Building a receiving log that survives an audit

An effective receiving log is short enough that it actually gets completed. Six fields are usually sufficient: date received, supplier, batch identifier, quantity, condition on arrival and the initials of the person receiving.

Add a free-text note field for anything unexpected — a damaged outer, a warm cold pack, a mismatch between the packing note and the container label.

Store the log alongside the batch documentation rather than separately. The value of the log is entirely in being able to reconnect a container to its paperwork months later.

Review the log quarterly. Patterns in the note field are usually the earliest indication of a supply-chain problem.