Warehouses
What is this document for?
This document explains how the Receipts module works within MIDLA and how it supports daily work in warehouses and logistics facilities.
The Receipts module manages the physical movement of goods within warehouses associated with an operation, including cargo receiving, dispatches, internal movements, and detailed control of each package and its contents.
1. What is a Receipt?
A Receipt is the record of a merchandise movement within a warehouse. It represents the operation of moving cargo into, out of, or within a warehouse.
Each Receipt has a name automatically generated by the system based on the sequence code configured for the operation type. For example: REC-0001, EXP-0042, INP-0015.
This name serves as the unique identifier for the warehouse operation.
The Receipt within the logistics ecosystem
A Receipt is not an isolated concept. It exists within the broader logistics lifecycle and can be linked to Shipments.
The relationship is as follows:
[Shipment]
│
├──→ [INCOMING Receipt] ← Goods arrive at the warehouse
│
├──→ [INTERNAL Receipt] ← Goods move within the warehouse
│
└──→ [OUTGOING Receipt] ← Goods leave the warehouse
This provides complete traceability from the moment cargo physically arrives at the warehouse, through its internal movements, until it leaves for its final destination.
2. Warehouse Operation Types
Each Receipt has an Operation Type that defines the type of movement it represents.
| Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Incoming | Goods enter the warehouse. This may represent an import reception, return, storage intake, etc. |
| Outgoing | Goods leave the warehouse. This may represent a customer dispatch, export, or transfer to another location. |
| Internal | Goods move within the same warehouse. For example, from a receiving area to a storage area, or from one warehouse area to another. |
| Dropship | Goods do not physically pass through the warehouse, but the movement is recorded for documentation and traceability purposes. |
3. Configuration: Operation Groups and Operation Types
The system allows warehouse operations to be configured flexibly according to each company's requirements.
This configuration is managed at two levels.
3.1 Operation Groups
An Operation Group is a group of operation types associated with a specific warehouse. It defines the cargo management capabilities available for that group.
Each group has two key configurations:
| Configuration | Description |
|---|---|
| Manage Handling Units (HU) | Enables the registration of packages such as boxes, pallets, or containers within the Receipt. This provides management at the physical package level. |
| Manage Lines | Enables the registration of individual items or SKUs within each package. This provides management at the product level. |
These two configurations determine the level of detail recorded for each operation within the group.
For example:
- A transit warehouse may only manage packages without needing to open each box.
- A fulfillment warehouse may manage both Handling Units and Lines or SKUs for precise inventory control.
3.2 Operation Types
Within each Operation Group, specific Operation Types are defined.
Each type includes:
- Name: description of the operation type, for example, "Import Reception" or "Customer Dispatch".
- Base Type: Incoming, Outgoing, Internal, or Dropship.
- Sequence Code: prefix used for the automatically generated Receipt name, for example,
REC,EXP, orINT. - Additional information options for Incoming operations:
- Manage Consignee: enables the Consignee field in the Receipt.
- Manage Arrival Information: enables the section containing arrival carrier information and dates.
- Manage Dispatch Information: enables the section containing dispatch mode and dispatch date information.
This architecture allows the system to adapt to different operational workflows without requiring custom code.
4. Actors in a Receipt
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Warehouse | The warehouse where the movement takes place. It is automatically determined based on the operation type. |
| Customer | Company that owns the goods. This field is required. |
| Shipper | Company that sends the goods to the warehouse, such as the supplier or exporter. |
| Consignee | Company receiving the goods. This field is visible when enabled by the operation type. |
| Arrival Carrier | Carrier bringing the goods to the warehouse. This field is visible when the operation type enables arrival information. |
5. Arrival Information
When enabled by the operation type, the Receipt records information about how the goods arrive at the warehouse.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Shipper | Identifies who sends the goods. |
| Estimated Arrival Date | Indicates when the cargo is expected to arrive. |
| Arrival Carrier | Carrier bringing the goods, such as a trucking company, airline, courier, etc. |
| Arrival Tracking | Tracking number for the incoming transportation. |
This information is essential for warehouse planning because it provides visibility into when cargo will arrive, who is sending it, and which carrier is handling the transportation.
6. Dispatch Information
For Outgoing operations, or when required by the operation type, the Receipt also records how the goods will leave the warehouse.
| Field | Mode / Description |
|---|---|
| Dispatch Mode | Air / Ocean / Courier / Pickup / Freight / Home Delivery / Inland |
| Estimated Dispatch Date | Indicates when the cargo is expected to leave the warehouse. |
| Dispatch Tracking | Tracking number for the outgoing transportation. |
This allows warehouse resources to be coordinated so cargo can be prepared on time according to the selected dispatch method.
7. Receipt Statuses
A Receipt moves through the following statuses during its lifecycle:
Draft
│
▼
Confirmed ───────────────────────────┐
│ │
▼ │
Arrived │
│ │ Can be canceled
▼ │ from any active
Allocated │ status
│ ▼
▼ Canceled
Completed
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Draft | The Receipt is being created and is not yet active. |
| Confirmed | The Receipt has been confirmed. The operation is planned and the goods are expected. |
| Arrived | The goods have physically arrived at the warehouse. |
| Allocated | The goods have been assigned to a location or resource within the warehouse. |
| Completed | The warehouse operation was successfully completed. |
| Canceled | The operation was not carried out. |
Reverting a Status
The system allows users to return to the previous status if an incorrect transition was made.
For example, if cargo was marked as Arrived but has not actually arrived yet, the Receipt can be returned to Confirmed.
Every status change, whether forward or backward, is recorded with the corresponding date and user.
8. Movement History
Every status change automatically generates a Movement or Receipt Movement.
The movement history provides a complete chronological record of everything that happened to the Receipt.
Each movement records:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Previous Status | The status before the change. It may be empty for the initial status. |
| New Status | The status assigned after the change. |
| User | The user who performed the change. |
| Date and Time | When the change occurred. This does not necessarily match the date when the information was entered into the system. |
| Note | Optional comment explaining the reason for the change. |
This history is immutable. It cannot be edited or deleted, ensuring complete traceability for auditing purposes.
9. Packages: Handling Unit Management
When the Operation Group has Handling Unit management enabled, the Receipt allows physical packages to be registered.
Information per Package
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Package Type | Box, pallet, container, drum, coil, etc. |
| Commodity | Classification of the cargo type. |
| Number of Pieces | Number of units of this package type. |
| Contents Description | Description of what the package contains. |
| Dimensions | Length × Width × Height with a unit of measure such as cm, m, or in. |
| Gross Weight | Physical weight of the packages with a unit of measure such as kg or lb. |
| HS Code | Harmonized System tariff code for the contents. |
| Declared Value | Used for insurance and customs documents. |
| Insured Value | Used when arranging insurance. |
| Reference 1 / Reference 2 | Additional customer or system reference numbers. |
| LPN | License Plate Number used to identify the package within the warehouse. |
| SSCC-18 | Serial Shipping Container Code, the GS1 standard barcode used for logistics identification. |
| Dangerous Goods | Indicates whether the package contains dangerous goods, including DG description. |
| Note | Free-form observations related to the package. |
Package Identifiers: LPN and SSCC-18
These two fields are particularly important because they provide the basis for individual package traceability.
- LPN (License Plate Number): an internal label attached to the package within the warehouse. It allows the package to be scanned and located in the system without needing to know its contents.
- SSCC-18: an international 18-digit GS1 standard code that uniquely identifies a logistics unit throughout the supply chain. It is the barcode typically displayed on the logistics label attached to a pallet or box.
10. Items: SKU-Level Management
When the Operation Group has Line management enabled, each package can contain Items or product lines.
This enables inventory control at the individual stock unit level.
Information per Item
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Description | Product description. |
| SKU | Product reference code or Stock Keeping Unit. |
| Product Code | Internal product code. |
| Serial Number | Used for products requiring individual serial-number traceability. |
| Brand | Product manufacturer or brand. |
| Model | Specific product model. |
| Quantity | Number of units with the corresponding unit of measure, such as units, pairs, dozens, etc. |
| Weight | Item weight. |
| HS Code | Harmonized System tariff code for the item. |
| Declared Value | Declared value for customs purposes. |
| Insured Value | Value used for insurance purposes. |
| Catalog Reference | Optional link to the customer's product catalog. |
When should Items be managed?
Item-level management is useful when:
- Exact inventory control by SKU is required.
- Products have serial numbers and must be individually tracked.
- Customs authorities require detailed information about the contents.
- The customer requires a receiving report containing product-level details.
For fast-transit operations or bulk cargo, package-level management is usually sufficient.
11. Cargo Hierarchy
Cargo within a Receipt is organized into three levels:
Receipt (warehouse operation)
└── Package (Handling Unit)
├── Package Item (Item / SKU) ← only when Lines are managed
├── Package Item
└── Package Item
This structure allows the exact level of detail required by the operation to be captured without adding unnecessary complexity when it is not needed.
12. Linking to Other Entities
Linking to Shipments
A Receipt can be linked to a Shipment through origin-related fields:
- Origin Type: identifies the system or module where the record originated, for example, a Shipment from the Operations module.
- Origin ID: identifier of the related operation.
- Origin Reference: reference number of the source document, for example, the BL, AWB, or Shipment reference number.
This link connects the logistics operation represented by the Shipment with the physical warehouse movement represented by the Receipt.
Linking to Another Receipt
A Receipt can be linked to another Receipt as a related order.
This is useful when one operation depends on another.
For example:
- An Outgoing Receipt that can only be executed after an Incoming Receipt has been completed.
- An internal transfer that generates both an Outgoing movement from one area and an Incoming movement in another.
Incoterm
Each Receipt can have an associated Incoterm, such as EXW, FOB, CIF, or DAP.
The Incoterm defines the responsibilities of the buyer and seller regarding transportation and insurance.
Quality Control
The Requires QC field indicates that the operation requires a quality inspection before it can proceed.
This serves as an indicator for the warehouse quality team.
13. Access Control and Permissions
The Receipts module includes a granular permission system that allows administrators to define exactly what each user can do.
| Permission | Description |
|---|---|
| View List | Can view the list of Receipts. |
| View Details | Can open and view a Receipt. |
| Create | Can create new Receipts. |
| Edit | Can modify existing Receipts. |
| Delete | Can delete a Receipt. |
| Restore | Can restore deleted Receipts. |
| Permanently Delete | Can permanently delete a Receipt. |
14. Preconfigured Views
The Receipts list includes preconfigured views by status, allowing warehouse teams to quickly identify the operations they need to manage.
| View | Contents |
|---|---|
| Confirmed | Planned operations waiting for the goods to arrive. |
| Arrived | Goods that have arrived at the warehouse and are waiting to be processed. |
| Allocated | Goods currently being assigned to a location or prepared for processing. |
| Drafts | Operations still being prepared and not yet confirmed. |
| Completed | Closed operations. |
| Canceled | Canceled operations. |
15. Complete Lifecycle of an Incoming Receipt
The following is the typical workflow for receiving goods into a warehouse:
1. CREATION (Draft)
└─ The Operation Type is selected, for example, "Import Reception".
└─ The warehouse is automatically assigned according to the operation type.
└─ The Customer is selected and, optionally, the Shipper and Consignee.
└─ Arrival information is entered: Carrier, estimated date, and tracking.
└─ The system automatically generates the Receipt name, for example, REC-0001.
2. CONFIRMATION
└─ The information is reviewed and the Receipt is confirmed.
└─ The warehouse team now knows that this cargo is expected.
└─ Space and resources can be planned.
3. ARRIVAL REGISTRATION
└─ The goods physically arrive at the warehouse.
└─ The status is changed to "Arrived".
└─ Received packages are registered with their type, dimensions, weight, and references.
└─ If Items are managed, the contents of each package are registered.
└─ If QC is required, the quality team performs the inspection.
4. ALLOCATION
└─ The goods are assigned to a location or prepared for dispatch.
└─ The status changes to "Allocated".
5. COMPLETION
└─ The operation is marked as "Completed".
└─ The history remains recorded with all movements and users.
16. How Does the System Support Warehouse Operations?
For the Warehouse Operations Team
- Know in advance which cargo is expected to arrive, when it will arrive, and which carrier will deliver it, using planned arrival information.
- Register each package with its weight, dimensions, and references at the time of receipt.
- Gain immediate visibility into pending operations by status, such as Confirmed, Arrived, or Allocated.
- Directly link the warehouse operation with the corresponding Shipment without duplicating information.
For the Logistics Team
- Know the current status of cargo within the warehouse, including whether it has arrived, been processed, or already left.
- Keep arrival and dispatch information consolidated together with transportation information.
- Access the complete movement history to resolve disputes or verify exact dates.
For the Sales and Customer Service Team
- Inform customers when their goods arrived at the warehouse, including the exact date and time.
- Access details of the received packages and compare them with what the customer expected.
- Access the incoming carrier tracking information directly from the same system.
For Audit and Control
- Movement history is immutable and records the user and date for every status change.
- Links to Shipments provide traceability across the complete operation lifecycle.
- Weight, dimensions, and reference information remains recorded for comparison with transportation documents.
- Data exports can be used to generate receiving reports for customers or internal use.