Goods receiving

Receiving is the point where goods received from suppliers enter your warehouse and inventory. In this step, you can scan received items so stock is recorded correctly in Putaway WMS.

The work steps are the same whether you use a physical scanner, a dedicated mobile device, the phone or tablet camera, or a computer connected to a barcode scanner.

Note

Before starting a receiving flow, configure the product correctly in Products. If the product is perishable or serializable, that option must be set before scanning.

Lots for perishable products must already be entered in Putaway WMS.

Where applicable, the lot must include the manufacturing date and expiry date.

Opening The Receiving Page

To start receiving, open the Goods receiving page from the Warehouse operations menu.

The option appears in the menu only if the user has permission for goods receiving and a warehouse is selected. If the user manually opens the page address without this permission, the application sends them to Dashboard and the receiving screen does not load.

If no warehouse is selected, receiving cannot load suppliers and receiving locations. If the selected warehouse is no longer accessible, the application displays Warehouse access denied and clears the current warehouse selection.

Two receiving types are available on this page:

• Receiving without supplier order
• Receiving based on a supplier order

Each flow works differently.

Receiving Types

Receiving Without Supplier Order

This flow is used when you receive goods from a supplier, but there is no supplier order previously created in Putaway WMS.

For this flow, select Receiving without order.

Receiving Based On A Supplier Order

This flow is used when you receive goods for an existing supplier order.

In this case, select the required order from the list, for example Receive order 1.

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Receiving Without Supplier Order

Receiving without an order is done in several steps:

1. Selecting the supplier
2. Selecting the receiving type
3. Scanning the receiving location
4. Scanning products
5. Choosing the condition of received products

1. Selecting The Supplier

The first step is choosing the supplier from the available list.

If you have many suppliers, you can find the supplier quickly using the search field.

2. Selecting The Receiving Type

After selecting the supplier, Putaway WMS displays the receiving type selector.

For this flow, choose Receiving without order.

3. Scanning The Receiving Location

After choosing the receiving type, you are redirected to the step where you must scan the Receiving location.

At this stage, Putaway WMS displays the message:

Scan the receiving area where you want to receive the goods.

Scan the receiving location label where you want to record the products.

Note

The location must already exist in the warehouse and must be an active Receiving location.

If the scanned location does not exist or is not a receiving location, Putaway WMS displays an error message like:

No receiving location with code “CODE READ BY SCANNER” exists in this warehouse.

By default, receiving locations are made of three segments separated by hyphens, for example:

• R-Z-1
• R-Z-2

The first two segments come from the receiving prefixes configured in Warehouse -> Warehouse settings. R and Z are the default values. The number at the end represents the receiving location number in the current warehouse.

Caution

For receiving without a supplier order, you cannot use a receiving location that already contains products for which a goods receipt note has been issued, but for which the Putaway process has not been completed.

In this situation, Putaway WMS displays a message like:

You cannot use receiving location R-Z-1 because receiving documents have been issued. Start and complete the putaway process so the location becomes active again, or use another location.

If the location is empty or already contains products from the same supplier, with no receiving document issued and no link to a supplier order, you move to the product scanning step.

Putaway WMS displays a confirmation message like:

Location R-Z-2 was selected! Scan a product barcode to add it.

In this example, R-Z-2 is the receiving location code where products will be scanned.

4. Scanning Products

After selecting the receiving location, you can start scanning products.

Receiving can be done from:

• mobile scanning device;
• phone or tablet camera;
• computer or laptop connected to a barcode scanner.

Putaway WMS can read barcodes directly through the phone or tablet camera without requiring a dedicated laser scanner. The camera opens from the camera icon in the active field. After browser permission is granted, Putaway WMS automatically detects the code in frame and stops reading on that code. The operator checks what was detected, then presses Confirm code to send the code into the current step or Scan again if the label was not read correctly.

For accepted scans, Putaway WMS plays a success sound. For rejected scans, unconfigured products, wrong supplier, or wrong lots or serial numbers, it plays a warning sound. Sounds may be limited by the browser, silent mode, device volume, or phone or tablet audio policies. The message displayed on screen remains the main confirmation.

Tip

For receiving done directly in the warehouse, using a mobile device is recommended because the operator can scan products directly in the receiving area.

Putaway WMS searches for the product by the scanned barcode. If you selected a supplier, the product must be linked to that supplier in the catalog. If the product does not exist, does not have the barcode configured, or is not linked to the selected supplier, the scan is rejected.

Fields Available When Scanning Products

The scanning screen includes the following fields:

Barcode

This is the field where product barcodes scanned from products are entered automatically.

Quantity

This field allows manually entering the received quantity.

For better accuracy, it is recommended to scan each item individually instead of manually entering large quantities.

Product Condition

Below the barcode and quantity fields is the selector for product condition.

The following options are available:

Product condition	Usage
Good	For products that can be sold and later moved to storage locations.
Damaged	For products that can no longer be sold. They can be moved only to quarantine locations.
Quarantine	For products that must be checked before deciding whether they can be sold or must be adjusted as defective products.

The “Good” Condition

The Good condition is selected by default.

It is used for products that can be sold and can later be moved to storage locations.

Note

Storage locations accept only products in Good condition.

The “Damaged” Condition

The Damaged condition is used for products that can no longer be sold.

These products can be moved only to Quarantine locations.

The “Quarantine” Condition

The Quarantine condition is used for products where, at receiving time, it cannot be determined exactly whether they can still be sold.

Products remain in quarantine until a manager or quality control responsible person decides whether they:

• can be sold;
• can be sold at a reduced price;
• must be adjusted as defective products in Inventory adjustments.

Tip

Use Quarantine when the product must be checked before it enters stock available for sale.

Scanning Products In Receiving Without Supplier Order

After scanning the receiving location, the page enters product scanning mode.

The selected location remains visible at the top, and the product condition selector is below the scan field.

For each received product:

1. Scan the product barcode.
2. Check or enter the quantity.
3. Choose the product condition: Good, Damaged, or Quarantine.
4. If the product is perishable, select the correct lot.
5. If the product is serializable, enter the serial numbers required by Putaway WMS.
6. Confirm adding it to the receiving location.

Lots, Serial Numbers, And Fast Scanning

Putaway WMS uses the product configuration from Products to decide what it requests during receiving.

• Perishable product: Putaway WMS asks for the lot during scanning. The lot is chosen from Lots for the product supplier. If the scanned label contains LOT:LOT-CODE, Putaway WMS tries to select the lot automatically. If it cannot find it, it opens the lot selector.
• Serializable product: Putaway WMS asks for serial numbers during scanning. If the scanned label contains SN:SERIAL, the received quantity from that scan is 1 and the serial number is filled automatically.
• Perishable and serializable product: the label can contain the product code, lot, and serial number in one code. If the lot or serial number is missing, Putaway WMS opens the missing step.

The accepted format for fast scanning is:

BARCODE;LOT:LOT-123;SN:SERIAL-1

BARCODE must be one of the product barcodes. The LOT: and SN: segments are optional and are used only when the product is configured for lots or serial numbers.

Labels can be generated from Products using the Print labels action. Choose the barcode, code type (QR Code or Data Matrix), size, and number of labels.

If the product is marked perishable, the print dialog allows including a lot on the label. If the product is marked serializable, the dialog allows entering manual serial numbers or automatically generating serial numbers. For products marked with both options, the label can include both LOT and SN, and receiving reads this information during scanning.

Note

For serializable products, the number of entered serial numbers must match the received quantity.

For example, if you receive 3 pieces of a serializable product, you must enter 3 serial numbers.

Caution

Do not use the same receiving flow for products that belong to another supplier.

Receiving without order is linked to the supplier selected at the beginning of the flow.

Products With Lot

For perishable products or products tracked by lot, Putaway WMS opens the lot selector.

Select the correct lot before adding the product to receiving.

Note

Lots must already exist in the product catalog. If the lot is missing, it must be created before the product can be correctly received on that lot.

The lot data used in receiving is preserved further in:

• stock in the receiving location;
• the Putaway process;
• Transfer;
• Traceability;
• stock reports.

Serializable Products

For serializable products, Putaway WMS requires entering serial numbers before adding the product to receiving.

Serial numbers can be entered one below another, one serial number at a time.

Tip

If you use a physical scanner or the phone or tablet camera, scan each serial number one by one in the serial numbers field.

Putaway WMS does not complete adding the product if the number of serial numbers does not match the quantity.

Correcting Scanned Products And Completing Receiving

After the receiving location is selected, the action menu for the current location appears on the right side of the page header. The menu is available only while the location is not locked and has no products documented through a goods receipt note or adjustment.

The main actions are:

Action	When it is used
Clear receiving area	Appears when there are products that can be removed. Resets the scanned content in the current location. Use this action if you started receiving in the wrong location or if receiving must be restarted from zero.
Remove	Appears when there are products that can be removed. Enables product removal mode. Use this action when you scanned a wrong product, wrong quantity, wrong lot, or wrong serial number.
Finish	Appears after the location contains products. Closes receiving for the current location and locks the location until the next documentary step. For receiving on a supplier order, Putaway WMS first checks differences against the order.
Add HU	Appears when the location allows handling unit work. Use the action to scan a box, pallet, or container where the next products will be added.

Caution

Clear receiving area is not only a visual page change. The action deletes the scanned products from the receiving location and must be confirmed before execution.

It cannot be used if the location is locked or if products are already linked to receiving documents or adjustments.

To remove a wrongly scanned product, use Remove, then select the product line from the receiving list. Putaway WMS opens a dialog where you confirm the quantity to remove. For serializable products, select the serial numbers that must be removed.

After confirmation, Putaway WMS validates the location, barcode, quantity, product condition, lot, serial numbers, and warehouse access. If the data does not match the stock in receiving, removal is refused.

For receiving without supplier order, Finish locks the receiving location. After locking, the operator can no longer add, remove, or clear products from that location in the receiving screen.

Receiving Into Handling Units

Receiving can also be done into handling units, for example:

• boxes;
• pallets;
• containers.

To work with a handling unit, scan its code in the dedicated HU mode.

After selecting the handling unit, scanned products are added into that unit, not directly as loose products in the receiving location.

Handling units can be:

• selected as the current destination for scanned products;
• nested into each other, where the physical structure requires it;
• sealed;
• unsealed;
• emptied;
• removed from the receiving location if they are empty.

Handling unit actions are available in the location menu or in each unit’s menu:

Action	What it does
Add HU	Scans a handling unit and attaches it to the receiving location or to the current unit.
Select	Changes the current destination. Products scanned after selection enter that unit.
Empty HU	Removes products from the selected unit, including from child units.
Remove HU	Removes the unit from the receiving location. If the unit contains products, they are removed together with the unit.
Seal HU	Closes the unit so it can no longer receive products until it is unsealed.
Unseal HU	Reopens a sealed unit for corrections or additions.

Caution

You cannot add products into a sealed handling unit.

If you need to change the contents, the unit must be unsealed first.

Putaway WMS does not allow products with different conditions to be mixed in the same handling unit. If you have good, damaged, and quarantine products in the same receiving flow, keep them loose in the location or separate them into different child units. A parent unit cannot be sealed if it has empty children or if child units contain different conditions.

Putaway WMS automatically releases empty handling units when the location is locked at completion. In receiving without supplier order, if there are empty units in the structure, the application asks for confirmation before completion.

Receiving Based On A Supplier Order

For receiving based on a supplier order, the flow starts from the same receiving screen.

First select the supplier. After selecting the supplier, Putaway WMS displays the receiving selector:

• receiving without order;
• supplier orders available for the current warehouse.

For order-based receiving, select the order you want to receive.

Note

Only supplier orders that belong to the current account, selected supplier, and current warehouse, with a status ready for receiving, are displayed.

Draft, cancelled, or already received orders are not used in this selector.

After selecting the order, Putaway WMS loads the order details and switches to the receiving screen.

If that order already has products scanned in a receiving location, Putaway WMS automatically selects the same location and displays the existing products. Receiving for the same order must continue in the same location.

If receiving has not started yet, Putaway WMS asks for a receiving location scan, for example R-Z-1, depending on the prefixes configured in warehouse settings.

Putaway WMS refuses the location if:

• the location is not a receiving location;
• the location is locked;
• the location contains products already documented through a goods receipt note or adjustment;
• the location is used by another order;
• the location contains products that cannot be mixed with the current receiving flow;
• the order was already started in another receiving location.

Products appear on the screen as they are scanned into the receiving location. For products that are part of the order, the product card shows progress against the ordered quantity.

A product that is not in the order can be accepted as surplus if it passes product, supplier, lot, serial number, and location validations. The surplus is not hidden: it appears at completion in the verification dialog.

Putaway WMS validates receiving using the current account and warehouse. The operator must have goods receiving permission and access to the warehouse where they work.

Completing Order-Based Receiving

At the end of order-based receiving, Putaway WMS checks the differences between the supplier order and the products scanned in the receiving location.

Three situations can appear:

Situation	What it means
Complete match	Received quantities match the order.
Surplus	Receiving contains products or quantities higher than ordered.
Shortage	Receiving contains quantities lower than ordered.

If there are no differences, receiving is completed directly.

If there are differences, Putaway WMS opens the verification dialog:

• for surplus, you see the product, ordered quantity, received quantity, and extra quantity;
• for shortages, you see the product, ordered quantity, received quantity, and remaining quantity.

If the surplus must be kept, confirm completion. If the surplus must not be kept, cancel completion, remove the extra received products from the receiving location, and start completion again.

For shortages, the current flow completes receiving with the difference displayed in the dialog. A child order is not created automatically in this step.

Caution

Completion uses the current version of the order.

If another user changed the supplier order in the meantime, Putaway WMS refuses completion and you must reload the data.

What Happens After Completion

After receiving is completed, with or without a supplier order, the receiving location is locked to protect stock until the next documentary and operational step.

Depending on the internal flow, the next step is:

• issuing the receiving document from Documents -> Goods receipt note. The goods receipt note is generated based on the products in the receiving location. See Goods receipt note;
• processing an adjustment if, after the goods receipt note, there is a physical difference that must be corrected in the same receiving location. Adjustment in receiving can be done only for an unlocked location that has products linked to a goods receipt note. It is not used to replace receiving or for a receiving location without a goods receipt note. The adjustment is executed from Inventory adjustments, and the resulting document is visible in Adjustment documents;
• starting the Putaway process, after products in receiving have the required documents and can be moved from the receiving location to storage, quarantine, or a cart.

If receiving is linked to a supplier order and there are missing products, the choice between closing the order and creating a child order is made on the Goods receipt note page, not in the receiving screen.

Tip

After documents are issued, complete the Putaway process so the receiving location becomes available again for new receiving flows.