Two Packaging Dates: Why Your Batch Has Both

The Problem

You planned to package your batch on March 28th. Then reality happened — the kegs went out a few days early, and the canning run didn't finish until April 2nd. Now your batch shows a March 28th packaging date in reports, but your actual product hit the shelves on two different days. Which date does BarSight use for inventory and reporting?

The Solution

BarSight tracks two separate packaging dates — one at the batch level and one per package group — so your records stay accurate even when production doesn't go exactly to plan. The batch-level date is your target; the per-package date is what actually happened.

How the Two Dates Work

• Batch Packaging Date — Set when you create or edit the batch. This is your expected or planned packaging date (e.g., March 28). It stays with the batch as a planning reference and doesn't change when you package.
• Packaged On — Set per package group when you add a packaging run. This is the actual date that product was packaged. Every run gets its own date, and this is what drives all reports.

Real-World Example

Say you're packaging a Spring Pale Ale with a planned date of March 28. Here's what actually happens:

1. Kegs are ready early — you run them on March 24. You add a keg package group and BarSight records Packaged On: March 24.
2. The canning line gets delayed. Cans finally run on April 2. You add a second package group and BarSight records Packaged On: April 2.

The batch still shows March 28 as the planned packaging date — but your inventory reports correctly show kegs available from March 24 and cans available from April 2.

[SCREENSHOT: Batch packaging view showing two package groups — kegs with Packaged On March 24, cans with Packaged On April 2]

Editing a Package Date

If you enter a package group after the fact, the Packaged On date defaults to today. To correct it, click the date shown on the package group — an Edit Packaged Date modal will appear where you can enter the actual packaging date.

Pro Tip

Always set the correct Packaged On date before committing your packaging run — TTB reports, stock history, and aged inventory lookups all filter by this date, so backdating after the fact is harder to track.

Learn More

BarSight can also automatically select lot numbers when you're packaging — see Automatic Lot Selection for Brewery Packaging to see how it works alongside package dates.