Expired stock is money written off
Batch and expiry tracking software answers a simple question that a paper register cannot: what on my shelf expires soon, and which batch is it? A medical store can have the same tablet in three batches with three expiry dates. A supermarket has curd, bread, biscuits and baby food, each with its own date. Without tracking, expired stock is found by the customer, or at the year-end count, when it is too late to return.
Most suppliers take back near-expiry goods only within a window. If you notice too late, the loss is yours. Electronics and mobile shops have the same problem in a different form: they need to know which serial number was sold, on which bill, so a warranty claim can be checked.
What Cartix Prime does
On the Gold plan and above, Cartix Prime adds:
- Batches and expiry dates on items, entered when the stock comes in through purchase entry.
- The Expiry report, one of the stock reports, so you can see what expires and when.
- Near-expiry returns to suppliers, to send stock back while the supplier will still take it.
- Batch and expiry on the bill, which pharmacies need.
- Serial numbers and warranty for items sold one by one, such as phones (the IMEI is the serial number), appliances and tools.
- AI reading of a pack label: take a photo and the MRP, expiry and batch are picked up, so you do not type them for every carton.
Gold also has the other pharmacy features: Schedule H, H1 and X prompts at the counter, the drug licence on the bill, prescriptions with patient and doctor, the Schedule H1/X register, and medicines with the same salt once you add the composition. There is no ready drug database: you add your own medicines, or import them from Excel.
How it works
- When stock arrives, enter the purchase with the batch and expiry for each line. On Gold, a photo of the pack label can fill in the MRP, expiry and batch.
- At the counter, the bill carries the batch and expiry of what is sold. For serial-number items, the serial number goes on the bill too.
- Once a week, open the Expiry report and look at what expires in the coming weeks.
- Put near-expiry stock at the front, offer it at a discount, or make a near-expiry return to the supplier.
- When a customer comes back with a faulty phone or mixer, the serial number and warranty recorded with the sale tell you whether it is covered.
A weekly expiry routine that works
Software only helps if someone looks at it. A simple routine for a medical store in Kozhikode:
- Every Monday, the pharmacist opens the Expiry report for the next 90 days.
- Returnable items go into a near-expiry return to the supplier, before the supplier’s return window closes.
- The rest moves to the front of the shelf so it sells first.
- Once a month, a short stock count of the expiry-heavy shelves keeps the numbers honest.
A supermarket can do the same with a shorter window for dairy and bakery items. Check your own suppliers’ return terms: they differ, and the window is what decides the routine.
Labels, and what they do not carry
Cartix Prime prints barcode and price labels on Silver and up, but batch and expiry are not label fields. The barcode on the pack still identifies the item; the batch and expiry are kept in the stock and on the bill. See barcode label printing for what labels can show.
Who it suits
- Medical stores and pharmacies, where batch and expiry on the bill and the Schedule H1 register matter. Read pharmacy billing software for the full picture.
- Supermarkets and kirana stores with packaged food, dairy and baby products.
- Distributors who must return near-expiry stock up the chain.
- Mobile, electronics and appliance shops that sell by serial number and handle warranty claims.
Which plan has it
| What | Plan |
|---|---|
| Stock and purchase entry | Every plan |
| Stock counts and stock health reports | Silver and up |
| Batches and expiry, Expiry report, near-expiry returns, serial numbers and warranty, pharmacy features, AI pack-label reading | Gold and up |
Gold is ₹8,999 a year for one computer and one phone, or ₹1,899 for a phone only, before 18% GST. Batches, expiry and serial numbers also work in Cartix Prime Offline Plus, without the AI reading. Start with 7 days of Silver free at the sign-up page, then move up to Gold inside the app to switch on batches.
Questions people ask
Which billing software tracks batch and expiry?
Cartix Prime tracks batches and expiry dates on the Gold plan and above. You enter them with the purchase, the bill carries them, and the Expiry report shows what expires soon. Near-expiry stock can be returned to the supplier.
How do I manage expiry in a medical store?
Enter batch and expiry with every purchase, check an expiry report every week, return near-expiry stock within the supplier’s window, and sell the rest first. Cartix Prime Gold does this, and adds Schedule H/H1/X prompts and the H1 register.
Can I track IMEI numbers and warranty for mobile phones?
Yes. On Gold and above, Cartix Prime keeps serial numbers and warranty for items sold one by one. A phone’s IMEI is recorded as its serial number, so you can check the warranty when the customer comes back.
Can expiry dates be printed on barcode labels?
No. In Cartix Prime, batch and expiry are not label fields. They are kept with the stock and printed on the bill. Labels carry the name, prices, barcode and other item details.
Does Cartix Prime come with a medicine database?
No. There is no ready drug database. You add your medicines yourself or import them from Excel, including exports from Marg and other software. Once composition is added, medicines with the same salt can be found.