Configure storage dimensions

  • 15 minutes

Storage inventory dimensions represent the different ways in which items are stored and retrieved from inventory. This allows for inventory to be managed at a detailed level. The type of details that you apply to the creation of storage dimensions depends on your company’s needs and expectations. Consider the relevance of each dimension, especially when items have special handling needs.

The storage dimensions that are available in Supply Chain Management are:

  • Site
  • Warehouse
  • Location
  • Inventory status
  • License plate

A storage dimension group must be assigned to a released product. Storage dimension groups are used to determine how inventory will be stored in your warehouse. Supply Chain Management includes some inventory dimensions and options for you to consider when creating your dimension groups.

Product information management > Setup > Dimension and variant groups > Storage dimension groups

Screenshot of the Storage dimension groups page.

Some examples might include the following requirements:

  • Dairy foods must be kept cool.
  • Pharmaceutical goods must be easily identifiable.
  • Ice cream must be kept frozen.

Scenario

A bicycle company has several facilities that store and manufacture bicycle parts. At each facility, 10-speed sprockets are stored in one bin, and 12-speed sprockets are stored in another bin. However, because bicycle frame sizes are easily determined, they are not separated in the warehouse. Adult and children's frames are stored in the same racks. The company wants to ensure that an accurate count of inventory is kept for all parts.

Mandatory

Select the Mandatory slider on the Storage dimension groups page to make the dimension mandatory. A mandatory dimension appears on all journals and transactions, and you must specify a dimension value when creating an entry.

The following rules apply:

  • Product dimensions are always mandatory.
  • When the multi-site functionality is active, the site storage dimension is mandatory.
  • It is optional whether the warehouse storage dimension is mandatory.
  • You cannot specify the remaining inventory dimensions as mandatory.

Primary stocking

To set up inventory dimensions as primary stocking, on the Storage dimension groups page, select the Primary stocking slider. (If you want it to be secondary stocking, do not move the slider.)

A primary stocking dimension will appear automatically on the On-hand and Reservation pages. This affects how ordered items are re-reserved upon physical item receipts. The following rules apply:

  • The dimension must be specified when you are physically updating item receipts or issues.
  • When automatic reservation is active, items are reserved according to the selected dimension, provided that the dimension is also specified for the actual item transaction. This means that if the warehouse is specified on a sales order line, and primary stocking is specified, automatic reservation only reserves items at this warehouse.
  • Ordered reservations are not re-reserved upon physical receipt. If a sales order line is reserved at warehouse A and location 1, and warehouse is set to primary stocking and location is set to secondary stocking, the sales order line does not automatically re-reserve if the warehouse is changed when the receipt is physically updated. If the location changes to 2, the order line automatically re-reserves for location 2.

Blank receipt allowed and Blank issue allowed

Select the Blank receipt allowed or Blank issue allowed check boxes on the Storage dimension groups page to apply the following results:

  • Blank receipt allowed - If you do not select the dimension as primary stocking, selecting this check box leaves out the specification of the dimension when physical receipts are updated. This functionality is useful, for example, when you are not specifying the serial/lot number upon input but doing so for picking and output.
  • Blank issue allowed - If the dimension is not marked as a product dimension, or as primary stocking, selecting this field leaves out the specification of the dimension when you are updating physical issues.

Physical inventory

Select the Physical inventory check box to specify that the dimension is entered into the on-hand inventory when the system checks whether the item is available in inventory.

Financial inventory

Select the Financial inventory check box to indicate that this dimension is part of the financial inventory.

The parameter is of significance if you are not operating with financially negative inventory with the financial update of item issues, for example, invoice-updating in the Accounts receivable module. The system checks the financial on-hand inventory upon item issues according to the same logic that was described in the topic concerning Physical inventory.

The Financial inventory parameter also determines how item consumption is calculated upon invoice updating, inventory closing, and cost accounting of the cost value.

Coverage plan by dimension

Select the Coverage plan by dimension check box on the Storage dimension groups page to complete the coverage plan for the item individually, instead of as a group.

For purchase price

When you select the For purchase price check box on the Storage dimension groups page, the search for purchase prices is based on the following rules:

  • Search price for each item, product dimensions, and storage dimensions
  • Search price for each item and product dimensions (storage dimensions are blank)
  • Search price for each item (both product dimensions and storage dimensions are blank)

For sales prices

When you select the For sales prices check box on the Storage dimension groups page, the search for sales prices is based on the following rules:

  • Search price for each item, product dimensions, and storage dimensions
  • Search price for each item and product dimensions (storage dimensions are blank)
  • Search price for each item (both product dimensions and storage dimensions are blank)