What is FIFO in a warehouse?
In a warehouse, FIFO (first in, first out) is the stock rotation rule that sends out the stock that arrived first. It is the physical rule, not the accounting method of the same name, which values inventory and moves nothing. FIFO keeps stock from ageing on the shelf, and for most goods the oldest arrival is also the first to expire, so it protects dates too. When it is not, the rule for dated goods is FEFO.
Whether you get FIFO depends on the rack:
| Rack type | Order |
|---|---|
| Selective, mobile | Any order you choose: FIFO by discipline |
| Double-deep | The front pallet must move before the back one |
| Drive-in, push-back | Last in, first out, per lane |
| Pallet flow | FIFO by design: load at the back, pick at the front |
| Pallet shuttle | LIFO from one aisle, FIFO if loaded from both ends |
| Drive-through | FIFO if loaded from one end and emptied from the other |
The order applies per lane. A drive-in rack is LIFO inside each lane, but if every lane holds one delivery, the warehouse can still empty the lanes oldest first, which is FIFO by lane.
The cold store tool shows each rack’s order and what keeping date order costs in pallets held. The long version: Storage density vs selectivity. What date order costs in a chiller: Cold storage racking.
Sources
- Rack date order: the cold store tool, rack descriptions. Drive-through racking is not in the tool; the row gives its standard design, loaded from one aisle and emptied from the other.