Networks are one of the fundamental building blocks of FoxStock’s logistics system. They allow you to organize stockpiles into logical hierarchies that reflect your organisation’s structure and operations.
A network in FoxStock is a logical grouping of stockpiles and other networks. Think of it as a folder system for your logistics operations. Networks can contain stockpiles, other networks, or both, creating a hierarchical tree structure.
Networks can be nested! Just like folders on your computer, networks can contain other networks, which can contain more networks, and so on. This allows for extremely flexible organizational structures.
Why use networks?
Networks bring clarity and structure to your logistics. Instead of managing a flat list of stockpiles, you can group related assets together and navigate them through a clear hierarchy. When an organisation owns a network, it automatically owns everything inside it, making asset sharing simple and predictable. Networks also aggregate information from their children, giving you total counts of items without checking stockpiles individually. As your organisation grows, your network structure can grow with it—add new networks, reorganise sections, or expand your layout without disrupting anything else.
Network types
We do not enforce a specific organisational structure on organisations! However, we recommend setting up a clear and scalable structure from the beginning to avoid confusion as your organisation grows. You can implement the below structural guidelines, or make up your own! Learn more in the Create a logistics network guide.
In the below, we will describe a master network organisation, where there is a single all-encompassing network that contains all stockpiles and sub-networks. This is what we recommended, but it is not what you HAVE to do. Feel free to experiment and give us feedback if you find a better way! Learn more in the Create a logistics network guide.
The following network types are semantic classifications to help you understand their roles in your logistics structure, they are not enforced by FoxStock nor are they treated differently. Under the hood, all networks behave the same way in FoxStock. You are the one giving it meaning.
Networks form a tree-like structure. Most organisations use a master network at the top, intermediate networks in the middle, and leaf networks at the bottom where stockpiles actually live.
Master network
The master network is the root of your logistics hierarchy. It should contain your entire network structure and act as the central entry point for all logistics information.
The master network should not contain stockpiles directly. Its only purpose is to anchor the structure.
A master network is owned by the organisation, holds only networks beneath it, and provides a high-level overview of everything.
Intermediate networks
Intermediate networks sit between the master network and the intermediate/leaf networks. Their role is to divide your logistics into clear sections: geographical regions, functional categories, or operational groupings. They help maintain order as your hierarchy becomes more complex.
Intermediate networks should group other networks. Stockpiles belong in leaf networks, not here.
These networks may be nested several layers deep and display aggregations from all the networks they contain.
Leaf networks
Leaf networks sit at the lowest level and contain the actual stockpiles. They represent specific, practical groupings such as a frontline depot cluster or a backline storage area. Leaf networks are where the real-world items are managed.
A stockpile can belong to multiple leaf networks. For example, a depot may be part of both a regional network and a functional one.
Hub networks
Hub networks are specialised networks used by the recommendation system. Structurally they behave like normal networks, but they act as connectors between other networks and store target values for recommended stock levels.
See the Create hub networks guide for details.
Settings
When creating or editing a network, you can define its name and choose which networks contain it, which networks it contains, and which stockpiles belong to it.
There is a known issue where child networks are not saved correctly during a network’s creation. If this happens, create the network first, then edit it to add children.
For more information, see our guides on network targets and network-specific targets.
Networks can be assigned standalone permissions or be assigned to organisations so members can access them based on their organisation roles. Assigning a network automatically shares all its child networks and stockpiles as well. For more information, see the Permissions guide.