Set up a min-max replenishment process

Article
02/28/2023

This article shows how to set up a replenishment process that uses the minimum/maximum replenishment strategy. When inventory falls below the minimum level, the system will create work to replenish the location. This article also shows how to use fixed picking locations to allow restocking even if inventory falls below the minimum level, and how to enable the replenishment process to run regularly using a batch job. These tasks would typically be carried out by a warehouse manager. You can run these procedures using the USMF demo data company using the example values below, or you can run it on your own data. If you're using your own data, make sure that you have a warehouse that's enabled for warehouse management processes (WMS).

Caution

When the following conditions are met, the system may create replenishment work that results in a conflict when processing that work:

The system is replenishing batch-tracked items.
Your reservation hierarchy has the Batch number dimension below the Location dimension.
Mixing of batch numbers isn't allowed at the put location.

The conflict may occur because only batch above location items are assigned batch-number information on work lines and the Replenishment location directive's Put work type isn't used.

Create a fixed picking location

Go to Warehouse management > Setup > Warehouse > Fixed locations. This is an optional task for min-max replenishment, but if you use fixed picking location, this allows stock to be replenished even if it falls below the minimum level, because the system can determine which items need to be replenished, even if there aren't any left.
Select New.
In the Item number field, enter or select a value. If you're using USMF, you can select item A0001.
In the Site field, enter or select a value. If you're using USMF, you can select site 2.
In the Warehouse field, enter or select a value. If you're using USMF, you can select warehouse 24.
In the Location field, enter or select a value. If you're using USMF, you can select CP-003.
Close the page.

Create a replenishment location directive

Go to Warehouse management > Setup > Location directives. Location directives are used to determine where items should be picked from in the replenishment process.
In the Work order type field, select Replenishment.
On the Action Pane, select New.
In the Name field, type a value.
In the Work type field, select Pick.
In the Site field, enter or select a value. If you're using USMF, you can select site 2.
In the Warehouse field, enter or select a value. If you're using USMF, you can select warehouse 24.
Select Save.
In the Lines section, select New.
In the list, mark the selected row.
In the To quantity field, enter a number. For example, you can set it to 9999.
Select the Allow split check box. If you select this option, the work creation process will allow work line quantities to be split across multiple locations.
Select Save.
In the Location directive Actions section, select New.
In the list, mark the selected row.
In the Name field, type a value.
Select Save.
On the Action Pane, select Edit query. You can edit this query to add restrictions where inventory can be selected from in the replenishment process. For example, it could be that inventory should only be used from the Bulk area of the warehouse.
Select OK.
Close the page.

Create a replenishment work template

Go to Warehouse management > Setup > Work > Work templates. The work template is used to guide the system as to how the min/max replenishment work must be created. As a minimum, there must be a work template line for a pick and a put. The work template will say that it's Invalid until all the necessary information has been filled in.
In the Work order type field, select Replenishment.
On the Action Pane, select New.
In the Work template field, type a value.
Select Save.
In the Work template details, select New.
In the Work type field, select Pick.
In the Work class ID field, enter or select a value. This should be a work class related to replenishment. If you're using USMF, select Replenish.
In the Work template details, select New.
In the list, mark the selected row.
In the Work type field, select Put.
In the Work class ID field, enter or select a value.
Select Save.
Close the page.

Note

When you use a replenishment template with Replenishment type set to Minimum or maximum , the location to replenish is defined as part of the replenishment template's setup and not by the location directive's Put work type.

Create a new replenishment template

Go to Warehouse management > Setup > Replenishment > Replenishment templates. The replenishment template is used to define the items and quantities, and the location to replenish.
On the Action Pane, select New.
In the Replenish template field, type a value. Give the template a name to indicate that it's for min/max replenishment.
In the Description field, type a value.
Select the Allow wave demand to use unreserved quantities check box. If you select this option, it enables wave demand replenishment to consume quantities that are related to min/max replenishment. For example, this might be useful if the min/max replenishment work isn't processed immediately, to avoid unnecessary demand replenishment work from being created.
In the Replenishment template details, select New.
In the Sequence number field, enter a number.
In the Description field, type a value.
In the list, mark the selected row.
In the Replenishment unit field, enter or select a value. For example, select pcs. This setting is mandatory. It allows you to specify a different unit of measurement for replenishment work compared to the unit specified for the minimum and maximum stock levels in this template.
In the Work template field, enter or select a value. Choose the work template that you created earlier.
In the Minimum quantity field, enter a number. Select the minimum quantity that should trigger the replenishment. For example, set this to 50. It is possible to leave this set to zero, if you're replenishing a fixed location and the Replenish empty fixed locations option is set to Yes. We also recommend that you select the Replenish only fixed locations option for performance reasons.
In the Maximum quantity field, enter a number. For example, set this to 100.
In the Unit field, enter or select a value. Assign the unit for the minimum and maximum quantities. For example, set this to pcs.
Select the Replenish empty fixed locations check box. Select this check box to replenish fixed locations when they are empty. Otherwise, only the locations where there is a quantity on hand will be replenished.
Select the Replenish only fixed locations check box.
Select Select products. This is the place to define which products should be replenished. If the Fixed picking locations option is selected, you also need to define the locations in this query. Variant-specific queries are available as well product-specific queries.
Select the Items row.
In the Criteria field, type a value. Select the items that should be replenished at the fixed locations. For example, type A* to select all item numbers beginning with A.
Select Add. Add the Location entity (unless it already exists) to be able to restrict the replenishment work to the fixed picking locations within a specific area of the warehouse.
In the list, mark the selected row.
Set the Table field to Locations.
In the Field field, select Location profile ID.
In the Criteria field, enter or select a value.
Select OK.
Close the page.

Set the replenishment process to run as a batch job

Go to Warehouse management > Replenishment > Replenishments. The Replenishments page allows you to set up replenishment to run as a batch job, or to require that it's started manually.
Select Filter.
In the list, mark the selected row.
In the Criteria field, enter or select a value.
Select OK.
Expand the Run in the background section.
Set the Batch processing option to Yes.
Select Recurrence.
Select the No end date option.
Set the Recurrence pattern. For example, select Days.
Select OK.
Select OK.