"We have it, but it is at the other store." Every growing retailer has said it. When stock is spread across a shop floor, a back store, a warehouse or several branches, knowing where it is matters as much as knowing how much you have.
We built Warehouses into Xduka POS for managing stock locations and moving stock between them.
What the feature does
The Warehouses page is where you manage stock locations and transfers. It has two main parts: Locations and Transfers.
Locations
For each location you can set a:
- Name, such as "Main" or "Back Store".
- Code, a short identifier.
- City.
One location is the Default, and you can change it with Set default. When you add a product, you choose which warehouse its stock is kept at; it defaults to Main.
Transfers
To move stock between locations, create a New transfer:
- Choose the From warehouse and To warehouse.
- Choose a Product and Quantity, then Add item. Repeat for more products.
- Click Create draft transfer.
The transfer then moves through clear steps:
- Ship: the stock leaves the source location.
- Receive: the stock arrives at the destination.
- Cancel: if the transfer should not go ahead.
The Transfers list shows every transfer and its progress.
Why this matters
No more invisible stock
Without location tracking, stock in the back store is easy to forget, and you might reorder something you already have. With warehouses, you can see where stock is held.
Moves are recorded on both sides
A transfer is not just "stock disappeared here and appeared there". The draft, ship and receive steps create a record, so if something goes missing in between, you know when and where.
Better restocking decisions
Before ordering from a supplier, check whether another location has spare stock. Moving stock you already own is usually cheaper than buying more.
Who benefits
- Hardware stores with a yard or store room separate from the counter.
- Supermarkets and minimarts with a back store.
- Wholesalers with a warehouse and a sales point.
- Businesses with several outlets that move stock between them.
How warehouses connect to the rest of Xduka POS
- Products have a warehouse field that sets where their stock is kept.
- Inventory shows stock levels with Low Stock, Out of Stock and Expiring Soon views, and supports adjustments, stock-outs and audits.
- Stock adjustments include a "transfer" reason type for recording related movements.
- Purchase orders replenish stock when deliveries are received.
Good practices for transfers
- Always use a transfer to move stock; never just carry it across and adjust later.
- Ship when it leaves, receive when it arrives, not before.
- Count on arrival and investigate any differences.
- Use clear location names and codes so staff pick the right one.
- Review open transfers that have been shipped but not received.
Quick checklist
- Create locations with clear names, codes and cities.
- Set the default location.
- Assign products to the right warehouse.
- Use transfers for every stock movement between locations.
- Ship when stock leaves and receive when it arrives.
- Review shipped transfers that have not been received.
A quick example
For example, say a hardware store in Ruiru has a small shop counter and a larger yard a short walk away. Bulk cement and iron sheets are kept in the yard, while smaller items sit at the counter. Each morning, the manager creates a draft transfer for the counter's needs, ships it when the yard staff send it over and receives it when it arrives. The counter never runs dry, and the yard's stock figures stay accurate.
Frequently asked questions
What is the default warehouse for?
New products keep their stock at the default location unless you choose another. Products default to Main.
Can I cancel a transfer?
Yes. Transfers can be cancelled if they should not go ahead.
Can one transfer include several products?
Yes. Use Add item to include as many products as you need before creating the draft transfer.
Who can manage warehouses?
Warehouses appear for users with inventory access. Changing stock requires inventory management permission, which owners and managers have by default.
Know where every item is
Warehouses and transfers in Xduka POS give you a clear picture of where your stock is and a reliable record of how it moves. That means fewer "it is at the other store" moments and better restocking decisions.
Explore our inventory features on the features page, or start at www.xduka.com.
