# Shelves and storage areas

Set up each location's zones and shelves and give each item a home shelf, so your team can count shelf by shelf in the Mays app, in the order they walk the store.

For: Admins, Managers · On: Web, iOS, Android · [Help Center](https://www.mays.app/help) › [Inventory](https://www.mays.app/help/inventory) · Last updated October 4, 2026 · Mays Team

Set up each location's zones and shelves and give each item a home shelf, so your team can count shelf by shelf in the Mays app, in the order they walk the store.

**Where:** **Inventory → Shelves** on the web (the page is called **Shelves & bins**), for the location picked in the sidebar. Admins, and managers at their own locations.

## Add shelves

1. Type a **Zone (optional)**, such as *Walk-in* or *Dry storage*. Zones you've already used are suggested as you type.
2. Type the **Shelf / bin name**, such as *Top shelf*.
3. Click **Add shelf**, or press Enter.

Shelves are grouped under their zone. Shelves without a zone are under **No zone**.

![The Shelves & bins page for South with 4 shelves: the Zone (optional) and Shelf / bin name boxes and Add shelf, then Walk-in with Top shelf (1) and Bottom shelf (2), Dry storage with Rack A (3) and Front counter with Under the bar (4), each with its order number, name, zone and a delete icon](https://mays-uploads.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/site/help__shelves-and-storage-areas__01-shelves.ae1ca0a283.png)

## Reorder, rename or delete a shelf

Each shelf has three boxes: its order number, its name and its zone. Change one and click away to save it.

- **Order:** shelves are listed, and offered in the app, from the lowest number up. Number them in the order you walk the store. A new shelf goes to the end, and zones appear in the order of their first shelf.
- **Move a shelf to another zone:** type that zone's name in its zone box.
- **Delete:** click the bin icon and confirm *Delete shelf "Top shelf"?*

## Give items a home shelf

1. Open the item under **Inventory → Items**.
2. Pick its **Home shelf**, such as *Walk-in · Top shelf*.
3. Click **Save item**.

![The Details section of the Oat milk item: Name, Category Dairy & alternatives, Home shelf Walk-in · Top shelf, GL code, Barcode, Count unit carton, Measures count and the Corporate item (shared to all locations) box, unticked](https://mays-uploads.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/site/help__shelves-and-storage-areas__02-home-shelf.672f47a480.png)

Items shared with all locations (**Corporate item (shared to all locations)**) can't have a home shelf, because shelves belong to one location.

## Count shelf by shelf

In the app, a **Guided** count uses these shelves. Pick the shelf you're standing at, and the items whose home shelf it is are marked **On this shelf**. You can still count any item on any shelf; when you submit, the counts from every shelf are added together. See [Counting inventory in the app](https://www.mays.app/help/inventory/count-inventory-on-mobile).

## Good to know

- **Each location has its own shelves.** Pick another location in the sidebar to set up that store.
- **Deleting a shelf** takes it out of the list and out of counts in the app. Items that lived on it are no longer marked **On this shelf**; give them a new home shelf.
- **Shelves don't hold their own stock.** On hand is one total per item for the location, however many shelves you counted it on. See [Stock on hand](https://www.mays.app/help/inventory/stock-on-hand).
- **Counting on the web doesn't use shelves.** Its **Storage** filter, like the one in the app's Quick mode, uses storage names brought in by an import, not these shelves. See [Running stock counts](https://www.mays.app/help/inventory/stock-counts).

## Related articles

- Inventory: [Counting inventory in the app](https://www.mays.app/help/inventory/count-inventory-on-mobile) — Managers and admins can count stock in the Mays app, shelf by shelf or from one list, by tapping, typing, scanning barcodes or saying the count out loud.
- Inventory: [Inventory items](https://www.mays.app/help/inventory/inventory-items) — Items are what you count, order and cost, like a carton of oat milk or a pound of espresso. Each has a count unit, other units such as a case, and vendor prices.
- Inventory: [Running stock counts](https://www.mays.app/help/inventory/stock-counts) — A count records what's on your shelves. Submitting it sets each counted item's stock on hand and shows how far it was from what Mays expected.
- Inventory: [Inventory at a glance](https://www.mays.app/help/inventory/inventory-overview) — Inventory tracks what you stock, what it costs and what you use, from items and vendors to counts, orders, invoices and waste. It's part of the Pro plan.

## Still need help?

Send us a support request and a real person on the Mays team will get back to you.

[Contact support](https://www.mays.app/contact?topic=support) · [Call +1 (561) 286-3939](tel:+15612863939)

Canonical: https://www.mays.app/help/inventory/shelves-and-storage-areas