Lot & Batch Traceability (Farm-to-Fork)
Complete supply chain visibility from farm/supplier through production to customer with 1-step-up/1-step-back tracking for rapid trace-back and trace-forward
Why This Matters
What It Is
Complete supply chain visibility from farm/supplier through production to customer with 1-step-up/1-step-back tracking for rapid trace-back and trace-forward
Current State vs Future State Comparison
Current State
(Traditional)Lot traceability is maintained through manual record-keeping at each supply chain stage. Suppliers provide lot numbers on shipping documents and certificates. Production teams record ingredient lot numbers and finished goods batch codes on paper batch records. Distribution centers track inventory by lot in WMS systems. Customer shipments are documented with lot codes on invoices. During recalls or quality investigations, tracing requires manual queries across multiple disconnected systems, contacting suppliers by phone/email, and reviewing paper records. Complete trace-back or trace-forward typically takes 8-24 hours or longer.
Characteristics
- • SAP ERP
- • Oracle NetSuite
- • Microsoft Dynamics 365
- • Excel
- • Google Sheets
- • FoodLogiQ
- • TraceX Technologies
Pain Points
- ⚠ Data silos across different systems make it difficult to get a unified view.
- ⚠ Reliance on manual data entry increases the risk of errors and delays.
- ⚠ Lack of real-time visibility on lot status leads to inefficiencies.
- ⚠ Ensuring compliance with regulations requires accurate and auditable lot data.
- ⚠ Scalability issues arise as the number of SKUs and suppliers grows.
- ⚠ Legacy ERP systems may not integrate well with modern traceability platforms.
- ⚠ Manual processes can be time-consuming and prone to errors.
- ⚠ Traditional systems may not provide real-time updates on lot status.
Future State
(Agentic)An orchestrator agent coordinates comprehensive farm-to-fork traceability through integrated supply chain systems. Lot capture agents automatically record supplier lot numbers from receiving documents (ASN, BOL, COA) and link to purchase orders. Production agents capture ingredient lot consumption and finished goods batch relationships during manufacturing with real-time validation of data completeness. Distribution agents track lot movement through warehouses and shipments to customers with automated lot-to-customer linking. Trace agents provide 15-minute rapid trace-back (customer → ingredients → supplier farms) and trace-forward (supplier lot → finished goods → customers) through automated queries across integrated systems. Visualization agents display supply chain maps showing all affected products and locations.
Characteristics
- • Supplier advance shipping notices (ASN) and lot documentation
- • Purchase orders linking suppliers to ingredients
- • Goods receipt transactions with lot numbers
- • Production batch records showing ingredient lot consumption
- • Finished goods lot codes and production dates
- • Warehouse inventory movements by lot
- • Customer invoices and shipments with lot codes
- • Supplier farm and facility identifiers
Benefits
- ✓ Trace-back time reduces from 8-24 hours to 15 minutes meeting FDA FSMA requirements
- ✓ Complete supply chain visibility enables precise recalls reducing product destruction and customer impact
- ✓ Real-time validation during production ensures traceability data completeness vs. discovering gaps during recalls
- ✓ Automated trace-forward identifies all affected customers in minutes enabling rapid notification
- ✓ Supply chain visualization supports risk assessment and recall scope decisions
Is This Right for You?
This score is based on general applicability (industry fit, implementation complexity, and ROI potential). Use the Preferences button above to set your industry, role, and company profile for personalized matching.
Why this score:
- • Applicable across multiple industries
- • Moderate expected business value
- • Time to value: 3-6 months
- • (Score based on general applicability - set preferences for personalized matching)
You might benefit from Lot & Batch Traceability (Farm-to-Fork) if:
- You're experiencing: Data silos across different systems make it difficult to get a unified view.
- You're experiencing: Reliance on manual data entry increases the risk of errors and delays.
- You're experiencing: Lack of real-time visibility on lot status leads to inefficiencies.
This may not be right for you if:
- Requires human oversight for critical decision points - not fully autonomous
Parent Capability
Farm-to-fork traceability, HACCP plan management, temperature monitoring, allergen control, supplier food safety audits, and rapid recall capabilities
Farm-to-fork traceability, HACCP plan management, temperature monitoring, allergen control, supplier food safety audits, and rapid recall capabilities
What to Do Next
Related Functions
Metadata
- Function ID
- func-lot-batch-traceability-farm-to-fork