Track expiry dates and batches of your stock

Pharmacies, marts, bakeries and anyone selling food, cosmetics or medicine must know when each batch expires. SmartPOS Hub stores an expiry date for every batch you buy, warns you before it runs out, and can stop the POS from selling stock that is too close to expiry. This page shows how to set it up and use it every day.

Before you start

• You need the Business Settings permission to change settings (usually the owner or admin).
• Decide whether you enter the expiry date from the box (Add item expiry) or calculate it from a manufacturing date (Add manufacturing date & expiry period). Most shops use Add item expiry.
• Optional but recommended: switch on lot numbers too (see Serial, IMEI and lots).

1. Switch on product expiry

1. Open Settings › Business Settings and choose the Product tab.
2. Tick Enable Product Expiry and pick Add item expiry or Add manufacturing date & expiry period.
3. Set On Product Expiry:
   • Keep Selling: expired batches can still be sold (you only get warnings).
   • Stop Selling n days before: enter the number of days. Batches that close to expiry are no longer offered for sale.
4. Click save at the bottom of the page.

/business/settings

Settings › Business Settings › Product: expiry is switched on for the whole business.

Tip

With Add manufacturing date & expiry period, each product gets an Expires in field (months or days) on its form, and you enter the manufacturing date when you buy. The expiry date is then worked out for you.

2. Enter expiry dates when stock arrives

On Purchases › Add Purchase, every line has MFG Date / EXP Date (and Lot Number if lots are on). Enter the date printed on the supplier’s box. Each purchase line becomes its own batch with its own expiry.

/purchases/create

Enter the expiry date for each line when you receive the goods.

For stock you already have, add the dates with opening stock.

3. Sell and move the right batch

On sale lines, stock transfers and stock adjustments, products with batches show a Lot & Expiry list with each batch’s expiry date. Pick the batch you are handing over, usually the one that expires first.

4. Watch what expires soon

Reports › Stock Expiry Report lists stock with its Lot Number, EXP Date and Stock Left per location. Use View Stocks to show Expired, Expiring in a week, 15 days, a month or Expiring in 3 months.

/reports/stock-expiry

Check this report every week and move short-dated stock to the front of the shelf or into a discount.

Reports › Lot Report shows every batch with Current stock, Total unit sold and Total Unit Adjusted, which helps you see how fast each batch sells.

/reports/lot-report

Reports › Lot Report.

The Home dashboard has a Stock Expiry Alert list. Set how far ahead it looks in Settings › Business Settings › Dashboard with View Stock Expiry Alert For (days).

The Stock Expiry Alert on the Home dashboard, on a phone.

5. Remove expired stock

1. Open Stock Adjustment › Add Stock Adjustment and choose the location.
2. Add the product, pick the expired batch in Lot & Expiry, and enter the quantity.
3. Write a Reason such as “Expired” and save.

If the supplier takes expired goods back, use Purchase Return on the original purchase instead, so the supplier balance goes down too.

Tips and mistakes to avoid

• Switch on expiry before you load stock; batches entered earlier have no date.
• Don’t enter the same delivery as one line with mixed expiry dates. Split it into one line per date.
• For a pharmacy, combine Stop Selling n days before with a weekly look at the Stock Expiry Report.

Related pages

Serial, IMEI and lots

Stock adjustments

Pharmacy setup guide

Stock reports