Automated Wireless Pick Allocation Logic

You can define your own pick and replenish allocation logic in the Inventory Allocation Methodcontrol maintenance record. You can also use the system's pick allocation logic for picking sales and transfer orders, which follows.

Note: You can define the system to direct picks and replenishments based upon unit of measure (UOM) in the Inventory Allocation Methodcontrol maintenance record. If you want to allocate picks and replenishments based on UOM, you must first define locations with UOMs inProduct Maintenance.In addition, if a location is defined for a UOM, the system allocates picks and replenishments to only the defined UOM locations. For example, if an order is for cases, then the system will first pick from locations with cases as the defined UOM.

System Logic, Round 1: Single Picks

If the Use Location Expiration Datesand Pick by Location Based On Receive Datecontrol maintenance records are both set to N, then the system directs users to pick from a single location based upon the following location status hierarchy:

Primary - Users are directed to pick from a single primary location to fill the entire order first.

Secondary - If a single primary location cannot fill the entire order, users are next directed to a single secondary location to fill the order.
Floating - If a single secondary location cannot fill the entire order, users are directed to a single floating location to fill the order.

Remnant - If a single floating location cannot fill the entire order, users are directed to a single remnant location to fill the order.
Blank - If a single remnant location cannot fill the entire order, users are directed to a single blank location to fill the order.

In addition to the above allocations, keep the following in mind for single pick allocations:

If multiple locations with the same status exist to fill the order individually, the system selects the location with the highest quantity.

For example, a customer places a sales order for 30 widgets.

Primary location A has 40 widgets.
Primary location B has 30 widgets.

The system directs the picker to location A because it has the highest quantity.

For lot controlled product, the system always allocates the pick to the location with the smallest amount of quantity that can fill the order in a single pick.
If the sales person over commits product due to the belief that inventory is inaccurate in the system, the system directs the user to the product's primary location. The sales person can then manually generate a cycle count from Wireless Location Maintenance. If there is product at the location, the user can pick the product. If there is not product at the location, the user must backorder the product, which generates an immediate cycle count.
If a sales person manually allocates product from a zone that does not have a location that can fill the order, the system selects a single location within the zone and drives that location negative by the amount allocated. If a location does not exist at all within the zone, the system creates a location and drives it negative by the amount allocated. This action by the system queues an immediate cycle count for the location and zone.
If the Require Qty field in the Zone Maintenance window is selected, which is often done when secondary locations are self-serve areas, the system fills the order from the floating location.

System Logic, Round 2: Multiple Picks

If the Use Location Expiration Datesand Pick by Location Based On Receive Datecontrol maintenance records are both set to N and there is not a single location containing enough quantity to fill the entire pick, then the system directs users to pick from multiple locations based upon the following location status hierarchy:

Primary - Users are directed to pick from primary locations to fill the entire order first.
Secondary - If multiple primary locations cannot fill the entire order, users are next directed to secondary locations to fill the order.
Floating - If multiple secondary locations cannot fill the entire order, users are directed to floating locations to fill the order.

Remnant - If multiple floating locations cannot fill the entire order, users are directed to remnant locations to fill the order.
Blank - If multiple remnant locations cannot fill the entire order, users are directed to blank locations to fill the order.

In addition to the above allocations, keep the following in mind for multiple pick allocations:

For multiple picks, the system directs user to the location with the highest quantity first, while still following the location status hierarchy.

For example, a customer places an order for 300 widgets.

Primary location A has 200 widgets.
Primary location B has 150 widgets.

The system directs the user to pick all 200 widgets from location A first and then to pick 100 widgets from primary location B.

If two or more multiple locations with the same status have the same amount of product, the system fills the order from the highest alphanumeric locations first.

If the sales person over commits product due to the belief that inventory is inaccurate in the system, the system directs the user to the product's primary location for the amount that cannot be allocated. If there is product at the location, the user can pick the product and queue a cycle count. If there is not product at the location, the user must backorder the product.
If the Require Qty field in the Zone Maintenance window is selected, which is often done when secondary locations are self-serve areas, the system fills the order from the floating location.

Pick Allocation Logic Based on Expiration and Receive Dates

If you need to pick items based upon their expiration or receive dates, use the following pick allocation logic:

If the Use Location Expiration Datescontrol maintenance record is set to Y, the system directs pickers to pick from locations with the earliest expiration date.

For orders with quantities greater than the earliest expiration date location, the system directs the picker to pick from the location with the earliest expiration date and then to pick from the location with the next earliest expiration date, and so on, until the order is filled.

If two locations have the same expiration date, the system directs pickers to the location with the greater quantity so that pickers only have to go to one location to pick the order.

If the Pick by Location Based On Receive Datecontrol maintenance record is set to Y, the system directs pickers to pick from locations with the oldest receive date.

If two locations have the same receive date, the system directs pickers to the location with the lowest quantity in order to clean out locations (to avoid having several locations with small amounts of quantity).

If both the Use Location Expiration Datesand Pick by Location Based On Receive Datecontrol maintenance records are set to Y, then the system uses the expiration date logic.