Operations

Bin-level storage management

Crate models your physical warehouse digitally — from the building down to the individual bin. Every item is tracked at the most granular location, giving your team precise visibility into what's stored where and how much space is left.

Location Hierarchy

Five levels from facility to shelf position

Every location in Crate is a distinct entity with its own attributes. The hierarchy gives your team a shared language for where things are — from the warehouse floor to inventory reports.

L1

Warehouse

The top-level facility. Each warehouse operates independently with its own structure and stock.

L2

Zone

Functional areas within a warehouse — storage, receiving, staging, quarantine, damaged goods.

L3

Aisle

Physical pathways between rack rows. Aisles organize the zone into navigable corridors.

L4

Rack

Vertical shelving units along aisles. Each rack contains multiple shelf levels.

L5

Bin

The most granular storage location. Every inventory position in Crate is tracked at the bin level.

Capabilities

What you can do with bin management

Capacity Tracking

Define capacity per bin to prevent over-stocking a location. Crate tracks current fill against maximum capacity and surfaces utilization metrics.

Barcode-Scannable Bins

Every bin has a unique code that can be printed as a barcode label. Scan during putaway, cycle counting, or stock transfers for instant location identification.

Status Management

Mark bins as active, inactive, or reserved. Inactive bins are excluded from putaway suggestions. Reserved bins hold stock for specific orders or operations.

Utilization Reporting

See which zones and bins are over-utilized or sitting empty. Utilization data helps optimize warehouse layout and identify storage bottlenecks.

Zone Types

Designate zones by purpose — storage, receiving, staging, quarantine, damaged. Zone types drive operational rules and access controls.

Flexible Layout

Model any warehouse layout, from simple single-aisle storage to complex multi-zone facilities with temperature-controlled areas and hazmat isolation.

Zone Types

Organize space by purpose

Zones aren't just labels — they drive how your warehouse operates. Each zone type carries operational meaning that Crate uses to enforce rules and surface the right data in the right context.

Storage

Primary holding area for inventory. Bins are available for putaway and picking operations.

Receiving

Inbound dock area where GRNs are processed. Stock stays here until putaway is complete.

Staging

Temporary holding for goods in transit between operations — awaiting QC, packing, or dispatch.

Quarantine

Isolated area for items that failed inspection or are under review. Moving stock out requires approval.

Damaged

Designated area for damaged goods pending disposition — return to supplier, write-off, or repair.

Model your warehouse in Crate

Schedule a demo and we'll set up your warehouse layout — zones, aisles, racks, and bins — so you can see how bin-level tracking works with your actual facility.