FEFO Calculator: Lot Expiry & Ship-By Dates
FEFO means First Expired, First Out. Enter your lots and a customer’s minimum shelf life, and see the pick order, the last day each lot can ship, and how much stock is already too short for that customer. Everything runs in your browser.
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How the calculation works
- Each lot’s expiry date is the date you enter, or the manufacture or receipt date plus the total shelf life.
- The ship-by date is the expiry date, minus the customer’s minimum remaining life, minus transit time.
- Lots are put in pick order by expiry date, earliest first.
- Each lot is marked expired, past its ship-by date (still in date but too short for this customer), ship soon, or OK to ship.
Worked example
On 2026-06-01, a customer needs 90 days left on arrival and transit takes 3 days, so each lot must ship 93 days before it expires.
| Pick | Lot | Expires | Ship by | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | LOT-A | 2026-08-20 | 2026-05-19 | Past ship-by |
| 2 | LOT-B | 2026-10-15 | 2026-07-14 | OK to ship |
| 3 | LOT-C | 2026-12-31 | 2026-09-29 | OK to ship |
LOT-A expires first, so it is picked first, but its ship-by date has already passed: it is still in date but can no longer meet this customer’s requirement. It should go to a customer with a shorter requirement, or a different channel.
Frequently asked questions
What does FEFO stand for?
FEFO stands for First Expired, First Out. Stock is picked in order of expiry date, so the lot that expires soonest leaves the warehouse first, whatever order the lots arrived in.
What is the difference between FIFO and FEFO?
FIFO picks the oldest stock by receipt date. FEFO picks the stock that expires soonest. They give the same answer when older stock always expires first, and different answers when it does not, for example when a later delivery carries a shorter shelf life.
How do you calculate a ship-by date?
Take the lot’s expiry date and subtract the minimum remaining shelf life the customer requires on arrival, then subtract the transit time. The result is the last day the lot can leave your dock and still arrive acceptable.
What is minimum remaining shelf life?
It is the amount of shelf life a customer requires still to be left when goods are delivered, set either in days or as a percentage of the total shelf life. Retailers and distributors often set their own, so the same lot can be shippable to one customer and not another.
What does this calculator leave out?
Storage conditions, customer-specific receiving windows, regulatory holds and quality status. It works on calendar days from the dates you enter, so treat it as a planning aid and check each customer’s own receiving rules.