---
title: "Bin Locations"
description: "Setup of Areas, Bays, and Bin Locations. Purpose & Benefits. Implementing a structured bin location system provides three key advantages: Efficient Communication - Staff can precisely communicate ite…"
url: "https://support.wheelhousemfg.com/article/umtft3tz5g-bin-locations"
category: "Shop Work and QR Scanning"
updated_at: "2025-09-27T21:08:12Z"
---

# Bin Locations

### Setup of Areas, Bays, and Bin Locations

#### **Purpose & Benefits**

Implementing a structured bin location system provides three key advantages:

1. **Efficient Communication** - Staff can precisely communicate item locations using a standardized format
2. **Streamlined Receiving Process** - New inventory can be directed to designated locations immediately
3. **Simplified Inventory Management** - Management can quickly locate all instances of any item

#### **Bin Location Structure**

![](https://files.helpdocs.io/u2psp4t8yl/articles/umtft3tz5g/1698768714387/image.png)

Each bin location uses a four-part hierarchical format that moves from general to specific:

- **Area** (Department/Zone)
  
  - 1-3 letter code representing functional zones (ASM, WH, QC)
  - Example: QC (Quality Control), WH (Warehouse), ASM (Assembly)
  - Shorter codes improve readability and verbal communication
- **Bay** (Rack/Section)
  
  - Numbered in increments of 10 (10, 20, 30...)
  - This numbering strategy allows for future expansion without renumbering
  - If you need to add a bay between Bay 10 and Bay 20, you can use Bay 15
- **Shelf** (Vertical Position)
  
  - Numbered sequentially from bottom to top (1, 2, 3...)
  - Starting from floor level allows for easier expansion upward
  - This approach is more intuitive for most warehouse operations
- **Position** (Horizontal Location)
  
  - Two-digit numbering (01, 02, 03...)
  - Consistent two-digit format (even for single-digit positions)
  - Accommodates up to 99 positions per shelf
  - Makes it immediately clear which part of the code represents position
  
  #### **Example Location: QC.10.501**
- This location code represents:
  
  - **QC** - Quality Control Area
  - **10** - Bay 10
  - **5** - Shelf 5 (fifth shelf from bottom)
  - **01** - Position 1 on that shelf

Shelves are numbered from the bottom to the top because it is usually **much** easier to add shelves to the top than to the bottom!

**Bin Location Rules:**  
• Up to 99 positions per shelf  
• Physical widths of bins are irrelevant. The position (count) is the only factor.  
• Multiple items may be assigned to one bin location (not recommended)

#### **Bay Layout View in Wheelhouse - Bin Location Grid**

Warehouse Bay AR2 - Shelf and Position Mapping

![](https://files.helpdocs.io/u2psp4t8yl/articles/umtft3tz5g/1744062872895/image.png)

#### **Setting Up Bin Locations**

1. Open **Setup** > **Production** > **Area** ( or Setup > Inventory > Area )
   
   ![](https://files.helpdocs.io/u2psp4t8yl/articles/umtft3tz5g/1759007122480/2025-09-27-16-02-09.png)
2. Open an Area
3. Select the **Bays** tab
4. Click **(+)** to add a Bay.
5. Name the Bay. We suggest using numbers 10, 20, 30, etc, since the Bay Number will be part of the Bin Location. For example, AREA.**10**.201.  Also, skipping from 10 to 20 allows for the insertion of a new bay without re-numbering, for example, adding AREA.15.
6. Save the Area
7. Open the Bay to edit
8. Select the **Item Bins** tab
9. Add the highest bin location to get a visual of your bay quickly. This is the top right shelf since shelves are numbered from bottom to top, left to right.

For example: if I have 8 locations on the top shelf, add bin location 508.

![](https://files.helpdocs.io/u2psp4t8yl/articles/umtft3tz5g/1698766965549/image.png)

1. Select the item to put in that location and click the **link** button.
   
   ![](https://files.helpdocs.io/u2psp4t8yl/articles/umtft3tz5g/1698767187070/image.png)
2. Click on empty locations to add additional items. Click on existing bin locations to remove or edit them.
   
   ![](https://files.helpdocs.io/u2psp4t8yl/articles/umtft3tz5g/1698767440675/image.png)

To quickly add positions for all locations on a shelf, add a bin location for the rightmost (highest) position on that shelf.

#### **Connecting Bays to a Work Center**

Associating a bay with a Work Center tells Wheelhouse that the bay is in close proximity to the Work Center. This is helpful for inventory picking and Work Order Stash locations.

1. Open **Setup** > **Production** > **Work Center**
   
   ![](https://files.helpdocs.io/u2psp4t8yl/articles/umtft3tz5g/1759007267126/2025-09-27-16-06-56.png)
2. Select a Work Center to edit
3. Verify that the Work Center is in the same Area as the Bay(s) you're connecting.
   
   ![](https://files.helpdocs.io/u2psp4t8yl/articles/umtft3tz5g/1698769505356/image.png)
4. Select the Bays tab and use the **(+)** button to find and add the associated Bays.

<!--THE END-->

![](https://files.helpdocs.io/u2psp4t8yl/articles/umtft3tz5g/1698769645152/image.png)

1. Save and Exit

Need help? Reach out to [support@wheelhousemfg.com](mailto:support@wheelhousemfg.com).