Warehouse Management

Cross-Docking

Receive inventory and ship it out the same day. Skip putaway for hot items, backorders, and product drops that need to move immediately.

See How It Works

Why Traditional Receiving Slows You Down

Putaway Delays

Traditional flow: receive → putaway → wait → pick → ship. For hot items, putaway is wasted motion.

Backorder Frustration

Customers waiting on backorders watch tracking for days while inventory sits in receiving before it's available.

Product Drop Pressure

New product launches sell out of pre-orders. Inventory arrives with hundreds of orders waiting—every hour matters.

How Cross-Docking Works in Fulfil

Match incoming inventory to waiting orders and route directly to shipping without storage.

Key Capabilities

  • Automatic backorder matching

    System identifies waiting orders as inventory is received. Routes items directly to fulfillment.

  • Cross-dock staging areas

    Designate dock areas for cross-dock items. Pickers know exactly where to find hot inventory.

  • Priority queue integration

    Cross-dock orders jump to front of pick queue. Oldest backorders fulfilled first.

  • Real-time financial updates

    Inventory value posts at receiving. COGS updates when cross-dock items ship. Full accounting trail.

  • Landed cost allocation

    Even cross-dock items get proper landed costs. Freight and duties distributed before items ship.

Cross-Dock Flow

1
PO received at dock

Scan incoming inventory

2
System matches backorders

Identifies waiting orders automatically

3
Route to staging

Cross-dock items move to staging area

4
Pick and pack

Priority fulfillment from staging

5
Ship same day

Customers notified immediately

Remaining inventory: After backorders filled, excess inventory follows normal putaway flow.

When to Use Cross-Docking

Backorder Fulfillment

Customers waiting for out-of-stock items get shipment notifications within hours of inventory arriving.

Product Drops

New product launches with pre-orders. Inventory arrives with hundreds of orders ready to ship.

Hot Items

Fast-selling SKUs that turn over quickly. Why put away inventory that will ship tomorrow anyway?

Transfer Orders

Inventory arriving from another warehouse or 3PL with orders already allocated.

Common Questions

How does cross-docking affect inventory accuracy?
Cross-dock items are still received into inventory—they just skip storage. The system tracks them in a cross-dock staging location until shipped. Full audit trail from receiving to shipment.
What if quality inspection is required?
Configure quality hold rules that apply even to cross-dock items. High-risk suppliers or product categories can require inspection before release. Inspection happens at the staging area before shipping.
Can I choose which orders get cross-docked?
Yes. Set priority rules for cross-dock allocation. Options include oldest backorder first, VIP customers first, or expedited shipping first. You control which waiting orders get immediate fulfillment.
How do landed costs work with cross-docking?
Landed costs (freight, duties, fees) apply at receiving, even for cross-dock items. The system allocates costs across all units received, then those costs flow through to COGS when cross-dock items ship.

Related Features

Warehouse Management

Complete WMS with receiving, putaway, and shipping integrated into your ERP.

Directed Putaway

For inventory that does need storage, optimize bin location selection.

Stock Reservations

Reserve incoming inventory for specific orders before it arrives.

Ready to speed up your receiving?

See how cross-docking can get inventory to customers faster.

Request a Demo