What Is Put-Away?
Also known as: putaway, directed put-away
Definition
Put-away is the warehouse step that moves received goods from the receiving dock to a storage location and records that location in the system. Directed put-away uses rules to choose the best bin.
Put-Away Explained
After receiving and any inspection, goods sit in a receiving or quality location. Put-away moves them to storage and updates inventory by bin. Until that scan, the stock exists in the ERP but cannot be picked reliably.
Directed put-away rules choose bins by item attributes: size, weight, velocity, hazmat class, temperature, lot control or customer reservation. Simple rules assign a fixed home bin per item. More complex rules look for open capacity, consolidate partial pallets and keep fast movers near the dock.
In Infor LN, warehouse inbound procedures include storage tasks that generate put-away orders. SyteLine uses location transactions to move stock from a receiving location, and NetSuite supports bin put-away with its warehouse features. All of them depend on the receipt posting first, often tied to a purchase order or a work order completion.
The most common failure is delay or skipped scans. Goods get shelved in the nearest gap, the record shows the dock, and the next picker finds an empty bin.
Why It Matters
- Fast put-away shortens dock-to-stock time, which frees material for production and shipment.
- Correct bin records are the foundation of pick accuracy.
- Rule-based location choice reduces space waste and walking distance.
- Controlled put-away protects quarantine and lot-controlled stock from being picked early.
In Practice
Twenty pallets arrive on one truck. Without rules, the forklift driver uses whichever aisle is open and the clerk keys bin numbers later. With directed put-away on handhelds, the driver scans the pallet and the system returns a bin; the stock record updates at the moment of the scan.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is directed put-away?
It is a system-guided put-away where rules pick the storage bin and the operator confirms by scanning the item and the bin.
What is dock-to-stock time?
The elapsed time from arrival at the dock to the item being available in a pickable location. It is a standard warehouse KPI.
Why does put-away cause inventory inaccuracy?
Delayed or unrecorded moves leave the system showing stock in the wrong place. Pickers then cannot find it, and counts drift.
Related Terms
Warehouse Management System (WMS)
A warehouse management system (WMS) is software that directs and records warehouse work at bin level: receiving, put-away, replenishment, picking, packing and shipping. It tells operators where to go and what to scan, and posts the resulting stock movements to the ERP.
Cross-Docking
Cross-docking is a logistics practice where inbound goods are moved directly to outbound shipping with little or no storage in between. It cuts handling and holding cost but needs accurate inbound timing and known demand.
Wave Picking
Wave picking is a method where a warehouse releases orders to the floor in timed groups, called waves, chosen by carrier cut-off, priority, zone or order type. It lets planners balance workload across pickers and the dock.
Cycle Counting
Cycle counting is the practice of continuously verifying inventory accuracy by counting a small subset of items each day or week, rather than shutting down for one annual wall-to-wall physical inventory.
Warehouse Order
A warehouse order is the execution document in Infor LN Warehousing that carries out an inbound, outbound or transfer movement. It is generated from an originating order such as a sales, purchase, production or transfer order, and its order type defines the procedure steps.
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Warehouse Receiving Inspection Checklist
A practical receiving checklist covering trailer arrival, paperwork match, physical and quality inspection, damage claims and put-away.
Keep exploring
Free tools
- Warehouse Receiving Inspection ChecklistA practical receiving checklist covering trailer arrival, paperwork match, physical and quality inspection, damage claims and put-away.
- SAP Putaway Strategy ReferenceA searchable list of putaway strategies in SAP WM and EWM with how the bin is found, where it is controlled, typical use and pitfalls.
- Warehouse Putaway Task Log WorksheetAn editable putaway log that computes units per hour and minutes per line for each task. Exports to Excel.
ERP fixes and how-tos
- How to process inbound and outbound warehousing orders in Infor LNProcess inbound receipts and outbound shipments in Infor LN Warehousing: purchase order intake, put-away, picking, packing and shipment confirmation.
- API_MATERIAL_STOCK_SRV: reading SAP stock by plant and storage location with ODataHow to call the SAP API_MATERIAL_STOCK_SRV OData service: activate it, read A_MatlStkInAcctMod, filter by plant and storage location, and fix auth errors.
Runs with your ERP
- NetSuite Mobile Warehouse Management: receiving, picking and cycle counts on handheldsHow NetSuite's native mobile warehouse management works: SCM Mobile and the WMS SuiteApp, receiving, putaway, picking, cycle counts, pitfalls and AI options.
- Infor Factory Track and Infor M3: handheld scanning transactionsHow Infor Factory Track gives M3 handheld scanning for receive, putaway, move, count, pick, pack and shipment loading, with setup steps, pitfalls and AI uses.
- Nutech Viewpoint with Infor SyteLine: barcode data collection on the floorWhat Nutech Viewpoint does for SyteLine plants: barcode inventory, license plating, directed putaway, job reporting and time tracking on Zebra or Honeywell.
Guides
- Mobile Receiving and Quality Inspection in SyteLineSet up mobile receiving and quality inspection in SyteLine. Configure PO receiving workflows, inspection checklists, and quality hold processing on handheld devices.
- How to Configure Warehouse Locations in Infor SyteLineStep-by-step guide to configuring warehouse locations in Infor SyteLine. Set up warehouses, location types, bin structures, and inventory zones for accurate stock tracking.
- SyteLine Warehouse Location Setup and Configuration GuideDesign and configure warehouse locations in Infor SyteLine including zones, aisles, bins, and location types for optimized inventory storage and retrieval.