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.
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
- Adjust the quantities.
- 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
Pick Lists
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.
How Pick Lists work
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
Check out this article to understand these in details: 🗂️ Understanding Picklist Statuses in Ply
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.
Key differences between Regular Transfers and Pick Lists
Area | Regular Transfers | Pick Lists |
Speed | Immediate | Finalized on completion |
Inventory on hold | No | Yes |
Physical picking workflow | No | Yes |
Staging / assembly steps | No | Yes |
Printable document | No | Yes |
Barcode scanning | No | Yes |
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.
Helpful resources
Video tutorials
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.