UPGRADING PHARMACEUTICAL WAREHOUSE MANAGEMENT AND LOT/BATCH CONTROL WITH SWM

In pharmaceutical warehousing, accuracy is not only about knowing how much inventory is available. Businesses also need to ensure that the right product and the right LOT/BATCH are selected for every outbound order. Our customer previously relied heavily on manual warehouse processes, making picking, lot verification, document handling and invoicing time-consuming. Smartlog Warehouse Management (SWM) was implemented to digitize warehouse operations, embed LOT/BATCH control into daily workflows and standardize picking through handheld barcode scanning. This creates a more controlled warehouse environment with greater inventory accuracy and less dependence on manual verification.

ABOUT OUR CUSTOMER

Our customer operates in pharmaceutical trading and distribution, with warehouse operations supporting storage, order fulfillment and product distribution.

Pharmaceutical products require strict control at lot level. Selecting the wrong LOT/BATCH can affect not only warehouse execution but also downstream documentation, invoicing and data reconciliation across different teams.

OPERATING CONTEXT

Before SWM, warehouse operations were handled almost entirely through manual processes.

The business already used AMIS for enterprise management, but warehouse activities were not managed end to end through a dedicated warehouse management system. LOT/BATCH identification during picking depended heavily on manual checking.

For outbound orders, warehouse and accounting teams also had to coordinate across multiple steps to verify information, print documents and process invoices. Errors could result in document corrections or invoice cancellations, increasing operational workload.

KEY CHALLENGES

Limited LOT/BATCH control during outbound operations

Lot selection relied heavily on manual checks, increasing the risk of picking the wrong LOT/BATCH and adding more verification work before shipment.

Warehouse execution depended heavily on people

Picking, checking and confirmation activities were not systematically controlled, making consistency dependent on individual experience and attention.

Documents and invoices created additional workload

Warehouse and accounting teams spent significant time exchanging information. Picking or outbound errors could lead to additional document and invoice adjustments.

SMARTLOG’S APPROACH

Smartlog implemented SWM as the centralized warehouse management platform, embedding LOT/BATCH control and picking validation directly into warehouse execution.

Controlling inventory by LOT/BATCH

SWM manages lot information together with warehouse inventory, helping employees identify the correct LOT/BATCH required for each outbound order.

Standardizing picking with handheld barcode scanning

Warehouse employees use handheld devices to scan barcodes and confirm products during picking.

Instead of relying entirely on visual checks and experience, each picking action can be validated against system data before the goods leave the warehouse.

Improving inventory visibility

Inbound, outbound and inventory data are managed centrally in SWM, giving the business greater transparency over warehouse stock.

The solution also supports the required data flow with AMIS, reducing repeated data entry and helping maintain more consistent information across systems.

RESULTS

Following implementation, 100% of picking operations are performed using handheld barcode scanning, replacing a workflow that previously depended heavily on manual verification.

Project data records no LOT/BATCH errors during picking, demonstrating stronger lot-level control in outbound operations.

Inventory accuracy is also recorded at 100%, providing a more reliable data foundation for warehouse operations and management.

Manual workload has also been reduced significantly, particularly in product checking, information confirmation and document-related activities.

BUSINESS VALUE

For pharmaceutical companies, effective warehouse management is not only about answering “How much inventory is available?” It must also answer “Which product, from which lot, should be shipped?”

Smartlog SWM embeds LOT/BATCH control and barcode validation directly into warehouse workflows, reducing dependence on individual memory and manual checking.

This gives the business a stronger foundation for accurate inventory management, transparent warehouse data and more controlled pharmaceutical distribution.