To facilitate accurate inventory, Bottleneck allows users to receive shipments directly through the platform. The system enables you to schedule and easily view each shipment that you plan to receive, ensuring receipt of everything you or your customer has ordered. Flexibility is also provided by the Receive Unknown feature which allows the user to quickly react to unexpected deliveries.

The end-to-end lifecycle of a known Receive Job is intertwined with the progression of Inbound Shipments through various stages before entering Inventory. Initially, the Inbound Shipment starts in the 'DRAFT' stage, still undergoing creation or modifications. Once the shipment arrives, it transitions to 'RECEIVED,' awaiting checking or sorting. As the team actively works on the shipment, it moves to the 'IN_PROCESS' stage. Once floor staff completes the checking and sorting, the back office staff inputs the cost information. After all these steps are completed, the back office can finalize the Inbound Shipment, and it enters the 'COMPLETED' stage, becoming available for use. This is also the stage when received lots enter the inventory in Bottleneck, accompanied by an audit log detailing the Inbound Shipment. If the shipment is halted and won't be processed, it is marked as 'CANCELED,' while permanently removing it from the system designates it as 'DELETED.'

Bottleneck's Inbound Shipments feature is closely integrated with the Purchase Order function of the Procurement tab, providing a seamless workflow from ordering items to receiving and managing them in the inventory. The system allows users to schedule shipments directly from the Procurement tab, automatically populating critical information and streamlining the receiving process. This integration ensures real-time visibility, improves accuracy, and enhances overall supply chain operations.

Bottleneck provides your operations team with a view that allows them to see when Inbound Shipments are expected to arrive. Scheduling Inbound Shipments can be done from both the Procurement tab as well as the Receiving tab. The Procurement tab allows you to place Purchase Orders to vendors and then receive those orders, offering a streamlined approach to managing inventory and ensuring efficient supply chain operations. This view provides them with the ability to track Inbound Shipments that are scheduled to arrive as well as those that have arrived but are yet to be completed by the office team.

Scheduling Inbound Shipments can be done from both the Procurement tab as well as the Receiving tab. The Procurement tab allows you to place Purchase Orders directly to vendors and then receive those orders.

Occasionally materials which aren’t attached to a purchase order will arrive. The Receive Unknown function allows you to quickly react and get this inventory into your warehouse as soon as possible. You can add line items directly while Receiving Inbound which allows you to stay flexible when you don’t know what is coming off the truck next.

Sometimes items will need to be received and the receiving party either does not have that inventory item in Bottleneck, or they are not confident how the item should be categorized. When this occurs you can add an “Unknown Item”. This “Unknown Item” can later be added as a lot to an existing inventory or designated as a new Inventory Item depending on what the Procurement team decides. For example, if a manufacturer received Pink Himalayan Salt, they may want to define it as an unknown item until it becomes clear whether salt is to be used as regular salt or had a different as yet unknown purpose.

An Inbound Shipment Line Item represents an individual product or quantity received within an Inbound Shipment. It provides specific details about the received items, such as the product name, quantity, and any additional specifications. Once you have selected the product you would like to receive, you can quickly add multiple, different lots. If you won’t know the lot until you receive it, simply wait to input it later.

When receiving an Inbound Shipment, you can fill the Owner field to assign the incoming inventory to a certain customer. This allows you to quickly and accurately update your customer’s inventory based on the shipment that was just received. If an owner is already attached to the Purchase Order created in Procurement - you won’t need to worry about completing the Owner field as it will automatically populate.

Bottleneck provides an area to attach any relevant information where an inspection form can be completed during the delivery. This inspection form includes information such as the freight, temperature (measured in Fahrenheit), as well as check boxes for common hazards like an off odor or damage that occurred in transit. This form can be customized in the Quality Control section of the platform.

When receiving the Inbound Shipment, you are provided with the ability to capture photos in the app to keep evidence of the state of delivery. Up to 5 pictures can be taken of the Trailer, Bill of Lading and Packing Slip, which can be viewed at a later date from within the Scheduled Shipment. This information will also populate in the summary view of the Inbound Shipment which can be automatically shared with vendors and customers

Once you have entered all the relevant information for the Inbound Shipment, you will be provided with a summary view. This will give you a summarized view of the Lots and Items you received, any photographs you attached, and inspection details. This summary view will stay within the Inbound Shipment as a source of truth regarding the shipment going forward.

Once you have completed the Inbound Shipment, you have the option to send an email with the summary view to your vendor, customer, or both. You can either send these emails manually or configure them to be sent automatically upon completion, saving the effort of manually drafting an email for each Inbound Shipment.