FEFO (First-Expiry-First-Out) ships the batch with the nearest expiry date first — unlike FIFO, which ships the oldest-received first. For short-dated fillers, pharma and devices, FEFO is what actually cuts write-offs. To run it you need batch/lot + expiry captured on every inbound, multi-warehouse stock visibility, and picking that enforces FEFO automatically rather than relying on staff memory.
Key takeaways
- FEFO ≠ FIFO — define both
- Capture expiry at goods receipt
- Enforce FEFO at pick/pack, not by habit
- Multi-warehouse visibility is non-negotiable
- Surface short-dated stock before it's dead
FEFO vs FIFO for medical inventory
FIFO (First-In-First-Out) ships the oldest-received stock first. FEFO (First-Expiry-First-Out) ships the stock that expires soonest first — regardless of when it arrived.
For fillers, pharma and devices, FEFO is the one that matters: a batch received later can expire sooner, and shipping by arrival order quietly strands soon-to-expire stock until it's a write-off.
Common mistakes
Most expiry write-offs trace back to the same gaps.
- Expiry isn't captured at goods receipt, so the system can't sort by it
- FEFO is 'expected' of staff but not enforced by the pick list
- Single-warehouse blind spots hide stock that should have shipped first
- Short-dated stock surfaces only when it's already dead
How Amoura handles this
Amoura captures batch, lot and expiry on every goods receipt, holds stock across warehouses with expiry visibility, and allocates FEFO automatically at pick/pack — so the first-to-expire stock leaves first without anyone remembering to check. See it on the aesthetics and pharma solutions.
How to run FEFO across warehouses
- 1Capture batch & expiry at goods receipt
Record lot/batch number and expiry date on every inbound so stock can be sorted by expiry.
- 2Hold stock multi-warehouse with expiry visibility
Keep a live view of every batch and its expiry across all locations.
- 3Let picking allocate first-to-expire automatically
Enforce FEFO at pick/pack so the nearest-expiry batch is selected without manual checks.
- 4Surface short-dated stock for action
Flag soon-to-expire stock so it can be moved or promoted before it's a write-off.
FAQ
How do I manage dermal filler / injectable expiry?+
Track every item by batch/lot and expiry across warehouses and let FEFO pick the first-to-expire stock automatically at pick/pack, so soon-to-expire fillers leave first.
What's the difference between FEFO and FIFO?+
FIFO ships oldest-received first; FEFO ships first-to-expire first — the right choice for fillers, pharma and devices.