## Documentation Index

Fetch the complete documentation index at: [/llms.txt](https://docs.firstresonance.io/llms.txt)

Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

A location is a place where inventory sits or where work happens. Locations model the physical map of your factory, and every [inventory](https://docs.firstresonance.io/manage-supply-chain/inventory) transaction records the location it happened at. You manage locations from the **Factory** area in the **Production** section of the sidebar. For the steps, see [Manage locations](https://docs.firstresonance.io/build-hardware/locations-and-work-centers/manage-locations). Together, the location tree is your factory in ION.

## Types and hierarchy

Each location has a **Type**: Warehouse, Rack, Shelf, Tote, or Workcenter. The type tags what a location is; it does not restrict nesting. Locations nest into a tree through the **Parent Location** field, mirroring your building: a warehouse contains racks, a rack contains shelves, a shelf contains totes. Root locations sit at the top of the Factory tree, and each child rolls up under its parent. To build and reorganize the tree, see [Organize locations into a hierarchy](https://docs.firstresonance.io/build-hardware/locations-and-work-centers/manage-locations#organize-locations-into-a-hierarchy).

## Work centers

A work center is a location whose **Type** is **Workcenter**. There is no separate work-center record, so you create one by creating or editing a location. A work center is where runs and run steps are executed: run steps route to a work center, its capacity feeds scheduling, and operators work its queue of due steps. To designate one and run work there, see [Set up a work center](https://docs.firstresonance.io/build-hardware/locations-and-work-centers/set-up-a-work-center).

## Fields

| Field | Notes |
| --- | --- |
| **Name** | Location name. Required. Sort order drives the kit picklist pick path, so sortable names such as `A1-01` produce a sensible sequence. |
| **Type** | `Warehouse`, `Rack`, `Shelf`, `Tote`, or `Workcenter`. |
| **Description** | Free text. |
| **Parent Location** | Sets the location’s place in the hierarchy. |
| **Supervisor** | The person responsible for the location. |
| **Inventory Available** | Controls whether inventory can be stored here. |
| **Exclude from Inventory Merge** | Keeps this location’s inventory from auto-merging. |
| **Address** | Optional. Postal address, used for bill-to and ship-to on purchase orders. |
| **Geolocation Latitude / Longitude** | Optional coordinates. |
| **Image** | Optional. A thumbnail for visual identification. |

A location’s status (**Active** or **Archived**) shows as a badge and changes with the **Archive** or **Unarchive** action, not as a field.

Your org can add **custom attributes** to locations for data the built-in fields don’t cover. See [Custom attributes](https://docs.firstresonance.io/administration/custom-attributes).

## How locations are used

- **Inventory**: every inventory transaction has a location, so on-hand quantity is always tied to a place. **Inventory Available** and **Exclude from Inventory Merge** govern what can rest and merge there.
- **Runs and execution**: run steps are worked at a work center, and its queue buckets steps into Overdue, Now, Next, and Blocked. See [Run steps at a work center](https://docs.firstresonance.io/build-hardware/runs-and-execution/workcenter-execution).
- **Scheduling**: work-center capacity feeds [run scheduling](https://docs.firstresonance.io/build-hardware/runs-and-execution/scheduling).
- **Kitting**: kits are addressed to a destination location.
- **Barcodes**: locations carry barcode labels for scanning. See [Print a label](https://docs.firstresonance.io/build-hardware/labels-and-scanning/printing).

## Lifecycle

ION never deletes a location that carries history: archiving hides it from active use while keeping its transactions intact, and you can unarchive it later. Deletion is permanent, requires the `DeleteLocation` permission, and is blocked for a location set as your org’s default bill-to or ship-to. For the actions, see [Archive or delete a location](https://docs.firstresonance.io/build-hardware/locations-and-work-centers/manage-locations#archive-or-delete-a-location).