Food processing ERP: expiry tracking, batch recalls and FSSAI compliance

This company had grown its product range from 12 SKUs to over 60 in three years. The systems never kept up.

Batch records were maintained in physical registers. Expiry dates were tracked in a shared spreadsheet that was updated when someone remembered. The result was predictable: at least once a quarter, a consignment would leave the facility with packaging from an older batch, causing returns and customer complaints.

In one incident, a distributor flagged a batch for quality concerns after it had already reached retail shelves. Tracing the source took three days because records were split across paper logs and two separate spreadsheets.

The procurement team was placing repeat orders without a clear view of what was already in cold storage. Items were expiring before they could be consumed. With an upcoming FSSAI audit and a new modern trade account requiring full batch traceability, the business had run out of runway to fix this manually.

• Batch numbers recorded manually with no system link between incoming raw materials and outgoing finished goods — making recalls nearly impossible
• Expiry dates tracked in an unofficial spreadsheet, not enforced at the point of stock consumption
• Procurement not linked to production requirements, leading to excess perishable stock and wastage in the ingredient store
• No FIFO enforcement at the warehouse — newer stock was regularly picked over older deliveries
• Month-end required manual cross-referencing across three separate files maintained by accounts, stores, and production

• Manufacturing. Batch-linked production orders with automatic ingredient consumption recorded against each finished goods batch
• Inventory Management. Expiry tracking enforced at every stock entry; FIFO automatically applied at point of issue
• Purchase Management. Purchase orders generated from material requirement plans; supplier certificates linked to each goods receipt
• Quality Inspection. Incoming ingredient and finished goods inspection linked to batch records with hold and release workflow
• Accounting Integration. Purchase invoices, goods receipts, and production consumption auto-reconciled — month-end closing time cut in half

1. Process Audit and Compliance Mapping (Weeks 1–2). We audited all existing batch registers, expiry tracking spreadsheets, and supplier documentation. FSSAI traceability requirements were mapped against current data gaps before any configuration began.
2. ERPNext Configuration and Data Migration (Weeks 3–7). Item master, BOM for each product, supplier records, and opening stock with batch and expiry data were migrated and validated. FIFO rules, reorder levels, and quality inspection workflows were configured to match actual facility practice.
3. Pilot with Live Production Batches (Weeks 8–10). Real production runs went through the new system in parallel with the old process. This confirmed that batch genealogy — from raw material lot to finished goods SKU — was captured correctly end to end.
4. Full Cutover and Staff Training (Weeks 11–12). All departments moved to ERPNext as the single system of record. Role-specific training covered stores, production, QC, and accounts. A 30-day hyper-care period followed, timed to overlap with the FSSAI audit window.