Overview
Max Locations per SKU is a zone-level setting that caps how many distinct locations a single SKU can occupy within a Location Zone. Paired with a new Check Max Locations per SKU putaway algorithm action, it stops a single large shipment from filling every slot in a high-priority zone (like a Hotpick or pick-face area), automatically cascading overflow to the next zone in priority order instead.
When to Use It
Use this feature when:
A single SKU tends to fill up all the locations in your fastest-picking zone, crowding out other products
You want incoming inventory to spread across multiple zones once a zone's per-SKU slot limit is reached
You need predictable cascade behavior between zones (e.g., Hotpick → Reserve) without manually managing slotting
Prerequisites
Before configuring this feature, ensure:
You have Warehouse Admin access to Data Setup and Algorithm configuration
Your Location Zones are already created (see Location Zone Creation)
You have a putaway (or replenishment) algorithm already configured that you plan to add this action to
Step-by-Step Instructions
Part 1 — Configure the zone
Navigate to Data Setup → Location Zone.
Select the zone you want to configure, or create a new one.
Enter a value in the Max Location per SKU field (optional). This sets the maximum number of distinct locations a single SKU may occupy in this zone. Leave blank for no limit.
Click Save.
Part 2 — Add the algorithm action
Navigate to Algorithms → Putaway Algorithm (or Replenishment Algorithm).
Open the rule you want to apply this to, or create a new one.
Under Action, click the Plus (+) button and select Check Max Locations per SKU.
(Optional but recommended) Under Order By, add Zone Priority and choose Ascending or Descending to control which zone is tried first.
Click Save Rule.
How the Logic Works
When Check Max Locations per SKU is active in a rule, every candidate location is evaluated in two stages before a suggestion is made:
Stage 1 — Top-up check (always runs first)
For each candidate location, the system asks: does this location already hold the SKU I'm putting away (in any quantity greater than zero)?
Yes → the location is immediately marked eligible and skipped from all further checks. Top-up is never blocked by the zone limit, no matter how full the zone already is.
No → move to Stage 2.
Stage 2 — Zone limit check (only for locations that don't already hold the SKU)
The system counts how many distinct locations in the zone currently hold this SKU (including the top-up locations from Stage 1.
If that count is below the zone's Max Location per SKU value → the location remains eligible for a new slot.
If that count is at or above the limit → the location is filtered out, and the algorithm cascades to the next zone in priority order (per the Zone Priority Order By setting, if configured).
If every zone is exhausted (all at their limit, no top-up locations available), the algorithm returns no suggestion — the standard "no suitable location found" behavior and the operator can still scan a location manually.
Example walkthrough
Say Zone 1 (Hotpick) has Max Location per SKU = 2, and:
Location A holds SKU-X, qty 10
Location B holds SKU-X, qty 8
Locations C and D are empty, no SKU-X
A new pallet of SKU-X arrives for putaway;
Location A and B → They will be included in the suggestion list as a top-up. The zone limit is never even evaluated for these two, because they already hold the SKU.
Location C and D → the system checks Stage 2 for Locations C and D. SKU-X already occupies 2 locations (A and B), which meets the limit of 2. So C and D are filtered out, and the algorithm cascades to Zone 2 to look for another suggested location.
If Max Location per SKU were 3 instead of 2 → Location C would be offered as a new (third) slot for SKU-X in Zone 1, since the zone hasn't hit its cap yet.
A note on zones with no limit set
If Max Location per SKU is left blank on a zone, that zone is treated as unconstrained — every location in it passes automatically, regardless of how many locations already hold the SKU. The same applies to any location that isn't assigned to a zone at all — it's always treated as if it had no limit.
Common Questions & Edge Cases
What happens if a location already holds the SKU I'm putting away?
That location is always eligible, regardless of the zone's limit — this is called a "top-up," and it's never blocked by this feature. The limit only affects opening up new locations for a SKU.
What if I set Max Location per SKU but don't add the algorithm action?
Nothing changes. The limit is only enforced if Check Max Locations per SKU is explicitly added to an algorithm rule — setting the field alone has no effect, and existing algorithm rules are never modified automatically. Even with the action added, keep in mind this only affects which locations the algorithm suggests — it doesn't stop a worker from manually putting inventory into a location that's already over its SKU limit. There's no hard block at scan time; the limit only shapes what the system suggests.
What happens when a zone's limit is reached?
Locations in that zone that don't already hold the SKU are filtered out, and the algorithm cascades to the next zone (based on Zone Priority, if configured). If every zone is at its limit, the system returns its standard "no suitable location found" message and operators can still scan a location manually.
Does this affect locations with no zone assigned?
No — locations with no zone, or zones with no limit configured, are always treated as unconstrained and pass through without filtering.