Receiving Loose Goods Inbounds

How to receive and complete inbound deliveries to your warehouse. 

IN THIS TOPIC

• Receiving Containers
• Receiving Palletized Deliveries

This guidance is specific to loose goods reservations. If your warehouse uses LPNs, refer to Receiving LPNs instead. If you're not sure which type of reservation you have, reach out to your Flexe Logistics Analyst or contact us at [e-mail]. 

Receiving Containers

After a confirmed inbound delivery arrives at your warehouse, you can start the process of receiving and completing it. 

Note: To learn more, go to Confirming Inbound Deliveries. 

To receive an inbound container delivery:

1. Select Inbound Deliveries from the left menu, then open the delivery. 

You can find received deliveries in the Receiving tab on the Inbound Deliveries page. 

2.  Select Print Receiving List.

This generates the receiving list in a new tab, in PDF format. The list includes everything you should expect to receive in the container.

Use the "Print" icon at the top to print the list; also make sure to print all pages. 

3. Record received item quantities on the receiving list.

Use the receiving list to manually record everything received, and track any issues if needed. 

Here's a quick breakdown of how to navigate and use the receiving list:

• SKU - This shows the SKU number and description for each item.
• Quantity - This shows the quantity of the item expected in the delivery. 
• Packaging - This describes how the item is packaged (e.g. in eaches or cartons).
• UPC Barcode - The UPC assigned to the SKU.
• Inventory Info - This shows quantities per unit for the item, as well as the TiHi for pallets (as input by the shipper).
• Received - Use this section to record the amount of the item physically received. If everything is accurate, enter a "check" mark. If there are any discrepancies, write down those amounts here.
• Issues - Use this section to track any other issues with the received inventory (e.g. waterlogged or crushed items). If you're not sure whether something might be an issue, reach out to your Flexe Logistics Analyst or contact us at [e-mail].

Note: If the shipper uses Flexe's First Article Inspection (FAI) service, the receiving list will look different, and you'll need to record additional inventory information during the receiving process. To learn more, go to First Article Inspection During Inbound Receiving.

4. Enter received quantities from your receiving list in Flexe.  

Go back to the Inbound Delivery details page in Flexe to enter quantities received from your receiving list: 

• Use the Shippable Items section to enter the number of items that can be put away in storage and shipped out on orders. 
• Use the Damaged Items section to enter the number of items that need to be moved to Quality Audit, and that cannot be shipped out on orders.  

5. Choose a staging location.

Use the dropdown menu to set the inbound staging location for the delivery.

The options available in the dropdown will only include locations in the "Inbound Staging" category in your warehouse. 

Note: To learn how to choose a different location, go to Creating and Managing Locations.

6. Confirm pallets and print pallet labels.

Use the # shippable pallets? column to enter the number of pallets you're building for the inbound. Or, if the container was already palletized, enter the total quantity of pallets. 

Note: This directly impacts how the container is billed for inbound handling, so make sure what you're entering is accurate! 

If you're building single-SKU pallets, you can use the Print option under Labels to print labels for each pallet. The correct number of pallet labels should automatically be generated, based on the TiHi. However, make sure to confirm you have all the labels you need. 

7. Enter the container arrival time.

Go to the Enter Inbound Container Arrival Time section to add the date and time the container arrived at the warehouse.

Note: The time you enter for arrival should be within 24 hours of the final confirmed delivery window. If you're not sure whether this applies to you, reach out to your Flexe Logistics Analyst or contact us at [e-mail]. 

8. If required, select an inbound type for the container. 

For some reservations, you need to indicate whether the container received was Palletized (pallets arrived already assembled) or Floor Loaded (new pallets need to be built prior to putaway).

If this is required for your reservation, you'll be prompted to select an inbound type, based on how the container arrived at the warehouse.  

Note: If this section applies to your reservation, it directly impacts how the container is billed for inbound handling--so make sure what you're entering is accurate! 

9. Upload the signed Bill of Lading.

Go to the Upload Signed Bill of Lading section, then select Upload to upload a copy of the provided Bill of Lading (BOL). 

Note: If you (or the carrier) don't have this document, you can upload a packing list as the BOL instead.

Choose the BOL file from where it's saved on your computer. Then set the Document Type to "Bill Of Lading," and select Upload Document. 

Once uploaded, the BOL is listed under Documents & Labels at the top of the page: 

10. Review everything, then select Complete and Finalize Delivery. 

Review everything to make sure what you physically received in the container delivery matches what you entered in Flexe. Correct any discrepancies or issues, as needed. 

Then, select Complete and Finalize Delivery. 

The container delivery then moves to the Completed tab on the Inbound Deliveries page.  

An email notification is also sent to the shipper to confirm that the delivery is complete--however, the shipper is unable to view and access inventory from the delivery until you move it to storage. To learn more about moving inventory to storage as the next step, go to Putaway.

Note: You can print pallet labels for completed inbounds from the Container Contents section. Look for the Print option under Pallet Labels.  

Receiving Palletized Deliveries

To receive and complete a palletized inbound delivery:

1. Select Inbound Deliveries from the left menu, then open the delivery. 

You can find received deliveries in the Receiving tab on the Inbound Deliveries page. 

2.  Select Print Receiving List.

This generates the receiving list in a new tab, in PDF format. The list includes everything you should expect to receive in the delivery.

Use the "Print" icon at the top to print the list; also make sure to print all pages. 

Note: The first page typically includes a Warehouse Receipt Confirmation (which needs to be signed by relevant representatives at your warehouse) and a Driver Release (which needs to be signed by the carrier). 

3. Record received item quantities on the receiving list.

Use the receiving list to manually record everything received, and track any issues if needed. 

Here's a quick breakdown of how to navigate and use the receiving list:

• SKU - This shows the SKU number and description for each item.
• Quantity - This shows the amount of each SKU expected in the delivery.  
• Packaging - This describes how the item is packaged (e.g. in eaches or cartons).
• UPC Barcode - The UPC assigned to the SKU.
• Inventory Info - This shows the quantities per unit for the item, as well as the TiHi for pallets (as input by the shipper). 
• Received - Use this section to record the amount of the item physically received. If everything is accurate, enter a "check" mark. If there are any discrepancies, write down those amounts here.
• Issues - Use this section to track any other issues with the received inventory (e.g. waterlogged or crushed items). If you're not sure whether something might be an issue, reach out to your Flexe Logistics Analyst or contact us at [e-mail]. 

Note: If the shipper uses Flexe's First Article Inspection (FAI) service, the receiving list will look different, and you'll need to record additional inventory information during the receiving process. To learn more, go to First Article Inspection During Inbound Receiving. 

4. Print pallet labels. 

Go back to the Inbound Delivery details page in Flexe to print labels for pallets in the delivery.

You can print full page labels on standard (8.5" x 11") paper, or by using 4" x 6" sticker labels on a Zebra printer. 

5. Upload the completed receiving list.

Select Upload Receiving List to upload your completed receiving list, which includes your signed Warehouse Receipt Confirmation and signed Driver Release. 

In the window that opens, select Choose File, then select the completed receiving list from where it's saved on your computer.

Make sure set the Document Type to "Receiving List," and add a description, as needed. Then select Upload Document. 

6. Select an inbound staging location. 

Use the dropdown menu to set the inbound staging location for the delivery.

The options available in the dropdown will only include locations in the "Inbound Staging" category in your warehouse. 

Note: To learn how to choose a different location, go to Creating and Managing Locations. 

7. Review and verify the delivery. 

Open the Inbound Pallets tab to review everything you're receiving on the delivery. Carefully check all information here, making sure that what you've physically received matches what's entered. 

If a pallet has the wrong SKU, use the AS NEEDED: If Pallet Has Wrong SKU option under Actions. Then, follow the on-screen instructions to select the correct inventory for the pallet. 

Note: If there's a different issue or discrepancy, contact us at [e-mail] to get it corrected. DO NOT select Complete Inbound Delivery. After you do this, the delivery cannot be changed or corrected. 

8. Select Complete Inbound Delivery. 

After you've carefully reviewed and verified everything, select Complete Inbound Delivery.

The delivery then moves to the Completed tab on the Inbound Deliveries page. 

An email notification is also sent to the shipper to confirm that the delivery is complete--however, the shipper is unable to view and access inventory from the delivery until you move it to storage. 

To learn more about moving inventory to storage as the next step, go to Putaway.