In the fast-moving food and beverage industry, keeping documentation current is essential for compliance and quality assurance. TraceGains offers a structured, yet flexible system for managing document expiry, tailored to real-world document types and regulatory requirements.
This guide explains how TraceGains defines and manages document expiry.
Key Standardized Expiry Formats
TraceGains supports two standardized documents expiry formats.
Date-Specific Expiry
Used when a document displays a clear expiration or next review date.
Required Fields:
- Effective Date - As shown on document
- Expiration Date - As shown on document
Fixed-Term Expiry
Used when no expiration or review date is listed. Expiry is calculated based on a fixed term of 365, 730, or 1095 days.
Required Fields:
- Document Date - Date of issue or approval
- Attestation - User's confirmation the document is accurate, current, and complete
- Effective Date - Defaults to the attestation date
- Expiration Date - Calculated from the Effective Date
Enterprise User Notes
Fixed-Term Standard Documents Uploaded via Gather:
- Attestation Date = Document's Effective Date
- Attested By = User who attested
Tip: Add format, Document Date, Attestation Date, and Attested By to user-defined dashboards for full visibility.
Fixed-Term Standard Documents Uploaded via Enterprise:
- Effective Date = Date received or approved
- Attestation Date and Attested By are optional fields (for documenting verbal or written supplier confirmation)
Enterprise users can configure custom documents as either:
- Fixed-Term - Enter a value in the Days Effective field to enable automatic expiry calculation from the Effective Date.
- Date-Specific - Leave Days Effective blank and user will manually enter both Effective and Expiration Dates.
Flexibility to Match Real-World Practices
While most documents fall clearly into either fixed-term or date-specific formats, manufacturer practices vary. For instance, many controlled documents do not display explicit expiration or next review dates, but when they do, they must be honored.
To support this variability, TraceGains allows users to select the expiry format that best fits the document's characteristics. This ensures expiry is tracked appropriately, no matter how the document was issued.
Refer to the tables below for guidance on which expiry formats are supported by each document type.
Why this matters
TraceGains expiry definitions help you:
- Maintain accurate, current documentation
- Comply with global food safety and GFSI requirements
- Track and renew critical records with confidence
- Stay audit-ready
Location - Level Standards
Apply to the site where items are produced. These standards confirm food safety, quality, and sustainability practices at the facility level and align with GFSI benchmarks.
Item-Level Standards
Apply to individual raw materials, ingredients, or finished products. These standards ensure compliance with regulatory, safety, labeling, and quality requirements.
Need help?
If you are unsure how to apply expiry types to your documents, contact your compliance manager or reach out to TraceGains support for guidance on best practices.