# Put away received stock
URL: https://support.starshipit.com/articles/14700000000009-put-away-received-stock
Canonical: https://support.starshipit.com/articles/14700000000009-put-away-received-stock
Markdown: https://support.starshipit.com/articles/14700000000009-put-away-received-stock.md
Updated: 2026-08-06

> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://support.starshipit.com/llms.txt).

> Move received stock from staging docks to final warehouse locations using putaway jobs on desktop or mobile.

**Putaway** is the process of moving received stock from a staging area to its final storage location — such as a bulk shelf or a pick face.

When you receive a delivery into a **Staging Dock**, WMS automatically creates one or more putaway jobs to complete the placement. This two-step workflow (receive, then put away) lets your receiving team log deliveries quickly without needing to know final locations at the time of receipt.

If you receive stock directly into a final location (direct putaway), no putaway job is created — the stock is immediately available.

## When to use staging vs direct putaway

| Workflow detail | Direct putaway | Staged putaway |
|---|---|---|
| **How it works** | Receive directly into a pick face or bulk location | Receive into a staging dock; complete putaway separately |
| **Best for** | Small deliveries, known locations, fast-moving SKUs | Large or mixed deliveries, separate receiving and putaway teams, new SKUs |
| **Putaway job created** | No | Yes |
| **Stock available for picking** | Immediately | After putaway is completed |

## Choose how WMS assigns destinations

Staged putaway jobs use one of two destination modes. **Advisory** is the default. **Enforced** gives workers a planned route and requires them to use the destinations assigned by WMS.

| Destination behavior | Advisory | Enforced |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Destination choice** | WMS suggests locations, but the worker chooses any valid destination. | WMS assigns each line to a valid destination. |
| **Capacity** | Capacity can appear as a warning, but the worker can still choose the location. | WMS reserves destination capacity and checks it again when stock is placed. |
| **Route** | The worker chooses which item and destination to complete next. | The worker gathers the planned load, then places it in the configured location sequence. |
| **If a destination cannot be used** | Choose another valid location. | Select **New location** to ask WMS to replan the line. |

:::note
Changing the destination mode applies to new putaway jobs only. Existing jobs keep the mode they were created with.
:::

## Turn on enforced putaway

### Before you begin

* Configure the storage locations that WMS can use for putaway. Add capacities and location sequences where required.
* Configure at least one **Equipment** location, such as a trolley or cart.
* If your job interface requires scanning, add readable barcodes to products, source locations and destination locations.

### Enable enforced putaway

1. Go to **System > Settings**.
2. Under **Operations**, select **Putaway**.
3. Turn on **Enforce Putaway Locations**.
4. Create a staged putaway job.
5. Open the job and confirm that it shows **Enforced destinations** and a **Putaway Route**.

For 3PL stock, WMS only offers equipment that can accept the clients in the job. Use empty or same-client equipment, or allow mixed-client stock on an equipment location.

## Working a putaway job

### Complete an advisory putaway job

1. Go to the **Putaway** section in WMS.
2. Select a job linked to a staging location or PO.
3. Review the list of items and quantities currently in staging.
4. For each item:
   * Review the planned allocation or choose the target location (bulk, pick face, or other).
   * Optionally split quantities across multiple locations — for example, send some units to bulk storage and some to the pick face.
5. Complete the job to move stock out of staging into the final locations.

The putaway job shows the staged quantity, suggested destination and any batch or expiry details that must stay with the stock movement.

![A putaway job showing staged products, suggested destinations and tracking details](/uploads/articles/starshipit-wms/web/inbound/putaway-job.png)

### Complete an enforced putaway route

1. Go to the **Putaway** section in WMS.
2. Open a job marked **Enforced destinations**.
3. Select the equipment you will use to collect the stock. WMS locks that equipment to the job after gathering starts.
4. Follow the planned lines and gather each item from staging onto the equipment.
5. Follow the route to the next assigned destination.
6. Scan or confirm the destination, then place the item.
7. Repeat the destination and placement steps until the job is complete.

Select **New location** if the assigned destination cannot be used. WMS assigns another valid destination and updates the remaining route. You cannot choose an arbitrary destination in enforced mode.

When a putaway job is completed, WMS:

* Reduces the quantity in the staging location.
* Increases on-hand stock at the destination location(s).
* Records **PUTAWAY** stock movement entries.

### Putaway job statuses

Putaway jobs move through statuses — Pending, Assigned, In Progress, and Completed — so supervisors can see at a glance which deliveries are actively being put away versus waiting to be started.

Putaway jobs are available from the jobs navigation, and long putaway jobs are paginated so large inbound receipts remain workable. If a receipt contains many lines, complete the visible pages in order and confirm the final job summary before closing the job.

### Putaway on mobile

The WMS mobile app supports both destination modes. Advisory jobs let the worker select each item and destination. Enforced jobs guide the worker through the planned gather and placement route.

See [Put away and replenish stock in WMS Mobile](/articles/14700000000027-putaway-and-replenishment-on-mobile) for the mobile steps.

## Creating a putaway job manually

You can also create a putaway job from the **location detail view**:

1. Open the location that has stock you want to move (for example, a staging dock).
2. Use the **Create Putaway Job** action.
3. WMS shows all inventory at that location and creates a job to move it to its designated storage locations.

This is useful for clearing staging or receiving docks, or for moving orphaned inventory that arrived through a non-standard process.

## Verifying putaway

After putaway is complete, confirm the stock is in the right place using:

* **Location view** — select the destination location to see all products and quantities stored there.
* **Inventory dashboard** — check that on-hand quantities have updated correctly for the received SKUs.
* **Stock movement logs** — locate the RECEIVE and PUTAWAY entries for the PO to verify the full inbound trail.

## Troubleshooting enforced putaway

### No destination is available

Check that at least one valid storage location has enough capacity for the stock. If the job interface requires scanning, the destination must also have a barcode.

### No equipment is available

Add an **Equipment** location. For client-owned stock, use equipment that is empty, already contains stock for the same client, or allows mixed-client stock.

### The assigned destination cannot be used

Select **New location** on the planned line. WMS recalculates the destination and refreshes the remaining route.

## Best practices

* **Receive into staging for large or complex deliveries.** Let the receiving team log quantities quickly, then have a dedicated putaway run to sort and move stock efficiently.
* **Standardise destination rules for common SKUs.** Identify which products go to bulk and which go straight to pick faces, and brief your team so putaway is consistent.
* **Complete putaway promptly.** Stock in staging is not typically available for picking. Delays in putaway can affect order allocation and fulfilment times.
* **Monitor PARTIALLY_RECEIVED POs.** Stock may be in staging or awaiting putaway. Regularly review partial receipts to ensure nothing is forgotten.

## Related guides

* [Receiving stock](/articles/14700000000008-receiving-stock)
* [Suppliers and purchase orders](/articles/14700000000007-suppliers-and-purchase-orders)
* [Locations and warehouse setup](/articles/14700000000033-starshipit-wms-locations-and-warehouse-setup)
* [WMS settings reference](/articles/14700000000031-wms-settings-reference)