When every operator decides “where it looks right”, space vanishes and picks slow. Directed Putaway gives the system the job it’s best at: balancing dimensions, weight, velocity, and proximity to pick faces to choose the most efficient location instantly. Start simple or go deep with rules. Keep user overrides while you build confidence, then dial up automation. The result is steadier shifts, cleaner aisles, and storage that feels effortless.
Rules match SKU height, weight, family, and handling constraints to suitable locations. No more 1-metre pallets stranded in 2-metre bays. Space is used properly and replenishment paths shorten.
Lot, FEFO, hazardous classes, temperature zones. Codify requirements and let the system enforce them at putaway. Audits are simpler because decisions are consistent and recorded.
As velocity changes, suggested zones and proximity rules adapt. Fast movers migrate closer to pick faces; slow movers step back. You keep travel low without periodic “big bang” reshuffles.
Choose advisory mode with user override, or go fully system-led. Start steady, prove the logic, then tighten the rules as confidence grows… without stalling the floor.
Directed Putaway reduces mental load on operators, gives managers a clean, predictable floor, and lets leadership scale without adding aisle miles. Your warehouse stops arguing about “where it should go” and starts flowing.
Set the rulebook once. Align sites on space, safety, and service. With Directed Putaway, policy becomes practice… so SLAs hold through peaks and expansions without re-slotting drama.
Stop making spot calls. Operators see the best slot on their device, with clear source, route, and destination. Exceptions surface fast; travel drops; putaway hits cut-offs without lane blockages.
Turn data into location logic. Tune height/weight thresholds, popularity bands, and adjacency to pick faces. The system applies your model consistently… no lapses, no tribal knowledge gaps.
Clarus evaluates each receipt against a live location model. It considers product dimensions and weight, current occupancy, location constraints, rotation rules, and proximity to pick faces. The engine returns an optimal slot instantly and pushes step-by-step instructions to handhelds. You can keep it basic (first suitable free location) or activate advanced criteria that balance fit, travel, and velocity. All scans are captured, building an audit trail of who put what, where, and when.
Adoption is staged by design. Many teams begin with suggestions plus user override to avoid stalls, then tighten rules as scenarios are covered. After a few months of turnover, pallets settle into better positions, and downstream processes accelerate because stock is where it needs to be. Our solutions consultants can help shape the rule set and rollout so you see gains fast without risking flow.
How strict are the rules and can we override them?
You choose. Run guidance-only to start, permit user overrides, or go fully system-led. Many teams begin with light-touch governance, then tighten rules as confidence grows. This balances control with flow and prevents early bottlenecks.
What signals does Clarus use to select a location?
At minimum, fit to dimensions and availability. Advanced strategies consider height, weight, product popularity, proximity to pick faces, and compliance constraints. The system has a complete view of the warehouse and decides faster and more accurately than ad-hoc choices at the truck.
Will Directed Putaway slow us down during rollout?
It shouldn’t. Start with suggestions and allow overrides so the floor never stalls. As scenarios are covered, reduce overrides. Within months (as stock turns) positions improve and downstream tasks speed up.
How does it help with compliance and safety?
Rules encode limits for height, weight, hazard classes, or temperature zones. Operators are only sent to compliant locations. Scans record proof of placement for audits and investigations. Safer storage isn’t left to memory.
Can we tailor strategies by site or customer?
Yes. Keep a simple strategy in a small site and a more sophisticated one in a flagship DC. Apply customer-specific rules where required. Templates make it easy to clone and tweak across locations.
Who sets this up and how long does it take?
Power users can configure strategies in-platform, and our solutions consultants can help design and validate rules. Most teams start seeing benefits quickly because guidance begins working from day one… even before you fine-tune advanced criteria.
