Warehouse reference · Inventory & traceability
FIFO and FEFO rotation
FIFO prioritizes inventory according to an agreed first-in sequence. FEFO prioritizes according to expiration. Neither phrase completely defines an allocation rule: eligibility, customer requirements, dates, and exceptions still need to be specified.
How it works in practice
Choose the governing date and define ties, missing values, holds, and minimum remaining shelf-life requirements. Test whether the selected inventory can be physically accessed and picked under the operating model.
A warehouse example
The oldest received pallet may expire later than a newer receipt. FIFO and FEFO can therefore select different stock even when both follow their configured rules correctly.
Illustrative scenario, not a claim about a client engagement.
What to watch for
Do not treat expiry order as permission to ship stock that fails another requirement. A customer’s shelf-life condition or a quality hold can override simple date ranking.
A useful question
Which date is actually used, and what happens when that date is missing?
Terminology and configuration differ by product. These notes explain general concepts and are not operating instructions for equipment, a compliance determination, or a replacement for your site’s approved procedures.
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