Bin-to-Bin Traceability – Location Genealogy, Movement Control & Recall Readiness

This topic is part of the SG Systems Global regulatory glossary series.

Updated October 2025 • Warehouse & Manufacturing Logistics • GMP / GDP / FSMA / ISO 22000

Bin-to-Bin Traceability is the end-to-end, time-stamped record of where a lot-controlled item has been stored, when it moved, who moved it, and why—across every location in the facility (and between facilities) from receipt through consumption, rework, or shipment. Think of it as the location genealogy that complements material genealogy. If you can’t show an inspector the precise chain of custody for a pallet—from Dock 3 → Quarantine Cage Q7 → Chill Room C2 Bin B-14 → Line 4 Kitting Cell K-04 → Return to Ambient A-22—then you don’t have traceability; you have anecdotes. Robust bin-to-bin traceability underpins release controls, FEFO, allergen segregation, temperature management, mock recalls, and customer investigations. It’s also the fastest way to expose operational rot: undocumented parking, warm staging of cold chain, cross-zoned “temporary” storage, and inventory ghosts created by unposted consumption.

“If the system doesn’t know where it was, neither do you. And if you don’t know, you can’t defend it.”

1) What It Is

Bin-to-bin traceability links license plate numbers (LPNs) or serialized containers to unique storage locations with attributes (status, temperature class, allergen class, hazard class, market/MA, security level). Each movement event—receive, put-away, transfer, pick, stage, issue to production, return to stock, scrap, shipment—creates an auditable record capturing the from bin, to bin, who (user/device), when (timestamp & timezone), quantity (with UoM), and reason (guided code list). The Warehouse Management System (WMS) enforces compatibility rules so the only moves that can occur are those that should occur—e.g., quarantine lots cannot enter released locations; allergen-tagged pallets cannot enter non-allergen zones; 2–8 °C materials cannot stage at ambient; controlled substances require dual authorization. That enforcement is the difference between a “nice to have” audit trail and a control you can stake your license on.

Why it matters. Location genealogy answers questions that material genealogy alone cannot: Was this API ever in a warm zone? Did the lactose pallet sit in an allergen-incompatible rack? Which kitting cell handled this drum before an OOS potency? Which finished goods were staged in the lane that later failed environmental monitoring? In GMP and food safety regimes (21 CFR 210/211, Part 111, Part 117, GDP), this is the evidentiary spine for disposition and investigations.

2) Practical Implementation & Master Data

Location master. Codify every bin with a unique, scannable ID and attributes: status (QUARANTINE, RELEASED, REJECT), environmental class (ambient/chill/freeze/cleanroom), allergen class (AL-M/AL-S/etc.), hazard segregation, capacity/weight limit, security (cage/dual-auth), and market/MA. Avoid free-text; use controlled vocabularies so rules are computable. Print durable labels with human-readable IDs and 1D/2D codes positioned for reliable scan angles.

Container identity. On receipt, assign LPNs to pallets/totes/cases; embed material, lot, expiry, supplier, and condition (temperature at receipt). For partials and returns, generate child LPNs with parent linkage so genealogy persists when a drum is split or a tote is decanted.

Move types & reason codes. Standardize the verbs: PUTAWAY, TRANSFER, PICK, STAGE, ISSUE, RETURN, ADJUST, SCRAP, SHIP. Pair each with guided reason codes (e.g., “slot optimization”, “TOR breach – to HOLD”, “line clearance”, “label rework”). Reason discipline turns a raw log into an investigation tool.

Scan discipline. Every move requires a scan of the from bin, the LPN, and the to bin (or a validated exception flow). Configure the WMS to block non-compliant moves and to create QMS records automatically when operators attempt to bypass controls. That friction is not a nuisance—it’s how you stop recalls before they start.

3) Digital Enforcement & Systems Integration

Compatibility engine. The heart of bin-to-bin control is rule evaluation: lot attributes (status, allergen, hazard, temperature band, market) × location attributes → allow/deny. V5 WMS evaluates this in real time on handhelds and forklifts. Attempt to drop a peanut-allergen pallet into a non-allergen pick face? Denied. Try to park chilled insulin at ambient staging? Denied and TOR timer escalates to QMS HOLD.

MES and eBMR linkage. When materials are issued to production, V5 MES consumes the LPNs at the step and writes back the movement so the location genealogy shows the hop into the kitting cell or line buffer. Returns from the line generate new LPNs and movement records. That closes a common audit gap: “where was this drum between issue and return?”

Cold chain & TOR. For chilled/frozen goods, temperature sensors and door/zone logs feed the WMS. Movements in and out of cold zones accumulate time-out-of-refrigeration (TOR). When TOR exceeds limits, the system auto-moves the lot to a HOLD location and raises a QMS deviation. The bin history shows exactly when and where the excursion occurred.

Label governance & market control. Location genealogy binds to label events and market attributes. Finished goods staged in an EU-only lane cannot be picked into a U.S. wave; label reprints are tied to LPNs and bins to prevent phantom inventory and art drift.

4) Data, Metrics & Visuals that Matter

• Traceability drill time: seconds/minutes to render a full bin history for a lot or LPN; benchmark during mock recalls.
• Blocked move rate: number/1,000 moves blocked by rules (status, allergen, temperature, market). High but shrinking = training working; low and flat = either perfection or blind spots.
• Ghost inventory delta: WMS vs. physical counts, by zone; link to missed scans or unposted consumption.
• TOR excursions: counts by product/zone with mean time to QA decision.
• Return integrity: % returns with parent-child LPN linkage and correct attribute inheritance.
• Investigation cycle time: time to root cause for mispicks/cross-contact using bin history + user/device logs.

5) Common Failure Modes & How to Avoid Them

• Parking outside the system. Pallets staged “just for a minute” in unscanned zones. Fix: require scans for every transfer and configure “no-man’s-land” zones as blocked.
• Mixed-status racks. HOLD and RELEASED in the same bay. Fix: status-coded locations; WMS denies mixed occupancy.
• Free-text reasons. “Misc move” pollutes analytics. Fix: short, controlled reason lists; force selection on transfer.
• Partial containers with no identity. Open drums/cases without child LPNs. Fix: generate child LPNs at split; require scans at issue/return.
• TOR blind spots. Cold goods staged in ambient lanes without timers. Fix: lane class inheritance and TOR accumulation on zone exit.
• Label drift. Reprints not tied to LPNs or bins. Fix: bind print to LPN, record bin at print/pick, reconcile at ship.

6) How It Relates to V5

V5 by SG Systems Global makes bin-to-bin traceability native. In V5 WMS, every move is a scan-validated transaction with compatibility checks; location and LPN masters are version-controlled; and audit trails capture user, device, time, from→to, quantity, and reason. V5 MES writes consumption and returns back to WMS so the location story continues through production. V5 QMS is triggered automatically when blocked moves, TOR breaches, or allergen conflicts occur—no separate data hunt. During audits or recalls, V5 renders a visual bin path for a lot with one click, plus forward/backward genealogy, label events, and shipping detail.

Cross-module benefits. Bin genealogy feeds APR/PQR with leading indicators (blocked moves, TOR, mixed-status attempts) and hard outcomes (expiry write-offs, mispicks). It shortens investigation time when complaints or OOS events implicate storage or staging. And it reduces insurance and compliance exposure by proving custody and environmental control—not asserting it.

7) Implementation Playbook (Team-Ready)

• Codify locations. Map bins, assign attributes, print durable labels, and eliminate free-text fields.
• License plate everything. Generate LPNs at receipt, at splits, and at returns; maintain parent-child links.
• Turn on gates. Enforce status, allergen, temperature, market, and security rules; block unscanned transfers.
• Integrate with MES/LIMS. Drive issues/returns from MES; ingest CoA/hold statuses to WMS automatically.
• Instrument cold chain. Zone monitoring + TOR accumulation; auto-HOLD on breach.
• Monitor and improve. Trend blocked moves, ghost deltas, TOR excursions, and investigation time; feed CAPA and training.
• Drill recalls quarterly. Time how long it takes to render bin history and downstream shipments; set targets and publish.

Related Reading

• V5 Warehouse Management System (WMS) | V5 MES | V5 QMS
• Bin / Location Management | Allergen Segregation Control
• 21 CFR 210/211 Compliance | FSMA (21 CFR 117)

FAQ

Q1. Do we need to record intra-aisle moves?
Yes, if the storage address changes. Silent “shuffle” creates ghost inventory and defeats recalls. Configure fast scan flows for short hops, but still record them.

Q2. How do we handle partial issues and returns?
Create child LPNs at the moment of split and on return with inherited attributes. Never reuse an LPN for a different physical container.

Q3. Can we allow manual overrides?
Only with dual authorization and automatic QMS records. Overrides must remain the exception—not the way production stays on schedule.

Q4. What about bulk silos and tanks without bins?
Treat each vessel as a location with status, environment, and capacity attributes. Transfers between vessels are recorded like bin-to-bin moves, with level sensors validating quantity.

Q5. How fast should a traceability drill be?
Minutes, not hours. Set a target (e.g., <5 minutes to full bin history for any lot) and test every quarter. If you need a meeting, you don’t have traceability.

Q6. Does bin history need audit trails?
Absolutely. Each move must show who/what/when/why with tamper-evident logs compliant with 21 CFR Part 11 / EU Annex 11.

Related Glossary Links:
• Systems: V5 WMS | V5 MES | V5 QMS
• Programs & Controls: Bin / Location Management | Allergen Segregation Control | CoA