Set up a zone
Zones and bins compose the basic structure of the warehouse. Zones are used to subdivide the warehouse into logical parts, and the zones are then divided into bins.
When you set up the warehouse, the number of zones is optional, but Business Central requires that you define at least the following four zones:
Receipt
Adjustment
Pick
Shipping
When you define a zone in the warehouse by various parameters, every bin that you create within it will also have those parameters, unless you choose to redefine them for a given bin. At a more detailed level, you can define the general characteristics of the contents that you want the program to place in each bin.
Before you can set up zones and bins, you must first prepare the following warehouse configurations:
Bin types
Warehouse classes
Special equipment
Bin ranking
Bin types
With the Bin Types page, you can define for what purpose the program should use a bin. Bin types in Business Central are mandatory, and they are important in correctly allocating items in the warehouse.
To access the Bin Types page and create a new bin type, follow these steps:
Select the Search for page icon in the upper-right corner of the page, enter bin types, and then select the related link.
Select New.
In the Code field, enter a code, such as PICK.
In the Description field, enter a description.
Select the action that should be allowed for this bin type, such as Pick.
For example, if you create a bin type for which only the Pick option is selected, the program can use bins with this bin type only for pick actions, not for put-away actions.
The maximum number of combinations is six. To enable the processing of all warehouse tasks, make sure that you configure all six bin types, as displayed on the Bin Types page.
To post negative and positive warehouse adjustments, you must create a bin type for which no actions are allowed. In the previous example on the Bin Types page, the bin type is called QC.
Warehouse classes
If a company has items that must be stored in specific conditions, they can create warehouse classes and assign them to bins and items. To create a warehouse class, follow these steps:
Select the Search for page icon in the upper-right corner of the page, enter warehouse classes, and then select the related link.
Select New.
In the Code field, enter a code, such as COLD.
Enter a description.
You can assign warehouse classes to zones, bins, and items. To assign a warehouse class to an item, open the item card, expand the Warehouse FastTab, and then select a code in the Warehouse Class Code field.
For Business Central to handle items with a warehouse class code, bins in areas where these items are received, stored, and shipped from must carry the same warehouse class code as the item.
Special equipment
Warehouse employees might require special equipment to put away, pick, or move items. For example, a hand truck is required to handle heavy items.
You can set up special equipment in Business Central and assign the equipment to bins and items. If a bin or an item with special equipment is used in a warehouse process, such as a pick, the program will display the special equipment on the warehouse document so that the warehouse employee knows that special equipment is required.
To create a special equipment record, follow these steps:
Select the Search for page icon in the upper-right corner of the page, enter special equipment, and then select the related link.
Select New.
In the Code field, enter a code.
Enter a description.
You can assign special equipment on the Warehouse FastTab of an item or stockkeeping unit card.
Bin ranking
Bin ranking is a method of prioritizing replenishment movements, picks, and put-aways, and for indicating which bin should be replenished, picked or put-away first. A bin with a high-ranking number has a higher priority than one with a low number. When bins are created, they will inherit the ranking from the zone for which they are created. For example, if a zone has the ranking of 100, the bins that are created within that zone will also get a ranking of 100. It's always possible to define the bin ranking on individual bins.
Set up a zone
Watch the following video to see a demonstration of how to set up a zone.