Locations and Sub-Locations Explained

Good location naming makes items findable, stock replenishment predictable, and shelf labels readable. Arda uses a two-level hierarchy: Location and Sub-Location.

Key Concepts

Location

A Location is a broad physical area — a building, cage, room, or zone. It answers the question: “Where do I go?”

Examples: Main Warehouse, Tool Crib, Electrical Room, Production Floor A

Sub-Location

A Sub-Location is the specific spot within a Location — a shelf, bin, drawer, or rack position. It answers: “Where exactly do I look?”

Examples: Shelf A-1, Bin 3, Top Drawer, Rack Row 4 Position 2

Cards, Labels, and Breadcrumbs

These three physical artifacts work together with locations:

Cards — travel with the item or sit at the reorder point. Scanned when stock hits minimum.
Labels — fixed to the shelf or bin. Identify what belongs there permanently.
Breadcrumbs — restocking pointers that tell receiving staff where to put items when they arrive.

Five Rules for Good Location Naming

One “truth” location per inventory loop. Every item lives in one primary place. Avoid ambiguity.
Use names that print well on labels. Keep names short and readable at a glance — labels are small.
Be consistent. If you use “Shelf A-1” in one area, do not switch to “Row 1, Shelf A” in another. Pick a convention and stick to it.
Match the physical layout. Walk the floor and name locations in the order someone would encounter them on the way to the shelf.
Keep it simple. Two levels (Location + Sub-Location) is enough for most operations. Resist adding a third level.

As the Inventory Manager (Irene)

You set up locations when you first configure the system and when you add new storage areas. Print location labels immediately after creating a location so the physical space matches the digital record from day one.