When you set up a location in Business Central that only requires bins, you get the simplest form of warehouse management available. This setup gives you control over where items are stored without adding the more advanced warehouse processes. Here is what the bin mandatory functionality does, and what it means when you work in the mobile flow.
What the bin mandatory setup does on the location card
A location that only requires bins is set up by ticking the Bin Mandatory checkmark on the location card. You use this setup when you want to state every time you take an item which bin you take it from and put it to. That gives you visibility into where your inventory items are located in the warehouse.
The key point is that you have only set the Bin Mandatory checkmark. You have not enabled any of the other warehouse actions, such as receiving, putting away, picking, or shipping through warehouse documents.
What you see in the mobile flow with bin only enabled
When you switch to a bin only location in the mobile flow, you can recognise it by the bin symbol. The location keeps all the bin related functionalities, so every action tied to bins is still available. You will find actions like Find Item and Show Bin Content on the right hand side of the screen.
What you do not get are the inbound and outbound warehouse documents. Instead, the inbound and outbound handling relates directly to purchase orders and sales orders. There is no separate warehouse receipt or shipment step.
When to use a bin only location
This is more or less the simplest way of setting up a warehouse. If you want to track where items sit in your warehouse but do not need the full warehouse document flow, the bin only setup gives you exactly that and nothing more.
Q&A
What does the Bin Mandatory checkmark do on a location card?
It requires you to state which bin you take an item from and put it to every time you move inventory. This gives you visibility into where your items are stored, without enabling the other warehouse actions.
What functionality is available in the mobile flow for a bin only location?
All bin related actions stay available, including Find Item and Show Bin Content. The inbound and outbound warehouse documents are not used, because purchase orders and sales orders are handled directly.
Is a bin only location the simplest warehouse setup?
Yes. Enabling only Bin Mandatory without the other warehouse actions is more or less the simplest way to set up a warehouse while still tracking item locations.