GoldFinch Transfer Orders Management helps organizations plan, authorize, ship, track, and receive inventory moving between warehouses or operating locations. It provides visibility into the complete transfer lifecycle—from the requested movement through in-transit inventory and final receipt.
Because GoldFinch runs on Salesforce, transfer activity stays connected to items, warehouses, bins, lots, serial numbers, inventory availability, warehouse operations, supply planning, and reporting.
What Is a Transfer Order?
A Transfer Order is a controlled document used to move inventory from one warehouse to another. Unlike a sales order, a Transfer Order normally represents an internal inventory movement rather than a sale to a customer.
A Transfer Order can identify:
- The originating warehouse
- The destination warehouse
- The in-transit location
- Items and units of measure
- Requested transfer quantities
- Shipment and expected receipt dates
- Lot or serial-number information
- Transfer status
- Related warehouse shipments and receipts
Business benefit: A structured transfer document provides better control and visibility than informal requests, emails, or spreadsheet-based tracking.
Common Uses for Transfer Orders
Organizations may use Transfer Orders to:
- Replenish a warehouse or branch
- Move inventory from a central distribution center
- Balance inventory across locations
- Supply a production facility
- Relocate finished goods
- Respond to shortages at another warehouse
- Move products to or from a third-party logistics provider
- Support seasonal or regional demand
- Transfer inventory to a service or project location
Business benefit: Transfer Orders help organizations position inventory where it is needed while maintaining a traceable history of the movement.
High-Level Transfer Process
A typical transfer process includes the following stages:
- Create the Transfer Order
Identify the originating warehouse, destination warehouse, items, quantities, and relevant dates. - Confirm Inventory Availability
Review whether the originating location has sufficient inventory available for transfer. - Allocate Inventory
Reserve or identify inventory for the Transfer Order according to the organization’s configured process. - Prepare the Shipment
Create the related warehouse shipment and complete any required picking, packing, lot assignment, or shipping activity. - Post the Transfer Shipment
Record that inventory has left the originating warehouse and is moving through the designated in-transit location. - Track Inventory in Transit
Monitor inventory that has shipped but has not yet been received at the destination. - Create and Post the Receipt
Record the inventory received at the destination warehouse and place it into the appropriate receiving or storage location. - Review the Transfer
Confirm that the shipped and received quantities are complete and investigate any differences.
The exact process depends on the organization’s warehouse configuration, item tracking, permissions, and operating procedures.
Inventory Allocation
When a Transfer Order is created, GoldFinch can allocate available inventory based on relevant information such as the item, unit of measure, and originating warehouse.
Allocation helps distinguish inventory intended for transfer from inventory available for other sales, production, or operational demand.
Business benefit: Transfer allocation reduces the risk of committing the same inventory to multiple requirements.
Transfer Shipments
A Transfer Shipment records inventory leaving the originating warehouse. Depending on the warehouse configuration, the shipment process may include:
- Creating a warehouse shipment
- Generating a pick ticket
- Selecting warehouse bins
- Assigning lot or serial numbers
- Entering shipping information
- Confirming actual quantities
- Posting the shipment
GoldFinch can also support creating warehouse shipments for multiple eligible Transfer Orders through an authorized batch process.
Business benefit: A controlled shipping process helps warehouse teams prepare the correct products and creates visibility into inventory leaving the facility.
In-Transit Inventory
After a Transfer Shipment is posted, the inventory can be represented in a designated in-transit warehouse until it is received at the destination.
This provides a clear distinction among inventory that is:
- Available at the originating warehouse
- Currently in transit
- Received at the destination warehouse
Business benefit: In-transit visibility helps prevent inventory from disappearing between locations and allows teams to monitor outstanding transfers.
Transfer Receipts
A Transfer Receipt records inventory arriving at the destination warehouse. The receipt process can confirm the items, quantities, lots, serial numbers, and other relevant tracking information received.
Depending on the destination warehouse process, received inventory may then be directed to receiving, inspection, quality control, staging, or a storage bin.
Business benefit: Transfer Receipts help maintain accurate destination inventory and provide accountability for shipped versus received quantities.
Warehouse and Bin Management
Transfer Orders connect with the warehouse structure at both the originating and destination locations. Depending on the configuration, the process may involve:
- Pick bins
- Shipping bins
- Receiving bins
- Quality-control bins
- Put-away bins
- General storage bins
- In-transit warehouses
Business benefit: Connecting transfers with warehouse activity improves location-level accuracy and reduces manual coordination between facilities.
Lot and Serial-Number Tracking
For lot-controlled or serial-controlled items, tracking information can remain connected throughout the transfer process.
GoldFinch can help authorized users identify:
- Which lots or serial numbers were shipped
- The originating warehouse and bin
- The inventory currently in transit
- The destination warehouse and bin
- The quantities shipped and received
- The related transfer transactions
Depending on the configured fulfillment process, lot selection may also consider expiration information.
Business benefit: Maintaining tracking information during transfers strengthens traceability and helps support quality control and recall readiness.
Transfer Planning and Replenishment
Transfer Orders can support replenishment when inventory is available at one location but needed at another. Depending on the organization’s planning setup, a Stockkeeping Unit may identify another warehouse as its preferred transfer source.
Transfer recommendations or requirements may consider information such as:
- Inventory on hand
- Inventory available
- Existing transfer activity
- Demand
- Safety stock
- Lead time
- Reorder quantity
- Expected receipt date
Business benefit: Connecting transfers with supply planning helps organizations use existing inventory more effectively before purchasing or manufacturing additional products.
Third-Party Logistics and EDI
Organizations working with third-party logistics providers may exchange transfer-related information through approved EDI documents, APIs, or other supported integrations.
For example, transfer shipment and receipt information may be communicated with an external warehouse as part of an integrated process.
Business benefit: Electronic coordination with external warehouses can reduce duplicate entry and improve transfer-status visibility.
Exceptions and Discrepancies
Transfer Orders may require review when:
- Inventory is not available at the originating warehouse
- The shipment quantity differs from the requested quantity
- The received quantity differs from the shipped quantity
- Lot or serial information is incomplete
- Inventory remains in transit longer than expected
- Products are damaged or lost during transportation
- The destination warehouse or bin is incorrect
- A shipment or receipt cannot be posted
Organizations should establish procedures to investigate and approve transfer corrections.
Business benefit: Exception management helps resolve transfer differences promptly and protects inventory accuracy.
Reporting and Analytics
Salesforce reports, dashboards, and GoldFinch data can help authorized users analyze:
- Open Transfer Orders
- Inventory allocated to transfers
- Transfers awaiting shipment
- Inventory currently in transit
- Transfers awaiting receipt
- Shipped and received quantities
- Transfers by warehouse or item
- Lot and serial-number transfers
- Overdue transfers
- Transfer history
- Transfer-related inventory exceptions
Business benefit: Shared reporting helps warehouse, purchasing, planning, production, and management teams coordinate inventory across locations.
Key Business Benefits
GoldFinch Transfer Orders Management helps organizations:
- Control inventory movement between warehouses
- Improve visibility into transfer status
- Track inventory while it is in transit
- Maintain accurate inventory by location
- Allocate inventory for internal replenishment
- Strengthen lot and serial-number traceability
- Coordinate shipping and receiving teams
- Support warehouse replenishment and supply planning
- Reduce informal transfer requests and spreadsheet tracking
- Improve accountability for shipment and receipt differences
- Integrate transfer activity with warehouse operations
- Manage inventory transfers within Salesforce
Learn More
Transfer Order processes depend on each organization’s warehouse design, inventory policies, transportation practices, item tracking, planning setup, integrations, and internal controls.
Authorized GoldFinch customers can access detailed setup instructions, allocation logic, shipment and receipt procedures, lot-assignment methods, posting rules, EDI processes, and troubleshooting resources. Sign in to GoldFinch Clientcare or contact GoldFinch Support for assistance.
Comments
0 comments
Please sign in to leave a comment.