There are some ways to move inventory in Ply, but regular transfers and pick lists are the two most commonly used methods.
This article focuses on comparing these two options, explaining how each one works and when it makes sense to use one over the other, especially in location stocks and job-related workflows.
Which should you use? choose your scenario
⚡ Regular Transfer | 📋 Picklist |
Instant, no-frills stock movement | Structured, tracked, multi-step fulfillment |
Quick restocks between warehouse and truck | Warehouse team needs to physically pull and pack items |
You're doing it yourself, right now | Assigning the task to a specific person |
No staging or assembly step required | Materials need to be staged before pickup |
No need to assign it to someone else | You need a printed document for the warehouse |
Small number of items, simple route | Multiple steps: pull → review → pack → pickup → deliver |
Corrections or adjustments to stock levels | Fulfilling a Field Request from a tech |
➡️ The key difference: when does stock actually move? ⚡Instant vs. Staged How Each Method Handles Inventory
Step | ⚡ Regular Transfer | 📋 Picklist |
Action taken | You select materials & click Transfer | Picklist created — materials placed On Hold |
Stock removed from source | ✅ Instantly | 🟡 On Hold |
Stock added to destination | ✅ Instantly | 🟡 On Hold |
Team pulls & packs items | — | 🟡 On Hold |
Tech picks up materials | — | 🟡 On Hold |
Final step | ✅ Done — no further steps | ✅ Marked Completed → stock transfers now |
What does "On Hold" actually mean?
When a picklist is created, the materials are flagged as On Hold in the source location. This means:
→ The quantity is reserved for this picklist; other users can see it's committed
→ The physical stock is still at the warehouse; it just hasn't been moved yet in the system
→ No other picklist or transfer can take those exact units while they're on hold
→ The hold is released automatically when the picklist is Completed or Archived
This prevents double-booking; if two techs need the same item, the second picklist will immediately show a Needs Refill status for those units.
Regular Transfers
Regular transfers are typically used for simple, direct inventory movements. How Regular Transfers work:
Go to the stock location (Warehouse or Truck).
Select the materials you want to move.
Click Transfer.
Choose the destination:
Another Warehouse
A Truck
A Job
5. Adjust the quantities.
6. Click Transfer.
Inventory behavior
Inventory is removed from the origin and reflected in the destination immediately.
There are no intermediate steps or statuses.
When Regular Transfers are commonly used
Quick inventory moves
Simple location-to-location transfers
Adjustments where no physical picking or staging is required
Picklists
Pick Lists are commonly used when inventory needs to be physically pulled from a specific location, most often a main warehouse, before being sent to another location (truck or warehouse) or to a job.
They are especially useful when materials go through multiple operational steps before final delivery
A pick list represents a transfer from:
an origin (Warehouse, Truck, or Job)
to a destination (Warehouse, Truck, or Job)
Creating a Pick List
Go to the origin location (for example, your Warehouse).
Select the materials you want to send.
Click Create Pick List.
Choose the destination (Job or Truck).
(Optional) Add dates and assign the pick list to the person responsible for pulling the items.
➡️ Pick List statuses and inventory handling
Pick lists move through several statuses:
Needs Refill
Ready to be Assembled
Waiting for Pickup
Completed
➡️ What happens to inventory?
While a pick list is in Needs Refill, Ready to be Assembled, or Waiting for Pickup, the selected materials are placed On Hold.
Once the pick list is marked as Completed, the inventory movement is finalized and the items are reflected in the destination (for example, a Job or a Truck).
This allows teams to keep inventory accurate while materials are staged or in transit.
➡️ Full comparison: all dimensions
Feature | ⚡ Regular Transfer | 📋 Picklist |
When stock moves | Immediately on confirm | Only when marked Completed |
Inventory on hold during process | No | Yes — reserved until Completed |
Multi-step workflow | No — one action | Yes — pull → stage → pickup → complete |
Assign to a team member | No | Yes — with due date |
Printable picking document | No | Yes — PDF with barcode |
Barcode scanning support | No | Yes — scan items during pick |
Prevent double-booking | No | Yes — On Hold prevents conflicts |
Audit trail & history | Basic — Activity tab log | Full — status history, who acted, when |
Works on mobile | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes (completing) |
Created on mobile | ✅ Yes | ❌ No — web only |
Best for | Quick, direct moves — 1 person, now | Structured fulfillment — team, staged, tracked |
➡️ When teams choose Pick Lists over Regular Transfers
Most teams choose Pick Lists when:
All jobs require materials to be physically pulled from a warehouse
Items are staged or assembled before delivery
A physical document is needed to show what is leaving the warehouse
Materials need to be tracked through multiple steps (pull → pickup → delivery)
Pick Lists are often used as a replacement for traditional transmittals or delivery documents, since they provide a clear record and scannable workflow.
Print a Picklist for Your Warehouse Team
One feature Regular Transfers can't match: a physical document with barcodes
Picklists can be exported as a PDF with a printed checklist of all items, quantities, and barcodes. This document is handed to the warehouse team so they can walk the floor and check items off manually; no device is required during the pick.
How to generate the PDF:
Open the picklist → click the three dots (⋯) or the Print icon in the top-right.
Select Generate PDF or Print Picklist.
Download or print the document and hand it to the warehouse team.
Replacing transmittals & delivery documents
Many field service companies use picklist PDFs as a modern replacement for paper transmittals; they show exactly what left the warehouse, when, and assigned to whom and have a signature line for accountability.
🎯 Which One Fits Your Situation?
Common scenarios and the right method for each
⚡ Use Regular Transfer When...
Scenario | Details |
Quick truck restock before a morning run | You're the manager. You walk the warehouse, pull 4 items, and load them onto Truck #3 yourself. No one else needs to be involved. |
Moving excess inventory between warehouses | Warehouse B is low on capacitors. You transfer 10 units from Warehouse A to B right now, from your desk. |
Assigning materials to a job from a truck | Tech is on-site. He opens Ply, selects the parts he used from his truck, and transfers them to the job. Immediate, no extra steps. |
📋 Use Picklist When...
Scenario | Details |
Fulfilling a tech's field request | Mike submitted a Field Request. You create a picklist, assign it to your warehouse lead Sarah, who pulls the items, packs them, and leaves them for Mike to pick up at 7am. |
Preparing job-specific material kits | A big installation job needs 25 specific items. You create a picklist, the team assembles the kit, and you print a PDF to confirm everything is packed before the truck leaves. |
High-volume operations with a warehouse team | Your company processes 50+ material moves per day. Picklists give your warehouse team a structured queue, prevent double-booking, and create a full audit trail for every movement. |
➡️ Helpful resources
We recommend starting with the first video; it’s led by Darion (Ply co-founder and Head of Product & Engineering) and filmed in a real warehouse, showing how pick lists work in a real operational setting.
Still need help?
Questions about choosing the right method for your workflow? We're happy to help.