Lagerorte
Also: Lagerort, Lagerplatz, Lagerorte, Lagerfächer, Regalfach, Lagerstelle, Storage Location, Bin Location
AI-generated
Storage locations are defined physical places or areas in a warehouse where goods are deliberately placed and retrieved. In the warehouse management system, they form the spatial foundation for putaway, picking, and inventory management.
Key facts
- Storage locations form the spatial foundation of the WMS and control putaway, replenishment, and picking.
- Each storage location carries attributes such as temperature zone, hazardous goods class, or access type, which automatically trigger putaway rules.
- The depth of the storage location hierarchy should match actual process requirements – overly granular structures unnecessarily increase maintenance effort.
- Inconsistently maintained storage location master data is a common cause of inventory discrepancies and posting errors.
- Temporary storage locations for peaks or special-use areas can be created separately in most WMS solutions and activated flexibly as needed.
What are storage locations?
A storage location is a uniquely identifiable place within a warehouse to which goods can be assigned. The granularity ranges from broad units such as a building or zone down to a single bin in a rack. In a warehouse management system (WMS), storage locations are typically mapped hierarchically – usually following the structure Site → Building → Zone → Rack → Level → Bin. Each storage location is assigned a unique address that both staff and the system can reference, typically via barcode or RFID labels on the rack and bin.
How do storage locations work in practice?
The WMS assigns attributes to each storage location that govern system behavior. Typical attributes include:
- Temperature zone: refrigerated, deep-freeze, or ambient temperature
- Hazardous goods class: controls which items may be stored here
- Access type: FIFO, LIFO, or random storage
- Location type: reserve location, pick location, or transit location
- Blocking flags: for quality holds, maintenance, or temporary usage restrictions
Based on these attributes, the WMS automatically determines which item is stored at which location. Putaway rules, replenishment strategies, and pick orders are built directly on the storage location structure. Missing or inconsistently maintained attributes lead to posting errors, unnecessary search times, and inventory discrepancies.
Temporary storage locations – for example for seasonal peaks, trade fair goods, or construction zones – can be created as a dedicated location type in most WMS solutions and activated or blocked as needed. How flexibly this works in any given case depends heavily on the software in use.
What matters when designing and selecting a structure?
The storage location structure should be as granular as the process requires, but no finer. A hierarchy that is too deep increases maintenance effort, while one that is too flat prevents precise inventory statements. When building or migrating a storage location structure, three questions are central: Is the addressing logic intuitively readable for warehouse staff? Can putaway rules and blocking logic be fully controlled via attributes without manual intervention? And how are exceptions – damaged locations, special-use areas, external buffer warehouses – cleanly integrated into the structure?
For inventory management, maintaining accurate storage location master data is just as important as physical labeling. Discrepancies between the system and reality can be identified and resolved through periodic stocktakes or continuous inventory counts at the location level.
Related terms
- Artikelstammdaten
Item master data refers to the permanently valid base data of an item – such as dimensions, weight, packaging units, hazardous goods classification, and best-before date relevance. It forms the foundation for all logistical, procurement-related, and system-driven processes along the supply chain.
- Automatisches Kleinteilelager (AKL)
The Automated Small Parts Warehouse (AKL) is a fully automated storage system for totes, trays and small parts, in which storage and retrieval operations are performed without manual intervention by stacker cranes or shuttle systems.
- Bestandscontrolling
Inventory controlling refers to the systematic monitoring, analysis, and management of stock levels using defined key performance indicators. It connects logistics and procurement to reduce tied-up capital and ensure delivery capability.
- Bestandsführung
Inventory management refers to the system-supported administration and continuous updating of all warehouse and material stocks within a company. It forms the basis for planning, procurement and accounting – and ensures that the book inventory and physical inventory are in agreement at all times.
- Bestandsmanagement
Inventory management refers to the systematic planning, control, and monitoring of stock levels across the entire supply chain. The goal is to ensure delivery capability while keeping capital commitment and warehousing costs within economically viable limits.
- Blocklager
A block storage system is a storage method in which load units — typically pallets — are stacked directly on the floor in rows and blocks without any racking structure.
- Bodenlagerung
Floor storage refers to the storage of goods directly on the floor, without the use of racking systems. Pallets, stacks, or marked floor positions serve as the basic structure for area organization.
- Chaotische Lagerhaltung
Chaotic storage is a warehousing principle in which items are not stored in fixed, pre-assigned locations, but are instead dynamically placed in any available, suitable slot in the warehouse. A warehouse management system handles the control and tracking of all storage locations.
- Charge
A batch is a uniquely identifiable quantity of products manufactured or processed under identical conditions. It forms the basis for traceability, quality control, and legally required recall processes throughout the entire supply chain.
- Disposition
Disposition refers to the operational planning and control of resources, quantities, and orders in logistics – for example in transport or materials disposition. It encompasses capacity assignment, scheduling, prioritization, and response to disruptions.