What a putaway strategy is
A putaway strategy is the set of rules a stockroom uses to decide where newly received stock is stored: a fixed bin for each item, a zone for a family of items, a quarantine area for anything that needs checking, or the bin that keeps oldest stock easiest to reach.
Receiving review first
An approved policy decides which receipts go to review before they can be stored. For example, an item of unknown family goes to the approved review bin rather than straight to stores.
The put-away bin
For each receipt the policy names the put-away bin, such as the approved adhesive bin for known adhesive. When the material is put away, StoresFlow checks the actual bin against the rule again, so a scan or a label never confirms a movement on its own.
Allocation follows the same policy
Reservations take stock in the order your policy sets: FIFO by default, or FEFO from approved stores for dated material such as adhesive. Held, quarantined and expired stock is never offered.
Count priorities
Counts whose difference exceeds your approved variance limit are prioritised for review. A count is an observation for a supervisor to review, never an automatic correction.
Write, test and approve these rules in SmartFACT Automation
Receiving, put-away, allocation and count policies can be described in plain English in SmartFACT Automation, where AI proposes the rule and a plain restatement, or built directly in the structured editor. Either way the rule is checked against examples your team agreed in advance and approved by a reviewer before StoresFlow applies it. StoresFlow then runs the approved rule itself, with no AI call when the decision is made. Automation is included with StoresFlow’s paid plan.
What StoresFlow does not do
- Move or create stock by rule. People scan the bin and item for every movement.
- Convert units or allocate expired lots.
- Run more than one site or connect to an ERP.
Common questions
Putaway or put away?
Both are used. ‘Put away’ is the action and ‘putaway’ is the warehouse process; StoresFlow’s screens say put-away.
Does a putaway rule move stock?
No. The rule says where stock should go. The movement is recorded only when a person scans the bin and the item.
Can expired stock be allocated?
No. Expired, held and quarantined stock is never offered to a reservation.
Related pages
Trials are by invitation and start with one agreed workflow. Scope and arrangements are agreed with you before access.
