Receiving & Shipping

Full chain-of-custody from dock to dock.

Receiving and shipping are core to your operation. CatOps gives you full visibility into what is coming in and what is going out, with approvals, photo documentation, and complete movement history.

Log incoming materials with vendor, lot, and quantity tracking. Track outgoing shipments with BOL records and pallet references. Every movement is logged for audit and compliance readiness.

Most beverage operations handle receiving and shipping with paper logs and spreadsheets. That means no photo documentation, no approval workflow, no connection to inventory, and no audit trail. CatOps brings the full receiving and shipping workflow into one connected system.

Capabilities

Receiving logs

Log incoming materials with vendor, lot, quantity, and photo verification.

When material arrives, log the receipt with vendor, lot number, quantity, cost, and photos. The receipt creates inventory and lot records automatically — no separate data entry. Receiving logs are searchable and filterable by vendor, date, item, or lot.

Receiving approvals

Approval and denial workflow for received shipments.

Received shipments can require approval before inventory is updated. This adds a quality control checkpoint — a supervisor can verify the receipt before it affects inventory levels. Approvals and denials are logged with user, timestamp, and notes.

Shipping tracking

Track outgoing shipments with BOL records and pallet references.

Create shipments with BOL numbers, carrier, destination, pallet references, and lot numbers. The shipment deducts inventory when completed. Shipping records are searchable and connected to the inventory and lot data.

Shipping approvals

Approve and complete shipments with full workflow support.

Shipments move through a workflow: created, approved, in transit, completed. Each status change is logged. This ensures no shipment leaves the dock without proper authorization and documentation.

Photo documentation

Attach photos to both receiving and shipping records.

Photograph incoming shipments to document condition and quantity. Photograph outgoing shipments to document what was loaded and how it was packed. These photos are attached to the shipment record and serve as documentation for disputes, insurance claims, and quality control.

Movement history

Full movement log for audit trails and compliance readiness.

Every receiving and shipping transaction is logged with user, timestamp, items, quantities, lots, and photos. This creates a complete chain-of-custody record from dock to dock — exactly what auditors and regulators expect.

BOL management

Create and track Bill of Lading records for outgoing shipments.

BOL records include carrier, tracking number, freight terms, pallet count, and item details. BOLs are linked to shipments and searchable for quick lookup. No more digging through file cabinets for a BOL number.

Scheduled shipping

Plan and track scheduled outbound shipments.

Schedule shipments in advance, assign them to specific dates, and track completion against the schedule. This helps the shipping dock plan workload and ensures nothing is missed.

Why CatOps is different

Vs. Spreadsheets

Spreadsheet receiving and shipping means manual logs, no photos, no approval workflow, and no automatic inventory updates. CatOps connects receiving and shipping directly to inventory, lots, and compliance data.

Vs. Paper Logs

Paper logs are not searchable, cannot include photos, have no approval workflow, and can be lost or damaged. CatOps digitizes the entire workflow while keeping it simple enough for dock workers to use.

Vs. Other Beverage Software

Other beverage software may offer basic receiving and shipping, but often without photo documentation, approval workflows, or the full connection to lot tracking and compliance data. CatOps includes all of this.

How this reduces labor and errors

Receiving documentation

Before:

Write receiving log by hand, photograph separately, enter into spreadsheet later

After:

Log receipt in CatOps with photo attached, inventory and lot updated automatically

Shipping documentation

Before:

Write BOL by hand, enter shipment in spreadsheet, manually adjust inventory

After:

Create shipment in CatOps with BOL, pallets, and lots — inventory auto-deducted on completion

Receiving verification

Before:

Supervisor walks to dock to verify receipt, signs paper log

After:

Supervisor reviews and approves receipt in CatOps, photo attached, no walking required

Shipment lookup

Before:

Search file cabinet or spreadsheet for BOL number

After:

Search CatOps by BOL, date, carrier, or destination — results in seconds

Common Questions

Is receiving and shipping included in the base tier?

Yes. Receiving and shipping are included in the Inventory Tracker base tier at $149/month. No upgrade required.

Can I attach photos to receiving and shipping records?

Yes. Photo attachments are supported on both receiving and shipping records. Photos are stored with the record and viewable by authorized users.

Does shipping automatically deduct inventory?

Yes. When a shipment is completed, the inventory is automatically deducted. No manual adjustments needed.

Want to see Receiving & Shipping in action?

Request a demo and we'll walk you through how it works for your operation.

Request a Demo