Bin Management

Bin Management provides tools to edit bin identifiers, relocate bins, and manage bin information. Change bin names, view previous bin locations, and import or export bin data via CSV. This tool is essential for reorganizing warehouse layouts, correcting bin identifiers, and maintaining accurate bin records.

Quick Access

Navigate to Bin Management from Warehouse Overview or Inventory menu (accessible via /editingBinlist.php) to edit bin information. Requires editingBin user level permissions.

Why Use Bin Management?

Edit Bin Identifiers

Change bin names when reorganizing warehouse layouts or correcting bin identifiers. Update Current BIN while preserving Previous BIN history.

Relocate Bins

Move bins between warehouse locations. Update bin location assignments while maintaining bin history.

View Bin History

See Previous BIN information to track bin movements and changes over time. Maintain audit trail of bin relocations.

Bulk Operations

Import or export bin data via CSV for bulk updates. Export bins for re-counting or moving operations.

Search and Filter

Find bins quickly using advanced search by BIN, SKU, UPC, Account, or Location. Filter to specific subsets for editing.

File History

Track CSV import history. Review past imports and download success/error reports for bulk operations.

Accessing Bin Management

1. Navigate to Bin Management

   Click Bin Management from Warehouse Overview or navigate to /editingBinlist.php. The page loads showing all bins.

2. View Bin Table

   Browse the table showing bin information: Location, Current BIN, Previous BIN, SKU, UPC, Description, Qty_Good, Volume, and Account.

3. Search for Bins

   Use the search form to filter bins by BIN, Previous BIN, SKU, UPC, Account, or Location.

4. Edit Bins

   Click Inline Edit on any bin row to edit the Current BIN identifier.

Key Features

Bin Table Columns

The Bin Management table displays comprehensive bin information:

Location Information:

• Location - Warehouse location identifier (id_location)
• Current BIN - Current bin identifier (BIN) - Editable
• Previous BIN - Previous bin identifier (BINLast) - Shows bin history

Product Information:

• SKU - Product SKU in the bin (read-only)
• UPC - Product UPC/barcode (read-only)
• Description - Product description (read-only)

Bin Details:

• Qty_Good - Quantity in good condition (QtyProductID) - Read-only
• Volume - Bin volume capacity (UnitVolumenPrice) - Read-only
• Account - Company/account name (AcountID) - Read-only

Editing Bin Identifiers

Change bin names when reorganizing or correcting identifiers:

1. Find Bin

   Use search filters to locate the bin you want to edit.

2. Click Inline Edit

   Click Inline Edit link on the bin row (only available if bin format is valid).

3. Edit Current BIN

   Change the Current BIN field value. Previous BIN is automatically preserved.

4. Save Changes

   Click Update to save the new bin identifier.

5. Cancel Edit

   Click Cancel to discard changes and return to view mode.

Bin Format Validation

Only bins with valid format can be edited inline. Bin format must match pattern: [Letter][Number]-[Number][OptionalLetter/Number] (e.g., A1-123B12).

Bin Editing

• Only Current BIN can be edited - all other fields are read-only
• Previous BIN is automatically updated when Current BIN changes
• Bin must have valid format to enable inline editing
• Changes are permanent - Previous BIN preserves history

Advanced Search

Filter bins using advanced search criteria:

Available Search Fields:

• Current BIN - Search by bin identifier (contains search)
• Previous BIN - Search by previous bin identifier (contains search)
• Sku - Search by product SKU (contains search)
• Upc - Search by product UPC (contains search)
• Account - Filter by account/company (dropdown selection)
• Location - Filter by warehouse location (dropdown selection)

Using Advanced Search:

1. Open Search Form

   The search form appears at the top of the page.

2. Enter Search Criteria

   Fill in any combination of search fields:

   • Type text in Current BIN, Previous BIN, SKU, or UPC fields
   • Select Account from dropdown
   • Select Location from dropdown

3. Execute Search

   Click search button or press Enter. Table filters to show matching bins.

4. Clear Search

   Click Show all link to clear all filters and show all bins.

Basic Search:

Use the basic search box for quick text search across multiple fields:

• Exact phrase - Matches exact phrase
• All words - All words must appear (AND logic)
• Any word - Any word can appear (OR logic)

Exporting Bin Data

Export bin data to CSV for bulk operations:

Export Options:

1. Open Export Dialog

   Click Export to CSV link at the top of the page.

2. Select Export Type

   Choose export purpose:

   • Re-count - Export bins for re-counting operations
   • Move - Export bins for moving/relocation operations

3. Generate Export

   Click Export button. CSV file downloads automatically.

4. Use Export File

   Open CSV file in Excel or text editor. File includes all bin data for selected operation type.

Export File Contents:

CSV export includes:

• Location
• Current BIN
• Previous BIN
• SKU
• UPC
• Description
• Qty_Good
• Volume
• Account

File name format: Bin-manager-YYYYMMDDHHMMSS.csv

Importing Bin Data

Import bin changes from CSV file:

1. Prepare CSV File

   Create CSV file with bin data matching export format. Include columns: Location, Current BIN, Previous BIN, SKU, UPC, Description, Qty_Good, Volume, Account.

2. Open Import Dialog

   Click Import CSV link at the top of the page.

3. Upload File

   Select your CSV file and upload it.

4. Review Results

   System processes import and shows results:

   • Success Report - Download link for successfully imported bins
   • Error Report - Download link for bins with errors

5. Download Reports

   Click download links to review success and error reports.

Import Requirements

• CSV file must match export format exactly
• Bin format must be valid for each row
• Location and Account must exist in system
• Errors are reported in error CSV file

File History

View history of CSV imports:

1. Open File History

   Click File History link at the top of the page.

2. Review Import History

   See list of past CSV imports with dates and status.

3. Download Reports

   Download success or error reports from past imports if available.

Viewing Product Pictures

Some bins may have product picture links:

1. Find Bin Row

   Locate the bin you want to view.

2. Check Picture Link

   If product has picture URL configured, a Picture link appears in the row.

3. View Picture

   Click Picture link to open product image in new tab.

Picture Availability

Picture links only appear if product has SKU URL configured in account preferences. Not all products have picture links.

Understanding Bin Format

Bins must follow a specific format to be editable:

Valid Bin Format:

• Pattern: [Letter][Number]-[Number][OptionalLetter/Number]
• Examples:
  • A1-123 - Simple format
  • A1-123B - With letter suffix
  • A1-123B12 - With letter and number suffix
  • T1-45 - With location prefix (T, S, P, F, M, N, R)

Format Validation:

• First part: One letter followed by 1-2 numbers (e.g., A1, T12)
• Separator: Hyphen (-)
• Second part: 2-3 numbers (e.g., 123, 45)
• Optional suffix: Letter or letter+numbers (e.g., B, B12)

Invalid Formats:

• Missing hyphen
• Too many numbers
• Invalid characters
• Wrong order

Understanding Bin Fields

Current BIN vs Previous BIN

Current BIN:

• Active bin identifier used in warehouse operations
• Can be edited to change bin name
• Used for picking, put-away, and inventory tracking

Previous BIN:

• Shows previous bin identifier before last change
• Automatically updated when Current BIN changes
• Preserves history of bin relocations
• Read-only field

When BIN Changes:

1. User edits Current BIN
2. System saves new Current BIN
3. Old Current BIN becomes Previous BIN
4. History is preserved for audit trail

Read-Only Fields

These fields cannot be edited in Bin Management:

• Location - Change via Relocate Bin in Warehouse Overview
• SKU - Product SKU cannot be changed here
• UPC - Product UPC cannot be changed here
• Description - Product description cannot be changed here
• Qty_Good - Quantity changes via inventory operations
• Volume - Change via Edit Volume in Warehouse Overview
• Account - Account assignment cannot be changed here
• Previous BIN - Automatically updated, cannot be edited manually

💡 Best Practices

Validate Bin Format First

Before editing bins, ensure they follow valid format. Only valid format bins can be edited inline.

Use Search to Find Bins

Use advanced search to filter bins before editing. This helps focus on specific subsets and reduces errors.

Export Before Bulk Changes

Export bins before making bulk changes. This provides backup and allows offline preparation of changes.

Review Import Errors

Always download and review error reports after CSV imports. Fix errors and re-import corrected rows.

Preserve Bin History

Previous BIN field preserves history automatically. Don’t manually edit Previous BIN - let system track changes.

Use File History

Check File History regularly to track CSV imports and review past bulk operations.

Troubleshooting

Can’t Access Bin Management

Problem: Bin Management page doesn’t load or shows access denied.

Solutions:

1. Verify you have editingBin user level permissions
2. Ensure you’re logged in with appropriate user level
3. Check if bin management feature is enabled
4. Try refreshing the page
5. Contact administrator if access issues persist

Inline Edit Not Available

Problem: Inline Edit link doesn’t appear or is disabled.

Solutions:

1. Verify bin format is valid - only valid format bins can be edited
2. Check if you have edit permissions
3. Ensure bin exists and has data
4. Try refreshing the page
5. Contact administrator if edit permissions are missing

Can’t Edit Bin

Problem: Bin edit doesn’t save or shows errors.

Solutions:

1. Verify new bin format is valid
2. Check if bin name already exists (duplicates may not be allowed)
3. Ensure Current BIN field is not empty
4. Review error messages for specific issues
5. Try editing a different bin to test
6. Refresh page and try again

Export Not Working

Problem: Export to CSV doesn’t work or file doesn’t download.

Solutions:

1. Check browser popup blockers
2. Verify export feature is enabled
3. Try selecting export type (Re-count or Move) before exporting
4. Check browser download settings
5. Try a different browser
6. Contact administrator if export feature is not available

Import Errors

Problem: CSV import shows many errors or fails completely.

Solutions:

1. Download error report to see specific issues
2. Verify CSV format matches export format exactly
3. Check bin formats are valid in CSV
4. Ensure Location and Account values exist in system
5. Review CSV file for data errors (empty fields, invalid characters)
6. Fix errors and re-import corrected rows

Search Not Working

Problem: Search filters don’t show expected results.

Solutions:

1. Verify search values are correct (check spelling, format)
2. Try clearing all filters and searching one field at a time
3. Check if multiple filters are conflicting
4. Use “Show all” to reset filters
5. Refresh page and try search again

Previous BIN Shows Incorrectly

Problem: Previous BIN doesn’t match expected value.

Solutions:

1. Previous BIN is automatically updated - cannot be edited manually
2. Check bin history to see all previous values
3. Verify bin was edited correctly (Previous BIN updates on Current BIN change)
4. Review bin edit history if available
5. Contact administrator if Previous BIN consistently incorrect

Picture Link Not Showing

Problem: Picture link doesn’t appear for products.

Solutions:

1. Picture links only appear if product has SKU URL configured
2. Check account preferences for SKU URL settings
3. Verify product has picture URL configured
4. Picture links are optional - not all products have them
5. Use Catalog Management to view product pictures if needed

Related Documentation

Next Steps:

• Warehouse Overview - View bins with complete inventory details
• Locations - Manage warehouse locations
• Catalog Management - View products and inventory quantities

Related Features:

• Bin Flow - Manage minimum/maximum bin levels
• Bin History - View complete bin change history
• Assign Bins - Assign bins to products