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How to Transfer Inventory Between Warehouses

Updated

Move inventory between warehouse locations while maintaining accurate tracking and inventory counts. Inventory transfers ensure proper documentation when relocating stock from one warehouse to another.

Transfer vs Adjustment: Use inventory transfers to move stock between warehouses. Use inventory adjustments to add or remove inventory at a single location due to counts, damage, or other changes.
📋 Understanding Inventory Transfers

Inventory transfers are a two-step process: sending inventory from one warehouse and receiving it at the destination warehouse. This ensures accurate tracking of in-transit inventory.

Why Use Inventory Transfers

  • Balancing stock levels: Move inventory to locations with higher demand
  • Warehouse consolidation: Relocate inventory when closing or reorganizing facilities
  • Fulfillment optimization: Position inventory closer to customers for faster shipping
  • Seasonal preparation: Stock up specific locations before peak seasons

How Transfers Affect Inventory

When you create a transfer, inventory is immediately reduced at the From Location. However, it does not appear at the To Location until the transfer is received. During this time, the inventory is considered in-transit and will not show in either location's available quantity.

Important: Inventory counts shown in the Product Editor do not include inventory currently in transit. Always receive transfers promptly to maintain accurate available inventory numbers.
📤 Step 1: Create and Send Inventory Transfer

Start a New Transfer

1Click Products in the top navigation bar

2Under the Inventory section, click Inventory Transfer

3Select the From Location (warehouse sending the inventory)

4Select the To Location (warehouse receiving the inventory)

5Optional: Enter an Expected Receipt Date for tracking purposes

Add Items to Transfer

Add products to the transfer using one of these methods:

  • SKU or Barcode: Enter SKU or scan barcode in the search fields at the bottom
  • Add New Item: Search by keyword, item name, or other product attributes
  • Add Items in Bulk: Paste multiple SKUs at once for faster data entry

Set Transfer Quantities

For each item added, the transfer form displays:

  • From Available: Current available quantity at the sending warehouse
  • To Available: Current available quantity at the receiving warehouse
  • Back Ordered: Quantity backordered at the sending location
  • Qty. to Transfer: Enter the quantity you want to move

6Enter the Qty. to Transfer for each SKU

7Add optional instructions or notes in the Instructions field (e.g., "Balancing stock for holiday season")

8Click Transfer Inventory to create the transfer

Transfer Created: Once submitted, inventory is immediately removed from the From Location and marked as in-transit. You can now print packing slips and picking lists to prepare the shipment.
📦 Step 2: Receive Inventory Transfer

Find Pending Transfers

1Navigate to Products → Inventory → Search Inventory Transfers

2Locate the transfer you need to receive (filter by date, location, or status if needed)

You can either receive the transfer directly from the search screen or click into the transfer for more details before receiving.

Receive Transfer Items

3Click Receive (from search screen) or Receive Transfer (from transfer detail page)

4For each line item, verify and record the quantity received:

  • Manual Entry: Enter the quantity received in the Qty. to Receive field
  • Barcode Scanning: If products have barcodes, scan each unit to automatically increment the Qty. to Receive count

5Verify all quantities are correct

6Click Save Changes to complete the transfer

Transfer Complete: Inventory is now added to the To Location and will appear in available quantity calculations. The transfer record is marked as received.
🖨️ Printing Transfer Documents

From the Search Inventory Transfers screen or transfer detail page, you can print supporting documents for warehouse operations:

Available Documents

  • Packing Slips: Include with the physical shipment for receiving warehouse verification
  • Picking Lists: Guide warehouse staff to locate items for transfer (sorted by Picking List Sort Order setting)
  • Barcodes: Print barcode labels for items in the transfer
Picking List Sort Order: The default column sorting for picking lists is controlled by your global Picking List Sort Order setting. This typically sorts by BIN number or SKU to optimize warehouse picking efficiency.
⚠️ Common Transfer Scenarios

Partial Receipts

If you receive less inventory than was transferred (due to loss, damage, or shipment in multiple deliveries), enter only the quantity actually received. The system will adjust inventory accordingly. Document discrepancies in the Instructions field for audit purposes.

Transfer Delays

Long delays between sending and receiving transfers can create inventory visibility issues. If possible, receive transfers within 1-2 business days. For longer shipping times, note the Expected Receipt Date when creating the transfer.

Correcting Transfer Errors

If you need to cancel or modify a transfer after it's sent but before it's received, contact Pulse Commerce support for assistance. Once a transfer is received, use inventory adjustments to correct any errors in the received quantities.

💡 Inventory Transfer Best Practices

Use Descriptive Instructions

Always document the reason for transfers in the Instructions field (e.g., "Rebalancing for Q4 demand" or "Warehouse consolidation - Site 3 closing"). This creates an audit trail and helps future inventory analysis.

Print Documents Before Packing

Print packing slips and picking lists immediately after creating the transfer. Include the packing slip with the physical shipment so the receiving warehouse can verify contents upon arrival.

Verify Before Receiving

Have the receiving warehouse physically count all items before clicking Save Changes. Barcode scanning helps ensure accuracy and speeds up the receiving process.

Track In-Transit Time

Monitor how long inventory spends in transit. If transfers consistently take longer than expected, investigate shipping methods or warehouse procedures. Extended in-transit periods can cause stockouts if not accounted for in reorder planning.

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