Overview
Max Location per SKU is a location zone setting that caps how many different locations a single SKU can occupy in that zone. Together with the Check Max Locations per SKU putaway action and the Zone Priority order by, it stops one big delivery from filling every slot in a prime zone (like a hot-pick area) and sends the overflow to the next zone instead.
⚠️ The zone setting does nothing on its own. It's only enforced by rules that include Check Max Locations per SKU.
When to use it
One fast-moving SKU tends to take over all the slots in your fastest pick zone.
You want stock spread across zones once a zone has "enough" locations of a SKU.
You want a predictable order between zones, for example Hot Pick → Back Shelf → Reserve.
Prerequisites
Location zones exist and locations are assigned to them.
You can edit location zones and Algorithms.
Step 1: Configure the zones
Go to Settings > Data Setup > Location Zone.
Open the zone, or create one.
Optionally enter Zone Priority: a whole number of 1 or more. Each zone in a warehouse needs a different priority. Leave blank for no priority.
Optionally enter Max Location per SKU: a whole number of 1 or more. Leave blank for no limit.
Click Save.
The Location Zone list shows each zone's priority. You can search zones by name and filter them.
Step 2: Add the action and order by
Go to Automation > Algorithms and open the algorithm and rule.
Under Action, click + and select Check Max Locations per SKU.
Recommended: under Order By, add Zone Priority with Ascending (priority 1 first) or Descending.
Click Save Rule.
These options also work in the putaway algorithm you use for Dynamic Replenishment, where they apply to target locations.
How the check works
For every candidate location in a rule with Check Max Locations per SKU:
Top-up first. If the location already holds the SKU (quantity above 0), it stays a candidate. The zone limit never blocks a top-up.
Zone limit. Otherwise, Logiwa IO counts the locations in that zone that hold the SKU now:
Count below Max Location per SKU → the location stays a candidate.
Count at or above the limit → the location is left out.
Zone has no limit, or the location has no zone → the location stays a candidate.
Points to know:
Every location holding the SKU counts, including stock that's allocated or damaged.
With Zone Priority ordering, locations left out in zone 1 mean the next candidates come from zone 2, and so on. Locations without a zone always sort last, in both directions.
Mixed-SKU LPs: the check is skipped and all candidates stay.
Lowering a limit doesn't move stock. If a SKU already sits in 3 locations and you set the limit to 2, those 3 can still be topped up, but no new location in the zone is opened for it.
If nothing is left, the rule finds no location and the next rule is tried. If no rule finds one, the operator gets no suggestion and can scan a location unless Force Suggested Location is on.
Example
Zones: Hot Pick (Zone Priority 1, Max Location per SKU 2) and Reserve (Zone Priority 2, no limit). Hot Pick bins A and B hold SKU-X; bins C and D are empty. A new pallet of SKU-X arrives.
Remember that a rule looks at either occupied or empty locations. So top-up and new slots are handled by separate rules:
Rule 1 — Actions: Suggest a location that has the same SKU, Check Max Locations per SKU. Order by: Zone Priority (Ascending), Walking Path Priority.
Rule 2 — Actions: Suggest an empty location, Check Max Locations per SKU. Order by: Zone Priority (Ascending).
What happens:
Rule 1 looks at occupied locations holding SKU-X. A and B are top-ups, so they stay. If one has room, it's suggested.
If Rule 1 finds nothing, Rule 2 looks at empty locations. SKU-X already occupies 2 Hot Pick locations, which meets the limit, so C and D are left out. Empty Reserve locations stay, and the suggestion comes from Reserve.
If Hot Pick's limit were 3, C would be suggested in step 2 as SKU-X's third Hot Pick location.
💡 Add Check Location Capacity Type or volumetric actions to Rule 1 so a full A or B isn't suggested. Without a limit or volume check, an existing location is always treated as having room.
Common questions
Is a location that already holds the SKU ever blocked? No. Top-ups are always allowed. The limit only stops new locations being opened.
What if I set Max Location per SKU but don't add the action? Nothing changes. Existing rules aren't modified automatically.
Does this stop operators putting stock in a zone that's at its limit? No. It shapes suggestions only. There's no block at scan time.
Do I need Zone Priority? It's optional but recommended. Without it, the next candidates follow your other order by options rather than zone order.
What about locations with no zone? They're never filtered by this action and sort last with Zone Priority.