Understand label statuses

Every expiry label follows a simple path: it starts as a draft, becomes active once printed and, when it leaves circulation, moves to history. Understanding these statuses makes the label list easy to read.

The life cycle

• Draft — the label was created but has not been printed yet. It exists only as preparation: you can edit it or delete it before printing.
• Active (printed) — as soon as the label is printed, it becomes active. This is the “live” label, stuck on the product, counting down its shelf life.
• History — when the label leaves use, it is closed out and moves to history. The closeout can be one of four kinds:
  • Consumed — the item was used.
  • Discarded — the item was thrown away.
  • Expired — the shelf life ran out. This closeout is automatic: when the expiry date and time arrive, the label turns Expired on its own, with no one having to mark it.
  • Mixed — the label ended for more than one reason. You used 5 kg and the remaining 15 kg expired in the cold room: half use, half loss. See Close out part of a label and undo a movement.

Active and History in the list

The Labels screen splits labels into two tabs:

• Active — the drafts and printed labels still in use, grouped by product, with whatever expires first at the top.
• History — the labels already closed out (Consumed, Discarded, Expired and Mixed).

The validity state is not the same as the label status

When you create a label, you choose the food’s validity state — Primary, Opened, Prepared, Thawed or Cooked — and that is what sets the shelf life. This is different from the label status (draft, active, history), which describes where the label is in its life cycle.