Pharmaceutical distribution runs on the same basics as any distribution — orders, stock, delivery, collections — with two extra demands that change everything: every unit has a batch and an expiry date, and every customer and product is regulated. A distributor who manages batches loosely ends up with expired stock, rejected returns and uncomfortable questions in a recall.
What pharma distributors manage that others don't
| Area | What it means |
|---|---|
| Batch and expiry | Every movement keeps its batch; stock is sold first-expiry-first-out |
| Customer licences | Drug licence numbers on file and valid for each chemist or hospital |
| Shelf-life rules | Customers may refuse stock below a minimum remaining shelf life |
| Expiry returns | Near-expiry and expired stock returned to manufacturers within their window |
| Recalls | Which customers received a batch, quickly |
The weekly pharma routine
- Near-expiry review — batches expiring in the next 90 days by location — see batch and expiry tracking.
- Returns raised to manufacturers within their windows.
- Licence check — customers with licences expiring soon.
- Collections — chemists and hospitals overdue — see retailer credit.
- Delivery exceptions — refused or partial deliveries and why.
Delivery and proof
Hospitals and institutional buyers often pay only against confirmed delivery, and chemists dispute short supply. Recording who received the goods, with a signature or photo, at the moment of delivery settles most arguments — see proof of delivery.
How Zaqnet supports pharma distribution
- Stock across locations with batches and expiry dates, visible when picking and dispatching in ControlRoom.
- Customer records with documents kept on file.
- Orders from field teams in GroundLink, from chain and hospital POs through the PO Inbox, and from the customer portal.
- Delivery runs and proof of delivery, online or offline.
- Collections, day-end closure and AutoSync to TallyPrime or BUSY.
Zaqnet supports the records behind good practice; your regulatory obligations — licensing, storage conditions, pharmacovigilance — remain yours to meet, and are worth reviewing with your compliance adviser.
In pharma distribution, the batch number is the product.