Receiving is the first step in warehouse operations, where incoming goods are unloaded, checked against purchase orders, and logged into the system. It includes quantity verification, damage checks, and proper documentation. A WMS helps streamline this by scanning barcodes and triggering putaway instructions. For example, upon receiving 20 boxes of SKU123, the warehouse team scans the items, confirms quantities match the supplier invoice, and marks them as “received” in the system.