# Follow a lot forwards and a shipment backwards

Read real row evidence, separate relevant gaps from project warnings and choose an exact record and source.

Source: https://help.smartfact.ai/tracebench/guides/follow-records

Audience: Operator

Practice runs the real TraceBench application with synthetic files and isolated saving. Prepared controls only supply files to real input controls. Nothing is uploaded or sent to a live service.

## Follow a lot forwards and a shipment backwards

1. **Open the prepared two-file example**

   Open the prepared two-file example.

   Try an example prepares synthetic production and despatch files, mappings, coverage and one numbering declaration. This is disclosed setup; your own files need explicit review.

2. **Follow the supplier lot forwards**

   Follow the supplier lot forwards.

   SL-0042 reaches two batches and shipments S-501, S-502 and S-503. Missing production sequence 7 leaves the answer Partial, even though the example declares complete coverage.

3. **Read a link and its original row**

   Read a link and its original row.

   Each link retains its source file, logical record, stable record ID where supplied, exact values and fingerprint. This where the records came from supports review, not an assurance of physical truth.

4. **Distinguish project warnings from trace gaps**

   Distinguish project warnings from trace gaps.

   B-1003 is a separate project warning, not a reached record in this trace. Its absence from production does not establish that production never made it.

5. **Review known times and undated observations**

   Review known times and undated observations.

   The timeline uses known UTC times. Unknown source times stay separate, and chronological order never invents a link.

6. **Start from a recorded shipment**

   Start from a recorded shipment.

   Submit shipment S-503. Shipment tracing runs backwards through its recorded contents.

7. **Follow the shipment backwards**

   Follow the shipment backwards.

   The actual backward trace reaches B-1002 and SL-0042. Missing declared production sequence 7 still limits the answer.

8. **Inspect an ambiguous starting code**

   Inspect an ambiguous starting code.

   B-1001 occurs in both declared sources. Choose its complete source and numbering, even where the displayed code is identical.

9. **Choose the production identity**

   Choose the production identity.

   Select Production explicitly. This choice pins the full source, interpretation, kind, numbering and exact code in the question.

10. **Choose the forward direction**

   Choose the forward direction.

   Follow the chosen production identity towards its recorded outputs and confirmed despatch links.

11. **Run the question for this source**

   Run the question for this source.

   This result starts from the identity you chose. It does not silently swap to the other file because the text matches.

[Watch or practise this chapter](https://help.smartfact.ai/tracebench/demo?guide=follow-records&chapter=follow-records&audience=office)