Set up locations
Locations are the places inside a warehouse where stock sits: shelves, bins, zones, a receiving bay, a damaged-goods cage. Every stock number belongs to a location, so every warehouse needs at least one.
Where:
Who: view inventory.location.view; add inventory.location.create; edit
inventory.location.update.
Plan your locations first
Decide how detailed you want to be. More locations means staff know exactly where to look, but every stock action must name the right one.
| Approach | Locations | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Simple | One location per warehouse, for example MAIN | Small stores where everything is in one room |
| By area | RECV, STORE, DISPATCH, DAMAGED | Separating arrivals, storage, outgoing and quarantine |
| By shelf | A-01-01, A-01-02, … (Aisle-Rack-Shelf) | Large warehouses where finding items matters |
Example: Main Warehouse at Bright Home Supplies
| Code | Name | Location type | Used for |
|---|---|---|---|
RECV | Receiving bay | RECEIVING | Goods arriving from suppliers |
A-01-01 | Aisle A, Rack 1, Shelf 1 | STORAGE | T-shirts |
A-01-02 | Aisle A, Rack 1, Shelf 2 | STORAGE | Mugs |
DISPATCH | Dispatch area | DISPATCH | Picked orders; default location |
DAMAGED | Damaged goods cage | QUARANTINE | Broken items waiting for a decision |
Add a location
- Go to .
- Choose the warehouse in the Warehouse box at the top. Its existing locations appear below.
- Select Add Location.
- Fill in the form:
| Field | What to enter | Example | Rules |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warehouse | Filled in from step 2 | Main Warehouse | Required |
| Code | A short code, unique within this warehouse | A-01-01 | Required; up to 50 characters; can't be changed later |
| Name | A readable name | Aisle A, Rack 1, Shelf 1 | Required; up to 100 characters |
| Location Type (optional) | A word to group locations; you choose it | STORAGE | Free text |
| Status | Active or Inactive | Active | Required |
| Description (optional) | Notes | Top shelf; use the ladder | Up to 500 characters |
- Select Add Location.
What you'll see: "Location created successfully", and the location appears in the table (Warehouse, Code, Name, Location Type, Description, Status, Updated).
| Message | What to do |
|---|---|
| "Inventory location code already exists: A-01-01" | That code is already used in this warehouse. Choose another. The same code can exist in a different warehouse. |
| "Code is required" / "Max 50 characters" | Fill in the code; keep it short. |
For example Aisle-Rack-Shelf with two digits: A-01-03 is aisle A, rack 1, shelf 3. Staff find
stock faster, and stock counts are easier to organise.
Find locations
- Warehouse: shows only that warehouse's locations.
- Location Type: for example only
STORAGElocations (All Types to clear). - Search locations: matches code, name, type or status.
- Clear resets the filters.
Change a location
- Choose the warehouse at the top.
- Select the pencil icon on the location's row.
- Change the Name, Location Type, Status or Description. The code can't be changed.
- Select Save Changes. You'll see "Location updated successfully".
Stop using a location
- Move its stock elsewhere, and check the Inventory Balance shows nothing left there.
- Edit it and set Status to Inactive.
Like warehouses, Inactive is a label for staff: the system does not block stock changes there.
The default location
Each warehouse needs exactly one default location. Sales orders use it automatically:
- confirming an order reserves stock at the default location;
- dispatching an order takes stock from the default location.
Example: Main Warehouse's default is DISPATCH. A sales order for 10 mugs reserves 10 mugs at
DISPATCH, even if there are 200 mugs on A-01-02. Ali first moves mugs from
A-01-02 to DISPATCH, then the order can be confirmed.
Ask your administrator which location is the default for each warehouse, and to set one if it's missing. Without it, confirming or dispatching sales orders for that warehouse fails with "Default inventory location not found for warehouse".