How to move your warehouse without long shipping downtime

During a move, you might have some stock in the old warehouse, some in transit, and some already at the new address. Meanwhile, customers keep placing orders, and if it isn't clear which items can be picked and where to ship from, delays and errors will start to occur.

In our previous articles, we described how to distinguish between a lack of space and management issues and how to design a new warehouse for future growth. During the move itself, these preparations need to be translated into a concrete schedule that links stock relocation, regular orders, and the launch of the new operation. We have prepared 3 key principles that are always worth keeping in mind.

Align your moving sequence with shipping

Depending on your stock volume and team capacity, choose between a one-off move with a planned shutdown or a phased relocation. Running two warehouses simultaneously requires enough staff and clear rules for order processing.

Don't forget to include receiving, checking, and putting away stock at the new address in your schedule. Simply finishing the transport doesn't mean the stock is ready for dispatch. Align the move date with warehouse workload, deliveries, and planned sales events.

Before starting the move, determine:

1. which stock must remain available for pending and upcoming orders,
2. where you will be shipping orders from during each phase,
3. when you will redirect new deliveries, returns, and carrier collections,
4. who will handle the move and who will continue to process customer orders,
5. how you will reflect any potential limitations in your promised delivery dates.

Watch out for multi-item orders. If you split their stock between two warehouses, you need to decide in advance where you will consolidate the order or whether you will ship it in parts. Therefore, plan your moving sequence based on the link between stock and specific orders.

GRiT Tip:For frequently ordered items, it may make sense during a phased move to keep operational stock in the old warehouse and prepare the rest in the new one. Base the quantity on expected orders, the duration of the move, and a time buffer in case of delays.

Keep track of goods in transit

For stock being moved, start with a stocktake and inventory audit. Verify the actual quantities and resolve any discrepancies found. Separate damaged or unidentified goods and assign someone to investigate them. Label pallets and crates so that their contents and destination locations can be tracked. If the warehouse continues to operate during the audit, keep a running record of all further stock movements.

For every part of your inventory, record the dispatch from the old warehouse and confirmation of receipt at the new one. Goods in transit must not appear as immediately available for picking. Once received, verify the quantities and record the actual storage location so that staff at the new warehouse can find them.

Also, determine who is responsible for resolving discrepancies between the quantities dispatched and received, and when disputed stock can be released for picking. Tracking down differences only when preparing a customer order unnecessarily delays dispatch.

GRiT Tip:LOKiA WMS helps you track inventory, its location and movement, and control warehouse operations using barcode scanners. Ideally, set up the specific transfer procedure and availability rules together with your system provider, including data transfer to your ERP or e-shop.

Test your new operations first

Before moving the bulk of your stock, prepare location labels, connections, scanners, and printers. If you are simultaneously introducing new warehouse management software (WMS), align the moving date with its implementation and staff training. Also, determine who will transfer and verify stock levels and from when stock movements will be recorded in the new system.

Verify the entire process using test ordersfrom receiving goods and putting them away to picking, packing, printing shipping labels, and transmitting data to the carrier. Also, check that stock levels and order statuses are correctly updated in connected systems.

Conduct the test with the people who will actually be working in the new warehouse.Alongside a standard order, walk through scenarios where an item is missing, a code cannot be scanned, or the system reports a different quantity. Everyone must know the procedure and who to turn to.

Determine in advance who will approve the start of dispatch and which issues must be resolved before going live. Also, prepare a contingency plan for transport delays or technical issues:for example, postponing the next phase of the move or temporarily adjusting delivery deadlines. The team must know who makes the decisions and who communicates changes to customers.

After going live, monitor the number and age of pending orders, dispatch speed, and inventory discrepancies. During a short daily review, determine which issues take priority and who will resolve them. For the first few days, it is ideal to arrange for the availability of an internal coordinator and WMS provider support so that problem-solving is not delayed.

Moving your warehouse and want to keep your stock and orders under control? Book a consultation with us and we will discuss how to prepare your new facility and its management with LOKiA WMS.