Difference between receiving and putaway?

Receiving confirms what goods arrived (quantity, batch, quality). Putaway is the next step: physically moving goods into storage locations and recording the location in the WMS.

Fixed or dynamic putaway?

Fixed is simple but wastes space. Dynamic (WMS picks the location) maximises utilisation and places fast movers optimally, but needs disciplined scanning. Most modern warehouses use dynamic.

How does putaway affect stock accuracy?

If the location isn't scanned/recorded at putaway, stock becomes ‘lost' in the warehouse. The WMS links each unit to an exact location, maintaining accuracy.

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Category: Logistică

Putaway

Quick answer: The process of storing received goods in optimal locations immediately after receipt.

Key takeaways

Fixed location — each SKU has a fixed slot
Random / dynamic — the system picks the optimal free location in real time
Zone-based — by rotation zones (fast/slow) or temperature

What putaway is

Putaway is the process of moving received goods from the receiving area into optimal storage locations. A good putaway strategy shortens later picking times and maximises space utilisation.

Putaway strategies

Fixed location — each SKU has a fixed slot

Random / dynamic — the system picks the optimal free location in real time

Zone-based — by rotation zones (fast/slow) or temperature

Why it matters

Placing fast movers close to the shipping area dramatically cuts picking distance. Chaotic putaway (‘wherever there's room') raises the cost of every later order.

How Azuvio helps

The Azuvio WMS suggests the optimal putaway location based on SKU rotation, dimensions and storage rules (batch, expiry, temperature), confirmed by scanning — book stock becomes accurate in real time.

Frequently asked

Difference between receiving and putaway?: Receiving confirms what goods arrived (quantity, batch, quality). Putaway is the next step: physically moving goods into storage locations and recording the location in the WMS.
Fixed or dynamic putaway?: Fixed is simple but wastes space. Dynamic (WMS picks the location) maximises utilisation and places fast movers optimally, but needs disciplined scanning. Most modern warehouses use dynamic.
How does putaway affect stock accuracy?: If the location isn't scanned/recorded at putaway, stock becomes ‘lost' in the warehouse. The WMS links each unit to an exact location, maintaining accuracy.

Where Azuvio fits

Related terms

Goods receipt — The process of checking and recording goods entering the warehouse, matched against the purchase order and delivery note.
WMS (Warehouse Management System) — The system orchestrating physical warehouse operations: receiving, putaway, picking, packing, shipping.
Slotting — Strategically assigning products to warehouse locations based on rotation, size and affinity to minimise picking effort.
Bin location — The unique physical address of a storage slot (aisle-rack-level-position), the foundation of warehouse organisation.

Last updated: 2026-07-06