What is MSLS and why does it matter?

MSLS stands for Minimum Shelf Life at Shipment — the minimum remaining shelf life a product must have when it reaches the customer. Most retail and food service customers specify an MSLS requirement (e.g. 30 days remaining at delivery). HublerX factors MSLS into the FEFO calculation — a batch that expires before it can be shipped in compliance is flagged immediately, not after the production run.

Does HublerX override the ERP's batch allocation logic?

HublerX works alongside the ERP — it calculates the optimal FEFO sequence and pushes sequenced pick instructions to the WMS. The ERP allocation logic is unchanged; HublerX helps ensure the right batch is picked before the ERP sees a discrepancy.

How often does HublerX run the FEFO calculation?

Continuously — the FEFO position is recalculated whenever a batch event occurs (new GRN, batch status change, expiry date update) or when a work order is added or modified. Pre-shift pick instructions are also pushed automatically each morning.

Does this work for finished goods as well as raw materials?

Yes. HublerX can apply FEFO logic to finished goods dispatch sequencing as well as raw material consumption — ensuring that the oldest finished goods stock is dispatched first and that MSLS is checked against each customer's specific requirement before a shipment is confirmed.

FEFO Production Scheduling

The Problem

The ERP allocates the nearest bin. Not the oldest batch.

Most ERP-driven plants schedule work orders against available stock — not expiry-ordered stock. The system allocates whatever is closest in the warehouse, not whatever expires soonest. Batches with 10 days left on shelf sit untouched while fresh stock is consumed. By the time a planner notices, the near-expiry batch can no longer be used in time.

The result shows up as a write-off line at month end. A percentage of output — typically 0.8–1.2% — quietly written off as near-expiry waste. Planners know it is happening. They run weekly expiry reports, manually cross-reference with the production schedule, and try to catch it before it becomes a problem. Most of the time, they are too late.

Current Workaround

What most operations do today: Most operations today: a planner or warehouse supervisor runs a weekly near-expiry report from the WMS, manually cross-references it against the production schedule in a spreadsheet, and sends an email or WhatsApp message to the shopfloor asking them to swap inputs. By the time the swap is confirmed and acted on, 1–2 days have been lost. Batches that fall through the weekly review window go straight to write-off.

The HublerX Approach

FEFO is a constraint, not a report. HublerX reads batch expiry dates continuously from the WMS and ERP, calculates the optimal FEFO consumption sequence for every open work order — factoring in minimum shelf life at shipment (MSLS) requirements — and pushes sequenced pick instructions to the shopfloor before each shift. When a new batch arrives or an expiry date changes, the sequence recalculates automatically. No planner intervention required for routine FEFO compliance.

How It Looks in HublerX

Live workflow view

FEFO Scheduling Board

10 batches tracked today

FEFO COMPLIANT4

Wheat Flour — Batch WF-1104WO-4441 · Line 2 · Sequence: 1stFEFO appliedBBD: 28 Jun · 22 days remaining

Sugar — Batch SG-0892WO-4443 · Line 1 · Sequence: 1stFEFO appliedBBD: 2 Jul · 16 days remaining

Cocoa Powder — Batch CP-0341WO-4447 · Line 3 · Sequence: 1stFEFO appliedBBD: 5 Jul · 19 days remaining

Salt — Batch SA-0219WO-4449 · Line 2 · Sequence: 1stFEFO appliedBBD: 10 Jul · 24 days remaining

WATCH2

Sunflower Oil — Batch SO-0512WO-4453 · Line 1 · Due ThursdayNear expiryWatchBBD: 22 Jun · 6 days remaining

Milk Powder — Batch MP-0774WO-4455 · Line 3 · Due FridayNear expiryWatchBBD: 21 Jun · 5 days remaining

CRITICAL2

Vegetable Fat — Batch VF-0201WO-4459 · Store · Not yet scheduledAction requiredCriticalBBD: 17 Jun · 1 day remaining

RESOLVED2

Palm Oil — Batch PO-0188WO-4431 · Line 1 · CompletedConsumedRe-sequenced Monday · consumed Tuesday

Maida — Batch MD-0422WO-4435 · Line 3 · CompletedConsumedExpedited into WO-4435 · no write-off

How HublerX Coordinates It

The step-by-step sequence

1
Batch expiry data ingested continuously
HublerX reads batch expiry dates, quantities, and locations from the WMS and ERP in real time — no manual report extraction or scheduled overnight run. Every new GRN and every batch status change is reflected immediately.
Continuous · on every batch event
2
FEFO sequence calculated per work order
For each open work order, HublerX identifies which batch should be consumed first based on remaining shelf life and the MSLS requirement for the finished product. Where multiple batches are available, the sequence is ranked automatically.
On schedule refresh · pre-shift
3
Near-expiry batches flagged for planner review
Batches projected to expire before they can be consumed — given the current production schedule — are surfaced to the planner with a recommended action: expedite into an earlier work order, repurpose to a different SKU, or flag for commercial discount.
When expiry threshold breached
4
MSLS compliance checked against shipment schedule
For finished goods, HublerX checks that the batch produced from near-expiry inputs will still meet the minimum shelf life requirement at the point of customer delivery. Batches that would fail MSLS are flagged before production runs — not after dispatch.
On work order schedule confirmation
5
Sequenced pick instructions pushed to shopfloor
Pick instructions are updated in the WMS and on handheld devices before each shift — operators see the correct pallet location and batch ID without any manual intervention from the planner or warehouse supervisor.
Automatic · pre-shift daily
6
FEFO compliance recorded for audit
Every batch pick is logged against the work order with the FEFO sequence applied, the expiry date consumed, and the MSLS check result. The full audit trail is available for FSSC 22000, BRC, and customer compliance reviews without any manual documentation.
On each batch pick · automatic