Put-away is the warehouse process of moving received goods from the intake area to their assigned storage locations, using rotation logic and zone allocation to ensure products are stored safely, traceably and in a way that supports efficient retrieval.
In trade practice
In food warehouses, a warehouse management system directs put-away by matching the product’s temperature requirement, batch number and remaining shelf life to an appropriate location, and enforces separation rules between allergen-containing and allergen-free lines. For frozen goods, the time between receipt and put-away must be minimised to prevent partial thawing. Staff scan each pallet into its location to create a traceability record from the moment of storage. Errors at put-away, such as placing a product in the wrong temperature zone, are among the most common causes of cold chain failures identified at audit.
In a specification
Warehouse operating procedures referenced in a third-party logistics contract should define the maximum permitted time between goods receipt and confirmed put-away, particularly for frozen and chilled products.