[How-to] Use Batch Management for Asset Stock Handling Across Locations in EZO

When the same asset stock item exists in bulk across locations, tracking it without batch-level visibility can make stock handling messy. You may end up adding quantity to the wrong batch, transferring stock without clear traceability, or removing items from the wrong lot.

EZO lets you manage asset stock in batches so you can view quantity by batch, assign batch numbers and expiry dates, and add, transfer, or remove stock from a specific batch. This guide walks you through enabling batch management, viewing batch details, and updating stock from the asset stock details page.

1. Enable Asset Stock Batch Management

Before you can manage asset stock by batch, you need to enable the setting first:

1. Go to Settings → Items → Asset Stock and check Manage Asset Stock in Batches.
2. Click Update to save your changes.

2. Open an Asset Stock Item and View Its Batch Details

To manage stock by batch, start from the asset stock item itself.

From the Navigation Menu, go to Items → Asset Stock and open the item you want to manage. On the asset stock details page, scroll down to Quantity by Location.

Here, you can view the item’s quantity across locations. Expand any row to open the Batch View, where you can see stock details by batch number.

From this same section, you can also update batch information for existing stock, including:

• Batch Number
• Batch Expiry Date

This gives you a direct way to review and maintain batch-level asset stock without leaving the item details page.

3. Add Stock to a Specific Batch

You can add stock to an existing batch or create a new batch from the asset stock details page. To do this,

1. Navigate to Items → Asset Stock and click on any asset stock item. 
2. On the asset stock details page, click the Ellipses (…) menu and select Add Stock.

In the pop-up, scroll down to the Batch Number field.

From here, you can:

• Add stock to an existing batch, or
• Click Add Batch Number to create a new batch

Complete the rest of the required stock details and click Add.

4. Transfer Stock from a Specific Batch

You can also transfer stock between locations at the batch level. To do this,

1. Navigate to Items → Asset Stock and click on any item. 
2. On the stock asset details page, click the Ellipses (…) menu and select Transfer Stock.

In the pop-up, 

1. Enter the quantity you want to transfer, fill in any remaining details, and click Transfer.
2. Choose the relevant source location from the dropdown under From.
3. Select the batches you want to transfer stock from using the dropdown under From Batch Number and select a From State.
4. Choose the destination location under To and the destination batch under To Batch Number.

5. Checkout Stock from a Specific Batch

To checkout stock from a specific batch, use the Checkout Stock button on the asset stock details page. To do this,

1. Navigate to Items → Asset Stock and click on any item. 
2. On the asset stock details page, click the Checkout button.

In the pop-up, select the relevant Location and Batch Number. Then enter the quantity you want to remove and click Remove Stock.

This updates that specific batch instead of affecting stock more generally, which helps keep your stock records accurate.

6. Print Unique Batch Barcodes

You can now generate and print unique barcode labels for individual asset stock batches. This makes it easier to identify and track different batches of the same item, even when the same Batch Number is used across different items.

To enable batch barcodes:

1. Navigate to Company Settings & Addons → Items.
2. Locate Batch Barcode Generation and select Enable Batch Barcodes (Format: AIN + DIV + Batch Number)

6.1 Generate and Print a Batch Barcode

Once your barcode format is configured, you can print a barcode for a specific batch:

1. Navigate to Items → Asset Stock and click on any asset stock item.
2. On the asset stock details page, click the Ellipses (…) menu and select Print Label.

In the Print Labels pop-up:

1. Select the number of copies to print and the printout template.
2. Select a batch from the Select Batch Number dropdown.
3. Click Print to generate the batch label.

When you select a specific batch, the printed label uses the format Asset Stock Name – Batch Number for the display name.

If you do not select a batch, the system prints the standard asset stock AIN barcode instead.

You can also customize your printout template to include the Batch Expiry Date, allowing staff to see important expiry information directly on the physical label.

6.2 Scan a Batch Barcode

Once batch-specific barcodes have been printed, scanning one in a supported workflow automatically identifies the corresponding inventory item and selects the specific batch.

The batch selection is locked after the barcode is scanned, helping ensure that the correct batch is used for the transaction. This allows staff to scan a batch barcode and work with the correct batch without having to manually search for and select it.

Batch barcodes can be scanned in supported workflows such as Carts, Checkout, Check-in, Reserve, Move Items, Extend Checkout, Work Orders, Audits, and Purchase Orders.

7. Manage Batch Details in Purchase Orders

You can now associate received Asset Stock (and Inventory) with batches directly from a Purchase Order (PO). This lets you capture batch information when creating the PO or receiving items, while maintaining traceability back to the vendor and Purchase Order.

7.1 Add Batch Details in PO

Batch information can be entered or selected directly on the PO line item when creating the Purchase Order, as well as when receiving the items.

To add batch details:

1. Go to Purchase Order from the left navigation bar and open the relevant PO.
2. On the line item you want to associate a batch number to, click the Edit (pencil) icon.

3. Enter the Batch Number and Batch Expiry Date, or select an existing active batch.

4. Click the checkmark (✓) button to save your changes.

Note: The Batch Number and Batch Expiry Date columns may not be visible by default. If you don’t see them, click the Column Customization button and add these columns to the PO listing.

When you receive the items, EZO automatically associates the received quantity with the selected or newly created batch. Vendor and Purchase Order information is also associated with the batch, and the details are reflected in the item’s Batch History.

Note: The batch expiry date must be a valid date and cannot be set in the past.

7.2 View Batch Details in Custom Purchase Order Reports

You can now include batch details when creating a Custom Report for Purchase Orders. This makes it easier to include batch-level information alongside your purchase order data.

To add batch details to a Custom Report:

1. Go to Reports and click the CREATE CUSTOM REPORT button.
2. In Step 1, select Purchase Orders as the module from the given drop-down and Purchase Order Line Items as the Related Module.
3. In Step 2, select Purchase Order Line Items – Batch Number and Purchase Order Line Items – Batch Expiry Date, along with any other columns you want from the Available Columns section.

You can also use Batch Number and Batch Expiry Date when filtering your report, such as when looking for stock from a specific batch or identifying batches approaching their expiry date.

Take a look at the [How-to] Generate Custom Reports support blog in EZO to learn more about custom reports.

Keep Batch-Level Asset Stock Clean and Accurate

Managing asset stock by batch gives you better control over how stock is added, moved, and removed across locations. Instead of treating the entire quantity as one undifferentiated pool, you can work against the exact batch you need and maintain cleaner records over time.

Need help getting started with asset stock batching in EZO? Reach out to support@ezo.io.