Lot Serial Number Tracking Odoo 18

Pharmaceutical distributor facing FDA audit discovers critical traceability gaps: 5000 units recalled medicine shipped customers but inventory system cannot identify which retail locations received affected batch LOT-2024-A437, manual investigation requiring 72 hours checking paper records calling 250 retail partners verifying stock creating compliance nightmare potential fines, electronics manufacturer unable tracking individual laptop serial numbers for warranty claims customers reporting defects but company cannot determine manufacturing date production line responsible requiring expensive blanket replacements increasing costs 40 percent, food distributor managing perishable goods lacking expiration date tracking selling expired products causing customer complaints health violations $50000 USDA fines, and automotive parts supplier mixing batches with different quality certifications shipping wrong specifications OEM clients causing assembly line shutdowns million dollar contract penalties—creating compliance risks customer dissatisfaction financial losses operational inefficiencies and inability meeting regulatory requirements requiring precise lot tracking individual serial identification expiration management and complete product traceability from purchase through delivery.

Odoo 18 lot and serial number tracking enables accurate inventory control through batch lot tracking grouping identical products single identifier perfect perishable goods pharmaceuticals, unique serial tracking assigning individual identifier each unit ideal electronics machinery high-value items, valuation by lot/serial calculating separate costs each batch enabling accurate costing FIFO inventory management, traceability reports tracking complete movement history origin destination product flow, expiration date management monitoring batch expiration ensuring products sold before spoilage, purchase integration assigning lots during receipt automatic generation sequential numbers, sales tracking identifying which lots shipped customers enabling targeted recalls, location management viewing lot/serial distribution across multiple warehouses, smart tab integration accessing traceability location stock data single click, and compliance documentation generating audit trails regulatory reporting quality control—reducing recall investigation time 95 percent through instant batch identification eliminating manual tracking via automated lot assignment ensuring regulatory compliance through complete traceability documentation improving warranty management through serial-based service tracking and achieving cost accuracy through lot-specific valuation automated costing precise inventory accounting.

Understanding Lot and Serial Tracking

Core concepts and use cases:

Lot Numbers vs Serial Numbers:

Tracking Options in Odoo 18:

Enabling Lot and Serial Tracking

System configuration:

Step 1: Enable Feature in Settings

1. Navigate to Inventory Settings:
   • Go to: Inventory → Configuration → Settings
2. Locate Traceability Section:
   • Scroll to Traceability section
3. Enable Feature:
   • Check: Lots & Serial Numbers
   • Click Save

Configuring Products for Tracking

Product-level settings:

Product Configuration Steps:

1. Navigate to Products:
   • Go to: Inventory → Products → Products
   • Select existing product or click New
2. Set Product Type:
   • Product Type: Must be Goods
   • Consumables and Services cannot be tracked
3. Enable Tracking:
   • Under Inventory tab
   • Enable: Track Inventory
   • Tracking options appear
4. Select Tracking Method:
   • By Quantity: Basic quantity tracking
   • By Unique Serial Number: Individual unit tracking
   • By Lots: Batch tracking
5. Save Configuration:
   • Click Save
   • Product now tracks via selected method

Example: Pharmaceutical Product

Valuation by Lot/Serial Number

Advanced costing feature:

Understanding the Feature:

Enabling Valuation by Lot:

1. Open product form
2. Ensure: Track Inventory = By Lots or By Unique Serial Number
3. Check: Valuation by Lots/Serial Number
4. Save product

Purchase Operations with Lots

Receiving and assigning lots:

Complete Purchase Workflow:

Step 1: Create Purchase Order

1. Navigate to: Purchase → Purchase → New
2. Select vendor
3. Add product tracked by lots
4. Specify quantity (e.g., 20 units)
5. Set unit price (e.g., $400)
6. Click Confirm Order

Step 2: Receive Products and Assign Lots

1. Click Receive Products:
   • Receipt form opens
   • Shows products to receive
2. Assign Lot Number:
   • Click detailed operations icon (list icon) next to product
   • Lot/Serial assignment wizard opens
3. Generate or Enter Lot:
   • Option A: Enter manually (e.g., "LT-SP001")
   • Option B: Auto-generate:
     • First Lot Number: LT-2025-001
     • Quantity per Lot: 20 (all units one lot)
     • System generates sequential numbers if multiple lots
4. Confirm Lot Assignment:
   • Click Confirm in wizard
   • All 20 units assigned to lot
5. Validate Receipt:
   • Click Validate
   • Products received into inventory
   • Traceability smart tab appears

Example: Multiple Lots per Receipt

Sales Operations with Lots

Delivering and tracking lots sold:

Complete Sales Workflow:

Step 1: Create Sales Order

1. Navigate to: Sales → Orders → New
2. Select customer
3. Add lot-tracked product
4. Specify quantity (e.g., 14 units)
5. Click Confirm

Step 2: Deliver Products from Specific Lot

1. Click Delivery Smart Tab:
   • Delivery order opens
2. Check Automatic Lot Selection:
   • Navigate to Moves smart tab
   • System auto-selects lot based on removal strategy (FIFO default)
   • Shows which lot products taken from
3. Manual Lot Selection (if needed):
   • Click detailed operations icon
   • Remove auto-selected lot line
   • Click Add a Line
   • Select desired lot number
   • Enter quantity from that lot
   • Repeat for multiple lots if needed
4. Validate Delivery:
   • Click Validate
   • Products shipped customer
   • Traceability smart tab shows what shipped

Example Delivery Scenario:

Traceability Reports

Complete product movement history:

Accessing Traceability:

Traceability Report Content:

Lot and Serial Number Management

Central management interface:

Accessing Lot/Serial Management:

1. Navigate to: Inventory → Products → Lots/Serial Numbers
2. List view shows all lots/serials
3. Default filter: By Location

Creating Manual Lot/Serial:

1. Click New button
2. Fill form fields:
   • Lot/Serial Number: Unique identifier (e.g., "SN-2025-1234")
   • Product: Select associated product
   • Internal Reference: Optional supplier reference tracking info
   • Company: Associated company
3. Click Save

Lot/Serial Record Information:

Example Lot Record:

Serial Number Workflow

Individual unit tracking:

Key Differences from Lot Tracking:

Serial Number Example: Electronics

Best Practices

Use Lot Tracking for Batch Products Serial Tracking for Individual Items: Incorrect tracking method equals operational inefficiency. Pharmaceuticals food chemicals benefit lot tracking grouping production batches expiration management. Electronics machinery high-value items require serial tracking warranty service individual identification. Choosing appropriate method enables efficient operations accurate traceability regulatory compliance reducing administrative overhead optimizing inventory management.

Enable Valuation by Lot When Purchase Prices Vary Between Batches: Averaging costs across lots with different purchase prices equals inaccurate profitability analysis. Raw materials purchased different times different prices benefit lot-specific valuation. Example: Copper wire LOT-A $5/meter, LOT-B $7/meter—valuation by lot enables accurate COGS calculation when selling from specific lot maintaining precision inventory accounting supporting informed pricing decisions.

Leverage Traceability Reports for Compliance Audits and Recalls: Manual record searching during audits recalls equals delays compliance failures. Regular traceability report review ensures documentation complete accurate. FDA audit requests batch movement → instant traceability report shows complete chain custody receipts transfers deliveries. Product recall scenario → identify all customers received affected lot within minutes enabling targeted communication reducing recall scope saving costs maintaining customer safety.

Create Consistent Naming Conventions for Lots and Serials: Random inconsistent lot numbers equals confusion errors difficult searching. Establish standard format: LT-YYYY-### for lots, SN-YYYY-##### for serials. Include date codes product codes meaningful identifiers. Consistent naming enables quick identification easy searching better organization reducing data entry errors improving operational efficiency supporting scalability.

Conclusion

Odoo 18 lot and serial number tracking enables accurate inventory control through batch lot tracking unique serial tracking valuation by lot/serial traceability reports expiration date management purchase integration sales tracking location management smart tab integration and compliance documentation. Reduce recall investigation time through instant batch identification eliminating manual tracking via automated lot assignment ensuring regulatory compliance through complete traceability documentation improving warranty management through serial-based service tracking achieving cost accuracy through lot-specific valuation supporting quality control through batch identification enhancing customer safety through targeted recalls and improving operational efficiency through integrated tracking achieving compliance excellence customer satisfaction and competitive advantage.