Overview
After a rule's actions have found the locations that qualify, the order by decides which one is suggested first. For a product quantity that's split across locations, it also decides the order in which locations are filled. Choosing the right order by is how you make putaway walk less, consolidate stock or fill locations evenly.
When to use it
Read this article when you're choosing the Order By for a rule, or when the algorithm picks a qualifying location you didn't expect.
How order by works
In a rule, choose an Order By Method (the field) and a Sort Method: Ascending (lowest value first) or Descending (highest value first).
You can add more than one order by. They apply in the order you add them: the second only decides between locations that tie on the first, and so on.
Only the top 20 locations after sorting are considered. For volumetric rules, if none of those 20 fits, one more batch of 20 is checked. A location ranked 25th is never suggested by that rule, even if it would fit.
Example: Zone Priority, Ascending, then Total Inventory Quantity, Descending. Locations in the priority 1 zone come first; within that zone, the one holding the most stock comes first.
Order By options
Aisle, Level, Column
Rank locations by their slot coordinates.
Option | Ascending | Descending | Example |
Aisle | Lowest aisle first | Highest aisle first | Aisle 01 is next to the dock: order by Aisle, ascending, to keep inbound pallets near the dock |
Level | Lowest level first | Highest level first | Fill ground-level reserve before upper levels: Level, ascending |
Column | Lowest column first | Highest column first | Columns are numbered from the main walkway: Column, ascending, to put away close to the walkway |
đĄ Combine them to follow the rack layout, for example Aisle ascending, then Column ascending, then Level ascending.
Walking Path Priority
Ranks locations by their Walking Path Priority value, the same value used to plan picking routes. Use it to put stock away in the order operators walk the warehouse.
Ascending suggests the location with the lowest Walking Path Priority first. Tapping Suggest Another brings the next location in the same ascending order. Descending works the other way round.
Example: The rule finds 20 candidate locations. With Walking Path Priority, ascending, the one with priority 3 is suggested first; Suggest Another offers priority 5, then 8, and so on.
Example: Rule â Actions: Suggest a location that has the same SKU, Check Location Capacity. Order by: Walking Path Priority. When a SKU is in several pick faces with room, the operator is sent to the one ranked first on the walking path.
Total Inventory Quantity
Ranks locations by the total quantity of inventory they hold.
Sort | First | Choose it when |
Descending | The fullest location | You want to consolidate: top up the location that already holds the most |
Ascending | The emptiest occupied location | You want to spread stock out |
Example: SKU-1 is in R-04 (120 units) and R-09 (15 units). With Suggest a location that has the same SKU and Total Inventory Quantity, descending, new stock tops up R-04. Ascending would send it to R-09.
Allocated Quantity
Ranks locations by how much of their stock is allocated to orders (waiting to be picked).
Example: Allocated Quantity, ascending, sends putaway to locations pickers are least likely to visit soon, so forklifts and pickers don't crowd the same aisle. Descending puts stock where outbound demand already is.
LP Count in Location
Ranks locations by the number of LPs they hold.
Example: Bulk lanes hold several pallets each. LP Count in Location, ascending, fills the emptiest lanes first so pallets spread evenly. Descending finishes lanes that are nearly full.
SKU Count in Location
Ranks locations by how many different SKUs they hold.
Sort | First | Choose it when |
Ascending | Locations with fewer SKUs | You want locations to stay simple to pick and count |
Descending | Locations with more SKUs | You deliberately consolidate slow movers into mixed locations |
Example: Shelving rule with Check Max SKU Count and SKU Count in Location, ascending: a new SKU goes to a shelf holding one SKU rather than one holding three. See Setting a Maximum SKU Count Per Location.
Location Empty Volume
Ranks locations by their free volume. When the rule uses Configure Volumetric Putaway, the volumetric settings are taken into account.
Sort | First | Choose it when |
Ascending | The location with the least free volume that still qualifies (tightest fit) | You want to fill locations completely before starting new ones |
Descending | The location with the most free volume | You expect more of the same product and want room for it |
Example: 10 cartons need 20,000 cmÂł. Shelf V-01 has 22,000 cmÂł free, V-02 has 90,000 cmÂł. Ascending suggests V-01; descending suggests V-02. See Volume Based Putaway.
Zone Priority
Ranks locations by the Zone Priority of their location zone. Set it in Settings > Data Setup > Location Zone: a whole number from 1, unique within the warehouse. Gaps are allowed (3, 5, 8). Leave it blank for zones without a priority.
Sort | First | Then | Last |
Ascending | Priority 1 zone | 2, 3... | Zones without a priority, and locations without a zone |
Descending | Highest priority number | ...2, 1 | Zones without a priority, and locations without a zone |
Example: Zones Hotpick (1), Back-shelf (2) and Reserve (3). Rule â Actions: Suggest an empty location, Check Max Locations per SKU. Order by: Zone Priority, ascending. A new SKU goes to an empty Hotpick location. Once it occupies Hotpick's Max Location per SKU limit, Hotpick is filtered out for that SKU and the next empty location comes from Back-shelf. See Limiting SKU Locations Within a Zone.
Zone Priority works the same way in the dynamic replenishment algorithm.
Common questions
Why wasn't the location I expected suggested, even though it qualifies? It ranked lower than the suggested one, or it wasn't in the top 20 after sorting. Check the order by, and narrow the rule with actions (for example a zone) so fewer locations compete.
What happens when two locations tie? The next order by in the rule decides. If there isn't one, Logiwa IO applies its own default order.
Does the order by change which rule is used? No. Rules are still tried from the top of the list down. The order by only ranks locations inside one rule.