Put-away Strategy

Module Guide: Put-away Strategy

Module Location

Settings > Warehouse > Intelligent Bin > Put-away Strategy

Module Purpose

The Put-away Strategy module is the control center for configuring the automated logic the system uses to determine the best storage location (bin) when goods are received in the warehouse. This module allows an administrator to establish a set of rules and priorities that the system will execute to provide the most efficient put-away recommendations, optimizing space utilization and speeding up warehouse processes.​

1. Main View (Strategy List)

The main page is a configuration form where an administrator can enable, disable, and prioritize various item placement strategies.

View Explanation

This module presents three main strategies that can be combined. The system will evaluate these strategies based on the established Priority order (1 is the highest).

• Strategy 1: Relation Between Item/Service and Bin

  • Concept: This is a "Fixed Bin" strategy. The user can explicitly assign a specific item or group of items (RelationCode) to always be stored in a predetermined location (Bin).​

  • Use Case: Very useful for fast-moving items to ensure they are always in the most easily accessible locations, or for items that require special conditions (e.g., chemicals in a separate area).

  • Priority: In the image, this is set to priority 1. This means when an item arrives, the system first checks if a fixed location rule exists for it. If so, the system will immediately recommend that location and ignore other strategies.​

• Strategy 2: Bin Volume

  • Concept: This strategy focuses on utilizing the capacity or volume of storage locations.

  • Method Options:

    • Prevalent: This likely means "prioritize locations that already have contents." The system will try to find a bin that already contains the same item and still has remaining space. The goal is to consolidate stock and not spread one item type across many locations, similar to an "addition to existing stock" strategy.​

    • FullyFirst: This means "fill empty ones first." The system will prioritize finding a completely empty bin that can accommodate the entire quantity of the incoming goods.

  • Priority: Set to priority 3, making it one of the last considerations in this example.

• Strategy 3: Descending Level

  • Concept: This strategy likely directs the system to fill bins from the highest rack level to the lowest, or vice versa. "Descending" could mean filling from top to bottom.

  • Use Case: Useful for ensuring less desirable areas (e.g., the highest, hard-to-reach racks) are filled first, leaving prime, easily accessible areas available.

  • Priority: Set to priority 2, evaluated after the Fixed Bin strategy.

• Action Buttons:

  • Save: Saves the entire configuration of strategies and their priorities.

2. Steps to Configure the Strategy

• Determine Priorities: Think about your warehouse workflow. Which rule is most important? Is consolidating stock more important than filling from the top down? Set the Priority dropdown for each strategy in the desired order (1 = executed first).​

• Activate Strategies: Check the box next to the strategies you want to use. Disable those that are not needed.

• Set Up Fixed Locations: If you activate "Relation Between Item/Service and Bin," click Add to create a new rule, which involves selecting an item code (RelationCode) and assigning a specific Bin location for it.

• Choose Volume Method: If activating "Bin Volume," choose between Prevalent (for consolidation) or FullyFirst (for filling empty locations).

• Click Save to apply the new logic.

3. Integrated Workflow & Business Process

• Goods Receiving Process (Put-Away): When a warehouse staff member scans newly received goods, the WMS will automatically execute this logic:

  1. Is there a Fixed Location for this item (Priority 1)? If yes, the system displays a recommendation for that location. Process ends.

  2. If not, is the Descending Level strategy active (Priority 2)? If yes, the system searches for an empty location that follows the level rule. If found, that location is recommended. Process ends.

  3. If not, is the Bin Volume strategy active (Priority 3)? If yes, the system searches for a location based on the Prevalent or FullyFirst method. If found, that location is recommended. Process ends.​

• Decision Automation: This strategy eliminates the need for warehouse staff to manually think about or search for empty locations. This speeds up the put-away process, reduces placement errors, and maximizes warehouse space utilization.​

4. Tips & Important Notes

• Configuring these strategies requires a deep understanding of warehouse operations, product characteristics (size, weight, turnover rate), and the physical layout of the warehouse.

• A Fixed Bin strategy is very powerful for picking efficiency but can reduce flexibility and space utilization if not managed well.

• Perform periodic evaluations. If warehouse staff frequently override the system's recommendations, there might be something wrong with the strategy configuration that needs adjustment.

• Given its significant impact on operational efficiency, access to this module should be restricted to the Warehouse Manager, Logistics Manager, or a systems analyst.