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Warehouse slotting

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Several warehouse slotting features are available to help warehouse managers intelligently plan picking locations before they release orders to the warehouse and create picking work.

The Warehouse slotting feature lets you consolidate demand by item and unit of measure from orders that have a status of Ordered, Reserved, or Released. Generated demand can then be applied to locations that will be used for picking, based on quantity, unit, physical dimensions, fixed locations, and more. After the slotting plan has been established, replenishment work can be created to bring the appropriate amount of inventory to each location.

The Warehouse slotting for transfer orders feature lets warehouse managers replenish picking locations, based on demand from transfer orders that aren't yet released to the warehouse. It ensures that picking locations will include all the items that are required for the transfer orders after they are released to the warehouse.

The Warehouse slotting allocation enhancements feature adds an option for the template lines that are used by the Warehouse slotting feature. The option enables the system to consider existing on-hand inventory at a target location. Therefore, fewer replenishments might be generated for slotting.

Set up warehouse slotting

To use warehouse slotting, you must set up the following elements in your system:

  • Slotting unit of measure tiers
  • Directive codes
  • Slotting templates
  • Location directives

Create unit-of-measure tiers for slotting

Unit-of-measure tiers enable multiple units of measure to be grouped together for the purposes of slotting. For example, if multiple sizes of boxes are all picked from the same box picking area, one tier can be created for all the sizes. A line must be created for each unit of measure that should be part of the tier.

  1. Go to Warehouse management > Setup > Replenishment > Slotting unit of measure tiers.

  2. Select New.

  3. In the header, set the following values:

    • Unit of measure tier: EaBoxPl
    • Description: Each box pallet

  4. Select Save.

  5. On the Units of measure FastTab, select New to add a line to the grid.

  6. On the new line, set the following values:

    • Unit: Box
    • Description: Leave this field blank. It will be filled in automatically when you save your changes.
    • Unit class: Quantity

  7. Select New to add a second line to the grid.

  8. On the new line, set the following values:

    • Unit: ea
    • Description: Leave this field blank. It will be filled in automatically when you save your changes.
    • Unit class: Quantity

  9. Select New to add a third line to the grid.

  10. On the new line, set the following values:

    • Unit: PL
    • Description: Leave this field blank. It will be filled in automatically when you save your changes.
    • Unit class: Quantity

  11. Select Save to save the tier.

Create a directive code for slotting

You must select the directive code that should be associated with a template.

  1. Go to Warehouse management > Setup > Directive codes.
  2. On the Action Pane, select New.
  3. In the Directive code field, enter Slotting.
  4. In the Directive description field, enter Slotting.

Set up slotting templates

Each slotting template controls how inventory is assigned to locations for a specific warehouse. Each template must include a line for each slotting specification. Use the procedures in this section to set up slotting templates.

  1. Go to Warehouse management > Setup > Replenishment > Slotting templates.
  2. Select New to create a template.

Next, you must set up the template header, slotting specifications, and location directives, as explained in the following subsections. The setup for slotting for transfer orders resembles the setup for slotting for sales orders, but the Demand type field is set Transfer orders instead of Sales order.

Set up the header for a sales order slotting template

  1. In the header for the template, set the following values:

    • Slotting template: 61

    • Description: 61

    • Demand type: Sales order

      Note

      Currently, Sales orders, Transfer orders, and Outbound shipment orders are the only demand types that are supported.

    • Demand strategy: Ordered

      The following values are available in this field:

      • Ordered – The full ordered quantity on the sales order should be considered demand.
      • Reserved – Only the sales order line quantities that are reserved (physical and ordered) should be considered demand.
      • Released – The released quantity should be considered demand.

    • Allow wave demand to use unreserved quantities: Yes

  2. Use the Warehouse selection fast tab to specify the warehouse where the slotting template will apply.

    • Warehouse selection – Select one of the following values:

      • All – Use the slotting template for all warehouses.
      • Warehouse group – Use the slotting template for all warehouses in the warehouse group that's selected in the Warehouse group field.
      • Warehouse – Use the slotting template only for the specific warehouse that's selected in the Warehouse field.

    • Warehouse – If the Warehouse selection field is set to Warehouse, select the warehouse where the slotting template applies.

    • Warehouse group – If the Warehouse selection field is set to Warehouse group, select the warehouse group where the slotting template applies. For more information about how to set up warehouse groups, see Warehouse groups.

    For this scenario, set the following values:

    • Warehouse selection: Warehouse
    • Warehouse: 61

You can also specify a query to narrow the scope of the demand that is evaluated.

Set up slotting specifications for each template

For each sales order template that you create, follow these steps to add a line for each slotting specification.

  1. On the Slotting template details FastTab, select New to create a template line.

  2. On the new line, set the following values:

    • Sequence: 1

    • Description: Fixed location

    • Minimum quantity: 1

      This field defines the minimum quantity of demand that is required for the line.

    • Maximum quantity: 1000000

      This field defines the maximum quantity of demand that is valid for the line.

    • Unit: Leave this field blank.

      This field defines the unit of measure that the minimum and maximum quantities refer to.

    • Unit of Measure Tier: EaBoxPl

      This field defines the units of measure of demand that are valid for the line. (For more information, see the Set up unit-of-measure tiers for slotting section earlier in this article.)

    • Assign slot criteria: Consider qty

      The following values are available in this field:

      • Assume empty – This system should assume that all locations in the picking area are empty and should not check those locations for inventory.
      • Consider qty – The system should check the locations in the picking area for inventory and should skip any locations that aren't empty.
      • Consider on-hand – The system should check whether any target location contains unreserved quantities for the item on the demand line. If the quantity is large enough to satisfy at least one unit of the demand line, the generated slotting plan record is reduced by the available amount. For example, if the demand is 10 cases, and one case is on hand, the located demand will be nine cases. If the demand is 10 cases, and one each is on hand, the located demand will be 10 cases.

    • Directive code: Slotting

      This field defines the location directive that is used to find the picking location of the replenishment work.

    • Overflow location: Leave this field blank.

      This field defines the location that inventory that is put to if a location can't be found for the quantity when the line is processed.

    • Allow let up: Yes

      When this option is set to Yes, if any demand can't be slotted, movement work will be created to take inventory out of locations where there is inventory, but where nothing was slotted. The template is then run again. This time, it ignores the inventory in the locations. This functionality works best when the Assign slot criteria field is set to Consider qty.

    • Fixed location usage: Only fixed locations for the product

      The following values are available in this field:

      • Fixed and non-fixed locations – The system should not be limited to using only fixed locations.
      • Only fixed locations for the product – The system should slot only to locations that are fixed locations for the product.
      • Only fixed locations for the product variant – The system should slot only to locations that are fixed locations for the product variant.

Note

If the slotting template contains at least one line where the Assign slot criteria field is set to Consider on-hand, let-ups are no longer allowed for any line in the template.

  1. Select Save.

  2. Select New to create a second template line.

  3. On the new line, set the following values:

    • Sequence: 2
    • Description: Other
    • Minimum Qty: 1
    • Maximum Qty: 1000000
    • Unit: Leave this field blank.
    • Unit of measure tier: EaBoxPl
    • Assign slot criteria: Consider qty
    • Directive code: Slotting
    • Overflow location: Leave this field blank.
    • Allow let up: Yes
    • Use fixed locations: Fixed and non-fixed locations

    In the query for the second line, you will now specify the criteria that are used to determine what locations the demand for that line can be slotted to.

  4. Select the line where the Sequence field is set to 2.

  5. Select Edit query.

  6. On the Range tab, select Add to add a line to the grid.

  7. On the new line, set the following values:

    • Table: Locations
    • Derived table: Locations
    • Field: Location profile ID
    • Criteria: Pick-06 (Select the double plus sign [++] in the field to expand the list, and then select Pick-06 - Picking Site 6.)

  8. Select OK.

Set up location directives

At least one location directive must be set up to support slotting picks. Use the procedures in this section to set up a new replenishment location directive for slotting picks.

  1. Go to Warehouse management > Setup > Location directives.
  2. In the left pane, in the Work order type field, select Replenishment.
  3. On the Action Pane, select New.
  4. In the header for the new location directive, in the Name field, enter 61 Slotting pick.
  5. In the Sequence number field, accept the default value.
Configure the Location directives FastTab

  1. On the Location directives FastTab, set the following values. Accept the default values for all other fields.

    • Work type: Pick
    • Site: 6
    • Warehouse: 61
    • Directive code: Slotting

  2. Select Save to make the Lines FastTab available.

Configure the Lines FastTab

  1. On the Lines FastTab, select New to create a line.

  2. On the new line, set the following values.

    • From quantity: 0
    • To quantity: 1000000

  3. Accept the default values for the remaining fields.

  4. Select Save to make the Location Directive Actions FastTab available.

Configure the Location Directive Actions FastTab

  1. On the Location Directive Actions FastTab, select New to create a line.

  2. On the new line, set the following values. Accept the default values for all other fields.

    • Sequence number: Accept the default value.
    • Name: Bulk
    • Strategy: None

  3. Accept the default values for the remaining fields.

  4. Select Save to make the Edit query button available.

Edit the query

  1. On the Location Directive Actions FastTab, select Edit query.

  2. On the Range tab, select Add to add a line to the grid.

  3. On the new line, set the following values:

    • Table: Locations
    • Derived table: Locations
    • Field: Zone ID
    • Criteria: Bulk (Select the double plus sign [++] in the field to expand the list, and then select Bulk.)

  4. Select OK.

Scenario

Set up the scenario

For this scenario, use the built-in sample data, and create the records that are described in this section.

Use the USMF sample data

To work through this scenario by using the sample records and values that are specified here, you must be on a system where the standard demo data is installed. Additionally, you must select the USMF legal entity before you begin.

Create demand

Follow these steps to create the demand that you will apply slotting to.

  1. Go to Sales and marketing > Sales orders > All sales order.

  2. Select New to create a sales order.

  3. In the Create sales order dialog box, in the Customer account field, select US-007.

  4. In the Warehouse field, select 61.

  5. Select OK.

  6. The new sales order is opened. It includes an empty line on the Sales order lines FastTab. On this line, set the following values:

    • Item: L0101
    • Quantity: 20

  7. Select Add line to add a new line, and set the following values:

    • Item: T0100
    • Quantity: 8

  8. Select Save.

  9. Select New to create a second sales order.

  10. In the Create sales order dialog box, in the Customer account field, select US-008.

  11. In the Warehouse field, select 61.

  12. The new sales order is opened. It includes an empty line on the Sales order lines FastTab. On this line, set the following values:

    • Item: T0100
    • Quantity: 1

  13. Select Save.

Walk through a typical slotting scenario

After all the prerequisite elements are in place, as described in the previous section, you're ready to try out the feature by working through each exercise in this section.

Generate demand

  1. Go to Warehouse management > Setup > Replenishment > Slotting templates, and select the slotting template that you created earlier.
  2. On the Action Pane, select Generate demand. This command evaluates all demand that is in the system, and that matches the slotting template query. The total demand across all orders is then consolidated onto one line per quantity/unit of measure. An informational message appears when the process is completed.

Slotting demand

The slotting demand shows the results of demand generation, based on the setup of the slotting template.

  • On the Action Pane, select Slotting demand to view the results from the Generate demand command. The lines in the slotting demand can be edited. You can delete a line, add a new line, or edit the line details.

Note

You can edit demand manually, or you can import it from an external system by using data management. Whatever is in the slotting demand will be used in the next step, regardless of where it came from.

Locate demand

After demand has been generated, you must use the Locate demand command to generate the slotting plan.

  • On the Action Pane, select Locate demand. The slotting process runs. An informational message appears when the process is completed.

Slotting plan

The slotting plan shows the location that each item/quantity was assigned to, whether overflow was used, whether let-up work was created, and the template line that was used. Any demand that could not be slotted is highlighted in red.

  • On the Action Pane, select Slotting plan to view the results.

Note

  • The Generate demand, Locate demand, and Run replenishment processes are now run in a sandbox. (These processes are available from the Action Pane on the Slotting templates page.)
  • The Generate demand, Locate demand, and Run replenishment processes have a lock to ensure that they can't be triggered at the same time. Otherwise, the data that is used could be deleted.
  • The Generate demand and Locate demand processes show a warning if the run didn't generate records, or if the records are missing information.
  • When you select Slotting plan, the page doesn't have New, Edit, or Delete buttons on the Action Pane, because the data source can't be edited.
  • When you select Run replenishment, the system validates the selected slot template and processes.

Create replenishment

After the slotting plan has been created, you must create replenishment work, based on the plan.

  • On the Action Pane, select Run replenishment. An informational message appears when the process is completed. This message indicates the number of headers that were created for the work build ID.

Location directives that will be used are identified based on the directive code that is specified on each template line.

Tips

Set up automatic slotting

After all the required elements are in place, you can set up slotting to run automatically by following these steps.

  1. Go to Warehouse management > Replenishment > Run slotting.

  2. Specify the slotting steps to run. Select one or more of the following slotting steps:

    • Generate demand
    • Locate demand
    • Create replenishment work

    Note

    The slotting steps are progressive. If you want to select Locate demand, you must first select Generate demand.

  3. Specify the slotting template to use.

  4. Set the recurrence to run automatically, if you want.

For the exercises in the scenario, do not set up automatic slotting.