Multi-client 3PL warehouse software
A 3PL's first promise is that each client's stock stays theirs. NextStock records the owner on every stock, order and inbound record, so two clients can share a warehouse, a SKU name and even a bin without their inventory mixing. It is the same model a brand uses, with one client instead of many.
Highlights
Owner on every record
Stock balances, sales orders, purchase orders and inbound shipments all carry the client that owns them.
Warehouse-scoped access
Give staff membership of specific warehouses, with role permissions that decide what they can do there.
Client notifications
Send clients receipt and dispatch emails when their stock arrives or their orders ship.
One model for everyone
A brand is simply a single client, so you never outgrow the data model.
The multi-client problem in 3PL warehouses
A third-party logistics warehouse holds stock it does not own. Two clients might both sell a black phone case, both store it in aisle A, and both expect their order to ship from their own units. If the system only knows "phone case, 200 units", someone has to track ownership on the side, and sooner or later a client's order ships from another client's stock.
Ownership also matters beyond picking. Counts, holds, returns and reports all need to answer "whose stock is this?" A 3PL that cannot answer quickly loses time on every client question and every monthly reconciliation.
How client ownership works in NextStock
Ownership is part of how stock is identified, alongside warehouse, location, SKU, lot, LPN and status.
- Each client is a stock owner in your organization.
- Inbound purchase orders and ASNs are raised for a client, so received stock lands under that owner.
- Sales orders belong to a client, and stock for them is allocated from that client's balances.
- Counts, holds and adjustments act on stock that already carries its owner, and the ledger records every change.
- A brand with one client never needs to choose a client at all.
Access for your team and integrations
Staff get membership of the warehouses they work in, and role permissions decide what they can do there, such as receive, adjust or approve counts. A floor operator at one site does not need to see another.
API keys let your systems push orders and pull stock through the REST API. Keys are organization-wide, so they belong to you and your integrations, not to individual clients. See API and webhooks for how integrations connect. Client receipt and dispatch emails keep clients informed without a status call each time a delivery lands.
What is planned: client portal and billing
Two parts of a full 3PL stack are on the roadmap and not available yet. The first is a client portal where your clients log in to see their own stock, orders and receipts. The second is automated storage and handling billing that turns pallet days, picks and receipts into invoice lines.
Until then, clients get receipt and dispatch emails, and you can prepare billing from reports and CSV exports. Accounting exports and a postings ledger cover shipments, bills and credits, but they are not a 3PL rate engine.
Onboarding a new client
Most 3PL problems start in the first week of a new client. Agree the catalog, barcodes and opening stock before the first truck arrives.
- Create the client, then load their catalog and opening stock with bulk import.
- Confirm barcodes for every pack level they will send.
- Decide lot, expiry and serial rules per SKU before receiving.
- Agree the order channel: web app, API or CSV.
Built for
Frequently asked questions
Short, direct answers to the questions warehouse teams ask most.
Can two clients store the same product in the same bin?
Yes. Stock is identified by owner as well as location and SKU, so two clients' units can sit in the same bin and stay separate on the ledger. That said, many 3PLs still avoid mixing owners in one bin, because it makes floor mistakes easier. The system keeps the records apart either way; bin policy is an operational choice.
Does NextStock have a 3PL client portal?
Not yet. A client portal is planned. Today, clients receive receipt and dispatch emails, and you can share reports or CSV exports with them. If a client wants their store connected, you can run that integration through the REST API on their behalf. API keys cover your whole organization, so keep them in your hands rather than giving them to clients.
Can NextStock bill my clients for storage and handling?
Automated storage and handling billing is on the roadmap and not available yet. Until then, 3PLs usually build invoices from the activity they can see in NextStock: receipts, orders shipped and stock on hand by client. Accounting exports cover shipments, bills and credits, but they do not calculate 3PL rates such as pallet days or pick fees.
Is NextStock only for 3PLs?
No. Brands and distributors use the same model with a single client, and client pickers stay out of the way when there is only one. Because ownership is built into the data from the start, a brand that later starts storing stock for a partner does not need to migrate or change systems.
A little more order. A lot more possibility.
Make space for a better way to run your warehouse.