Normally, when orders are fulfilled through a connected sales channel, no bin is truly picked, rather the goods leave a warehouse, and the shipment is recorded with a storage bin chosen (and batches and serial numbers).

Bin movements automation allows you to decide, per location, which bins Katana takes that stock from. Match it to how your team really picks, so your bin quantities stay accurate.

Note: Storage bins are part of the Warehouse Management add-on.

How it works

Katana uses location rules when automatically booking stock:

Sales orders (SOs) fulfilled outside Katana: orders delivered through a connected sales channel such as Shopify.
Kits and bundles: when an SO with a kit or bundle is packed or delivered, Katana automatically assembles it and takes components using location rules.
Products made to order: when a make-to-order manufacturing order is completed automatically (because its connected SO shipped), its ingredients are taken by the same rules.

Kits, bundles, and make-to-order products follow the same rules whether the order ships through a sales channel or you pack or deliver it directly in Katana.

If you choose bins on an order, or use Auto-assign traceability on an order card, your own choice is used.

Setting automation preferences (per location)

Head to Settings > Inventory management > Locations > Storage bins.
Choose a location and ensure Track inventory in storage bins is enabled.
Open Bin movements automation.
Choose an option under Take stock from:
The choice is saved instantly and applies to all applicable orders. Completed orders are unchanged.

Note: If a location doesn't track inventory in storage bins, Bin movements automation is greyed out, and stock is booked there without bins.

Take stock from:

Option	Where Katana takes stock	Item has no default storage bin	Not enough stock
Any bin with stock	Any bin, the one with the least stock first	Any bin	The rest is recorded in Unassigned
Default storage bin first	The item's default storage bin, then other bins	Any bin	The rest is recorded in Unassigned
Default storage bin only	Only the item's default storage bin	Recorded in Unassigned	The default bin goes below zero

Which option to choose

Any bin with stock: you don't keep items in fixed places.
Default storage bin first: pickers work from each item's default bin and top up from an overflow bin when it runs low.
Default storage bin only: every item has a home bin that pickers always ship from. If stock is missing, you'll see it on the shelf where it happened.

Example

A Shopify order ships 5 units of a mug. Its default storage bin is A-01, and bin B-07 holds 1 unit.

Take stock from	A-01 holds 10	A-01 holds only 2
Any bin with stock	B-07: 1, A-01: 4	B-07: 1, A-01: 2, Unassigned: 2
Default storage bin first	A-01: 5	A-01: 2, B-07: 1, Unassigned: 2
Default storage bin only	A-01: 5	A-01: 5 (A-01 goes to −3)

Batches and serial numbers

For batch-tracked and serial-number-tracked items, Katana takes the earliest expiry date first, then by the date it was added to Katana. Expired batches are skipped.

Any bin with stock: expiry and age come first, across all bins. Bin size only decides between equal batches or serial numbers.
Default storage bin first: batches and serial numbers in the default bin come first, then those in other bins.
Default storage bin only: only batches and serial numbers in the default bin are used.

When stock runs short

An order fulfilled outside Katana is never stopped. It has already shipped, so Katana records it even when the bins don't hold enough stock. This also means inventory preferences don't block these orders.

The quantity that stock can't cover is recorded without a batch or serial number:

Any bin with stock and Default storage bin first: it's recorded in Unassigned.
Default storage bin only: for orders fulfilled outside Katana, it's taken from the default storage bin, which goes below zero. Otherwise, it's recorded in Unassigned.

When you pack or deliver an order in Katana, your inventory preferences still apply. If they prevent negative stock, an order that stock can't cover isn't completed.

A default bin below zero shows the gap on the shelf where it happened. It usually means stock was moved to that bin, or put away there, without a bin transfer. When you record the missing transfer, the bin is correct again.

Bins already assigned on order

If an order row already has bins, batches or serial numbers assigned, Katana keeps them and only fills in the rest.

Changing bins after the order

You can change the bins, batches and serial numbers on a completed order at any time. To see each bin's quantity for an item, including bins below zero, open the item on the Stock screen. Read more about the Stock screen.

Your feedback is invaluable. Let us know your thoughts on this article or anything in Katana you'd like to see improved: [email protected]

Bin movement automation