WarehouseOS

Receiving is a multi-step operation that includes the steps below. The approval of the product receipt is typically automated, resulting in a 2-step receiving process.

1. Product Receipt
2. Approval of product receipt
3. Putaway into Inventory

 

Settings at the User Group level can be set to automate steps in this process. Auto-Approve PO Receipts will automate step 2. Instead of needing to review and approve each receipt, the PO Receipts are approved immediately when they are committed. Receive To Storage will automate step 3 and immediately create inventory into the received location by completing the Putaway at the time the receipts are committed. In order to automate the Putaway, the receipts must also automate the approval step.

 

Carts vs Locations for Receiving

When performing the initial product receipt, a "place" is needed to identify where those items are being held within the warehouse. Within WarehouseOS, a Location holds inventory and a Cart holds in-process items. Because the default receiving process does not initially create inventory, the default receiving process is done against Carts.

    

During Receiving, the user will identify a Cart where the inventory will be stored while being received. The system will record this Cart against the receipts. Received Items will sit on this cart while the receipts are reviewed and marked for approval. This Cart can then be used during Putaway to identify the received items that need to be put on the shelf to create inventory.

    

In general, a Cart would be something mobile so that the items received can then be pushed through the shelves during putaway. But a Cart just represents a place to store in-process items so it's known where they have been staged after receipt. A space on the receiving floor or a pallet could also be tagged with a "Cart" label to be used in receiving.

    

If Receive To Storage has been turned on to automate the Putaway step, then the receipt must be performed against a location so that inventory can be immediately created and stored in a Location.

Carts with Cart Types and Compartments

Any cart that is not currently being used for Picking can be used for Receiving. As items are received, the Receiving process will identify which cart is holding the items. A pattern match within WarehouseOS helps make sure Cart IDs follow the same pattern. This pattern can be expanded to allow for a separation of carts that are used for Picking and for Receiving; but this separation is not required.

    

Cart Types are used within WarehouseOS to identify a layout of the cart. It identifies how many compartments are available based on a grid system of rows and columns. Receiving carts do not require a Cart Type. But assigning a Cart Type that was setup for receiving can help segment the items even further on the cart.

   

If a Cart that has a Cart Type meant for Receiving is being used, then the Receiving app will ask the user to identify in which compartment the items were placed. Especially for receipts of many items with small quantities, this can help organize these items across the cart by placing them in specific compartments. When this Cart is then taken through the Putaway process, the compartment can help the user identify where on the cart to look in order to find the item.

    

This same distinction does not exist when using Receive To Storage and immediately creating inventory. The items are not held in compartments for later use and instead are immediately created as inventory into a location.

    

This same level of organization does not exist when using Receive To Storage and immediately creating inventory.  Inventory must be created in a location, so when Receive To Storage is on, a Location must be used.

Cart Assignment - Per Session vs Per Receipt

During Receiving, the Cart assignment can be pre-set so that it gets applied automatically or requested for each transaction.

    

At the start of the receiving process, a Cart can be selected. As each subsequent receipt is performed, the selected Cart will be applied to the receipt. At any time during the receiving process a new Cart can be selected and each subsequent receipt will be assigned to the new selection. At the time the receipts are committed, whatever Cart was assigned will be recorded for later identification.

    

Instead, if the Cart is not assigned at the start, then each receipt will prompt the user to assign a Cart. Doing a Per-Receipt assignment of the Cart can allow receiving to act like a "put wall". Like items can be more easily combined together while being scanned, instead of needing to organize them all ahead of time.

    

If the Cart has been assigned a Receiving Cart Type, then Compartments are expected to be used. Compartments can also be pre-set and used for the session or they can be prompted on each receipt. If a Cart with Compartments is being used, and the Cart was pre-set but the compartment wasn't, then with each receipt the user will be prompted to identify the Compartment but not the Cart.

    

If the Cart does not have a Receiving Cart Type assigned, then Compartments can't be used and the receipts will be assigned to the Cart.

    

If Receive To Storage is turned on, Locations behave the same as Carts as to how they are pre-set or assigned per receipt.

Preferred Locations vs Home Locations

Home Locations in WarehouseOS have a purpose dedicated to outbound processes. Home Locations are intended as an assignment of a Pick location and orders can be allocated to pick from the Home Location regardless of current inventory.

    

Instead of using Home Locations in too many places, the Item's Preferred Location acts like a "Home Location" for inbound processes. During the Putaway process, users can see and sort the needed putaway by the Preferred Location. A setting can request that the user put the items into the Preferred Location.

    

For those that want the item to be put away into the item's Home Location, the Preferred Location can be set to the same value to gain that functionality.

Suggested vs Required Putaway

WarehouseOS does not perform a directed putaway in the sense that it requires users to place inventory into a pre-defined location. The closest approach is to suggest that the user do Putaway into the Item's pre-configured Preferred Location. But even that is a request that the user can override.

    

When a system locks a user into performing a specific action, issues can arise when that action can't be completed.  If it's physically not possible to complete a required action, users are unintentionally encouraged to complete the required action regardless of what actually happens.  For example, recording that the inventory was put into the required location while physically placing it somewhere else.

    

By providing suggested locations, WarehouseOS helps ensure inventory accuracy.  By allowing the user to override the recommended location, inventory remains accurate, even if not ideal.  Even though an error occurred, the inventory can be tracked and the error can later be reported on and managed.