# Understanding the storage structure Step 1: entering basic data · Updated: 2026-02-07 · Bas Software Web version: https://www.bas.software/en/onboarding/step-1-entering-basic-data/understanding-the-storage-structure Learn how storage works in Bas with the 3-level structure: warehouse, storage location and unit. Understand when to use which structure. **(Only if you offer storage)** Before you start creating warehouses and storage, it's important to understand how storage works in Bas. Everything is built on a three-level structure. Once you understand this properly, the rest becomes much easier. --- ## Step 1 - The 3-level structure Storage in Bas works with a hierarchy of three levels: ``` Level 1: WAREHOUSE The physical location. A building, a hall, a depot. | |-- Level 2: STORAGE LOCATION (optional) | A section within the warehouse. Think of: a row, an aisle, a bay. | | | |-- Level 3: STORAGE (unit) | The individual unit. A container, a crate, a pallet. | This is the level at which you link customers and invoice. ``` ### What is what? | Level | What it is | Examples | | --- | --- | --- | | **Warehouse** | Physical location | Industrieweg Warehouse, Eindhoven Depot | | **Storage location** | Section within warehouse | Hall A, Row 1, Aisle 3, Bay 12 | | **Storage (unit)** | Individual unit | Container 001, Crate 301, Pallet A-1 | `Note:` The middle level (storage location) is **optional**. You can also go directly from warehouse to units. That is sufficient for many companies. --- ## Step 2 - Simple structure (without storage locations) If you have fewer than roughly 50 containers and you don't need to track per aisle or row where something is, you use the **simple structure**. You then skip the middle level. ### Example: ``` Industrieweg Warehouse (level 1) |-- Container 001 (level 3 - unit) |-- Container 002 (level 3 - unit) |-- Container 003 (level 3 - unit) |-- Crate 301 (level 3 - unit) |-- Crate 302 (level 3 - unit) ``` ### When do you use this? - You have fewer than roughly 50 containers or crates - Your warehouse is easy to oversee and you can find everything easily - You don't need to know which aisle or row something is in - You want to keep it simple `Tip:` Start here. This structure is sufficient for most companies. You can always add storage locations later as your warehouse grows. --- ## Step 3 - Complex structure (with storage locations) If you have multiple warehouses or want to know within a warehouse which row or aisle something is in, you use the **complex structure**. You then use all three levels. ### Example: ``` Eindhoven Warehouse (level 1) |-- Hall A (level 2 - storage location) | |-- Container 001 (level 3 - unit) | |-- Container 002 (level 3 - unit) | |-- Container 003 (level 3 - unit) | |-- Hall B (level 2 - storage location) | |-- Crate 301 (level 3 - unit) | |-- Crate 302 (level 3 - unit) | |-- Racking Row C (level 2 - storage location) |-- Pallet C-1 (level 3 - unit) |-- Pallet C-2 (level 3 - unit) ``` ### When do you use this? - You have multiple warehouses (e.g. Eindhoven and Veldhoven) - You want to know within a warehouse which row, aisle or floor something is in - You work with racking that is numbered per bay - You have a large, complex warehouse --- ## Step 4 - Simple or complex: what suits you? Use this rule of thumb: ### Choose SIMPLE if: - You have fewer than 50 containers - You have one warehouse at one location - You can find everything easily without a specific row layout - You want to keep it clear and simple ### Choose COMPLEX if: - You have multiple warehouses - You have more than 50 units - You want to know which row, aisle or bay something is in - You work with racking that is numbered `Tip:` When in doubt: start simple. You can always expand later. But if you start with an overly complex structure you don’t need, you make things unnecessarily difficult for yourself. --- ## Step 5 - What do you link customers to? This is an important principle: you always link customers to **level 3: the unit**. | Level | Do you link customers here? | Why | | --- | --- | --- | | Warehouse | No | This is the physical location | | Storage location | No | This is a section within the warehouse | | **Unit** | **Yes** | This is the actual storage space | A customer never rents "the warehouse" or "Hall A". A customer rents "Container 001" or "Crate 301". That’s what you link the case file to and that’s what you invoice. --- ## Examples by company size ### Small company (1 warehouse, 20 containers) **Structure:** Simple (warehouse + units) ``` Industrieweg Warehouse |-- Container 1 to 20 |-- Crate 1 to 10 ``` ### Medium-sized company (1 warehouse, 80 containers, with rows) **Structure:** Complex (warehouse + storage locations + units) ``` Eindhoven Warehouse |-- Row A: Container 1 to 20 |-- Row B: Container 21 to 40 |-- Row C: Crate 1 to 20 ``` ### Large company (2 warehouses, 200+ containers) **Structure:** Complex (warehouse + storage locations + units) ``` Eindhoven Warehouse |-- Hall A: Container 1 to 50 |-- Hall B: Container 51 to 100Veldhoven Warehouse |-- Row 1: Container 101 to 150 |-- Row 2: Pallet P-01 to P-50 ``` --- ## Tips - **Decide your structure on paper before you start.** A clean structure in the system starts with a clean structure on paper. Take 15 minutes for this. - **Start simple.** Do you have fewer than 50 containers? Then you probably don’t need storage locations. Warehouse + units is sufficient. - **You can always expand later.** Start with a simple structure and add storage locations as your warehouse grows. - **Link customers to units, not to warehouses.** A customer rents a container, not a warehouse. --- ## Watch out - **Making the location structure too complex.** If you start with Warehouse > Hall > Row > Bay > Floor > Unit while you only have 30 containers, you make it unnecessarily complicated. You can always expand later. - **Linking customers to the wrong levels.** Always link customers to units (level 3), not to warehouses or storage locations. - **Not defining a structure in advance.** If you start entering data without a plan, you get a mess. First define your structure on paper. --- ## Want to know more? - [Introduction to storage](https://www.bas.software/en/help/storage/introduction-to-storage) - Overview of the storage module and what you can do with it - [Manage your warehouses](https://www.bas.software/en/help/storage/manage-your-warehouses) - Creating, editing and deactivating warehouses - [Manage your storage locations](https://www.bas.software/en/help/storage/manage-your-storage-bays) - Creating storage locations and adding them in bulk **Next step:** [Create a warehouse](https://www.bas.software/en/onboarding/step-1-entering-basic-data/creating-a-warehouse) - create your first warehouse with address and square metres.