Setup guide: what to configure and in what order

Overview

A new warehouse needs a few things configured before the first truck arrives. This guide gives the order that avoids rework: first what other data depends on (warehouse, numbering, customers, locations), then the people and finally the notifications.

Before you start

• Sign in as a super admin. Several setup screens (warehouses, modules, users, docks, SMS, special job types) only open for them by default.
• Have at hand the customer list with their short codes, their products, the location layout, the docks, the team members and the rate card.

The steps, in order

1. Create the warehouse. Under Admin › Warehouses: name (the only required field), time zone, daily inventory report hour and notification language. The time zone defines where "today" starts and ends across the system. See Warehouses and modules.
2. Turn on the modules. Under Admin › Cargoflow › warehouses, turn on only the ones you will use. Then select the warehouse in the top bar: everything that follows is saved for the active warehouse.
3. Set and save the numbering. Under Configuration › Folios / Numbering. Save the screen even if you change nothing, before the first document. See Document numbering.
4. Add the customers. Under Commercial › Customers, with their folio code, contacts and emails. See Add a customer.
5. Build the inventory catalogs. Zones, locations and each customer’s products, by hand or by importing a file. See Locations and zones and Import products.
6. Add the docks and yard. Under Configuration › Loading Docks and Parking Areas. See Configure docks and yard.
7. Create the users. Under Users & access, with role and warehouses. See Manage users.
8. Load the rate card. Under Configuration › Services the warehouse’s base rates, and on each customer record their special prices. See Rate card and pricing.
9. Tune documents and notifications. Document templates, Notifications & email, the loading checklist and, if contracted, SMS / WhatsApp and visitor settings.
10. Run an end-to-end test (below).

Who can do each step

Why this order

• Time zone first: the dashboard, reports and daily emails cut the day with it.
• Numbering before documents: the first receipt already takes a number, and the first invoice issued before saving Folios uses an internal format different from the one on screen.
• Customers before products: each product belongs to a customer, and the customer code goes into document numbers.
• Locations before the first receipt: when a receipt is confirmed, the goods need a location.
• Docks before users: when you create operators you can assign them jobs right away.
• Rates before operating: charges are calculated with the rate in force at the time of the operation.

What each Configuration tile does: A tour of Configuration.

The end-to-end test

With a test customer (for example, "Test Customer"):

1. Create an ASN for 10 boxes of a product. Check its number.
2. Register a driver at the kiosk, assign a door and an operator.
3. Capture the receipt with 10 boxes and confirm it. Check they appear in stock, in their location.
4. Create a shipment for 4 boxes, allocate, pick, load and ship it. Print the bill of lading.
5. Check the "To be invoiced" pool: receiving and outbound charges should be there. Generate the invoice.
6. Check the home dashboard and the daily receipt list.

Cancel or delete what you need to afterwards. The walkthrough: From notice to stock and From order to departure.

Final checklist

• The warehouse has the right time zone.
• The modules you will use are on in that warehouse.
• Numbering saved and the preview looks right.
• Each customer has a unique folio code and at least one contact email.
• The locations where goods will be stored exist.
• Docks carry the names painted on the doors.
• Each person has a role and warehouse; nobody shares a user.
• The base rate card is loaded.
• A full test from receiving to invoice was done.

Troubleshooting

FAQ

Can I load my stock from the previous system?

Products are imported from a file. Opening stock and receipt and shipment history are loaded with Cargoflow’s help; that history then shows in reports as imported history.

Do I have to repeat everything for a second warehouse?

Almost: numbering, docks, yard, services, notifications and SMS are per warehouse. Users and customers are shared by assigning them to the new warehouse. See Working with several warehouses.