Receiving & Putaway

Q: Can the system learn from our warehouse layout and picking patterns?

Yes, the putaway location optimizer analyzes historical placement and picking data to improve location recommendations over time, becoming more accurate as it processes more shipments.

Q: Do we need to replace our existing spreadsheet or barcode scanner?

No, the automation integrates with your current tools; it reads from and writes to your spreadsheet and works with standard barcode scanners.

Q: What happens to items that fail the damage inspection?

Staff mark items as damaged in the system, which flags them for quarantine or return and prevents them from being assigned to putaway locations.

Q: Will the fulfillment team receive notifications automatically?

Yes, once a shipment is fully received and putaway is complete, the system sends an automatic notification via your chosen channel, Slack or email, so the team knows stock is ready.

Accurate stock placement from the moment a truck arrives, without paper-chasing or manual data entry.

1.0k hrs

Manual time identified

Companies have mapped

Map This Automation

About This Automation

Receiving and putaway is the process of accepting incoming shipments, verifying contents, and placing stock into warehouse locations. Manual counting, location assignment, and data entry consume significant time and introduce errors that compound downstream during picking and fulfillment.

Automation extracts shipment data from packing slips and purchase orders, verifies item counts in real time, and assigns optimal putaway locations based on warehouse layout and picking frequency. The result is faster receipt processing, fewer discrepancies, and more accurate stock placement.

Key features:

Extract shipment data automatically from packing slips and purchase orders to eliminate manual data entry

Verify item counts and flag discrepancies at receipt time before putaway begins

Assign putaway locations based on warehouse layout, item characteristics, and picking patterns

Log all receipt and putaway activity in real time for full traceability and audit compliance

Notify the fulfillment team automatically when stock is ready for picking

Data insights How it works Apps used What you get FAQ

Top friction points when done manually

The issues teams report most often with this process

#	Friction point	Companies Report This
1	Manual item count verification Counting items by hand and cross-checking against packing slips is time-consuming and error-prone, often catching discrepancies too late.	80%
2	Guesswork putaway location assignment Staff assign locations based on habit or convenience rather than warehouse layout or picking frequency, leading to inefficient picking routes.	67%
3	Manual barcode scanning and data entry Scanning or typing SKUs into spreadsheets is repetitive and introduces transcription errors.	53%
4	Spot-check verification delays Spot-checking a few items after putaway misses placement errors that surface during picking.	40%
5	Informal notification to fulfillment Email or verbal messages about stock availability are unreliable and may not reach the right person in time.	26%

Disclaimer

Automation readiness

How well-suited this process is for automation

Process Pain Score™

9.3/ 10

AI Fit Rating™

8.7/ 10

Automation Lift Index™

8.5/ 10

Hidden Overhead™

7.1/ 10

How The Automation Works

The full workflow, from trigger to completion.

1. Shipment Arrivestrigger

A new shipment is received at the dock. The receiving document (packing slip or ASN) is scanned or uploaded to initiate the workflow.

2. Extract Receipt Data

The automation reads the packing slip or ASN and extracts item SKUs, quantities, and expected counts using OCR or manual data entry.

3. Validate Against Purchase Order

The extracted data is matched against the original purchase order in the system to flag any quantity or item mismatches.

4. Assign Putaway Locations

An intelligent analyzes warehouse capacity, item type, and frequency of use to automatically assign optimal putaway locations for each item.

5. Log Receipt in Inventory System

The receipt, item details, and assigned locations are automatically logged into the inventory management system or spreadsheet.

6. Notify Warehouse Team

A message is sent to the warehouse team with the putaway instructions, item locations, and any discrepancy alerts.

Most popular tool stack used

— the complete tool combinations companies use

48% of companies

28% of companies

14% of companies

Disclaimer

What you get when you map this process

Everything you need to understand, plan, and build your automation.

ROI and business case

What this process costs today and what changes once it's automated.

Launch schedule

What gets built, in what order, and what success looks like once it's live.

Process runbook

How the automation runs day to day, including exceptions and human decision points.

Developer handover pack

Full build spec, logic, and configuration — ready to hand off without a briefing call.

Integration and connections guide

Every tool connection, credential, and data mapping the build needs.

Test and QA plan

168 hrsIdentified

4Mapped

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Frequently asked questions

Everything you need to know before mapping this process.

What happens if a discrepancy is found during automated count verification?

The system flags the discrepancy immediately and halts putaway for that item, notifying warehouse staff to investigate and resolve the issue before stock is placed.

Can the system learn from our warehouse layout and picking patterns?

Do we need to replace our existing spreadsheet or barcode scanner?

What happens to items that fail the damage inspection?

Will the fulfillment team receive notifications automatically?

View more FAQs

Process pain:9.3/10

Mapped by:4 Companies

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Page updated 10 August 2026