Location Types

Location Types (also known as Location Forms) provide customizable templates that define the structure, properties, and information required for different categories of locations in your organization. These templates allow you to standardize how you classify, organize, and describe the various physical spaces where your inventory and operations take place.

A Location Type is a configurable form template that defines:

• What specific information should be collected for a particular category of locations
• Which fields are required and which are optional
• The format and validation rules for each piece of information
• How locations of this type are displayed and managed in the system

1. Standardization: Ensure consistent information is collected for similar locations
2. Organization: Categorize locations based on their function, characteristics, or purpose
3. Efficiency: Streamline the process of adding new locations using predefined templates
4. Data Quality: Improve reporting by collecting relevant information for each location type
5. Flexibility: Configure different information requirements for different types of locations
6. Searchability: Enhance location filtering and searching with standardized attributes

When creating a new Location Type, you'll need to provide:

• Name: A descriptive name for the location type (e.g., "Warehouse," "Retail Store," "Production Facility")
• Description: A brief explanation of what kind of locations will use this type
• Published Status: Whether the location type is in draft mode or published and ready for use

Each Location Type consists of custom fields that define what information should be collected. For each field, you can configure:

1. Field Name: A descriptive label for the field (e.g., "Floor Area," "Maximum Capacity," "Security Level")

2. Field Type: The format of data to be collected, which can be:

   • Text: For general text input
   • Date: For date values
   • URL: For web addresses
   • Phone Number: For contact information
   • Email: For email addresses
   • Checkbox: For yes/no options
   • Select: For choosing one option from a list
   • Multi-Select: For choosing multiple options from a list
   • Number: For numerical values
   • Rating: For evaluation scores
   • Scale: For measurements on a defined scale
   • Slider: For selecting values within a range
   • Files: For attaching documents or images
   • Signature: For capturing approval signatures

3. Required Status: Whether the field must be filled in or can be left empty

4. Order Number: The sequence in which fields appear on the form

5. Configuration Options: Additional settings specific to the field type, such as:

   • Minimum/maximum values for numbers
   • Options for select fields
   • Validation rules
   • Default values

When creating or editing a location, you can assign a Location Type to it. This will:

1. Apply the template to the location
2. Generate the appropriate form fields based on the Location Type
3. Validate the information provided according to the field configuration

Locations can be filtered by their assigned Location Type, making it easy to:

• View all locations of a specific type
• Generate reports based on location categories
• Apply bulk operations to similar locations

1. Create Location Types for Major Categories: Define separate Location Types for fundamentally different spaces (e.g., warehouses, offices, retail locations)
2. Consider Operational Needs: Include fields that support your operational processes
3. Be Consistent: Use similar fields across different Location Types where appropriate
4. Plan Your Hierarchy: Design your location hierarchy before implementing it
5. Focus on Relevant Information: Only include fields that provide valuable information for management or operations
6. Use Clear Naming Conventions: Create a consistent naming strategy for locations

• Basic Fields: Name, Description, Address
• Custom Fields:
  • Storage Capacity (Number)
  • Temperature Controlled (Checkbox)
  • Storage Type (Select: Rack, Floor, Special)
  • Loading Docks (Number)
  • Operating Hours (Text)
  • Equipment Available (Multi-Select)

• Basic Fields: Name, Description, Address
• Custom Fields:
  • Floor Area (Number)
  • Store Manager (Text)
  • Opening Hours (Text)
  • Back Office Storage (Checkbox)
  • POS Terminals (Number)
  • Floor Plan (File)

• Basic Fields: Name, Description, Address
• Custom Fields:
  • Production Capacity (Number)
  • Safety Requirements (Text)
  • Equipment List (Text)
  • Certifications (Multi-Select)
  • Maintenance Schedule (Date)
  • Hazardous Materials Storage (Checkbox)

Location Types integrate with other system components:

• Inventory Management: Locations hold inventory and define where items are stored
• Material Permissions: Control what actions users can perform with materials at specific locations
• Reporting: Location Types enable detailed filtering and analysis in reports
• User Permissions: Access to certain Location Types can be controlled through user permissions

Location Types provide a powerful and flexible way to customize how your organization manages different categories of physical spaces, ensuring that you capture all the relevant information needed for efficient operations.