Putaway

A delivery of cartons is counted at the dock, and workers then move each carton to a suitable bin and confirm the location. If they skip that second step, the system may show stock that pickers cannot find.

Oracle's directed putaway documentation describes scanning a pallet or case and its assigned location to confirm the move, which is one software method, not a requirement to buy that system. Shopify's receiving-inventory guidance discusses verifying deliveries and organising stock for storage, and receiving and putaway should be connected, but the acceptance and location milestones remain distinct.

Verify eligibility, since damaged, recalled or quality-held goods need a controlled area, not a normal saleable pick location, and putaway should follow the release rule. Choose a suitable slot and respect capacity, because product size, weight, temperature, hazardous class and shelf-life needs affect where goods can safely go, the nearest free shelf may be wrong, and a bin designed for light cartons should not be overloaded with heavy pallets, so check rack ratings and safe handling requirements.

Use identifiers, since SKU, lot, serial and pallet labels help match the physical item to the system record and a similar-looking carton can contain a different variant. Record both ends, because the transfer from receiving zone to bin should decrement one location and increment the other, and a one-sided update creates phantom stock.

Confirm the actual location, as scanning a suggested bin while placing goods elsewhere defeats directed putaway, so train staff to report blocked or full locations. Plan exceptions, since a proposed slot may be occupied, damaged or inaccessible, and the system or supervisor should authorise an alternative and record it.

Separate reserve and pick stock, because bulk pallets may go to reserve storage with smaller quantities replenishing pick faces later, and both locations need accurate counts. Consider rotation too, since earliest-expiring eligible stock may need accessible placement under FEFO (first expired, first out), and arrival order alone may not suit dated goods.

An illustrative putaway completion measure is received approved units confirmed in valid locations divided by all approved units awaiting putaway, so if 90 of 100 are located, completion is 90% and the other ten are still staged. Time matters, since long delays in a receiving lane can block trucks and delay sales availability, so measure queue age as well as the percentage placed.

Check accuracy, because a completed scan does not prove the right product was put on the shelf and periodic bin audits detect mismatches, and protect traceability by keeping lots together or maintaining precise mixed-bin records where allowed so that a recall response can locate affected units quickly. Coordinate inventory availability, since some businesses make stock sellable on receipt while others wait for putaway, and the promise to customers should match operational ability to pick.

Train for safe movement, because forklift routes, pedestrian separation and lifting rules remain necessary and speed targets cannot justify unsafe handling, and review slotting, since fast-moving goods may deserve closer pick positions while bulky or slow-moving stock belongs elsewhere, with a controlled move record for re-slotting. Set a clear ownership handoff so the next shift sees a staged pallet's status, location and priority, check short shipments at the right stage (a received quantity discrepancy belongs in the receipt record, while a misplaced accepted carton belongs in the location investigation), and remember that for owners putaway turns arrived stock into findable stock, requiring safe placement and a trusted location record, not just a closed receipt.