How to Set Up a Dispatch Process That Protects Traceability
Traceability is usually lost at dispatch, because that is the step nobody designs. Recording batch numbers as orders go out is the difference between being able to contain a problem and not. It takes seconds per order if the process is built for it.
Why Dispatch Is the Weak Point
This guide is for supplement, Ayurvedic and herbal brand owners in India.
Most brands record batch numbers when stock arrives, because the invoice and the certificate of analysis arrive together and filing them is natural. Almost none record which batch went out with which order, because dispatch is fast, repetitive and usually set up for speed.
The consequence appears only when something goes wrong. A complaint arrives with a batch number, and you cannot establish how many units of that batch went out or to whom. A withdrawal becomes impossible to target, so the choice is between contacting everyone and contacting nobody.
Recording batch at dispatch takes seconds per order when the process is designed for it, and is effectively impossible to reconstruct afterwards.
A Process That Works
Six steps, in order.
- Store stock so that only one batch of each SKU is in the active picking location at a time, which removes the need to choose.
- Rotate on first expiry first out when replenishing the picking location, not first in first out.
- Record the batch number against the order at the point of packing, not afterwards from memory.
- Check the picked items against the order before sealing, as a second-person or second-glance step.
- Record the courier and tracking reference against the order alongside the batch.
- Reconcile dispatched quantities against received quantities per batch periodically, which surfaces recording gaps.
Preventing Picking Errors
Wrong items and quantities are the other dispatch failure.
| Control | What It Prevents |
|---|---|
| One batch per SKU in the picking location | Mixed-batch orders and recording ambiguity |
| Clear SKU labelling on storage locations | Confusing similar variants and pack sizes |
| Separating visually similar SKUs | The most common picking error in a range |
| A check step before sealing | Wrong item and wrong quantity errors |
| Packing slip inside the parcel | Lets the customer identify an error immediately |
| Weighing completed parcels against expected weight | Catches missing or extra items cheaply |
| Segregating short-dated stock | Prevents near-expiry units shipping by accident |
Visually similar SKUs are the usual culprit as a range grows. Separate them physically rather than relying on attention, particularly where variants share a container.
What to Record Per Order
Keep it minimal so it actually gets done.
Order and Date
The basic reference, which you already have.
SKU and Quantity
What was actually packed, not what was ordered, in case of substitution.
Batch Number
The single most important addition, and the one usually missing.
Courier and Tracking
Enables damage pattern analysis by route and partner.
Four fields is enough. A process demanding more than that at dispatch speed will be skipped under pressure, which is worse than a minimal record kept consistently.
As Volume Grows
Three points about scaling or outsourcing.
- If you outsource fulfilment, make batch recording at dispatch a contractual requirement and confirm you can retrieve the data, not just that it is captured somewhere.
- If you use multiple storage locations, batch segregation becomes harder and needs a defined replenishment rule rather than judgement.
- If you sell through marketplaces that hold stock, establish what batch-level data you can retrieve from them before you need it.
Checklist
Set this up now rather than later.
- Keep one batch per SKU in the active picking location.
- Replenish on first expiry first out.
- Record order, SKU, quantity, batch and courier per dispatch.
- Record the batch at packing, not afterwards.
- Add a check step before sealing.
- Include a packing slip in the parcel.
- Separate visually similar SKUs physically.
- Segregate short-dated and damaged stock.
- Reconcile dispatched against received quantities per batch periodically.
- Make batch recording contractual if fulfilment is outsourced.
- Confirm you can retrieve batch data from any third party holding stock.
- Test the process by tracing one batch end to end.
Need Clear Batch Numbering to Work From?
Share your product and our team will set out batch numbering and documentation that supports dispatch traceability.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is traceability lost at dispatch?
Because batch numbers are naturally recorded at receipt, when the invoice and certificate of analysis arrive, but dispatch is fast and repetitive and usually set up for speed. Nobody designs it to capture which batch went to which order.
What is the minimum standard?
For any order you shipped, you can say which batch the units came from; and for any batch, you can list the orders it went to. Without both directions, a withdrawal cannot be targeted.
How do I make it practical?
Store only one batch of each SKU in the active picking location, so there is nothing to choose, and record just four fields per order: order reference, SKU and quantity packed, batch number and courier. More than that gets skipped under pressure.
What prevents picking errors?
Separating visually similar SKUs physically rather than relying on attention, clear location labelling, a check step before sealing, a packing slip inside the parcel, and weighing completed parcels against expected weight.
What if I outsource fulfilment?
Make batch recording at dispatch a contractual requirement and confirm you can actually retrieve the data rather than being told it is captured. Also establish what batch-level data marketplaces holding your stock can provide, before you need it.