Vault Commerce OS · Inventory and Warehouse Management

Run Client-Owned Warehouses, Inventory and Movement through One Operational System

Deploy Commerce OS across warehouses, stores, studios, offices, project sites and other approved locations to control item identity, stock, locations, receiving, put-away, transfers, reservations, picking, counts, exceptions and complete movement history.

The module can operate in client-owned facilities with client teams. Vault storage and managed warehouse services remain optional, separately scoped operating services rather than technical requirements.

Multi-site warehouse hierarchy
QR, barcode and movement control
Stock, capacity and audit visibility
From physical receipt to accountable location and movement history
Identify + locate + move + reconcile
01
Structure the Network
Define sites, buildings, floors, zones, aisles, racks, shelves, bins, rails, containers and other operational locations.
02
Identify Inventory
Connect items, variants, quantities, kits and containers to permanent identities, labels and accountable stock states.
03
Control Movement
Receive, put away, transfer, reserve, pick, dispatch, return and adjust with scan or approved manual workflows.
04
Reconcile and Govern
Run counts, investigate discrepancies, monitor capacity, review activity history and connect reporting or external systems.
Every operational movement can remain connected to who moved what, from where, to where, when and why.
Physical truth + accountable history
Choose the inventory and warehouse deployment depth

Start with Inventory Visibility, Add Warehouse Execution or Connect the Full Multi-Site Network

The client can phase the system according to operational maturity. A single location can start with item and stock control, while larger networks can connect multiple facilities, teams, fulfilment flows and external systems.

Swipe through the inventory and warehouse deployment models
01

Inventory Visibility

Create accountable identities, stock states, locations, searches and movement history without changing every warehouse process at once.

  • Item, variant and quantity visibility
  • Location and custody history
  • Search, filters and exports
  • Role-based access
03

Multi-Site Warehouse Network

Connect multiple warehouses, stores, studios, project sites and teams with consolidated controls and integrations.

  • Multi-site hierarchy and transfers
  • Capacity and utilisation visibility
  • Client, team and location permissions
  • APIs, reporting and system connections
Four connected inventory and warehouse components

Control Locations, Inventory, Movement and Reconciliation from One Operational Model

Each component shares the same source of truth so warehouse teams do not maintain one list for locations, another for stock and another for movement history.

Swipe through the warehouse management components
01

Network and Location Control

Model facilities, zones, aisles, racks, shelves, bins, rails, containers, work areas and approved external locations.

SitesZonesRacksCapacity

View network and locations

02

Inventory Identity and Stock

Connect permanent item identity, variants, quantities, kits, containers, ownership, condition and availability.

IdentityVariantsStockCustody

View identity and stock

03

Movement and Fulfilment

Run receiving, put-away, transfers, reservations, picking, dispatch, returns and approved adjustments.

ReceiveMovePickReturn

View movement and fulfilment

04

Audit, Capacity and Integrations

Run counts, investigate discrepancies, monitor utilisation, export data and connect supported external systems.

CountsExceptionsReportsAPIs

View audit and integrations

See the Inventory and Warehouse Management workflow in action

Follow Inventory from Network Setup through Receiving, Movement, Counting and Reporting

Start with the complete warehouse architecture, then move through locations, item identity, labels, stock, receiving, put-away, transfers, reservations, picking, returns, cycle counts, capacity, permissions, reporting and integrations.

Slide 1 of 10

Complete inventory and warehouse management architecture

02
Warehouse network and location hierarchy The screen configures facilities, floors, zones, racks, shelves, bins, rails, work areas, capacities and access state.
Step 1 · Map the physical network

Represent the Warehouse at the Level the Operation Actually Uses

Location depth can vary by client, site and inventory type.

  • Sites, buildings, floors and zones
  • Aisles, racks, shelves, bins and rails
  • Receiving, QC, dispatch and hold areas
  • Capacity, status and permissions
What this screen demonstrates The hierarchy should be configurable instead of forcing unnecessary location levels.
03
Inventory identity and stock The screen shows permanent identity, variants, quantities, labels, kits, containers, custody, condition and availability.
Step 2 · Define the inventory model

Connect Every Physical Stock Model to an Accountable Identity

Unique assets, quantity stock, variants, kits and containers can coexist.

  • Permanent item or asset identity
  • QR, barcode or manual reference
  • Variants, quantities, kits and containers
  • Custody, condition and availability
What this screen demonstrates Labels accelerate scanning but do not replace the underlying identity record.
04
Receiving and put-away The screen verifies expected inventory, labels, quantities, exceptions and the confirmed destination location.
Step 3 · Receive inventory

Move Inbound Inventory from Arrival into Accountable Storage

Fast scan workflows and approved exception paths keep receiving practical at volume.

  • Expected versus received
  • Item, container and label verification
  • QC or exception routing
  • Suggested and confirmed put-away
What this screen demonstrates A receiving discrepancy remains visible instead of being silently normalised.
05
Transfers and movement The screen shows source, destination, items, quantities, containers, in-transit state, receipt and movement history.
Step 4 · Control internal movement

Track Every Change of Location and Custody

Transfers can move between nearby bins or across multiple sites while preserving history.

  • Source and destination validation
  • Item, quantity or container transfer
  • In-transit and received states
  • User, timestamp and reason
What this screen demonstrates Current location remains linked to the complete previous-location history.
06
Reservations and picklists The screen reserves the selected item, variant or quantity and builds a warehouse picklist with locations and shortages.
Step 5 · Turn demand into warehouse work

Reserve the Correct Stock before the Warehouse Starts Picking

Reservations connect approved demand to actual available inventory.

  • Item, variant or quantity reservation
  • Location-aware picklist
  • Priority and due-time context
  • Shortage and exception visibility
What this screen demonstrates Reserved stock should not remain available for a conflicting commitment.
07
Picking and dispatch The screen guides the picker to location, verifies item or quantity, records shortages and moves work toward dispatch.
Step 6 · Execute outbound work

Verify the Physical Pick instead of Trusting the Screen Alone

The workflow connects reserved stock to the actual warehouse movement.

  • Current location and pick quantity
  • Phone, scanner or approved manual verification
  • Shortage and substitution handling where allowed
  • Packed and dispatch-ready state
What this screen demonstrates Picking records who verified the physical inventory and when.
08
Returns and exceptions The screen verifies the returned item or quantity, condition and components and routes it to restock, QC, repair, hold or retirement.
Step 7 · Reconcile returned inventory

Do Not Restore Availability until the Return Has Been Verified

Returned inventory moves through the required checks before it re-enters usable stock.

  • Expected and received return
  • Condition and component review
  • QC, repair, hold or restock route
  • Exception owner and resolution state
What this screen demonstrates Return receipt alone does not automatically make inventory available.
09
Cycle counts and discrepancy control The screen compares system and physical counts, records variance, assigns review and requires approval before adjustment.
Step 8 · Count and reconcile

Measure Accuracy and Preserve the Reason behind Every Adjustment

Physical counts become an accountable reconciliation process rather than a silent overwrite.

  • Full, targeted or cycle count
  • Blind count where appropriate
  • Quantity and location variance
  • Reviewer, reason and approved adjustment
What this screen demonstrates The audit trail keeps both the original discrepancy and the final resolution.
10
Capacity, reporting and integrations The screen shows occupancy, utilisation, movement volume, count accuracy, roles, reports, exports and integration status.
Step 9 · Govern and improve

Turn Warehouse Activity into Management Visibility

Reporting, permissions and supported integrations help the operation scale without losing control.

  • Occupancy and capacity utilisation
  • Movement, fulfilment and exception reporting
  • Role, site and client permissions
  • Exports, APIs and integration health
What this screen demonstrates The warehouse source of truth remains controlled even when other systems are connected.
Swipe through the inventory and warehouse management walkthrough
01
Model the physical network before moving inventory through it

Sites, Buildings, Floors, Zones, Racks, Shelves, Bins, Rails and Operational Areas

Commerce OS can represent the physical hierarchy at the level the client actually needs, from a single stockroom to multiple warehouses and project locations.

Location depth should remain configurable rather than forcing every business to use the same number of hierarchy levels.

Configurable location hierarchy
Capacity and utilisation context
Client-owned and approved external locations
Swipe through network and location controls

Facility and Location Hierarchy

Represent physical storage and operating areas with the required depth.

  • Country, state, city and facility
  • Building, floor, area and zone
  • Aisle, rack, shelf, bin and rail
  • Container, bay, floor slot or other approved node

Operational Areas and Status

Distinguish active storage from workflow and exception areas.

  • Receiving, QC and photography areas
  • Dispatch and return bays
  • Security or exception hold
  • Active, restricted, full or unavailable state

Capacity and Utilisation

Track available and occupied capacity using the measures relevant to the facility.

  • Square-foot or floor-area context
  • Cubic capacity where useful
  • Slot, rail, shelf or container capacity
  • Assigned, available and over-capacity visibility

Client and Team Assignment

Control who can use or view specific facilities, zones and locations.

  • Client-dedicated or shared areas
  • Team, role and facility permissions
  • Temporary project-site assignments
  • Access and change history
02
Give physical inventory one accountable identity and stock state

Items, Variants, Quantities, Kits, Containers, QR, Barcode and Custody

The inventory model can support one-off assets, quantity-based stock, variants, kits, component sets and outer containers while preserving the appropriate relationship between them.

Labels can support QR, barcode or approved identifiers. Scanning should accelerate the workflow, not become a mandatory bottleneck where manual fallback is needed.

Permanent identity and labels
Unique, variant and quantity stock
Custody, condition and availability
Swipe through inventory identity and stock controls

Identity and Label Strategy

Connect each stock model to an accountable identifier.

  • Permanent item or asset identity
  • Variant or quantity stock reference
  • QR, barcode or approved manual code
  • Container and parent-child relationships

Unique, Variant and Quantity Stock

Support different physical inventory models within the same network.

  • One-off individual assets
  • Size, colour or other approved variants
  • Bulk or quantity-controlled stock
  • Available, held, reserved and unavailable states

Kits, Sets and Containers

Group inventory operationally without losing component visibility.

  • Parent, child and component links
  • Required, optional and substitute pieces
  • Box, peti, crate, trunk, pallet or other container
  • Complete, partial and discrepancy states

Custody, Condition and Availability

Keep current state and historical evidence connected to the stock record.

  • Current and previous location
  • Condition or QC state
  • Custody owner and responsible user
  • Available, hold, repair, reserved or retired state
03
Turn stock visibility into controlled warehouse execution

Receiving, Put-Away, Transfers, Reservations, Picking, Dispatch and Returns

Warehouse execution should capture the physical move as it happens, with fast scan paths for high-volume work and approved manual fallback when a label is damaged or unavailable.

Reservations and picking should connect back to the actual item, variant, quantity and location so fulfilment does not rely on a separate spreadsheet or memory.

Fast receiving and put-away
Transfers, reservations and picking
Returns and exception routing
Swipe through movement and fulfilment controls

Receiving and Put-Away

Move inbound inventory from arrival into accountable storage.

  • Expected versus received quantity
  • Item, container and label verification
  • QC, exception or direct-storage route
  • Suggested and confirmed put-away location

Transfers and Internal Movement

Track movement between locations and sites without losing custody history.

  • Source and destination validation
  • Item, quantity or container transfer
  • In-transit and received states
  • User, timestamp and reason history

Reservations, Picking and Dispatch

Turn approved demand into a warehouse execution queue.

  • Reserved item, variant or quantity
  • Picklist and current location
  • Scan verification and shortage handling
  • Packed, dispatch-ready and handed-over states

Returns and Exception Routing

Route returned or problematic inventory through the correct next state.

  • Expected and received return
  • Condition, quantity and component checks
  • Restock, QC, repair, hold or retirement route
  • Exception owner and resolution history
04
Reconcile the warehouse and connect it to the wider business

Cycle Counts, Discrepancies, Capacity, Reporting, Permissions and Integrations

Inventory accuracy should be measurable. Commerce OS can support full counts, cycle counts, blind counts, discrepancy review and approved stock adjustments while preserving the audit trail.

Reporting and integrations can connect warehouse data to commerce, finance, CRM, marketplaces or other supported systems without making every external platform the warehouse source of truth.

Counts and discrepancy resolution
Capacity and operational reporting
Permissions, exports and integrations
Swipe through audit, capacity and integration controls

Cycle Counts and Physical Audit

Compare recorded inventory with what is physically present.

  • Full, cycle or targeted count
  • Blind count where required
  • Item, quantity and location variance
  • Reviewer and approval workflow

Discrepancy and Adjustment Control

Resolve mismatches without silently rewriting history.

  • Missing, excess or wrong-location state
  • Damage, condition or component variance
  • Approved stock or location adjustment
  • Reason, user and timestamp history

Capacity, Performance and Reports

Turn warehouse activity into management visibility.

  • Occupancy and utilisation
  • Inbound, movement and fulfilment volumes
  • Stock age, exception and count accuracy
  • Exports and scheduled reports where configured

Permissions, APIs and System Connections

Control access and connect supported systems without weakening warehouse governance.

  • Role, site, client and function permissions
  • Supported APIs, imports, exports and scheduled sync
  • Commerce, CRM, finance or marketplace connections
  • Integration status and change history
Inventory and warehouse management implementation

Map, Label, Migrate, Operate, Count and Improve

The implementation sequence connects the physical warehouse design with the inventory model, workflows, permissions, migration and operational acceptance.

Swipe through the warehouse management implementation workflow
01

Map the Network

Define facilities, zones, racks, shelves, bins, rails, work areas, capacities and permissions.

02

Define Inventory Identity

Choose unique-item, quantity, variant, kit, container and label rules.

03

Migrate and Verify

Map existing inventory, locations and opening balances, then validate before go-live.

04

Run Warehouse Movement

Receive, put away, transfer, reserve, pick, dispatch and return through accountable workflows.

05

Count and Reconcile

Use physical counts, discrepancy review and approved adjustments to maintain accuracy.

06

Report and Improve

Review capacity, movement, exceptions, performance and integration health as operations scale.

The WMS can run in client-owned warehouses

Using Commerce OS does not require storage at a Vault facility. Client teams and locations can remain the physical operating layer.

Seller Central inventory control and Commerce OS WMS are different layers

Seller Central gives Vault clients control over inventory held or operated through Vault. Commerce OS WMS is the broader separately scoped warehouse platform for a client’s own network.

Warehouse responsibility and governance

Keep Physical Operations, Platform Configuration and Integrations Explicit

The implementation should identify who owns the physical warehouse process, who configures the software and which external systems provide or consume data.

Responsibility
Client Operations
Commerce OS Implementation
External or Connected System
Physical facilities, safety, staffing and operating policy
Own and operate
Configure system support
Support selected service where applicable
Location hierarchy, inventory model and workflow rules
Approve operating design
Map and configure
Receive or supply mapped data where integrated
Labels, scanning devices and warehouse execution
Operate unless separately managed
Configure supported workflows
Provide hardware or service where selected
Counts, discrepancies and stock adjustments
Perform and approve according to policy
Provide workflow and audit controls
Receive approved updates where integrated
APIs, imports, exports and external data flows
Provide access and approve data scope
Configure supported integration
Operate external endpoint or system
Platform licence, data export and exit obligations
Approve contract terms
Govern according to agreement
Subject to applicable provider terms
Swipe through the warehouse responsibility views
01

Client Operations

  • Facilities and staff Own and operate
  • Warehouse policy Approve
  • Physical counts and movement Perform
  • Adjustment authority Approve
02

Commerce OS Implementation

  • Location and stock model Configure
  • Movement workflows Configure
  • Permissions and reporting Configure
  • Supported integrations Connect
03

Connected Systems

  • Commerce or finance endpoint Operate external layer
  • Carrier or logistics service Operate external layer
  • Hardware or scanning service Provider-dependent
  • Availability and terms Provider-dependent
Different warehouse operating requirements

Configure the WMS Around the Inventory and Movement Pattern

The correct location depth, identity model, scanning workflow and reporting depend on inventory type, volume, turnover, facility layout and fulfilment requirements.

Swipe through the inventory and warehouse use cases
Fashion and Costume WarehousesUse individual garment identity, rails, bins, measurements, condition and high-volume project pulls.
Furniture and Bulky InventoryUse floor slots, zones, cubic capacity, handling requirements, quantity control and vehicle-aware movement.
Props, Sets and Project AssetsUse kits, components, project reservations, temporary site custody and return reconciliation.
Retail and Commerce StockUse variants, quantity stock, reservations, picking, packing and connected storefront availability.
High-Value and Restricted InventoryUse controlled locations, named permissions, custody history, condition evidence and exception holds.
Multi-Warehouse NetworksUse inter-site transfers, consolidated visibility, local permissions, capacity and network reporting.
Client-Managed FacilitiesUse the platform with client staff, client locations and client-owned physical operations.
Hybrid NetworksConnect client facilities, selected Vault operations and supported third-party logistics where required.
Inventory and Warehouse Management FAQs

Common Questions before a Commerce OS WMS Deployment

The final architecture depends on facilities, inventory type, location depth, scanning, existing data, fulfilment, reporting, permissions and integration requirements.

Request a Commerce OS Demo

Does the client need to use a Vault warehouse?

No. The WMS can be deployed in client-owned or client-managed facilities. Vault storage and managed operations are optional and separately scoped.

Is this the same as Seller Central inventory management?

No. Seller Central provides control over inventory held or operated through Vault. Commerce OS WMS is the broader client-deployed warehouse platform for the client’s own facilities and operating network.

Can the warehouse hierarchy be customised?

Yes. The system can represent only the location levels the client needs, from simple site and bin structures to deeper multi-building and multi-zone hierarchies.

Can the system support both unique assets and quantity stock?

Yes. One-off items, variants, quantity-based stock, kits, components and containers can coexist within the configured inventory model.

Are QR codes mandatory for every movement?

No. QR or barcode scanning can make high-volume work much faster, but approved manual-code and exception paths can remain available where necessary.

Can it support inter-warehouse transfers?

Yes. Transfers can move through source confirmation, in-transit state, destination receipt and discrepancy review while preserving movement history.

Can it support cycle counting?

Yes. Full, targeted and cycle counts can be configured, including blind-count approaches where appropriate, followed by discrepancy and adjustment review.

Can it show warehouse capacity and utilisation?

Yes, where the required dimensions and capacity rules are configured. The model can include floor area, cubic capacity, slots, shelves, rails or other relevant measures.

Can the WMS connect to an existing website, finance system or CRM?

Potentially. Integration depends on supported APIs, data access, required sync direction and frequency, security requirements and implementation scope.

Can warehouse data be exported if the client later changes systems?

Data export, retention, handover and platform licence rights should be defined in the applicable technology agreement and implementation scope.

Begin with the warehouse network, inventory model and movement volume

Show Us How Inventory Moves through Your Facilities

We will map locations, labels, unique and quantity stock, kits, receiving, put-away, transfers, reservations, picking, returns, counts, permissions, reports and system connections.