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Location Management

Manage multiple inventory locations including warehouses, stores, and virtual locations with zone organization and permission controls.

Overview

Multi-Location Inventory

Location management enables you to track inventory across multiple physical and virtual locations. Whether you have warehouses, retail stores, or distribution centers, the system provides comprehensive location-based inventory control.

Each location can be organized into zones and bins for precise item placement, with role-based permissions controlling who can access and modify inventory at each location.

Key Benefits
• Multi-location stock visibility
• Zone and bin location tracking
• Location-specific permissions
• Inter-location transfers
• Location-based reporting
• Automated stock optimization

Location Types

  1. Warehouses
    Large-scale storage facilities for bulk inventory
    Capabilities
    • Large-scale storage capacity
    • Zone and bin location tracking
    • Receiving and shipping docks
    • Bulk inventory management
    • Distribution center operations
    Common Use Cases
    Central distribution
    Bulk storage
    Manufacturing storage
  2. Retail Stores
    Customer-facing locations with point-of-sale inventory
    Capabilities
    • Customer accessibility
    • Point-of-sale integration
    • Display and storage areas
    • Customer pickup locations
    • Local inventory management
    Common Use Cases
    Retail sales
    Customer pickup
    Local distribution
  3. Virtual Locations
    Non-physical locations for special inventory states
    Capabilities
    • In-transit inventory tracking
    • Consignment stock management
    • Damaged goods quarantine
    • Virtual staging areas
    • Third-party logistics
    Common Use Cases
    Transit tracking
    Damaged goods
    Consignment stock

📊 Location Performance Analytics

Monitor location utilization, capacity, and performance metrics to optimize your inventory distribution and identify potential bottlenecks.

Location Utilization Rates
Current space utilization across all locations
Overall Capacity Distribution
Distribution of total storage capacity usage
Optimization Recommendations
Based on current utilization data:
• Distribution Center is near capacity (91%) - consider expansion
• Overflow Storage is underutilized (45%) - opportunity for consolidation
• Returns Center has low utilization (34%) - review return processes
• Overall system has 35% available capacity for growth

Setup Guide

Follow these steps to set up and configure a new location in your inventory system.

Set up the basic location information

1
Navigate to Inventory > Locations > Add New
2
Enter location name and code
3
Select location type (Warehouse, Store, Virtual)
4
Add address and contact information
5
Set timezone and operating hours

Organize location into manageable zones

1
Access the Zones tab in location settings
2
Create zones (Receiving, Storage, Shipping, etc.)
3
Define zone characteristics and restrictions
4
Set up bin and shelf locations within zones
5
Configure zone-specific permissions

Control user access to location operations

1
Go to Location Permissions settings
2
Assign location managers and staff
3
Set viewing and editing permissions
4
Configure approval workflows
5
Enable location-specific notifications

Zone Organization

Organize large locations into manageable sections with specific characteristics and operational rules

Organizing Your Location with Zones: Zones help organize large locations into manageable sections. Each zone can have specific characteristics, permissions, and operational rules.
Common Zone Types
  • Receiving: Incoming inventory staging
  • Storage: Primary inventory storage
  • Picking: Order fulfillment area
  • Shipping: Outbound staging area
  • Returns: Returned item processing
  • Quarantine: Quality control hold area
Zone Configuration
  • Temperature control requirements
  • Security level restrictions
  • Access permissions by role
  • Capacity and size limits
  • Special handling requirements
  • Automated picking routes

Best Practices

✅ Recommended Practices
• Use clear, descriptive location codes
• Implement consistent zone naming across locations
• Set up location-specific reorder points
• Configure automated transfer rules
• Regularly audit location permissions
• Use barcode labels for zones and bins
❌ Common Mistakes
• Creating too many unnecessary locations
• Inconsistent location naming conventions
• Not setting up proper zone organization
• Overlooking permission configurations
• Ignoring location-specific workflows
• Not planning for growth and expansion

Troubleshooting

Check permissions and location configurations for transfer operations.
Verify you have transfer permissions for both locations
Check if locations are active and configured
Ensure sufficient stock at the source location
Review transfer workflow settings
Location-specific stock updates may be delayed or blocked.
Check for pending transactions at the location
Verify location is not in maintenance mode
Review recent stock movements for errors
Ensure proper zone assignments for items
Location visibility issues are usually permission-related.
Check your user role and location permissions
Verify location is active and not archived
Contact administrator to review access rights
Clear browser cache and try again

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