Put-Aways

A Put-Away represents inventory that needs to be put away or stored in your warehouse. Put-Aways are not created directly but rather originate from one of the following actions:

• Processing an ASN, RMA or Other Delivery
• Canceling an Order or reverting a Shipment that has already been picked
• Assembling items from a Work Order

You can find a grid listing all Put-Aways by navigating to Operations > Put-Aways. Completed At shows when placement finished, and Committed At shows when all inventory in the Put-Away was committed. Older Put-Aways may have a blank Committed At because the time was not recorded. The same columns appear on the Put-Aways tab of Products and Lots, and on the Operations > Work Orders > Outputs and Shipping > Shipments > Cancellations grids.

Statuses

The statuses for a Put-Away are pretty linear and are as follows:

• Open - Items are still being added to the put-away from the associated entity
• Pending - One or more items are awaiting an approval action (e.g. an ASN shortage exception)
• Ready - No more items will be added, ready to begin the put-away process
• Processing - Processing is currently underway and there are still items that have not yet been put-away
• Complete - All items have been put-away
• Void - The put-away was voided (all unprocessed items have "disappeared")

Put-Aways directly impact the status of the ASNs, RMAs and Other Deliveries to which they are associated as depicted in the following diagram:

Admin UI

1. Navigate to the Put-Away page by:

   1. scanning a barcode associated with the Put-Away

      The types of labels that can be scanned include Container Labels, Put-Away Labels, License Plates, Packing Slips, and Tracking Numbers.
   2. navigating to Operations > Put-Aways and using the grid to locate
   3. navigate to the delivery page (Receiving > ASN, RMA or Other Delivery) and then to the Put-Aways tab on the page of the delivery that you want to put-away, then click the header link titled Put-Away # X.
2. If the Put-Away is not yet closed, click Close to advance it to Ready status. If there are unapproved Overage exceptions, these will need to be approved or rejected before the Put-Away can be closed.
3. Click the Put-Away button on your chosen item row.
4. Enter the Location and Quantity to put-away and click Submit. If the product has lot tracking enabled, you will also need to select the correct lot to be put-away.
5. Repeat until all items are processed.
6. If the Put-Away is associated with an ASN, RMA or Other Delivery and Auto-Commit is not enabled, click Commit. Inventory at an unheld Location becomes available or can be assigned to backordered Orders. Inventory at a held Location completes the Commit step but remains held and unavailable for allocation.

Scanner UI

Put-Aways can use either a Manual or Directed workflow. Manual is the default. To choose the default for a Warehouse, select it in Current Configuration Scope, then go to System > Configuration > Warehouse > Stock > Directed Put-Away Workflow > Default Put-Away Workflow. A user whose role includes Scanner > Overrides > Override Directed Put-Away Workflow can switch an individual Put-Away between the two workflows before placing inventory. A user whose role includes Scanner > Overrides > Override Directed Put-Away Destination can send one stop of a Directed tour to a Location of their choosing (see When a Planned Destination Cannot Be Used).

1. From the Scanner main page, tap Put-Away.
2. Scan a barcode according to its type.
3. Tap Start Put-Away to begin processing.

Directed Workflow

Directed Put-Away plans destinations for the inventory and walks you through them one stop at a time along the Warehouse's default Pick Route. Each stop names one Location, Product, and quantity, and the reason ShipStream selected that destination. A Product split between multiple Locations appears as multiple stops.

1. The Start screen summarizes the tour: how many stops and units it holds, how many SKUs, the routing method, and whether any lines need manual placement. The stops are listed in travel order under On the tour, and lines without a destination under Manual. If you have override permission, Switch to Manual appears in the card's header. Tap Start Tour.

   

2. The first stop opens. The destination Location is the headline, with its Slot Type and the reason it was chosen beneath it, then the Product and the quantity to place. When a Prefer Slotting Rule decided the destination, the rule's name follows the reason. The checklist tells you what to scan next, and Up next previews the following stop. Take the Product to the destination.

   When Other Asset Policies are configured, an Access with row below the Location lists the Asset Types allowed at that destination. Use it to identify the equipment you need. See Allowed Asset Types for its display states.

   

3. Scan the Product barcode. Step 1 turns green with the barcode that verified it, and step 2 lights up.

   

4. Scan the Location barcode. Only the destination shown on the stop is accepted, which keeps inventory from being placed against a later stop by mistake.

5. The counter opens on the planned quantity, so tap Submit to place it. The capacity line and chip appear as they do in the Manual workflow (see Capacity).

   

6. ShipStream confirms what was placed and opens the next stop. Stops are numbered across the whole tour, so the title reads Stop 2 of 3 once the first stop is done. Repeat the scans for each remaining stop.

7. Tap Route in the toolbar at any time to review the whole tour: placed stops with the Location they went to, the current stop, the stops still ahead, and any manual lines at the end. Tap Continue or the current stop to return to it.

   

8. After the last stop, the Start screen returns with The directed tour is complete. Put the remaining lines away manually. Placed Products are checked off. Put any remaining lines away as described in the Manual workflow below.

   

9. When every line is placed, verify the Put-Away Complete summary. Where it went lists each Location and what was placed there. If Auto-Commit is enabled, ShipStream also commits the associated Delivery automatically.

   

For lot-tracked Products, each stop and the Route show the Lot Number Input, Expiration, and Origination when recorded. Use units matching those details. Scanning the Product barcode confirms the SKU; it does not distinguish two lots of the same Product.

Allowed Asset Types

The Access with row reads Asset Policies whose Operation is Other. It describes access to the stop's destination:

• Named Asset Types - One chip per allowed Asset Type, sorted by name. Types from all matching policies are combined, and long lists wrap onto more lines.
• Any Asset Type - A matching policy leaves Asset Types empty, allowing all types.
• No Asset Policy - Other policies exist, but none matches this destination. The amber chip still allows you to scan and place inventory as usual.

If no Other policies exist, the row is hidden, even when Batch Pick or Bulk Fulfill Pick policies are configured. Asset Policies apply across all Warehouses, so an Other policy enables the row in every Warehouse; destinations outside its restrictions can show No Asset Policy.

You do not need to select, scan, or confirm an Asset Type. The row provides information only and does not change destination selection, travel order, scans, placement, deviations, or skips.

A queued stop opened from Route shows the row for its own destination. The Up next line and the Route overview do not show Asset Types. After a deviation or skip, the row describes the destination of the stop that opens. To see policy edits during an active tour, go Back to the Start screen and tap Start Tour again.

When a Planned Destination Cannot Be Used

If the current destination is full, blocked, damaged, or otherwise unsuitable, tap Can't place here… on the stop. Choose the reason, add details if you like, and pick one of the actions:

• Use next names the next Location ShipStream saved as an alternative when the tour was planned and replaces the current destination with it. When no saved alternative is left, the button reads Put away manually and moves the line to the manual portion of the Put-Away.
• Skip, return later moves the stop to the end of the tour once. If it still cannot be completed when it returns, ShipStream moves that line to the manual portion of the Put-Away.
• Choose location... lets you scan or type the Location to use instead. It only appears if your role includes Scanner > Overrides > Override Directed Put-Away Destination. ShipStream checks the Location the same way it checks a manual put-away and reserves room there for the stop's full quantity. If either check fails, the message explains why and the stop keeps its current destination. Otherwise the stop keeps its place in the tour and every other stop keeps its destination. The remaining saved alternatives for this stop are dropped, because your choice replaces them, so Use next then reads Put away manually.
• Cancel closes the sheet without changing the stop.

A rerouted stop reopens on its new destination with a banner naming the reason and the Location it left, so you can confirm the change before you scan.

Lines for which ShipStream cannot assign a destination appear under Manual on the Start screen and at the end of the Route. Process those lines by selecting the Product and scanning a Location as described in the Manual workflow below. When the last directed stop is placed and manual lines remain, the Scanner returns to the Start screen for them.

Products missing a required Lot Number or Expiration appear under Manual with Lot Info required. Finish the directed stops, then select the Product, tap Unassigned Items, and assign its Lot Info before placing it. If all lines require manual handling, you can begin assigning Lot Info immediately; no workflow override is needed.

When planning finishes with every line needing manual placement, the notice lists the reasons, such as No feasible destination or Too many candidates, and tells you to put the remaining lines away manually.

ShipStream rechecks the current destination and its reserved capacity when inventory is placed. If a safe tour cannot be built or its destination capacity cannot be reserved at the start, the Scanner displays Directed put-away is not yet available and continues as a Manual session.

Manual Workflow

1. Scan a Product barcode or tap a row if the Product does not have a barcode.

2. Scan a Location barcode. You may scan an assigned Location, a new Location, or one that is not in use by another Product.

   If the Location has an active Inventory Hold and still contains inventory, the Scanner asks you to confirm before adding more inventory. If the Location has drained completely, ShipStream treats the remaining hold as stale and releases it automatically when you submit the quantity, without asking for confirmation.

   

   If the Location's Slot Type defines how much of the Product the slot should hold, the list of Locations shows a Capacity column with a colored chip for each Location. The chip tells you whether the amount you are putting away will fit. See Capacity below.

   Tap the Velocity row to view more information about the recent velocity of the Product, so you are better informed about its demand. See Product Velocity for more information. Then tap Back to return to the previous screen.
3. Use the counter to enter the amount to put in the current Location. When the Location has a known capacity, the counter shows a capacity line for the destination, for example Capacity: 12 / 20, with the capacity chip beside it.
4. Repeat the Product, Location, and quantity steps until all items have been processed. The Put-Away Complete summary then lists the totals and, under Where it went, each Location and what was placed there.

Capacity

A Location's Slot Type can define how much of a given Product the slot is meant to hold. When it does, the Scanner shows a capacity chip in the Capacity column of the Location list and on the counter.

The chip compares the amount you are putting away against the room left in that slot:

In the Manual workflow, the chip is advisory by default. Over by N and Prohibited raise a warning that you can acknowledge and then continue, so an operator holding the inventory is never stranded by a capacity figure that does not match the shelf. The other chips never warn.

To make capacity binding instead, set System > Configuration > Warehouse > Scanner > Put-Away > Enforce Capacity to Yes. A Prohibited Location is then refused as soon as you scan it, as is a Location that is already full. An amount that would go over the slot's capacity is refused when you confirm the count, so you can still put away a smaller amount that fits and take the rest to another Location. The default is No.

Manual Sources in Directed Put-Away

When several Items of the same Product and Lot require manual placement, scan the destination Location and enter the combined quantity. ShipStream distributes that quantity across the eligible manual Items automatically. Items reserved for the active directed tour are excluded; a quantity exceeding the manual remainder is rejected.

Directed Destination Reasons

The Reason column tells you why a destination was chosen:

How Directed Destinations Are Chosen

ShipStream plans each Put-Away in a fixed order, so a lower rule never outweighs a higher one:

1. Only workable Locations are considered. A destination must pass every check a manual put-away would: Require and Forbid Slotting Rules, Slot Capacity, lot and expiration compatibility, Inventory Holds, and a Location not already occupied by another Product. Prefer and Discourage rules never remove a Location.
2. A pick face that needs stock is topped up first. If the Product's pick face is below its replenishment target, the receipt fills it before any other Location is considered.
3. Prefer and Discourage rules come next. Each remaining Location sits on a slotting rung for the Product: Preferred (Critical, High, Normal, Low), neutral, or Discouraged (Low, Normal, High, Critical), set by the strongest rule that applies there. A Location that no Prefer rule names and no Discourage rule matches is neutral. ShipStream fills one rung at a time across the whole Put-Away, strongest preference first, so a Location that a Prefer rule names wins over a neutral Location with a better Location Priority, and a slot one Product prefers is not spent on a faster mover for which it is neutral or less strongly preferred. When the Preferred Locations have no room, the line falls back to neutral, then Discouraged Locations, so Prefer and Discourage rules never block a put-away.
4. Within a rung, faster movers choose first, and Location Priority picks the Location. Among the candidates on one rung, Products with a higher Slotting Density Rank choose before slower movers, and a Product with no rank is treated as neutral. For each Product, ShipStream ranks the Locations the same way a Shipment reserves them, by Priority. A Location that already holds the Product ranks by its Priority. Every other Location, whether it is empty, still assigned to this Product, or assigned to another Product, ranks by its Default Priority. A Location with no Default Priority ranks after all the others. A lower number ranks first. The Product's existing Locations get no other precedence: a Location holding the Product at Priority 30000 ranks after an empty Location with a Default Priority of 500.
5. Ties go to the Product's own Location, then fit, then your settings. A lower Priority number always wins. Among Locations with the same number, a Location assigned to the Product comes first, then an unassigned Location, then a Location assigned to another Product, so the Product's emptied slot is refilled before another Product's slot is reused. Within its limits, the search reads the Product's own Locations before other Locations at an equal Priority number, and its own Locations with no Default Priority before other Locations with none. Unassigned and other Products' Locations are compared among the ones the search reaches. Remaining ties are separated by fit (the fewest placements, a known size, and the least leftover space), then by the Soft Tiebreakers you configure, then by Default Pick Route order, and finally by Location ID.

The Pick Route sets the order in which the tour visits its stops, not which Locations are chosen. A route that starts at the far end of the Warehouse therefore does not pull stock to the far end.

Planning is greedy. A line that is already covered keeps its destinations, even when a better one is freed later. When a line cannot be fully placed, it goes to manual put-away and gives its Locations back, and ShipStream plans the remaining lines again, offering freed pick faces that need stock first and then each rung in order. The alternatives saved for each stop follow the same order, so Use next offers the next-best Location by these same steps.

The search is bounded. For each line, ShipStream reads pick faces that need stock first, then the Location Profiles of the Prefer rules that apply to the Product (strongest Preference Strength first), then the Zones of those pick faces, then the rest of the Warehouse. The Prefer-rule search has its own limits, so a preferred zone is found even when its Default Priority would leave it beyond the reach of the Warehouse search. Discouraged Locations cannot fill up a search: a line keeps at most 10 of them, the least Discouraged it finds, so a mildly Discouraged Location found later replaces a strongly Discouraged one found first. Once it has 10, Locations that could not replace one of them are skipped without being checked. Skipped Locations still count toward the search limits, so a search that meets only Discouraged Locations can still stop before it reaches neutral ones. If the overall search limit is reached before the rest of the Warehouse is searched, the candidates already found can still supply a directed plan; if it is reached earlier, only a line that already has a Location from its Prefer-rule search where Prefer wins over any matching Discourage rule can. A line whose search is interrupted goes to manual put-away. Better destinations may exist outside the searched area.

Configure the planner per Warehouse under System > Configuration > Warehouse > Stock:

Reserved Room at Destinations

Directed Put-Away recommends Locations with fixed-capacity checking enabled and a known capacity or an explicit Unlimited allowance for the Product. Locations without fixed-capacity checking, or with capacity that is unknown or awaiting calculation, are excluded. If no eligible destination remains, the line falls back to manual placement.

Directed Put-Away can reuse an empty Location assigned to another Product, provided the normal placement checks allow it. Among Locations with the same Priority number, reuse comes last: a Location assigned to the Product is chosen first, then an unassigned Location, then one assigned to another Product. A Location with a lower Priority number still wins, whatever its assignment. The Location is reassigned when the directed destination is reserved, before any quantity is put away. Cancelling the tour leaves this assignment in place. An active destination reservation for another Product blocks reuse until that reservation is released or expires.

When a directed plan sends stock to a Location, ShipStream reserves that much room there so another Put-Away starting a minute later is not sent to the same empty space. The reservation is released when the stock is placed or the session ends. While a Location is reserved by an active tour, it cannot be deleted or reassigned to a different Product.

If a session is abandoned, for example because a device dies, the reservation becomes eligible for automatic release after its timeout. Set System > Configuration > Warehouse > Stock > Directed Put-Away Capacity Reservations > Reservation Timeout (Seconds) to control this interval. Active tours renew their reservations automatically when they refresh successfully. The default is 300 seconds and the allowed range is 30–3600 seconds. A shorter timeout returns room from abandoned work sooner but tolerates shorter connection interruptions; a longer timeout tolerates longer interruptions but keeps the room reserved for longer.