Overview
You can give a location an overall ceiling: a maximum number of units, or a maximum number of packs, across every SKU and LP stored in it. You set the ceiling on the location, and a putaway algorithm action enforces it.
⚠️ The location fields do nothing on their own. They only take effect in putaway rules that include the Check Location Capacity Type action. Without the action, putaway suggestions behave exactly as before, whatever the location says.
Unlike a product capacity (one product, one pack type) or an LP capacity (number of LPs of one type), this limit covers everything in the location.
When to use it
Mixed-SKU shelves hold "about 200 eaches" no matter which products they are.
Carton-flow lanes fit a set number of cases, regardless of how many units each case holds.
Putaway keeps sending stock to locations that are physically full.
Prerequisites
You can edit Locations and Algorithms.
Step 1: Set the limit on a location
Go to Settings > Master Data > Locations and open the location (or click Create Location).
On the Information tab, find Location Capacity Type.
Select Max Unit Quantity or Max Pack Quantity. The default is None (no limit).
Enter Maximum Capacity Quantity: a whole number greater than 0. The field is disabled while the type is None.
Click Save.
To remove the limit, set Location Capacity Type back to None.
Step 2: Add the action to your putaway algorithm
Go to Automation > Algorithms and open the algorithm.
Open the rule (or create one) and add the Check Location Capacity Type action. It has no settings of its own.
Save the rule.
Remember that a rule looks at either occupied or empty locations, never both. If capped locations can be empty, add the action to a rule with Suggest an empty location too. See How the Putaway Algorithm Chooses a Location.
Example algorithm:
Rule 1 — Actions: Suggest a location with the selected location zone = Shelving, Suggest a location that has the same SKU, Check Location Capacity Type. Order by: Walking Path Priority.
Rule 2 — Actions: Suggest a location with the selected location zone = Shelving, Suggest an empty location, Check Location Capacity Type. Order by: Walking Path Priority.
How the check works
For each candidate location, the action compares what's already there plus what's coming in against the limit:
Current + Incoming > Maximum Capacity Quantity → location excluded
Current + Incoming ≤ Maximum Capacity Quantity → location stays a candidate
Location Capacity Type | Current and incoming are counted as |
Max Unit Quantity | Base units. Every SKU and LP in the location is converted to base units and summed. Cases in the incoming stock are converted too. A parent LP's child LPs are all included |
Max Pack Quantity | Packs. The quantity in each pack type is summed as-is: 2 cases + 5 eaches = 7 packs |
None | Not checked. The location is treated as uncapped |
The check applies to every directed putaway option: product (bulk and one-by-one), LP and LP (sequential).
An empty location is checked too. If the incoming stock alone is over the limit, the location is excluded.
The action filters the locations that passed the rule's other actions. It doesn't add locations.
Examples
Max Unit Quantity, mixed SKUs
Location RACK-A-01, Max Unit Quantity, Maximum Capacity Quantity 50. It holds 3 cases of SKU A (10 units per case) and 8 eaches of SKU B: 30 + 8 = 38 units.
Incoming | New total | Result |
LP with 2 cases of SKU A (20 units) | 58 | Excluded |
LP with 1 case of SKU A (10 units) | 48 | Suggested |
Max Unit Quantity, cases and eaches in one LP
Location A-1-02, limit 100, holds 40 units. An LP arrives with 5 cases (10 units each) and 5 eaches: 50 + 5 = 55 units. 40 + 55 = 95 → suggested. With 15 eaches instead, 40 + 65 = 105 → excluded.
Max Pack Quantity
Location SHELF-B-03, Max Pack Quantity, limit 15. It holds 4 cases and 6 eaches of SKU A, and 2 cases of SKU B: 12 packs.
Incoming | New total | Result |
4 cases of SKU C | 16 | Excluded |
2 cases of SKU C | 14 | Suggested |
Same location, both modes compared
Location Loc1 holds SKU A (1 case = 2 units): 3 cases + 4 eaches, and SKU B (1 case = 5 units): 2 cases + 3 eaches. Incoming: 2 cases of SKU A + 1 each of SKU B.
Mode | Current | Incoming | New total | Limit | Result |
Max Unit Quantity | 23 | 5 | 28 | 30 | Suggested |
Max Pack Quantity | 12 | 3 | 15 | 16 | Suggested |
Empty location
Location A-2-01 is empty, Max Unit Quantity, limit 20. An LP with 25 units arrives → excluded, even though the location is empty.
Setting limits in bulk
Excel: The location import and update templates include two columns, and the location export includes them too.
Column | Accepted values |
Location Capacity Mode | MaxUnitQuantity, MaxPackQuantity, or blank (no limit) |
Maximum Capacity Quantity | A whole number greater than 0. Required when a mode is set; leave blank when it isn't |
A row with an unknown mode, a negative or decimal quantity, a quantity without a mode, or a mode without a quantity fails with an error in the import details. Other rows still import. An exported file can be re-imported without changing any limits.
Open API: The location create, bulk create, update, get and list endpoints include locationCapacityMode and maximumCapacityQuantity, with the same rules.
Common questions
I set a limit, but putaway still suggests the location. Why? The rule that made the suggestion doesn't include Check Location Capacity Type. The location fields are only read by that action.
Does this stop an operator from scanning a full location? No. It only filters suggestions. If every candidate is over its limit, no location is suggested, and the operator can scan any location unless Force Suggested Location is on.
Can a location have both a unit and a pack limit? No. One Location Capacity Type per location.
How is this different from Check Location Capacity? Check Location Capacity works with product and LP capacities, which are set per product or LP type. Check Location Capacity Type uses this single limit for all stock in the location, whatever the product.
Does it block receiving, transfers or counts? No. The limit isn't enforced in those workflows. It only filters the locations the putaway algorithm suggests.