Glossary
What does FEFO mean?
First Expired, First Out prioritizes earliest-expiry lots — critical for pharmaceuticals and perishables in East Africa cold chain.
Key takeaways
- FEFO is expiry-first picking, not the same as FIFO
- Pharmacies and perishables need lot and date on the label
- Scanners enforce FEFO only if the WMS/ERP stores expiry
- Origami Tech maps FEFO picks onto handheld workflows
FEFO vs FIFO
FIFO (First In, First Out) ships the oldest receipt first. FEFO (First Expired, First Out) ships the lot that will expire soonest, even if it arrived later. A later receipt with a shorter shelf life must leave first. That is the usual rule in pharmaceuticals, flowers, and dairy across Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and Rwanda.
What the warehouse actually needs
- Lot or batch ID on every case or inner pack
- Expiry (or best-before) stored in inventory, not only on the carton
- Pick lists that sort by expiry, with a block if the operator scans the wrong lot
- Handhelds that work in cold rooms if that is where the stock lives
How Origami Tech implements FEFO
We do not replace your finance or pharmacy system. We put expiry and lot on the scan path: receiving, put-away, and pick confirmation on Urovo handhelds, with posts back to the ERP or WMS. If expiry is missing at goods-in, FEFO cannot be enforced at pick.
Frequently asked questions
What does FEFO stand for?
First Expired, First Out. The next pick should be the lot with the earliest expiry date, not necessarily the oldest receipt.
Is FEFO the same as FIFO?
No. FIFO follows receipt date. FEFO follows expiry. Sites that mix both often FIFO dry goods and FEFO dated lines.
Can barcode scanners enforce FEFO?
Yes, if inventory holds lot and expiry and the pick screen refuses the wrong barcode. A scanner alone cannot guess dates from a generic EAN.