# Managing Bins

Bins are the core unit of inventory in Backstock. This guide covers everything you need to know about creating, editing, performing actions on, and managing individual bins in BuyerKiosk.

![Manage Bin Modal](/images/support/articles/backstock_manage_bin.png)

*The Manage Bin modal with tabs for editing, actions, notes, audits, and history*

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## Adding a New Bin

To create a single bin:

1. Click the `Add Bin` button in the action toolbar on the Backstock home page
2. Fill in the following fields:

| Field | Required | Description |
|-------|----------|-------------|
| **Bin Name** | Yes | A descriptive name like "Bin #101" or "Summer Dresses" |
| **Main POS Category** | Yes | Select the primary POS subcategory from the dropdown. Start typing to search. |
| **Additional Tags** | No | Select extra categories to cross-reference the bin. You can pick both POS subcategories and custom categories. |
| **Location** | Yes | Choose which storage location this bin belongs to |
| **Creation Date** | Yes | The date the bin was created -- this sets the initial age date |

3. Click `Add Bin` in the modal footer

The new bin appears in the table immediately.

> **Tip:** The Main POS Category is required because it ties the bin to your point-of-sale system for replenishment tracking. Additional Tags are optional and help with filtering and organization.

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## The Manage Bin Modal

Click the gear icon (Manage) button on any bin row to open the Manage Bin modal. This modal has five tabs:

### Edit Bin Tab

Change the bin's basic properties:

- **Bin Name** -- Rename the bin
- **Location** -- Move the bin to a different storage location
- **Main Category** -- Change the primary POS category
- **Other Categories** -- Add or remove additional tags
- **Age Date** -- View or change the bin's age date using the date picker

### Actions Tab

Record what is happening with the bin's contents:

1. Click `Add Action` to add an action line
2. Select the action type:

| Action | What It Means |
|--------|---------------|
| **Added** | Items were added to this bin |
| **Removed All** | All items of a specific category were removed |
| **Removed Some** | Some items of a specific category were removed |
| **Removed Everything** | The entire bin was emptied of all contents |

3. For add/remove actions, select the **category** the action applies to
4. Under **Quick Category Change**, you can update the main category and other tags without recording a separate action
5. Select the **Employee** performing the action
6. Optionally check `Reset Age Date to today` to restart the aging clock
7. Click `Save Changes` to commit everything at once

> **Tip:** When you perform a "Removed Everything" action, the system automatically clears all categories from the bin. This is useful when a bin is completely emptied and will be refilled with different inventory.

### Notes Tab

Add free-text notes visible to all team members:

- Type notes about the bin's contents, condition, or special instructions
- Click `Save Changes` to save
- Notes are visible to anyone who opens this bin's Manage modal

### Audit Tab

Record physical inventory audits:

- **Last Audit** section shows when the bin was last audited and by whom
- **Inventory Info** shows the current item count and estimated value
- **Record New Audit** section lets you log a new audit with:
  - `Item Count` -- How many items are in the bin
  - `Estimated Value` -- Total dollar value estimate
  - `Audit Notes` -- Any observations
  - `Audited By` -- Who performed the audit
- Click `Record Audit` to save the audit record

### History Tab

View a chronological log of everything that has happened to this bin:

| Column | Description |
|--------|-------------|
| **Date** | When the action was performed |
| **Employee** | Who performed it |
| **Action** | What was done (Added, Removed All, Removed Some, Removed Everything) |
| **Category** | Which category the action applied to |

The history shows the most recent 100 actions.

---

## Reprinting Labels

Each bin has a barcode label for scanning. To reprint:

1. Click the printer icon on the bin's row in the table
2. Select how many labels you need (1-10)
3. Click `Reprint Labels`

The label job is sent to your connected label printer.

> **Tip:** You can also print labels for multiple bins at once using the Bulk Create feature or by selecting rows with `Shift`-click and using the print function.

---

## Hiding and Reactivating Bins

### Hiding a Bin

When a bin is emptied, you can hide it to declutter the table:

1. Open the Manage Bin modal by clicking the gear icon
2. At the bottom-left of the modal, click `Hide Bin`
3. The bin disappears from the main table

Hidden bins are **not deleted** -- they retain all their history and can be brought back at any time.

> **Warning:** The `Hide Bin` button only appears for bins that have been used (have at least one action recorded). Brand new bins cannot be hidden -- delete them instead if they are not needed.

### Reactivating a Hidden Bin

There are two ways to bring back a hidden bin:

**Method 1: Barcode Scan**
Scan the bin's barcode label. If the bin is hidden, the system prompts you to reactivate it.

**Method 2: Search**
Type the exact bin name in the Quick Search bar. If no visible bins match but a hidden bin does, the system asks if you want to reactivate it.

In both cases, click `Yes, reactivate it` to restore the bin to the active table.

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## Deleting a Bin

To permanently remove a bin:

1. Click the red X icon on the bin's row
2. Confirm the deletion when prompted

> **Warning:** Deleting a bin is permanent. All action history for that bin is lost. If you want to keep the history, use `Hide Bin` instead.

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## Performing Quick Actions from the Workbook

Bins can also be managed from the **Workbook** panel without leaving the main workspace:

- The Workbook's Backstock panel shows **Bins to Pull** based on active events or aging
- You can perform quick actions like `empty`, `add`, `remove_some`, or `remove_all` directly from the panel
- Changes sync back to the Backstock dashboard automatically

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## Action Types Reference

| Action Code | Name | Description |
|-------------|------|-------------|
| 0 | Removed Everything | Bin was completely emptied -- all categories are cleared |
| 1 | Added | Items of a specific category were added to the bin |
| 2 | Removed All | All items of a specific category were removed |
| 3 | Removed Some | Some items of a specific category were removed |
| 6 | Added Items | Items were added with category merging (tags are added, not replaced) |

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## Troubleshooting

### I cannot find the Manage button
The gear icon appears in the **Edit** column (second column) of the bin table. If you do not see it, check that the Edit column is visible using the Column Visibility button.

### The bin's age did not reset after an action
The age only resets if you explicitly check the `Reset Age Date to today` checkbox in the Actions tab before saving. Performing an action alone does not reset the age automatically.

### I accidentally deleted a bin
Unfortunately, deletion is permanent. In the future, consider using `Hide Bin` for bins that might be reused. Hidden bins can always be reactivated.

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## Related Articles

- [Backstock Overview](/support/articles/backstock-overview) -- Understanding the Backstock dashboard
- [Bulk Bin Creation](/support/articles/backstock-bulk-create) -- Creating many bins at once
- [Categories & Locations](/support/articles/backstock-categories-locations) -- Managing where bins live and how they are organized
- [Events & Aging](/support/articles/backstock-events-aging) -- Seasonal events and aging reports