> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.batchlane.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# FAQ

> Practical answers to common Batchlane setup, operations, QA, and accounting questions.

## Setup

### What should we configure first?

Start with [Settings and roles](/settings-and-roles): locations, units, roles, team access, and production signoff policy. Then load customers, suppliers, items, open lots, recipes, and orders through [CSV imports](/imports) or manual setup.

### Should we connect QuickBooks first?

No. Run receiving, inventory, production, orders, and reports cleanly first. Connect QuickBooks after the operational records make sense. See [QuickBooks setup](/quickbooks-setup).

### Can we import everything at once?

Usually yes, if dependencies are included and valid. Core imports apply items, lots, recipes, components, then orders. Address book imports are separate. See [CSV imports](/imports).

## Inventory and receiving

### Why is a received lot not available for production?

Check lot status, quantity, unit, expiry, and whether the item is a component in the active recipe. Held, quarantined, consumed, shipped, scrapped, returned, or expired lots should not behave like available stock.

### What is the difference between supplier lot and internal lot?

Supplier lot is the code from the vendor. Internal lot is the Batchlane workspace code. Both help search and trace, but internal lot is the primary workspace identifier. See [Receiving](/receiving) and [Traceability](/traceability).

### Why does FEFO pick a different lot?

FEFO selects earlier-expiring available stock. Check expiry dates, quantity, status, and QA exceptions. See [Inventory](/inventory).

## QA and documents

### Do documents live in a file folder?

No. Documents should be linked to the lot, supplier, production run, shipment, report, import, or export they support. See [Documents and QA](/documents-qa).

### Can QA accept a missing document?

No. A file version must be uploaded first. See [Common errors](/common-errors).

### What should a rejection reason include?

It should tell the uploader exactly what is wrong: wrong supplier lot, unreadable file, missing spec, incorrect date, expired document, or mismatched item.

## Production

### Why can I not schedule a production run?

The usual reason is that no active recipe version exists. Create and activate a valid recipe first. See [Recipes](/recipes) and [Production](/production).

### What happens at signoff?

Signoff consumes input lots, creates output lots, writes movements, records actuals, and preserves the recipe version used. See [Production](/production).

### Can we edit a signed batch?

Signed records should preserve history. Use auditable correction workflows instead of silent edits.

## Orders and traceability

### Why can I not ship an order?

The order needs active reservations with open quantity. Reserve finished lots first, then post shipment. See [Orders](/orders).

### How do we answer a customer lot question?

Use [Traceability](/traceability). Start from the customer shipment or finished lot for backward trace, or from an input lot for forward trace.

### Should we keep separate recall spreadsheets?

No. Use source records and generated traceability exports. Separate spreadsheets become stale quickly.

## Reports and QuickBooks

### Why does a report look wrong?

Fix the source record. Reports summarize items, lots, movements, runs, orders, documents, mappings, and jobs. See [Reports](/reports).

### Does Batchlane replace QuickBooks?

No. Batchlane owns operations and lot-level truth. QuickBooks remains accounting. See [QuickBooks handoff](/quickbooks-handoff).

### What do we do when QuickBooks sync has issues?

Open the QuickBooks surface, review issues, reconnect if required, and fix missing mappings or configuration before treating a period as ready for close. See [QuickBooks setup](/quickbooks-setup) and [Common errors](/common-errors).