Current Attributes

Last updated: June 20, 2026

Attributes track the characteristics of the individual stock you actually hold: the serial number on a unit, the batch code on a lot, the expiry date on perishables. They let you answer not just how many you have, but exactly which, which is what makes warranty, traceability and recall possible.

What you will learn
  • Serial, batch and expiry, and what each is for
  • How attributes become a dimension of the stock count
  • The status of first-expired-first-out (FEFO)

The kinds of attribute

  • Serial numbers – identify each unit individually, one ledger row per serial. Use them where a single item must be traceable, for warranty or a unit-level recall.
  • Batch or lot codes – group a production run so a whole lot can be traced or recalled together, the right grain for food, chemicals and pharmaceuticals.
  • Expiry dates – record the shelf life of perishable stock.
  • Custom attributes – text, date, number or list fields for anything else you need to capture on the units themselves.

How it behaves

Attributes are a counting dimension

An attribute is not just a note: it splits the count. The same SKU is tracked separately per batch, per serial, per attribute combination, so “twelve units” can be “eight of batch L-21 and four of batch L-22” underneath. Values are captured as goods move, on receipt and on delivery, so traceability is built as stock flows rather than bolted on.

Honesty note. Expiry dates are recorded today, but automatic first-expired-first-out (FEFO) picking, where the system always allocates the soonest-to-expire stock, is planned rather than enforced. For now, expiry is captured and visible; ordering by it at pick time is a roadmap item.

Edge cases and good practice

  • Serial versus batch. Serial tracks a single unit; batch tracks a whole lot. Choose by the grain your recalls need.
  • Capture at the door. Record serials and batches as goods are received and delivered, not afterwards.
  • Treat expiry as informational until FEFO enforcement lands; check it manually when picking perishables.

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