Using the BITS on-line service for Food Traceability

BellHawk Systems' Barcode Inventory Tracking Service (BITS) is a low-cost, easy-to-use, Cloud-based subscription service that uses barcode scanning and mobile computing technology to perform materials tracking and traceability.

This makes BITS an ideal solution for smaller food processors and manufacturers who have to meet FDA, USDA, and HAACP materials traceability requirements, including the ability to rapid recall products in case of contaminated ingredients or defective products.

Capabilities of BITS include:

1. Recording the receipt and put away of ingredients by lot number and expiration date
2. Recording the use of ingredients to make a mix or batch of products.
3. Recording the use of packing materials to pack products
4. Tracking finished products inventory in warehouses and freezers
5. Recording shipment of products to customers
6. Capturing traceability data in an electronic database
7. Producing traceability reports for each batch

BITS uses barcode scanning to replace the use of paper forms and manual keyboard data entry for tracking inventory and keeping materials traceability records. This can:

• Save on labor to record data on paper forms
• Save on labor to type the data into an Excel spreadsheet
• Prevent data recording mistakes
• Provide managers and supervisors with a real-time view of inventory status
• Rapidly generate traceability reports for "mock" and actual recalls

Data collection can be performed by material handlers and production workers or their supervisors using wireless mobile computers or PDAs, equipped with integral barcode scanners, as well as with fixed station PCs equipped with barcode scanners or Android tablets equipped with cordless Bluetooth scanners.

The BITS on-line service costs a few hundred dollars a month to use. As a result, BITS can enable smaller food processing organizations to afford to comply with customer requirements that they maintain electronic materials traceability records for rapid recall.

Please click here to learn more about the BITS on-line Service.

BITS is a packaged application which is based on the BellHawk Software Platform. BITS runs as a service over the Internet and does not have capabilities such as automated generation of barcode labels, electronic supply chain integration, or automated data exchange with ERP and accounting systems.

Please click here for more information about Using the BellHawk software platform for Food Traceability for these more advanced food traceability applications.