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GRN and Inbound

Capturing lot and expiry at GRN

The moment goods are received is the only reliable point to capture batch, LPN and expiry. Get it right here and every pallet stays traceable — and FEFO picking has the dates it needs downstream.

4 min read Updated July 2026

In Fast WMS, receiving goods creates pallets. Each pallet is a lot, identified by its own pallet number, and it can carry an external batch or LPN, a production date and an expiry date. Capturing these details during goods receipt is what makes pallet-level traceability and FEFO picking possible — there is no clean way to add them back later.

Capturing the details at receipt

  1. Receive against the PO or ASN. Open the goods receipt screen and select the purchase order or advance shipment notice you are receiving.
  2. Enter the batch or LPN. Record the supplier's batch/LPN number for the incoming stock so it stays linked to the pallet.
  3. Enter production and expiry dates. Key the production and expiry dates for expiry-tracked items. These carry onto every pallet created from the receipt.
  4. Let Fast WMS create pallets. The received quantity is split into pallets by pieces-per-pallet, each carrying the lot details you entered.
  5. Print the pallet label. Print the pallet barcode — it shows the bin ID and pallet ID for scanning during putaway and picking.
Why the timing matters

A blank expiry date silently disables FEFO for that pallet — the system has nothing to sort on and treats it as FIFO. Because pallets are created at receipt, the reliable place to capture expiry is the GRN screen. Make it a required field for dated items so it can never be skipped.

Related articles
Scanning a GRN against a PO Switching between FIFO and FEFO Lot expiry dashboard feature GRN & inbound feature

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a lot and an LPN?

A lot is a pallet — one physical pallet with its own pallet number. The LPN is the supplier's external batch identifier, stored against that pallet with production and expiry dates.

Do I have to capture expiry for every item?

Only for expiry-tracked items. But for those, capturing the date at GRN is essential — it enables FEFO picking and the lot expiry dashboard.

Need airtight batch traceability?

We'll set up lot, LPN and expiry capture on your receiving flow so every pallet is traceable end to end.

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