Traceability Software FAQ
- What is traceability in manufacturing?
- Traceability means being able to track every material from purchase through to the finished product it ends up in. For makers, this typically means recording supplier lot numbers when materials arrive, linking them to your production batches, and knowing exactly which orders shipped with products from each batch. It's the foundation for quality control and handling recalls.
- Why do small manufacturers need traceability?
- If a supplier notifies you of a problem with a fragrance oil or a batch of wax, you need to know exactly which products contain it and which customers received them. Without traceability, you're stuck guessing — or worse, recalling everything. Good traceability also builds customer trust, supports compliance requirements like GMP and CPSC, and makes quality issues much easier to investigate.
- What compliance standards require traceability?
- Several regulations require some form of traceability for product makers. GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) guidelines for cosmetics require batch records. CPSC regulations for consumer products require the ability to trace safety issues. The EU's GPSR (General Product Safety Regulation) requires detailed traceability documentation. If you're selling handmade goods commercially, chances are some form of traceability applies to you.
- How does lot tracking work in Craftybase?
- When you record a material purchase, you can add the supplier's lot number. When you create a production batch, Craftybase automatically tracks which purchase lots were consumed. Each finished product knows which batch it came from, and each sale knows which products shipped. This creates a complete chain you can trace in either direction — from material to customer, or from customer back to material source.
- Can I trace a material lot to see which customers received it?
- Yes — that's exactly what traceability reports are for. Select a purchase lot or production batch, and Craftybase shows you every order that contains products made from it. If you need to contact affected customers or issue a recall, you'll have the complete list in seconds.
- Do I need traceability if I'm just selling on Etsy?
- If you're making products that people put on their skin or in their homes, traceability protects both your customers and your business — regardless of where you sell. An issue with a supplier's ingredient can happen to anyone. Being able to quickly identify affected products and customers is what separates a manageable situation from a crisis.
Want to dive deeper? Read our complete guide: A Guide to Traceability for Small Manufacturers
