Summary
- The problem
- When labels are printed apart from the records they identify, a print run is hard to close. Printing, application, spoilage and reprints are recorded in different places, and one unaccounted label is easy to miss.
- Seal’s approach
- Labels are generated from a selected record and template version. Printing, application, destruction and each reprint are recorded against the print run, with the reason and authorisation for any reprint.
- Evidence
- Skye Biologics replaced a dedicated labelling tool when it moved its batch records into Seal. Labelling automation was one contributor to Skye’s 35% higher production throughput.
- Where to start
- A label template, representative records and one print-run reconciliation. Book a demo.
Close a print run only when every label is accounted for.
When labels are printed apart from the records they identify, printing, application, spoilage and reprints end up in different places, and a missing label is easy to overlook. Each print event in Seal belongs to the run and to the record it identifies. Print run PR-120 printed 120 labels; application and destruction records account for 119, so the run stays open until the last label has a disposition.
Print run PR-120
120 labels
Unaccounted
PR-120-U- Printed
- 120
- Accounted
- 119
- Unresolved
- 1
120 printed minus 116 applied minus 3 destroyed leaves 1 label unresolved. No return, destruction or application event accounts for it in this example.
What follows
Investigate and record the remaining label’s disposition before closing this reconciliation.
Run the work in Seal.
Select the source.
Choose the record, template version and intended use. Preview identifiers, dates, units and barcode content before printing.
Verify the application.
Capture the print event and confirm that the physical label is applied to the intended container, sample or product.
Close the print run.
Reconcile used, spoiled, returned and otherwise disposed labels. Record the reason and authorisation for any reprint.
One of 120 labels has no disposition. I can prepare the handover with the applied and destroyed counts attached, but the reconciliation stays open.
PR-120 / reconciliation handover
Draft119 labels are accounted for. One unresolved label remains in the print-run record.
Label operator
Check the print area and reconcile the unresolved label using the approved procedure.
Reviewer
Verify that applied labels link to the intended sample identities.
Reviewer
Confirm the destruction evidence for the three spoiled labels.
Each label has a source and a destination.
Why teams choose Seal for labelling
A standalone labelling application designs and prints labels, fed by data retyped or exported from the systems that hold the material, sample or batch. Seal generates the label from the record it identifies and records printing, application, destruction and reprints against the print run.
A print run closes only when each label has a disposition, and a template change is a new version tested on the actual stock, printer and scan path before release.
One record, the appropriate label.
Select the controlled artwork, language and required content for the item and intended use.
Carry sample identity, material lot, equipment reference or batch details from their source records. Keep template approval and effective version with the print event. A change to the source or artwork needs an explicit decision about labels already printed or applied.
Scan at the handoff.
Connect the physical item to its record when it is dispensed, sampled, stored or transferred.
Configure the expected item and destination for each scan. Record mismatches and correction history, not only successful matches. QR or barcode content should resolve to the intended identity and respect access permissions; a readable code alone does not prove correct application.
Reprints keep their reason.
A replacement label is a new controlled print event, not a second invisible copy.
Link the reprint to the original event, identify the reason and quantity, and account for the original label. The workflow should distinguish damaged-label replacement from a change to the underlying record.
Templates and printers stay in scope.
Test the actual label stock, device, layout and scan path used on the floor.
Verify that barcodes resolve to the expected record and that required information remains legible. Where specialised labelling or serialisation systems remain in use, scope the interface and responsibility for print, verification and reconciliation.
Connected to the surrounding work.
Keep specialised systems where they belong. Agree the source of each record, the permitted actions and the reconciliation at each handoff.
Explore integrationsAQuestions and answers
Must we replace our existing label software?
No. Agree which system owns templates, print events and application verification. Seal can support the connected workflow; the integration must preserve identities and event reconciliation.
Is a printed label proof of correct application?
No. Printing and applying are separate events. Configure the verification needed to connect the physical item to the intended record.
Does this replace serialisation compliance?
Not by itself. Market-specific serialisation and reporting need their own scope, interfaces and verification. This example concerns print-run accountability.