This guide will give you an introduction to storing. When storing products, there are a few important things to keep in mind:
Avoid squeezing inflatable items to fit more products in a bin. They can reinflate and the bin can be overfilled. This can hinder robot to retrieve them and in the worst-case scenario, the system may need to be stopped and put into service mode until the bin is manually adjusted.
To maximize the available space within the bin, always choose the smallest compartment layout that can accommodate your product. Using bins with 16 compartments for storing small items like jewelry would be a smarter choice in terms of space efficiency. Similarly, opting for bins with 4 compartments for t-shirts would be a wiser use of space.
This video will guide you through the process of storing in Pio. Begin by watching the video, and then explore additional step-by-step information below the video for further clarification.
Topics covered in this article
Step 1 - Select bin layout
Step 2 - Search the product
Step 3 - Add products to inventory
Step 4 - Return to homepage or store another item
Exit storing
Helpful tips for storing
Step 1 - Select bin layout
Before storing products in the grid, it is essential to consider the appropriate bin layout. This decision depends on the size and quantity of the products being stored.
You have the option to choose from six different layouts with 1, 2, 4 (two variations), 8, or 16 compartments.
See more details on choosing bin layout here: How to optimize storage capacity in bins.
Once you have decided on the bin type, simply click ‘Confirm bin layout’ to proceed.
Step 2 - Search the product
To add products to the bin, you can either:
- scan the barcode to find the product in Pio app or
- search for SKU or product title
Scan the barcode or search for product
If your iPad is connected to a barcode scanner and your products have barcodes, you can scan the barcode to find the correct product. Alternatively you can search for your product using the SKU number or product title.
When searching using a product title, make sure to check the SKU number, and double check that the size and/or color of your product is correct before storing.
Step 3 - Add products to inventory
Add the quantity of items
Once you have found your product with the app and placed it into the correct compartment of the bin, you can use the plus-button on the screen or tap the quantity field to specify the number of items you have stored in that compartment.
For added product accuracy, we recommend to use the hand scanner to scan each item you put into the bin. This will secure that all the products added to the bin have the correct SKU.
Once all products have been added, select ‘Store items’ to send the bin back to the grid.
Step 4 - Return to search page to store another item
Once you've added the item(s), you will see the search result page again, and the same bin layout will be available in the port. This is to simplify and speed up the storing procedure. You can choose to store the same product again in the same bin layout, or scan/search for another SKU.
Best practice for storing
Best practice for storing items is to stage the products by size first and continue to store in the same bin layout. When you are done storing in the chosen bin layout, select the button in upper right corner to 'Change bin layout'.
Exit storing
To exit storing flow, select the 'Exit' button in upper left corner of the screen. A dialog box will ask you to confirm to exit the flow.
Match stored items with purchase orders
If you utilize Purchase orders or if you have set up the Inventory Planner integration with Pio, it is important to locate the appropriate purchase order when storing the product. This can be extra useful if you have multiple vendors for the same product.
If the product you are storing is associated with a purchase order, Pio will automatically provide suggestions for relevant purchase orders. The listed purchase order shows how many products are ordered and how many of these have been received.
Select the relevant purchase order to match the incoming inventory with:
If there are active purchase orders in Pio, but none of them correspond to the item you are currently storing, you can bypass the matching process and proceed directly to the Storing page by choosing the 'Store without matching' option.
Helpful tips for storing
Oversized items - storing products that are too large for bins
When storing items that are too large to fit into a bin, it is essential to include them include them in the stock using the Pio app. Larger items can be stored on a shelf or a specific location in the warehouse.
Read more on how to store oversized items in this article: How to store shelf items.
Optimize storage capacity when storing
Consider how you choose bin layouts and utilize bins to optimize the storage capacity in the grid.
Read more on storage capacity in this article: How to optimize storage capacity in bins.
Configure bins
While storing items, you may encounter situations where you run out of desired bin layout. In such cases, exit the Storing flow and navigate to the "Configure bins" section to change the layout of existing bins.
Read more on bin configurations in this article: How to configure bins