> ## 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.

# System map

> How Batchlane connects plant workflows into one operating loop.

Batchlane connects the work food teams already perform: [receiving](/receiving), [inventory](/inventory), [recipes](/recipes), [production](/production), [documents](/documents-qa), [orders](/orders), [traceability](/traceability), [reporting](/reports), and [QuickBooks handoff](/quickbooks-handoff).

## Operating loop

1. Set up [locations, units, roles, and permissions](/settings-and-roles).
2. Load or create [items, suppliers, customers, recipes, and open lots](/imports).
3. [Receive supplier lots](/receiving) and capture quantity, expiry, cost, supplier lot, and COA status.
4. Keep [inventory](/inventory) accurate by lot, status, location, unit, cost, and movement history.
5. Build [active recipe versions](/recipes) with ingredient, packaging, yield, and cost assumptions.
6. [Schedule and sign off production](/production), consuming input lots and creating output lots.
7. [Reserve and ship finished lots](/orders) against customer orders.
8. Use [traceability](/traceability), [reports](/reports), and [QuickBooks handoff](/quickbooks-handoff) to answer QA, customer, and accounting questions.

## System boundaries

| Area         | Batchlane role                                             | Connects to                                                                                       |
| ------------ | ---------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Settings     | Workspace setup, locations, roles, units, shelf-life rules | [Implementation checklist](/implementation-checklist), [Imports](/imports)                        |
| Address book | Customer and supplier master data                          | [Receiving](/receiving), [Orders](/orders), [QuickBooks setup](/quickbooks-setup)                 |
| Inventory    | Operational lot ledger and balances                        | [Receiving](/receiving), [Production](/production), [Orders](/orders), [Reports](/reports)        |
| Recipes      | Versioned formula setup                                    | [Production](/production), [Traceability](/traceability), [Reports](/reports)                     |
| Production   | Batch record execution and signoff                         | [Inventory](/inventory), [Documents and QA](/documents-qa), [Traceability](/traceability)         |
| Orders       | Finished lot reservation and shipment                      | [Inventory](/inventory), [Traceability](/traceability), [QuickBooks handoff](/quickbooks-handoff) |
| Documents    | QA files and evidence linked to source records             | [Receiving](/receiving), [Production](/production), [Reports](/reports)                           |
| Reports      | Summaries and export jobs based on source records          | [Common errors](/common-errors), [QuickBooks handoff](/quickbooks-handoff)                        |

## Data flow

The important rule is that source records come first. A report, export, or accounting handoff should summarize existing records instead of becoming the new source of truth.

* A received lot creates an inventory lot, receive movement, balance, audit event, and often a missing COA task.
* Production signoff consumes input lots, creates output lots, writes consume and produce movements, and preserves the recipe version used.
* Shipping reduces reserved finished inventory, writes shipment allocation history, and gives traceability a customer endpoint.
* QuickBooks sync uses operational records and mappings. It should not be used as the plant-floor inventory ledger.

## Current non-goals

* Replacing QuickBooks, payroll, HR, EDI, full MRP, or complex warehouse automation.
* Storing files without links to the operational record they support.
* Letting users silently edit completed batch or shipment history without an audit path.

Related pages: [How Batchlane works](/how-batchlane-works), [Workspace surfaces](/workspace-surfaces), [Glossary](/glossary), [FAQ](/faq).