Exploring Warehouse Management in Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations: Container Types

Today’s topic is Container Types. Not to be confused with the technical code-type of a container, but the container used in the warehouse and distribution process to hold the items and “contain” them during shipment to the customer.  Containers are defined in AX to represent the boxes, bags, buckets, pallets, rolls, racks, and crates necessary to hold the items.  Each container is called something meaningful and its dimensions are entered into the system.

Part 2 of this blog series is now available – Click here to check it out!

Defining the containers to be used in the operation opens up a new realm of possibility and functionality in Dynamins 365 for Finance and Operations, ranging from manual picking into containers all the way to fully automated Containerization.

In order to make use of Containerization, additional set up is required to compliment the Container Types:

• Item Physical Dimensions – Dynamics 365 needs to know the dimensions of the items in the warehouse in order to determine what container is appropriate.
• Container Groups – a group of containers of the same type, with different dimensions.  An example would be a large box, a medium box, and a small box.
• Container Build Template – The brains of the Containerization process.  This is the key to joining the Wave Template to the Container Building process to be followed, based on the type of document being processed.
• Wave Templates – The wave templates are necessary to generate the picking work called for in the Build Template(s).  Wave templates can reference one or more Container Build Templates (repeat method).

Upon release of the sales orders to the warehouse, the Container structure is visible in the shipment details of the sales orders.

Following are the details for setting up the three new concepts:  Container Types, Container Groups, and Container Build Templates.

The functionality described here is available in AX 2012 as well as Dynamics 365.  Sorry AX 2009’ers.

Container Types

• Navigate to Warehouse Management –> Set Up –> Containers –> Container Types
• Click “New” to receive a blank form
• Populate the values of Code, Name, Weights, and Maximums
• Populate optional container attributes, if special container considerations are required.  An example could be ‘padded’ if an envelope can be used but this envelope is padded and is used in special situations or for specific items.
• “Save” the Container Type

Container Groups

• Navigate to Warehouse Management –> Set Up –> Containers –> Container Groups
• Click “New” to begin creating a group
• Name the group
• Describe the group
• Under Details, click “New”
  • As details are entered, the sequence will be assigned.  The sequence can be changed by using the “Move up” and “Move down” buttons.
• Select the Container Type
• Enter the Container Utilization Percentage
• “Save” the group after repeating the above six steps to define all of the necessary group details

Container Build Template

• Navigate to Warehouse Management –> Set Up –> Containers –> Container Build Template
• Click “New” to begin creating a build template
• The next sequential sequence number will be assigned but that can be changed
• Name the template
• Select the Container Group ID
• Select the query:
  • Container – to pack a container
  • Sales Allocation – to pack sales orders
  • Transfer Allocation – to pack transfer orders
• Enter the Wave Step Code – this links the container build template to the wave template
• If Splitting Picks is allowed, check the Allow Split Picks check box
• Select the Container Packing Strategy
  • Pack into all open containers – assess any container created in this job
  • Pack into current container only – assess only the recent container created
• If packing by directive unit is required, check the Pack by Directive Unit check box
• “Save” the Template

Containerization

In addition to the described set up, containerization as a method, must be included in the Wave template, to trigger automatic containerization upon release of the sales order(s).

Note:  Work Templates used with automatic containerization will not require steps to take picked items to a packing location.

Part 2 of this blog series is now available!

 

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