15 replies to this topic

[gdicairano]

HI Everyone,

 

I was wondering if anyone had a similar situation regarding label reconciliation. We are a smaller sized company, and have one processing room that we are having trouble figuring out a way to do an accurate label reconciliation for. We do label changeovers no problem (with each label change a label is stuck onto the form and signed off by QA). These are adhesive labels that come on a pre-printed roll (2500 labels per roll). So, we know how many labels are on the full roll and we know how many retail containers of product they end up with at the end of a run, but this room often has a lot of waste labels-- they have to wind some off the roll when they set up the roll on the labeling machine, and unfortunately the labeling machine that is in use often has issues throughout the day and requires adjustments which results in labels being discarded for various reasons.  Counting every single one of the waste labels doesn't necessarily seem like an option (if they are having issues sometimes they will pull labels off and stick them together in a pile to be discarded). 

 

We have a labeling inventory that we use to reorder the labels, but we aren't going by exact label numbers, only estimates based on the number of rolls left (for example on our inventory we will know we typically use 1 roll per week, we have about 1.75 rolls left etc), we do not count the actual individual labels on the roll. Does anyone else have a similar situation that they have found a good way to keep track of labels remaining on pre-printed rolls?

[Scampi]

I don't see any issue with what you are currently doing. 

 

https://asifood.com/...f-Changes-1.pdf

 

REQUIREMENTS FOR LABEL RECONCILIATION Requirements for Label Reconciliation 2.6.1.2 is a brand new addition to the SQF Code that covers the procedures, activities, and records to be maintained to ensure that a product has the correct label. An authorized person is required to complete a label reconciliation against the product in production and maintain a record of the label check. This new section is intended to prevent, or at least minimize, the risk of allergen labeling recalls. The process requires a documented procedure and needs to be completed at each startup, product change, or packaging change on a specific line.

 

As usual and expected SQF has not got a firm grasp of English and has used the wrong word.......they should have called it label verification or product labelling verification--------because it's not reconciliation as most of us would expect

 

https://blog.safetyc...-code-edition-9

 

Requirements for Changeovers & Label Reconciliation (2.6.1.2)

Mislabeling of allergens is one of the most common reasons for recalls. Oftentimes, allergen labeling mishaps occur during changeovers. Edition 9 identifies procedures surrounding changeovers in packaging to promote label reconciliation is maintained, which aims to ensure the right products are placed in the right packages with the correct labels.

 

https://www.siroccoc...qf-edition-9-0/

 

New label reconciliation requirements in SQF 9 will address the importance of systematically verifying that the right and compliant label has been applied to the right product, specifically during product changeovers but also at start-up and when label stock is changed. Sites are encouraged to develop documented processes on how allergen changeover activities are monitored and verified. High-risk activities such as the handling of unique allergens on the same production line within a single production day should be addressed in the food safety plan(s). Training programs in these facilities (e.g., baking and snack) should also focus on allergen control.

Edited by Scampi, 27 January 2022 - 01:17 PM.

[matthewcc]

We keep track of label waste by sticking each wasted label to a page that has numbered rows so the labels get counted without much effort.  We can get about 60 labels to a page that way.  The number of labels provided by the label printer is usually a pretty close estimate to reality.  We add the number of labels wasted to the number of labels used, and this subtracted from the number of labels remaining works out pretty well for us for keeping track of labels remaining.

[MDaleDDF]

We don't count labels, but have a documented and verified destruction of unused labels in place in production.   We print what we need for the day, anything not used is destroyed.   We print in house though, so obviously differences in my system and yours may require you to do things differently.

[gdicairano]

We don't count labels, but have a documented and verified destruction of unused labels in place in production.   We print what we need for the day, anything not used is destroyed.   We print in house though, so obviously differences in my system and yours may require you to do things differently.

Yes, we do this as well for labels printed in house and it works out well. The labels we are having issues with are pre-printed rolls. 

[gdicairano]

We keep track of label waste by sticking each wasted label to a page that has numbered rows so the labels get counted without much effort.  We can get about 60 labels to a page that way.  The number of labels provided by the label printer is usually a pretty close estimate to reality.  We add the number of labels wasted to the number of labels used, and this subtracted from the number of labels remaining works out pretty well for us for keeping track of labels remaining.

 

Unfortunately for us the labels are about 3.5 in diameter so to stick them all to a paper would require a lot of paper, especially given the amount that can get wasted (the other day we did have them count the waste labels and there were 130 labels waste from just one roll!). Thanks for your input though!

[matthewcc]

@gdicairano Ours are about that big as well.  If they were in four columns and 20 rows per page, 130 labels would easily fit on two sheets of paper.

[NCooper]

HI Everyone,

 

I was wondering if anyone had a similar situation regarding label reconciliation. We are a smaller sized company, and have one processing room that we are having trouble figuring out a way to do an accurate label reconciliation for. We do label changeovers no problem (with each label change a label is stuck onto the form and signed off by QA). These are adhesive labels that come on a pre-printed roll (2500 labels per roll). So, we know how many labels are on the full roll and we know how many retail containers of product they end up with at the end of a run, but this room often has a lot of waste labels-- they have to wind some off the roll when they set up the roll on the labeling machine, and unfortunately the labeling machine that is in use often has issues throughout the day and requires adjustments which results in labels being discarded for various reasons.  Counting every single one of the waste labels doesn't necessarily seem like an option (if they are having issues sometimes they will pull labels off and stick them together in a pile to be discarded). 

 

We have a labeling inventory that we use to reorder the labels, but we aren't going by exact label numbers, only estimates based on the number of rolls left (for example on our inventory we will know we typically use 1 roll per week, we have about 1.75 rolls left etc), we do not count the actual individual labels on the roll. Does anyone else have a similar situation that they have found a good way to keep track of labels remaining on pre-printed rolls?

 

We are pretty much in the exact same situation right now. I'm trying to create a Label Reconciliation program but the label inventory is very difficult to reconcile. We also order pre-printed finished product labels on rolls (3000 per roll) and also know there is some waste when the labels are put on the machine, or if the labeler starts acting up, and also sometimes the rolls are pulled and product is labeled by hand (when order quantities are smaller). We have procedures in place for the creation of the label, complying to regulations on the creation, review/approval, verification of allergen statements (when needed), verification of the product and label being applied, production line changeover (when a new sku is being produced and the labels change), etc. We are covering everything necessary to ensure correct labels are accurate, applied, and stored but I can't figure out how to reconcile quantities. We're a small company, we have check points but one roll might be used on the production line, and then it might get pulled for hand labeling our smaller orders. 

We also order labels based on our pending sales so I always ensure we have stock to keep our orders going out quickly but (like you mentioned), once a new label roll is opened and used and then put back in storage/inventory, there's no way to tell how many are left. And when our shipping department pulls the rolls to label product, then put them back in storage/inventory, there's no telling how many they used, how much waste they had. Also, we've found that sometimes our printer sends labels that may be off centered, or die cut wrong so we'll pull those off and move on through the roll until we have good ones. 

 

I'm curious if you've had any luck since you posted this thread or if anybody else has any ideas of how I can create this program (2.6.1.2 Label Reconciliation)? 

[gdicairano]

We are pretty much in the exact same situation right now. I'm trying to create a Label Reconciliation program but the label inventory is very difficult to reconcile. We also order pre-printed finished product labels on rolls (3000 per roll) and also know there is some waste when the labels are put on the machine, or if the labeler starts acting up, and also sometimes the rolls are pulled and product is labeled by hand (when order quantities are smaller). We have procedures in place for the creation of the label, complying to regulations on the creation, review/approval, verification of allergen statements (when needed), verification of the product and label being applied, production line changeover (when a new sku is being produced and the labels change), etc. We are covering everything necessary to ensure correct labels are accurate, applied, and stored but I can't figure out how to reconcile quantities. We're a small company, we have check points but one roll might be used on the production line, and then it might get pulled for hand labeling our smaller orders. 

We also order labels based on our pending sales so I always ensure we have stock to keep our orders going out quickly but (like you mentioned), once a new label roll is opened and used and then put back in storage/inventory, there's no way to tell how many are left. And when our shipping department pulls the rolls to label product, then put them back in storage/inventory, there's no telling how many they used, how much waste they had. Also, we've found that sometimes our printer sends labels that may be off centered, or die cut wrong so we'll pull those off and move on through the roll until we have good ones. 

 

I'm curious if you've had any luck since you posted this thread or if anybody else has any ideas of how I can create this program (2.6.1.2 Label Reconciliation)? 

 

 

 

 

We came up with a pretty simple form that we haven't had any issues with so far. I have attached it here. Basically, since there really is no way to count each individual label, we have them track basically by eyeballing the quantity of the roll left. So maybe on #rolls issued they might put 1 and then on # rolls returned they put 3/4. We also do our inventories this way so we have average weekly uses and can then see if it's about average, and if for some reason we used way more labels that usual we can look into it. It's not as exact as were were initially trying to get it, but we haven't run into any issues so far. 

[NCooper]

We came up with a pretty simple form that we haven't had any issues with so far. I have attached it here. Basically, since there really is no way to count each individual label, we have them track basically by eyeballing the quantity of the roll left. So maybe on #rolls issued they might put 1 and then on # rolls returned they put 3/4. We also do our inventories this way so we have average weekly uses and can then see if it's about average, and if for some reason we used way more labels that usual we can look into it. It's not as exact as were were initially trying to get it, but we haven't run into any issues so far. 

 

Thank you for the reply!

Do you mind sharing the form you created? 

[gdicairano]

Thank you for the reply!

Do you mind sharing the form you created? 

 

 

Oops! I thought I had. We fill in the label names on the second tab and have the associated allergens listed and then use a vlookup so that when you fill in the labels needed on sheet 1 it automatically populates allergens in the product. That way you can also be sure that they are only dispatching like allergens at the same time.

Attached Files

•  Label Request form.xlsx   12.63KB   14 downloads

[NCooper]

Oops! I thought I had. We fill in the label names on the second tab and have the associated allergens listed and then use a vlookup so that when you fill in the labels needed on sheet 1 it automatically populates allergens in the product. That way you can also be sure that they are only dispatching like allergens at the same time.

Oh that's great!!! I like how it automatically does that! 

Thank you so much!!! This Label Reconciliation program was going to be the death of me! LOL 

[gdicairano]

Oh that's great!!! I like how it automatically does that! 

Thank you so much!!! This Label Reconciliation program was going to be the death of me! LOL 

 

 

LOL I hear you! We tried a bunch of really convoluted ideas before deciding to just keep it simple and figure it out later if we get dinged for it. 

[NCooper]

Oh that's great!!! I like how it automatically does that! 

Thank you so much!!! This Label Reconciliation program was going to be the death of me! LOL 

 

so let me ask...we know there's going to be some waste but what are you doing to determine when an investigation is needed? 

[gdicairano]

so let me ask...we know there's going to be some waste but what are you doing to determine when an investigation is needed? 

 

We haven't had any big discrepancies yet. But, for example say we are making 1000 units in one day, we have label rolls of 2500, so we know they should be returning about .6 of a roll. Because we are just eyeballing the quantity of the roll left it kind of takes into account if there is some waste. For us at least there isn't typically a huge amount of waste so it won't affect it too much. Maybe if they returned .3 of a roll then we could determine from there by talking to the operators if they had issues with the labeler or a lot of waste that day or whatever the case may be. 

 

Also, we do inventory on these labels every week and we have our avg weekly usage, so if we do our weekly inventory and we see from last week the usage looks way off, then we can use the label form to see what was dispatched and returned each day and go from there.

[NCooper]

We haven't had any big discrepancies yet. But, for example say we are making 1000 units in one day, we have label rolls of 2500, so we know they should be returning about .6 of a roll. Because we are just eyeballing the quantity of the roll left it kind of takes into account if there is some waste. For us at least there isn't typically a huge amount of waste so it won't affect it too much. Maybe if they returned .3 of a roll then we could determine from there by talking to the operators if they had issues with the labeler or a lot of waste that day or whatever the case may be. 

 

Also, we do inventory on these labels every week and we have our avg weekly usage, so if we do our weekly inventory and we see from last week the usage looks way off, then we can use the label form to see what was dispatched and returned each day and go from there.

Thank you so much! This is a big help!!! 

Good luck!