A batch is a group of products that have been manufactured or processed together and thus share similar properties. Thus, batches are vital for the traceability of your products. If you create batches in Xentral, you can easily track and manage several products with identical properties. This way, you always know where a product has come from and where it is headed. This is especially important for carrying out quality control, managing stock and recalling products, if necessary.
In a nutshell: Batches enable you to keep an overview of your products and ensure that you are capable of taking action at any point in time where product safety is concerned.
Tip
Video tutorial: Your head start on working with batches
Are you looking for a quick overview on working with batches and similar product information in Xentral? Then, our video tutorial is exactly right for you. Take a look right away!
Short terminology: Batches and batch management
In ERP terminology, multiple terms exist in connection to batches. We’ll briefly explore those in the following:
Batch number: This is a unique identifier or number assigned to a batch. It is required to identify and track the products contained in a batch.
Batch management: This term applies to the process of managing batches in an ERP system (in this case: Xentral). The tasks of creating, tracking and managing batches are all a part of batch management.
Batch traceability: The ability to trace the origin and history of a batch from production to sale or use. This is important for quality assurance and product recalls.
Batch master data: Details about a batch that are stored in an ERP system (in this case: Xentral), such as manufacturing date, origin, stock level, and other relevant information.
Batch processing: The process of handling products within a batch, including manufacturing, storage, picking, and shipping.
Tip
For perishable goods, it is recommended to assign a best before date to the batch number in Best before date (BBD) so that you now which batches have to be sold first.
Batch number formats
Batch numbers may have different formats, depending on the industry you’re in or if you need to adhere to specific guidelines or are working with external manufacturers.
Here are a few common examples of batch number formats:
Numerical sequence: One simple method is using a numerical sequence such as “001”, “002”, “003” etc. These are often combined with a prefix such as “LOT” for “lot”.
Date encryption: Another commonly used format is an encrypted version of the manufacturing date within the batch number, for example “20250715” representing July 15, 2025.
Combined format: Batch numbers are frequently created by combining multiple elements, such as the manufacturing date with an added numerical sequence, for example “20250715-001”.
Alphanumeric combination: Some businesses use alphanumeric combinations containing both letters and numbers to create unique batch numbers, such as "LOT-A123".
Warning
Batch numbers must not contain any spaces, since spaces lead to errors when processing, displaying and assigning batch numbers in Xentral.
In addition, batch numbers must not consist solely of x or 0.
Possibilities for registering batches in Xentral
Batch information (typically the batch number) are typically registered via scan in Xentral, although manual entry may take place in rarer cases. Registering batch numbers is possible within various workflows and modules, which are listed below:
Activating batch management
If you need to maintain batch numbers for a product, you have to carry out the corresponding setting in the product master data beforehand.
Proceed as follows to activate batch management for a product.
Go to Sell > Products.
Open the desired product by clicking on the pencil icon to the right.
The Details tab of the product master data opens.
Scroll down until you reach the Other settings section.
Click on the drop-down menu Batch management.
Activate the option Activate.
Click on Save.
Checking batch information in the product master data
In individual cases, you can use the product master data stored in Xentral to check the batch numbers for specific items.
Proceed as described in the example below to view the batch numbers for specific products.
Go to Sell > Products.
Open a product for which you want to check the existing batch information.
Open the Best before and Batch tab.
In the Batch column, you can view a list of all available batch numbers for this product.
Tip
Are you noticing any batch numbers in this overview that you would like to retrieve and thus remove from your Xentral stock? In this case, click on the Minus icon in the Menu column to the right to retrieve stock with this batch number from the warehouse.
You should proceed in the same way in case you notice entries marked in red in the Best before column. Products with expired best before dates must not enter the regular sales cycle and should be retrieved from your stock as described above.
More detailed information on working with best before dates in Xentral is available in the Best before date (BBD) article.
Viewing all available batch information at a glance
The Batches module contains various tabs that provide you with a complete overview of all batches available in Xentral. Among other things, this allows you to track which batches were booked on which storage locations and for which reasons.
By clicking on the individual tabs, you can also get detailed insights on the batches that are included in ongoing productions or which batches have reached or left your warehouse.
The following table contains more detailed explanations on the different tabs and their functions.
Tab | Explanation |
Overview | The Overview tab contains a list of all batches of products for which batch and/or best before date management was activated in the product master data. Those batches come with additional information, such as the corresponding warehouse and the origin of the batch (production or goods receipt). Tip Use the filters above the list to filter batches according to the different properties Goods receipt and delivery only, Delivery only, Only stock.
|
Production | Here, you’ll find the subtabs Batches used and Batches produced that show you the batches used for productions and the batches created by productions. You can use the production number to see in more detail which raw products were used to create the finished product.
|
History | In the History tab, you can track the bookings that occurred for all batches in Xentral. |
Quick search | Important This tab is only relevant if you are using the production module! The quick search allows you to carry out a focused search of all batches that were produced by you. In this tab, you can find a list of all produced batches including their delivery note number, customer name, batch number of the production material (Finished product batch column) as well as the batch numbers of the finished products (Material batch column). More detailed information on batch number assignment during production is available in the various articles in the Production section. |
Storing a desired best before date or batch for a sales order position
For a sales order position, you can store which batch or which best before date a customer should receive. This function is suitable if a customer reorders a specific batch or needs it for a complaint.
Important
The following requirements have to be met before you can store a desired entry:
Batch management and/or best before date management is activated for the product.
The desired batch is available in your stock.
Proceed as follows to store a desired batch for a sales order position.
Open the sales order overview via the path Sell > Sales orders or via the Smart Search.
Open the desired sales order for editing.
Open the position editing for the position for which you want to specify a batch.
Enter the desired batch in the Best before / batch field of the Desired best before date / batch area.
While you are typing, Xentral displays the combinations available in your stock, including the available quantity. If a default warehouse or a project warehouse is stored for the document, the suggestions are limited to this warehouse. For products with best before date management and batch management, the entry consists of the best before date and the batch number. For products with best before date management only, it consists of the best before date, and for products with batch management only, it consists of the batch number.
Click on Save.
Xentral stores the entry on the position and displays it in the Desired best before date / batch area. If the entered combination is not available in your stock, Xentral displays the message Best before / batch not found. This check is a hint and does not prevent you from saving. Xentral only checks whether the combination is available in stock, not whether the quantity is sufficient for the position.
The Desired best before date / batch area is also available in the positions of quotations. In the positions of delivery notes, the Best before / batch field is available among the custom fields. If you convert a quotation into a sales order or a sales order into a delivery note, Xentral transfers the stored entry to the position of the subsequent document.
The desired best before date / batch is a preference, not a requirement
Caution
Xentral treats the entry as a preference and not as a fixed requirement. If enough stock of the desired batch is available, Xentral stocks out this stock. This applies to all stock-out paths alike: to Xentral auto shipping, the dispatch center, multi-order picking with mobile devices and equally to manually converting a sales order into a delivery note and completing it directly.
If the stock of the desired batch is not sufficient, Xentral fills up the remaining quantity from other batches according to the FIFO principle. No warning and no clarification case is displayed, and the document position still displays the stored entry. To find out which batches Xentral has actually booked out, use the History tab in the Batches module.