Log in
QuickBooks Commerce
  • Product
    • Multichannel Sales Sell across different sales channels with ease.
    • B2B Commerce Platform A private and customizable B2B store for your business.
    • Automation Optimize your order and shipping workflows.
    • Quick Overview
    • Inventory Control
    • Order Management
    • Purchasing
    • Warehouse Management
    • Reporting

    • What's New Find out what has launched, and what's coming soon
    • In Depth Features
  • Integrations
    • Shopify
    • WooCommerce
    • Squarespace
    • Amazon
    • Amazon FBA
    • ShipStation
    • View All Integrations
  • Pricing
  • Customers
    • Health, Wellness & Cosmetics
    • Fashion & Accessories
    • Sports & Recreation
    • Food & Beverage
    • Gifts, Toys & Games
    • Electronics
    • View All Case Studies
  • Resources
    • Learning Center
    • Free Tools
    • Free eBooks
    • Free Webinars
    • Videos
    • FAQs
    • Support
  • Blog
Get started
  • What is warehouse management
  • Warehouse management process
  • Warehouse arrangement & set-up
    • Warehouse location management
    • Warehouse layout
    • Inventory management
    • Safety management
  • Warehouse operations management
    • Lean warehouse management
    • Putaway Process
    • Order lead time
  • Warehouse fulfillment
    • Warehouse picking
    • Warehouse packing
    • Warehouse shipping
  • Warehouse technology and barcode scanning systems
  • Warehouse management system
  • Warehouse management template
Share this page

Table of Contents

  • What is warehouse management
  • Warehouse management process
  • Warehouse arrangement & set-up
    • Warehouse location management
    • Warehouse layout
    • Inventory management
    • Safety management
  • Warehouse operations management
    • Lean warehouse management
    • Putaway Process
    • Order lead time
  • Warehouse fulfillment
    • Warehouse picking
    • Warehouse packing
    • Warehouse shipping
  • Warehouse technology and barcode scanning systems
  • Warehouse management system
  • Warehouse management template

Warehouse inventory management: Making your ‘movements’ profitable

Warehouse inventory management is a systematic approach to obtaining, tracking, and profiting from inventory as it moves in, through, and out of either one or more warehouses.

Warehouse inventory management tasks

  • Managing the storage of inventory

Inventory, here, can refer to raw materials, products in development, finished products, and MRO goods. It’s essential that you know where these materials are held, as well as the levels of each stock within your warehouse.

  • Recording and fulfilling incoming and outgoing purchase orders

Whenever items are received or delivered, you’ll need to have processes in place to ensure these transfers are documented accurately. This also applies whenever transferring inventory within your warehouse (or otherwise transferring it internally).

  • Controlling available stock

Warehouse inventory management is all about maintaining healthy levels of accessible inventory. So — in both a concrete and abstract sense — you’ll need to have proper visibility and control over your inventory at all times.

woman doing inventory management in a warehouse

The importance of warehouse inventory management

Inventory management minimizes your chances of experiencing stockouts or spoilage through the use of strategic planning and forecasting, as well as proper use of storage space.

When you always know how much of a given unit you’ll need at any given time, you’ll be equipped to maximize the flow of said inventory as it goes through your warehouse.

Inventory management also protects from excessive inventory damage or loss. Since all items are tracked as they move through your warehouse, it will actually prove difficult for your team to lose said inventory along the way.

In clearly defining your inventory’s path through your warehouse, you’ll minimize unnecessary touchpoints — making it less likely that the items will be damaged while under your control.

What’s more, proper warehouse inventory management ensures that items are stored and delivered in an optimal location for accessibility purposes. For instance, you may decide to store items with high turnover nearer to your loading area, while leaving less ideal locations for inventory with low turnover and longer shelf life.

Ultimately, all of this adds up to one overarching benefit: an improved bottom line.

 

Read next

Warehouse safety management: How to maximize and minimize

qbo-marketing-devices-screen
Combine finances, inventory, and warehouse management in a single platform

Save time and money by signing up for a free trial of QuickBooks Commerce today

Start my free trial now
Company

  • About Us
  • Meet the Team
  • Careers
  • Partner portal

Help

  • Contact Details
  • FAQs
  • Status
  • Support documents

Learning Center

  • Inventory Management
  • B2B eCommerce
  • Wholesale Management
  • Supply Chain Management
  • Warehouse management

Powerful Tools

  • B2B Commerce Platform
  • Mobile Sales App
  • Automation

About Intuit Join Our Team Press Affiliates And Partners Software And Licenses

© 2021 Intuit Inc. All rights reserved.
Intuit, QuickBooks, QB, TurboTax, Proconnect and Mint are registered trademarks of Intuit Inc. Terms and conditions, features, support, pricing, and service options subject to change without notice.

By accessing and using this page you agree to the Terms and Conditions.   |   Privacy Statement

Feedback

Questions? Comments? We’d love to hear from you...