Odoo18 has a feature that allows you to specify the storage location for the product according to the product type. By using the Storage Categories feature, we can group multiple storage locations into a single category. A storage category is used with putaway rules, as an extra location attribute to automatically propose optimal storage locations for products. So, we need to create storage locations before configuring the storage categories.
To complete the setup, follow these steps:
* Activate the Storage Category feature.
Enable the Storage Category option in inventory settings to begin using this feature.
* Create a Storage Category with specific restrictions.
Define a storage category based on your warehouse’s needs, adding any specific limitations related to product handling or storage conditions.
* Link the category to storage locations.
Assign the defined storage category to different storage locations for better organization.
* Incorporate the storage category into a putaway rule.
Add the storage category as a parameter within your putaway rules to automatically direct products to the appropriate storage locations.
To configure the storage location, go to the settings page of the inventory module and enable the storage location.
Once you have enabled the storage location, navigate to the Configuration section. In this section, you will find the option for Storage Categories.
Here are some storage categories that have already been created. These categories are designed to help you organize your items more efficiently. If you'd like to add a custom category to better suit your needs, you can easily do so by clicking the "New" button.
* Storage Category: Name of the Storage category
* Max Weight: Maximum weight that can be stored under this category.
* Allow New Product: when the location is considered available to store a product:
* If location is empty: Products are added only if the location is empty.
* If products are the same: Products are added there only if the same product is already there.
* Allow mixed products: several different products can be stored in this location at the same time.
Capacity by weight
On the storage category form, go to the configuration of the inventory module and select storage categories. In the storage category form, you’ll find an option to set the maximum product weight in the "Max Weight" field. This limit will apply to each location assigned to this storage category.
Capacity by Package
It is possible to perform real-time storage capacity checks for companies that use packages by monitoring the available space based on the type of package being utilized. This feature allows businesses to track and manage their storage capacity more efficiently.
Here, the package type is set to "Box" with a maximum of 2 boxes for a specific location, and the maximum weight for the storage category is set to 300.
Capacity by Product
Similarly, we can add a product to this category by clicking the "Add Line" button.
A maximum of 20 storage boxes and 10 large cabinets can be stored at a single location with storage categories ‘High-frequency medium’ type.
After creating a storage category, we need to assign it to a location.
Create a new location called " Box1" under the parent location WH/Stock/Box and assign the newly created storage category to this location.
After configuring the storage category for the location, create Putaway rules.
Putaway rules can be set up based on individual products, product categories, and/or package types.
Putaway refers to the process of assigning products to the correct storage locations once shipments arrive. Odoo facilitates this process using putaway rules, which define how products should be directed to various warehouse locations. When shipments arrive, operations are triggered according to the putaway rules, ensuring products are placed in designated locations for efficient access during future orders.
In warehouses that handle specific types of products, these rules can also help prevent incompatible or hazardous items from being stored together, by directing them to separate locations as specified by the warehouse manager.
Go to Inventory module -> Configuration -> Putaway Rules.
To create the putaway rule, click the "Create" button. In the newly opened form, choose the appropriate storage category from the "Having Category" field.
Here, we set the "To Location" as WH/Stock and the "Having Category" as High-Frequency Medium.
Now, we will create a purchase order for the storage box, and then receive the products.
Here, we have an option for sublocation. The available choices for sublocation are No, Last Used, and Closest Location, and we can select the option based on our requirements. If we choose Last Used, the product will be moved to the last used location. If we select Closest Location, the product will be placed in the nearest location to where it arrives.
Here we can see the moves. The product storage box is moved WH/Stock/Box1 location.
In Odoo18, the Storage Category feature helps efficiently manage product storage by organizing them into categories based on factors like weight, product type, or package size. By enabling this feature, we can assign storage categories to different locations, optimizing warehouse organization. Storage categories are linked to putaway rules, which automate the process of directing products to the appropriate locations upon receiving shipments. This system ensures efficient use of space and reduces the risk of storing incompatible products together. Overall, configuring storage categories and putaway rules streamlines inventory management, improving warehouse efficiency and accuracy.
To read more about How to Handle the Storage Categories of the Locations in Odoo 17, refer to our blog How to Handle the Storage Categories of the Locations in Odoo 17.