Inventory expiration tracking guide
How to track expiration dates in inventory
Stop losing money to products that expire unnoticed on a shelf or in the back room. This guide shows the simple expiration date management routine that grocery stores, pharmacies, clinics and warehouses use to keep every expiry date under control, with or without an app.
Use the SimSim app on a phone or a tablet. Use it alone or with your team—everyone sees the same up-to-date inventory. Get started for free—no credit card required.
The 6-step routine for tracking expiration dates in inventory
Record each date when stock arrives, keep batches separate, rotate with FEFO, check upcoming dates on a fixed schedule, act on near-expiry stock while you still have time, and keep your team on one shared list.
- Record the date and lot number at receiving
- Keep each batch separate and in a known place
- Put the earliest expiry date first (FEFO)
- Check upcoming dates daily and weekly
- Sell, move, return or donate before the date
- Share one up-to-date list with your team
Record the expiry date and lot number when stock arrives
Receiving is the best moment to capture dates, because every carton is already in your hands. If a product is not recorded on arrival, it is easy to forget until it has already expired.
- Check the printed expiry date on every new delivery before it goes on the shelf.
- Write down the lot or batch number next to the date.
- Record the quantity, so you know how much stock is at risk.
How SimSim helps: Scan the barcode with your phone camera or a Bluetooth scanner, then take a photo of the label: the AI reads the expiry date and lot number for you. If a product is not in the database, the AI fills in its details from the photo.
Keep each batch separate and give it a place
The same product often arrives in several batches with different dates. Recording them as one entry in your list, or mixing them in one spot on the shelf, is how old stock gets hidden behind new stock.
- Record each batch with its own date and quantity.
- Assign a storage location: shelf, aisle, fridge, freezer, back room or warehouse zone.
- Use simple categories so staff can review one area at a time.
How SimSim helps: Every batch keeps its own date, lot number, quantity and location. Search any product by name, lot number, category, location or expiry status, and move several items at once.
Rotate stock with FEFO: First Expired, First Out
FEFO means you sell or use the batch with the earliest expiry date first, even if it arrived later. FIFO (First In, First Out) only looks at arrival order, which is not enough for dated products: a newer delivery can expire sooner than older stock.
- Move the earliest-dated batch to the front of the shelf or the main picking spot.
- Put new deliveries behind it, unless they expire sooner.
- Never mix two batches in one spot if you cannot tell their dates apart.
Batch A
Arrived: May 2
Expires: June 10
Batch B
Arrived: April 20
Expires: July 3
Batch A arrived later but expires sooner, so with FEFO it goes to the front. With FIFO, you would sell Batch B first and risk losing Batch A.
How SimSim helps: The priority view lists expired and near-expiry products first, so your team can see which batch to sell or use next and which expired items to remove.
Check upcoming dates on a fixed schedule
Expiry tracking only works if someone looks at the dates regularly. A short, fixed routine is better than a big check once in a while.
- Every dayReview products that expire in the next 7 days and decide what to do with each one.
- Every weekWalk one area or category and compare the shelf with your list.
- Every monthLook at what expired anyway and adjust order sizes or alert timing.
- At every deliveryRecord new dates and lot numbers before the stock is put away.
How SimSim helps: Smart alerts remind you days, weeks or months before each date, so the daily check takes minutes instead of a walk through every shelf.
Act on near-expiry stock before it becomes a loss
An alert is only useful if there is still time to do something. Common options for products close to their date:
- Move them to the front, to a high-traffic spot or to a clearance shelf.
- Discount or bundle them while there is still time to sell them.
- Return or exchange them with the supplier, if your agreement allows it.
- Transfer them to another branch where they sell faster.
- Donate food that is still safe to eat to a food bank or charity, following local rules.
- Remove expired items from sale, dispose of them according to local rules, and record what was removed.
How early should you be alerted?
Fresh or chilled products
Start with 3 to 14 daysEnough time to check, move to the front or mark down.
Packaged food and supplements
Start with 30 to 90 daysEnough time to plan a promotion, return or transfer.
Medicines, warehouse or slow-moving stock
Start with 90 to 180 daysEnough time to use supplier return windows, change orders or move stock between locations.
These ranges are starting points, not safety or legal advice. Always follow the printed date, storage instructions and local rules.
How SimSim helps: Choose when each alert arrives, and remove items from the list when they are sold, used or thrown away, so it stays accurate.
Keep your whole team on the same inventory
Notes, spreadsheets and chat messages quickly fall out of date when several people handle stock. One shared list means everyone sees the same dates and the same tasks.
- Decide who records deliveries and who does the daily check.
- Update quantities after sales, transfers, donations or disposal.
- Give each person only the access they need.
How SimSim helps: Add or remove team members in seconds and choose whether each person can add, edit or only view products. Import or export your inventory with Excel and CSV files. A web dashboard for computers is coming soon with the Enterprise plan.
Paper, Excel or an expiry tracking app?
Many shops start with a notebook or a spreadsheet. That works for a few products, but it gets harder as stock and staff grow.
| Task | Paper notebook | Excel or Google Sheets | Expiry tracking app |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adding a product | Write it by hand | Type every field | Scan the barcode, AI reads the date |
| Alerts before expiry | None | Highlights only, with rules you build | Automatic push alerts |
| Finding what expires soon | Read every page | Sort and filter by hand | Priority list, ready every day |
| Batches and lot numbers | Easy to mix up | Possible, but manual | Each batch tracked separately |
| Working as a team | One copy | Shared file, easy to overwrite | Shared, with roles and permissions |
| Cost to start | Free | Free | SimSim: free plan, no card |
Who needs inventory expiration tracking?
Any business that sells, uses or stores products with an expiry date.
Grocery stores and supermarkets
Find near-expiry products on busy shelves and mark them down before they become waste.
Read more →Pharmacies and supplement shops
Track medicines, vitamins and supplements by batch, and know what to sell or return first.
Read more →Veterinary clinics
Keep vaccines, medicines and supplies in date, with their lot numbers recorded.
Read more →Warehouses and distributors
Follow FEFO across large quantities, storage locations and lot numbers.
Food banks and charities
Give out the donations closest to their date first, while they are still good.
Pet food and supply stores
Rotate pet food, treats and care products before they expire.
Frequently asked questions
What is inventory expiration tracking?
It is the process of recording the expiry date of every product or batch you hold, reviewing upcoming dates on a schedule, and acting before items expire. The goal is less waste, fewer expired products on the shelf and fewer losses.
What is expiration date management?
Expiration date management is the routine of recording expiry dates and lot numbers when stock arrives, rotating stock with FEFO, checking upcoming dates on a schedule and acting on near-expiry items before they become waste. Grocery stores, pharmacies and warehouses all follow a version of it.
What is the difference between FEFO and FIFO?
FIFO sells the oldest delivery first. FEFO sells the batch that expires first. For products with an expiry date, FEFO is safer, because a newer delivery can expire before older stock.
How often should I check expiry dates?
Check items expiring in the next 7 days every day, review one area or category every week, and look at what expired each month to improve ordering. Alerts make the daily check much faster.
Can I track lot or batch numbers too?
Yes. Record the lot number together with the expiry date for every batch. In SimSim, the AI reads both from a photo of the label, and you can search your inventory by lot number later.
Can I track expiration dates in Excel?
Yes, a spreadsheet works for a small number of products, but you have to type every date, build your own alerts and avoid overwriting each other's changes. SimSim scans barcodes, lets AI read the printed date from a photo and sends alerts automatically. SimSim can also import and export Excel and CSV files.
Is there a free app for tracking expiration dates?
Yes. SimSim has a free plan for Android, iPhone and iPad with no credit card required. Paid plans add more users, more products and AI features.
Track expiry dates with SimSim
Scan barcodes, let AI read printed dates and lot numbers, and get alerts before products expire.