or SOP to use going forward to capture the lot control information during receiving.

Are serial numbers considered part of lot control?

No, using Serial Numbers for your inventory is not part of lot control. For more details, see Serial Number Capture.