# Reserving goods: how a reservation works and how to manage it

URL: https://bimpsoft.com/en/help/sales/reserves/
Updated: 2026-11-06

> A reservation in Bimp assigns a quantity of goods to a specific order: the total warehouse stock does not change, but "Available" for other sales decreases by that quantity. The reservation is set in the "Reserve" column of the order, lasts a set number of days, and is released on shipment, when the order is closed, or with a Stock reservation document.

## What a product reservation is

A reservation in Bimp is the quantity of goods that the system has assigned to a specific order and does not offer for other sales. It is needed so that two managers do not sell the same goods to two customers, and so that the purchaser sees the real demand. The whole sequence, from order to payment, is described in the [sales process overview](https://bimpsoft.com/en/help/sales/sales-process/).

A reservation does not move or write off goods. The physical balance in the warehouse stays the same, and only the "Available" figure decreases.

You can reserve in the documents Customer order, Supplier order, Work order, and Production order. Materials for production are described in [Reserving materials for a customer order](https://bimpsoft.com/en/help/production/reserve-materials/).

## How stock differs from available quantity

Available balance is the warehouse balance minus the reserve. All three numbers are visible in **Warehouse → Products and services** in the columns "Stock in warehouses", "Available", and "Reserve".

| Figure | What it means |
|---|---|
| "Stock in warehouses" | how much of the product is physically in the warehouses |
| "Reserve" | how much of that is assigned to orders |
| "Available" | balance minus reserve: how much you can sell to other customers |

**Example.** The warehouses hold 4,535 pcs of a product, and 2,600 pcs are reserved. Available is 1,935 pcs. A new order can be reserved only within those 1,935 pcs.

Click the number in the "Stock in warehouses" column to open a breakdown by warehouse with the same three figures. The window has a date field: with it you can see the balance and reserve at any moment.

![The "Products and services" list with the columns "Stock in warehouses", "Available", "Reserve"; the "by warehouses" window is open with a date field at the top and totals: 129 in stock in total, 73 available, 56 reserved](https://bimpsoft.com/help/_img/7ba7cb07-e4c5-4bc6-ad55-e8087faaece5.webp)

## How a reservation works

A reservation is set when the order is saved, checked against the document date, and released by clearly defined events.

**When a reservation is set.** If reservation is turned on for this order type, the ordered quantity is filled into the "Reserve" column of each line automatically, but only when the goods are in stock. You turn the setting on in **Company settings → [Accounting settings](https://bimpsoft.com/en/help/getting-started/accounting-settings/)**: there are separate switches "Goods reservation (Customer order)", "Goods reservation (Production order)", and "Goods reservation ([Work order](https://bimpsoft.com/en/help/service/work-order/))". If a switch is off, the "Reserve" column shows 0 and you must set the reservation manually.

**For which date the balance is checked.** Bimp checks whether the goods are available not "today" but on the document date. If on that date the goods were not yet on the balance or are already reserved for another order, the reservation is not created. For details, see [Goods are not reserved: causes and solutions](https://bimpsoft.com/en/help/sales/reserve-troubleshooting/).

**When a reservation is released:**

- the reservation period specified in the order has ended;
- the order is shipped with a Sales of goods and services document, and the reservation is written off together with the goods;
- the order is moved to a status with the "Closed order" flag (by default "Completed"); see [Order statuses](https://bimpsoft.com/en/help/sales/order-statuses/);
- the quantity in the "Reserve" column is changed manually or released with a Stock reservation document.

After shipment or closing, Bimp checks whether any reservation is left for this order and releases the remainder, so that no "stuck" reservation stays in the warehouse and blocks the goods for other customers.

## How to set the reserved quantity and period in an order

The "Reserve" column in the order line sets the quantity, and the "Reservation days" field in the "Main" block sets the period.

1. Open the customer order on the "Products, services" tab.
2. In the "Reserve" column, leave the automatic quantity or enter your own: less than ordered to reserve part of it, **0** to not reserve the line.

   ![The "Products, services" tab of a customer order: in the line of the product "Bamboo cut..." (code 30001) the quantity is 100 pcs, the price is 300 UAH, with a 3% discount; the "Reserve" cell with the value 100 is highlighted for editing](https://bimpsoft.com/help/_img/3952d26a-511b-4408-abec-45cbdb3e94fa.webp)

3. In the left "Main" panel, in the "Reservation days" field, enter how many days to hold the reservation. After this period the reservation is released automatically. The value **0** means an unlimited reservation.

   ![The left "Main" panel of a customer order with the active "Reservation days" field containing 0](https://bimpsoft.com/help/_img/3c419504-d0e3-464f-99fc-563fd02ee785.webp)

4. Save the order. For a full description of the order fields, see [Customer order](https://bimpsoft.com/en/help/sales/customer-order/).

## The Stock reservation document

A Stock reservation document sets or releases a reservation separately from the order. You need it when the reservation has to change after the order is created. The document journal is at **Sales → Stock reservation**.

Typical situations:

| Situation | Operation type |
|---|---|
| The customer confirmed the purchase, payment is in 3 days; the goods need to be held | "Reservation" |
| The goods were not available when the order was placed, and now they have arrived | "Reservation" |
| To assemble a batch of products, raw materials must be set aside for a few days | "Reservation" |
| The customer cancelled the order | "Release from reservation" |

Document fields:

| Field | What it means |
|---|---|
| "Operation type" | the switch "Reservation" / "Release from reservation" |
| "Organization" | on whose behalf the operation is posted |
| "Warehouse in table part" | off: one "Warehouse" for the whole document; on: the warehouse is set in each line |
| "Warehouse" | where we reserve from (if the switch is off) |
| "Reserve" | the quantity we set or release |
| "Stock in warehouse" | the current balance in the selected warehouse |
| "Order" | the order the reservation is linked to; a required line field |
| "Batch number" | filled in if accounting is kept by batches and series |

![A Stock reservation document: operation type "Reservation", organization LLC "Horrus", warehouse "Main warehouse (Components)"; the table has two rows with the columns "Reserve", "Stock in warehouse", and "Order": a customer order and a production order](https://bimpsoft.com/help/_img/80e069e8-0eff-4c40-8de6-1a339e9cd65a.webp)

### How to reserve goods with a document

1. Open **Sales → Stock reservation** and click **Add**.
2. In "Operation type" choose "Reservation", then choose the "Organization" and "Warehouse". If the goods are in different warehouses, turn on "Warehouse in table part".
3. Click **Add** in the table, choose the product, enter the quantity in the "Reserve" column and the order in the "Order" column.
4. If needed, fill in "Comment" and post the document with the green check mark at the top left.

### How to release a reservation with a document

1. Create a new document in **Sales → Stock reservation** and switch "Operation type" to "Release from reservation".
2. Add the product, and in the "Reserve" column enter the quantity to release and the order the reservation is released from.
3. Post the document. The goods immediately return to "Available".

> [!TIP] Create the Stock reservation document based on the order: Bimp fills in the order, the product list, and the quantity itself. This causes fewer errors than manual entry. The principle is described in [Creating a document based on another](https://bimpsoft.com/en/help/basics/create-based-on/).

> [!WARNING] Release exactly the quantity that was reserved for this order. Otherwise negative values appear in the reserve; see Goods are not reserved: causes and solutions.

## Reserving goods that are not in stock

A reservation needs an available balance, so you cannot reserve goods that are not there. In that case, issue an invoice without a reservation or set up booking. Both ways are described in [Selling goods that are out of stock](https://bimpsoft.com/en/help/sales/sell-out-of-stock/).

## FAQ

**How does a reservation differ from the warehouse stock balance?**

The stock balance is how much of a product is physically in the warehouse. A reservation is part of the balance assigned to orders. The difference between them is "Available": this is the number you can sell to other customers. Reserving does not change the balance; only "Available" decreases.

**How do I reserve goods for a few days and then release the reservation automatically?**

In the customer order, in the "Main" block, enter the number you need in the "Reservation days" field. When this period ends, the reservation is released automatically. The value 0 means an unlimited reservation.

**How do I release a reservation if the customer refused?**

The fastest way is to change the order status to a status with the "Closed order" flag (by default "Completed"). You can also zero out the "Reserve" column in the order or create a Stock reservation document with the operation type "Release from reservation".

**Can I reserve goods that are not yet in stock?**

Not immediately: a reservation needs an available balance. You can reserve after the goods arrive: create a Stock reservation document based on the order, or use booking, which reserves the goods automatically when they arrive from the supplier.