Inventory Transfers

Learn how to move inventory between warehouse locations in OmniOrders. Balance stock levels, prevent shortages, and fulfill orders from the optimal location.

---
title: Inventory Transfers
description: Learn how to move inventory between warehouse locations in OmniOrders. Balance stock levels, prevent shortages, and fulfill orders from the optimal location.
---

Inventory transfers let you move stock between your fulfillment locations. This helps you balance inventory across warehouses, prepare for seasonal demand, or consolidate stock when needed.

<SupademoEmbed demoId="cmjj9fyuk3ltd3zz2k7xd02p9" />

:::tip[Quick Tip]
Transfers work like internal purchase orders between your own locations. Select a source location (where stock is coming from), choose destination locations (where it's going), add SKUs with quantities, and confirm the transfer.
:::

## Why Use Transfers?

**Inventory Transfers let you move stock between your fulfillment locations to balance supply, reduce shipping costs, and prepare for seasonal demand. Every transfer is tracked in real time — from creation through receiving — so your inventory counts stay accurate across all locations.**

<CardGrid>
  <IconCard title="Balance Stock Levels" icon="scale" bgColor="#f0fdfa" bgColorDark="rgba(20, 184, 166, 0.12)">
    Move inventory from overstocked locations to understocked ones to prevent stockouts and reduce waste.
  </IconCard>
  <IconCard title="Optimize Fulfillment" icon="truck" bgColor="#eff6ff" bgColorDark="rgba(59, 130, 246, 0.12)">
    Position inventory closer to customers or high-demand areas to reduce shipping costs and delivery times.
  </IconCard>
  <IconCard title="Seasonal Preparation" icon="calendar" bgColor="#faf5ff" bgColorDark="rgba(168, 85, 247, 0.12)">
    Pre-position inventory ahead of peak seasons or promotional events at strategic locations.
  </IconCard>
  <IconCard title="Track Movement" icon="list-checks" bgColor="#f0fdf4" bgColorDark="rgba(34, 197, 94, 0.12)">
    Keep accurate records of all inventory movements between locations with full audit trails.
  </IconCard>
</CardGrid>

## How to Create a Transfer

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<Steps>

1. **Go to Transfers**
   
   Click **Transfers** in the main navigation to view your transfer history.

2. **Click Actions → Create Transfer**
   
   Click the **Actions** button in the top right, then select **Create Transfer** from the dropdown menu.

3. **Select Source Location**
   
   Choose the fulfillment location where the inventory is currently stored. This is where the stock will be transferred FROM.

4. **Click Continue**
   
   After selecting the source location, click **Continue** to proceed to the next step.

5. **Select Destination Location(s)**
   
   Choose one or more fulfillment locations where you want to send the inventory. You can transfer to multiple destinations in one transfer.

6. **Click Continue**
   
   Once you've selected all destination locations, click **Continue** to move to SKU selection.

7. **Add SKUs to Transfer**
   
   Click **Add SKUs** and select the products you want to transfer. Enter the quantity for each SKU at each destination location.

8. **Review Transfer Details**
   
   The system will show you a preview with all transfer details including SKUs, quantities, and locations. Click **Continue** to proceed.

9. **Create Transfer**
   
   Review the final summary and click **Save Transfer** to create it in draft status. The transfer is now saved but not yet confirmed.

10. **Confirm Transfer**
    
    Back on the Transfers list, find your draft transfer, click the actions menu (three dots), and select **Create Transfer** to confirm it. This initiates the actual inventory movement.

</Steps>

## Understanding Transfer Status

Transfers move through different statuses as they progress:

<CardGrid>
  <IconCard title="Draft" icon="file-edit" bgColor="#f8fafc" bgColorDark="rgba(100, 116, 139, 0.12)">
    **Saved but not confirmed.** The transfer is created but inventory hasn't started moving yet. You can still edit or delete draft transfers.
  </IconCard>
  <IconCard title="Confirmed" icon="check-circle" bgColor="#eff6ff" bgColorDark="rgba(59, 130, 246, 0.12)">
    **In process.** The transfer is confirmed and inventory is in transit between locations. Stock is deducted from the source and pending at destinations.
  </IconCard>
  <IconCard title="Received" icon="package-check" bgColor="#f0fdf4" bgColorDark="rgba(34, 197, 94, 0.12)">
    **Complete.** All items have been received at destination locations and inventory levels are updated.
  </IconCard>
</CardGrid>

## Transfer Actions

Once a transfer is created, you can perform several actions:

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**Preview** - View transfer details including SKUs, quantities, and locations  
**Print** - Generate a PDF of the transfer for physical documentation  
**Create Transfer** - Convert a draft transfer to confirmed status  
**Remove** - Delete a draft transfer (only available for drafts)

:::note[Draft vs Confirmed]
Draft transfers can be edited or deleted. Once confirmed, the transfer cannot be cancelled and inventory begins moving. Make sure everything is correct before confirming.
:::

## Viewing Transfer Details

The Transfers table shows key information for each transfer:

- **Order Number** - Unique transfer ID
- **Status** - Current transfer status (draft, confirmed, received)
- **Items** - Number of unique SKUs in the transfer
- **Qty Received** - How many units have been received at destinations
- **In Transit** - How many units are still moving between locations
- **Date** - When the transfer was created
- **Total** - Total value of the transfer (if costs are tracked)
- **Tags** - Any labels applied to organize transfers

:::tip[Customize Your View]
Click the column visibility icon to show or hide columns based on what information is most important to you.
:::

## Multi-Location Transfers

You can send inventory to multiple destination locations in a single transfer:

<SupademoEmbed demoId="cmjjf2fq53pif3zz2p95ka9et" />

<Steps>

1. **Select Source Location**
   
   Choose where the inventory is coming from.

2. **Select Multiple Destinations**
   
   In step 2, select as many destination locations as you need.

3. **Allocate Quantities**
   
   When adding SKUs, specify how many units go to each destination. For example, send 50 units to Location A and 30 units to Location B.

4. **Review Allocation**
   
   The preview will show quantities broken down by destination so you can verify everything is correct.

</Steps>

## Best Practices

<CardGrid>
  <IconCard title="Plan Ahead" icon="calendar-clock">
    Create transfers in advance to allow time for physical movement and receiving. Don't wait until you're out of stock at a location.
  </IconCard>
  <IconCard title="Verify Available Stock" icon="clipboard-check">
    Before creating a transfer, check that the source location has enough available inventory. The system won't let you transfer more than is available.
  </IconCard>
  <IconCard title="Use Clear Notes" icon="message-square">
    Add notes to your transfers explaining the reason (rebalancing, seasonal, customer order, etc.) for better record-keeping.
  </IconCard>
  <IconCard title="Confirm Promptly" icon="clock">
    Convert draft transfers to confirmed status as soon as you're ready to ship. This updates inventory levels immediately so your stock counts stay accurate.
  </IconCard>
  <IconCard title="Track In Transit" icon="truck">
    Monitor the "In Transit" column to see how much inventory is currently moving between locations. This helps with planning and avoids double-counting stock.
  </IconCard>
  <IconCard title="Print for Shipping" icon="printer">
    Use the Print function to generate transfer documents for your warehouse team to reference when packing and receiving.
  </IconCard>
</CardGrid>

## Common Scenarios

**Rebalancing Stock**  
Location A has 200 units and Location B is out of stock. Create a transfer to move 100 units from A to B to balance inventory across both warehouses.

**Seasonal Preparation**  
You expect high demand at your West Coast warehouse before the holidays. Transfer extra inventory from your East Coast warehouse 2-3 weeks in advance.

**Consolidation**  
You're closing a temporary warehouse and need to move all inventory to your main facility. Create a transfer from the temp location to your primary warehouse.

**Order Fulfillment Optimization**  
A large order needs to ship from Location B, but most inventory is at Location A. Transfer the needed quantity from A to B so it can be fulfilled efficiently.

## Troubleshooting

**Can't select a location**  
Only active fulfillment locations appear in the selection. Check with your admin if you need access to additional locations.

**"Low Qty" error when adding SKUs**  
The source location doesn't have enough available stock to transfer. Check the available quantity and reduce your transfer amount, or choose a different source location.

**Can't edit a transfer**  
Once a transfer is confirmed, it cannot be edited or cancelled. You can only edit draft transfers. Double-check everything before confirming.

**Transfer not showing in list**  
Use the filter options to check if the transfer is in a different status. Also verify you're looking at the correct date range.

**Quantities not updating**  
Make sure the transfer status is "Confirmed" - draft transfers don't affect inventory levels. Once confirmed, quantities update immediately at the source and show as "In Transit" until received.

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**Related Topics:**  
- [Stock Management](/inventory/stock/) - Learn about on-hand, available, and committed quantities
- [Fulfillment Locations](/inventory/locations/) - Set up and manage warehouse locations
- [Stock Adjustments](/inventory/adjustments/) - Update inventory quantities for corrections
- [Inventory Overview](/inventory/overview/) - Get familiar with the main Inventory view
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