This task is one section of Small business workflows for 20 industries, with 19 related tasks on one page.
1. What to record
Record the product, batch or date, quantity received, quantity sold, and quantity removed because it expired.
Follow the food rules that apply to you. This guide only keeps the date next to the quantity.
2. People and records
On small screens, scroll the table sideways to see every column.
| Record | Who uses it | What to keep |
|---|---|---|
| Receipt | Receiver | Product, quantity, supplier, and expiry or batch date. |
| Shelf | Shop staff | Where the batch sits and which date should sell first. |
| Sale | Cashier | Product and quantity sold from the oldest sellable batch. |
| Removal | Shop lead | Quantity removed, date, and reason, such as expired. |
3. One complete cycle
- Receive one product with an expiry date.
- Put that batch behind any older sellable batch.
- Sell from the older batch first.
- On the expiry date, remove what remains and record the quantity.
Expected: On-hand quantity no longer includes the removed batch, and the sales did not come from a newer batch while an older one was still sellable.
4. Check before you add tools
Each morning, list batches that expire today or that have already expired and are still in stock.
5. Frequently asked questions
Is a quantity enough?
No. Without a date, you cannot tell which units to sell or remove.
What if two deliveries share a date?
You may keep them as one batch. Do not mix them with a different date.
Do I delete an expired product?
No. Remove the unsellable quantity and keep the reason.
6. Related articles and next steps
Sample amounts and names in this guide are illustrative. They are not a client result, a price, or legal advice.
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