Pharmacy guide
How to Control Expiry in a Pharmacy or Medical Store
Expired medicine is lost money and a risk to patients. Most of it is avoidable. Expiry is not controlled at the shelf on the last day; it is controlled at the moment stock comes in, and every day after that.
By Rana Yasir Ali, Founder & CEO6 min read
1. Record batch and expiry on every purchase
Every strip and bottle belongs to a batch, and every batch has an expiry date. If the batch is not written down when the stock arrives, there is no way to know later which units expire first.
For each purchase line, record the batch number, the manufacturing date (if printed) and the expiry date, along with the quantity and cost.
2. Sell the nearest expiry first (FEFO)
First-Expiry-First-Out means the batch closest to its expiry date is sold before newer batches. It is different from first-in-first-out: a later delivery can sometimes carry an earlier expiry date.
On the shelf, keep the nearest-expiry stock at the front. At the counter, bill from the nearest-expiry batch.
3. Keep expired stock off the bill
Once a batch has expired, it should never be billed. Move it to a separate shelf or box marked for return or disposal, and record the movement so your stock count stays right.
4. Review near-expiry stock on a fixed rhythm
Decide how early you want to know — 30, 60 or 90 days before expiry — and check that list regularly. For each near-expiry batch, choose an action:
- Return it to the distributor, if their policy allows
- Move it to the branch where it sells faster
- Put it at the front of the shelf and recommend it first
- Stop reordering that item until the old batch is gone
5. Count bonus goods correctly
Distributors often give bonus strips with a purchase. Those free units carry the same expiry as the paid ones, and they lower your real cost per unit. Spread the purchase cost across paid and bonus units, so profit on each sale is measured correctly.
| Bought | 100 strips at Rs 90 = Rs 9,000 |
|---|---|
| Bonus | 10 strips free |
| Units received | 110 strips |
| Real cost per strip | Rs 9,000 ÷ 110 = Rs 81.82 |
6. Check batch stock by location
If you have a store and a godown, or several branches, look at batch stock by location. Near-expiry stock in the godown is easy to forget because nobody sees it at the counter.
HisabMate
How HisabMate controls expiry
HisabMate is built for pharmacies: expiry is checked at the counter and on the server, every time.
- Batch number, manufacturing date and expiry date on every purchase
- The nearest-expiry batch is picked first at the counter
- Expired batches are refused by the server, so they cannot be billed
- Expired stock can still be moved or adjusted
- Near-expiry alerts every morning, with your own number of days
- Batch stock, batch by location and expiring stock reports
- Bonus goods spread across cost, so profit stays true
Questions
What is FEFO?
First-Expiry-First-Out: the batch with the nearest expiry date is sold first, even if it arrived later.
How early should a pharmacy act on near-expiry stock?
Many pharmacies use 60 to 90 days, which leaves time to return, transfer or sell the batch first.
Should bonus units be counted in cost?
Yes. Spreading the purchase cost over paid and bonus units gives the real cost per unit and a true profit.
Roman Urdu
Medical store mein expiry kaise control karein?
Har purchase par batch aur expiry likhein, pehle qareebi expiry wala batch bechein, expire maal alag rakhein, aur 60–90 din pehle wali list check karein.
Pharmacy ka expiry alert software?
HisabMate mein har subah expiry alert, pehle qareebi expiry wala batch, aur expire batch bill hi nahi hota.