Documents exist — a folder in a cabinet, filled in before an inspection. But when a customer returns a batch with an off smell and asks which seeds, which substrate, and which water were used three weeks ago — there is no answer. Documentation kept "for inspectors" offers nothing during a real incident. Documentation kept for your own management lets you find the cause of a problem in ten minutes and avoid repeating it in the next cycle.
Quick glossary: Batch — a unit of production made at one time from the same input materials; identified by a unique number that allows all product from that batch to be traced. Traceability — the ability to reconstruct the complete production chain for a specific batch from input materials to the end customer; required by HACCP and serves as the producer's protection against complaints. Documentation — the set of records capturing production process parameters, input materials, and quality control results.
What Actually Needs to Be Documented and Why
Documentation solves three practical problems:
First — operational management. Records let you see trends: which crop delivers a consistent yield, which substrate generates more waste, which season has the highest disease incidence. Without records — impressions and memory. With records — facts and numbers for decisions.
Second — incident response. When a buyer or retailer raises a complaint: locate the batch in ten minutes, establish which seeds and substrate it came from, review the cycle parameters, and identify any deviation. Without documentation — this answer is simply not available.
Third — compliance. HACCP and sanitary regulations require certain logs to be maintained. But even without formal requirements — a producer who can document growing conditions has a far stronger position in any dispute.
The Minimum Set of Logs for a Small Operation
Batch log. For each batch: batch number (date + sequential number), crop, number of trays or area, sow date, seed source and seed lot, substrate and its source, harvest date, yield in kg, where dispatched. One row or card per batch. During an incident — searching by the batch number on the packaging returns all the information in seconds.
Incoming materials log. Date received, supplier, quantity, supplier's lot or batch number, incoming inspection result (where performed). Seeds, substrate, fertilisers, packaging materials. If a problem traces back to a specific supplier — immediately visible which product batches were made from that material.
Sanitation log. Date, what was treated, with what product and at what concentration, who carried it out. Minimum — once per cycle. During an inspection — confirmation that treatments actually took place.
Storage temperature log. For product stored before dispatch: refrigerator temperature once daily or more often. In case of a quality complaint — documented confirmation that conditions were maintained.
Deviations and corrective actions log. What went wrong (mould on a tray, equipment failure, temperature excursion), what decision was taken, what was changed in the process. This log is the most valuable for management decisions.
How to Assign Batch Numbers: A Simple System
A batch number must be unique and decodable. The simplest system: YYMMDD-NN where NN is the sequential batch number for that day. Example: 260308-01 — first batch on 8 March 2026.
With multiple crops: add a crop code. 260308-RAD-01 — first radish batch on 8 March.
The batch number goes on the packaging (mandatory for registered producers), on the delivery note when dispatching, and in the batch log. The chain is closed: batch number on packaging → entry in batch log → input materials.
Digital vs Paper Records
Paper logs are reliable and require no infrastructure. Risk: illegible handwriting, lost pages, slow searching with large volumes of records. For a small operation with one operator — entirely sufficient.
Spreadsheets (Google Sheets, Excel) — easy searching, automatic yield and waste totals, ability to see monthly trends. Risk: no access if connectivity or a device is lost. Regular backups are mandatory.
Dedicated tracking systems — justified when scaling involves multiple operators entering data and centralised reporting is needed. For a small operation — overkill.
The rule: the best system is the one that actually gets filled in. A complex system filled in once a month is worse than a simple paper log filled in every day.
Three Mistakes That Cost the Most
Filling in logs retroactively before an inspection. During a real incident — "all parameters normal" in a log completed an hour before the inspection doesn't answer why the product spoiled. And under careful scrutiny — identical handwriting on every page across three months is immediately obvious.
Documenting only what the regulator requires and ignoring management value. Temperature log exists, sanitation log exists — but no yield-by-crop log and no deviations log. When deciding "which crop to expand" — no data, only gut feeling. Business planning without production numbers is guesswork. More on planning from real metrics in the article on business planning.
Having no unique batch numbering system. "Radish from 8 March" is not a batch number if there were multiple sowings that day. When a complaint targets a specific package, without an unambiguous identifier it's impossible to find the corresponding log entry and establish exactly what reached the customer.
How to Know Documentation Is Working as a Management Tool
When any complaint arises — answering "from which seeds, which supplier, and under what conditions was this batch made" takes under five minutes. When deciding whether to expand or change the assortment — numerical yield and waste data by crop for the past three months is available. Logs are filled in on the day of the event, not before an inspection.
For deeper understanding: HACCP for Microgreens: Basic Requirements, Hazards, and the Minimum Document Package — explains how production documentation fits into the food safety management system and why logs that are kept consistently are the first line of defence during an inspection.