In FieldEx, you don’t “put stock into a location” directly, you assign stock to a bin. Bins can live in warehouses or represent mobile storage like vans (and even personal user bins for individual technicians). This article explains:
How FieldEx models inventory with Location → Zone → Bin → User Bin
What it means to assign items to a warehouse bin or a van (bin)
When to use a van bin vs. a user bin
How to transfer/assign stock to a specific bin step‑by‑step
Key fields and best practices for accurate assignment
How FieldEx Models Locations & Bins
FieldEx tracks inventory at the bin level (not just a broad “location”). Think of it as a hierarchy:
Location – A site or depot (e.g., “Main Warehouse”).
Zone – A manageably owned area within a location (e.g., “Receiving”, “Van Fleet”).
Bin – The actual stocking point (shelf/rack, or a van bin).
User Bin – A special bin tied to a person (technician) for personal stock.
Important: A van in FieldEx is represented as a bin (often under a zone like “Van Fleet” or “Mobile Dispatch”). You assign parts to that van by transferring to its bin. |
What “Assigning Items to Warehouses or Vans” Really Means
Assigning items is simply a transfer to a target bin. That bin might be a warehouse bin, a van bin, or a user bin. After transfer, the stock lives in that bin and becomes available for picks, job usage, or further transfers.
Warehouse Bin – Central storage used for bulk holding and replenishment.
Van Bin – Mobile kit tied to a vehicle; shared across whoever uses the van.
User Bin – Personal stock for a technician; perfect for individual accountability.
Van Bin vs. User Bin: Which Should I Use?
You want to… | Use this bin type | Why |
Keep it simple and track stock at the vehicle/team level | Van Bin | Parts are consumed “by the van”—no need to track who used what. |
Track exactly who used/returned each item | User Bin | Full individual accountability and usage reporting per technician. |
Pre‑requisites & Paths
Ensure the target bin exists (warehouse bin, van bin, or user bin).
User must have permission to initiate/approve transfers (based on your setup).
Primary Path (recommended): Inventory > Transfers > New Transfer
Alternate (initial stocking): Inventory > Adjust Inventory (for first-time adds or corrections)
Assigning Items to a Warehouse or Van (Transfer to Bin)
Ensure the target bin exists (warehouse bin, van bin, or user bin).
User must have permission to initiate/approve transfers (based on your setup).
Primary Path (recommended): Inventory > Transfers > New Transfer
Alternate (initial stocking): Inventory > Adjust Inventory (for first-time adds or corrections)
Go to Inventory > Transfers and click New Transfer.
Set From Bin (the current stock holder, e.g., “Main WH - Rack A”).
Set To Bin:
Warehouse assignment → pick a warehouse bin.
Van assignment → pick the van bin (e.g., “BIN‑VAN‑ABC1234”).
Technician assignment → pick the user bin (e.g., “BIN‑USER‑LISA”).
Add Items (spare parts or assets) and enter Quantities.
(Optional) Add a Note like “Van refill for next week’s jobs”.
Click Submit. If approvals are enabled, approvers are notified.
Once approved, click Initiate Transfer. The destination group/user will Accept upon receipt to complete the move.
Note: If your org uses consignment or approval workflows, the same transfer UX applies—the To Bin may be a van or user bin, and approvals/consignment rules will route as configured. |
Practical Examples
You receive 100 filters at Main Warehouse. Transfer 20 to BIN‑VAN‑A1 and 5 to BIN‑USER‑LISA.
Before a shutdown job, allocate kits to three vans by transferring to each van bin under the Van Fleet zone.
To track personal consumption for an apprentice, stock their user bin instead of the shared van bin.
Key Fields on a Transfer
Field | Description |
From Bin | Where the stock is coming from (warehouse/user/van bin). |
To Bin | Where the stock will live after transfer (warehouse, van, or user bin). |
Item & Quantity | Parts or assets to move, with the exact quantity per line. |
Note | Context for the move (e.g., job prep, van restock, project code). |
Approvals (if enabled) | Requests route to the managing group(s) based on zones/bins. |
How User Bins Are Created
User bins are created automatically when a user is flagged as a Bin User in their access profile. Once enabled, FieldEx creates a personal bin (e.g., BIN‑USER‑LISA) you can transfer to like any other bin.
Admin sets the user’s role/permissions.
Checks Is a Bin User.
User bin appears and is available for stocking and transfers.
Best Practices
Use van bins for team kits and quicker allocation; use user bins for personal accountability.
Group vans under a dedicated Zone (e.g., “Van Fleet”) for clear ownership and approvals.
Keep bin names consistent and searchable (e.g., BIN‑VAN‑REG‑UNIT, BIN‑USER‑FIRSTNAME).
Set reorder/understock thresholds per bin to trigger top‑ups before jobs.
Use Notes with job IDs or projects to simplify reconciliation later.