Using Warehouse Management
Getting Started:
- Before you can use the Enterprise Warehouse Management system, you need to set up a Warehouse Management warehouse and initialize it's parameters on the Warehouse Management Interface folder of Company Control Initialization (CC00). For more information on setting up Warehouse Management in CC00, click here.
- Run Accellos/PFE Adjustment Code Mapping (WM01) to relate selected Warehouse Management server adjustment codes to the corresponding Enterprise adjustment codes. For more information on WM01, click here.
Transferring Files Between Enterprise and Warehouse Management:
Enterprise and the Warehouse Management server must pass information back and forth in order to process orders, purchase orders, RMAs, and Warehouse Management adjustments. The information is contained in download and upload files which are stored in the Enterprise server directories specified in CC00\Warehouse Management Interface. See the Processing Orders, Processing Purchase Orders, and Processing Adjustments, sections of this topic for details on the information in these files.
The download files (Enterprise to Warehouse Management) have a ".txt" file name extension. They can contain any or all of the following items:
- Orders and order changes entered in Enter Quotes/Orders (OE30) that have been scheduled by the Schedule Orders for Printing (OE32) program - File name: O######.txt e.g., OM00016.txt
- Order cancellations direct from OE30 - File name: Same as the orders file name.
- Order recalls from the Recall Schedule Orders (OE67) program - File name: Same as the orders file name.
- Purchase orders and purchase order changes entered in Create Purchase Orders (PO40) and printed by the Print Purchase Orders (PO42) program - File name: Same as the orders file name.
- Purchase order cancellations direct from PO40 - File name: Same as the orders file name.
- In-Transit purchase order quantities - File name: Same as the orders file name.
- RMAs entered in Return Merchandise Entry (IN67) and printed by the RMA Receiving Document Print (IN69) program - File name: Same as the orders file name.
- Enterprise inventory master information downloaded through Download Inventory Master File (WM10) and Accellos Download Inventory Count (WM11) programs - File name: OINVMAS.txt. For more information on WM10, click here and for more information on WM11, click here.
The upload files (Warehouse Management to Enterprise) have a sequential numeric file name extension (e.g. .001, .002, .003, etc.). They can contain any or all of the following items:
- Order transfer confirmations - File name: xferconf.### e.g., xferconf.025
- Order pick quantities - File name: pickconf.### e.g., pickconf.025
- "Waved" orders - File name: xferconf.### e.g., xferconf.025
- "Unwaved" orders - File name: xferconf.### e.g., xferconf.025
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PO transfer confirmations - File name: xferconf.### e.g., xferconf.025
- PO lock requests - File name: xferconf.### e.g., xferconf.025
- PO quantities received - File name: recvconf.### e.g., recvconf.025
- RMA quantities received - File name: recvconf.### e.g., recvconf.025
- Warehouse Management Adjustments - File name: miscconf.### e.g., miscconf.025
- Warehouse Management inventory cycle counts - File name: cyclcnt.### e.g., cyclcnt.025
To keep the download and upload files from accumulating, Enterprise creates an archive directory for each day there is a download or upload. The directory is named WMyyyymmdd, where yyyy = current year, mm= current month, and dd=current day (e.g., WM20100619 for June 19th, 2010). Enterprise moves the files to this directory. You can delete older archive directories periodically by running Purge Archived Transfer Files (WM89). For more information on WM89, click here.
The following is the sequence of events that occurs in order to pass information between Enterprise and the Warehouse Management server and to archive the download and upload files:
- Enterprise creates download files, with extension .txt, for order, purchase order, and RMA related information.
- The Warehouse Management server downloads the .txt files that Enterprise creates and changes the file extension to .sav on the Enterprise server directory.
- Warehouse Management processes the orders, purchase orders, and RMAs, and may create adjustments and inventory cycle counts. It uploads files with order, purchase order, RMA, adjustment, and inventory cycle count related information. These files have sequential numeric extensions (e.g., .001, .002, .003).
- The Enterprise program Accellos Upload Autoprocess (WM20) processes all but one of the upload file types and moves them to the archive directory for the current date. The exception is the inventory cycle count files, which are handled by the Stock Count Report (WM28). Like WM20, WM28 moves the upload file to the archive directory once it has finished it's processing.
- The Enterprise Accellos Upload Error Report (WM21) produces an upload error report and moves the .sav download files created earlier to the archive directory for the current date.
- Create and Download Enterprise Orders to Warehouse Management
- Enter order in OE30.
- Enter orders to be downloaded to Warehouse Management for picking/packing exactly the same as any other order. OE32 creates Warehouse Management download files for new or modified orders. If you are cancelling an order that was scheduled in OE32, then OE30 immediately creates an order cancellation download file for Warehouse Management to keep the order from being picked or shipped. If you need to change an order rather than cancel it, then you must run OE67.
Once an order has been downloaded and picking has begun in Warehouse Management, you may no longer change or cancel the order. The picking process is initiated in Warehouse Management by the process of "Waving", which means the order pick information has been transmitted to the hand-held units carried by the warehouse staff for processing. Warehouse Management notifies Enterprise with an upload record when an order has been waved, and Enterprise then locks the order so it cannot be modified or cancelled. Once an order has been waved, Warehouse Management rejects any further downloads for the order until it has been either "Unwaved" or uploaded.
- Run Schedule Orders for Printing (OE32).
- When a Warehouse Management warehouse is selected for scheduling, download files are generated for each order/back order where Enterprise considers at least one line of the order shippable. Each download file contains order header information, such as the customer and the ship-to address for printing on labels. Product detail lines include the product description, the quantity ordered and the quantity to ship. Normally Warehouse Management tries to allocate and pick order lines up to the quantity to ship.
- Optional - Run Print Shipping Documents (OE34).
- This option is available only if the Warehouse Management warehouse has been set up with the 'Print Shipping Documents' option selected in CC00/Warehouse Management Interface. However, if this option has been selected, then you must run OE34 as soon as possible after running OE32. This is to make sure the order status is set to "printed" prior to the order being uploaded from Warehouse Management for invoicing. No invoice is generated for an order requiring shipping documents that have not been printed yet.
- Run Recall Scheduled Orders (OE67) for any scheduled orders you wish to change.
- Run Download Inventory Master File WM10. For more information on WM10, click here
- Upload Warehouse Management Order Picks to Enterprise
- Run Accellos Upload Autoprocess (WM20) and keep it running throughout the entire business day.For more information on WM20, click here
- Run Accellos Upload Error Report (WM21) once a day. For more information on WM21, click here
- Create and Download Enterprise Purchase Orders to Warehouse Management
- Run Create Purchase Orders (PO40).
- Enter Purchase Orders to be downloaded to Warehouse Management for receiving exactly as any other order. The Print Purchase Orders (PO42) program creates download files for new or modified purchase orders. If you are cancelling a printed purchase order then PO40 immediately creates a purchase order cancellation download file for Warehouse Management.
Once receiving has started in Warehouse Management, you may not cancel or change the purchase order. Warehouse Management notifies Enterprise with an upload record when receiving has begun on a purchase order. Enterprise then locks the purchase order so it cannot be modified or cancelled. Once receiving is started, Warehouse Management rejects any further downloads for the purchase order until it has been uploaded.
- Run Print Purchase Orders PO42. After printing purchase orders, PO42 creates download files for any purchase orders that are:
- Entered for a Warehouse Management warehouse but have not previously been sent to Warehouse Management.
- Modified and need to be re-sent to Warehouse Management with the updated information.
The purchase order is identified in Warehouse Management as the Enterprise purchase order number, a period, and then five zeros (e.g. purchase order 000123 appears in Warehouse Management as 000123.00000). If you have another download for the same PO, such as an in-transit notification, the digits to the right of the period can be used to assign a unique number to the subsequent download (e.g., if purchase order 000123 is put onto in-transit number 00765, in Warehouse Management it will appear as 000123.00765).
- Upload Warehouse Management Purchase Order Receipts to Enterprise
- Run Accellos Upload Autoprocess (WM20) and keep it running throughout the entire business day. For more information on WM20, click here.
- Run Accellos Upload Error Report (WM21) once a day. For more information on WM21, click here.
- Run Receiving Verification List (WM26). For more information on WM26, click here
- Run Enter Receipts/In-Transits (PO60).
Stock received from purchase orders using Warehouse Management can be automatically received on the PO60, Receiving folder. Alternatively, you can manually enter the purchase order and line number on the 'Against PO' folder in PO60. In either case, the quantity received on each purchase order line is set using information uploaded from Warehouse Management. This quantity received may not be changed, however outstanding quantities may be cancelled or put on back order. When the receiving batch is updated, new download files are generated for any outstanding quantities on the purchase orders.
Receipts must be uploaded by Accellos Upload Autoprocess (WM20) before they can be received in PO60 Enter Receipts/In-Transits. Receipts are updated as usual using Print Receiving Register (PO64).
- In-Transit Receiving
If you put POs either fully or partially in-transit using Enter Receipts/In-Transits (PO60), and click Update Batch, PO60 generates new download files for Warehouse Management. The in-transit quantities are identified in Warehouse Management as the Enterprise purchase order number, a period, and then the in-transit number (e.g. if purchase order 000123 is put onto in-transit number 00765, in Warehouse Management it will appear as 000123.00765). If there are outstanding quantities on the purchase order, a separate download file is created for the original purchase order number, with only those items outstanding sent to Warehouse Management. For example, the new download would consist of an in-transit file, 000123.00765, and the original PO file, 000123.00000, with only the outstanding items.
If the entire purchase order is in-transit, a cancellation download file is created for the purchase order so stock cannot be accidentally received against it. For example, say you create PO 000123 in PO40 and download it to WM as P.O. 000123.00000. Then you put the entire P.O. on in-transit 00987. WM receives a download file for PO 000123.00987. It still has the same PO quantities in 000123.00000. You do not want the receivers to receive against 000123.00000; they must receive against 000123.00987. So, Enterprise sends a cancellation record to WM for 000123.00000.
When the in-transit is received in Warehouse Management an upload file is created as for any regular purchase order. It is uploaded in Enterprise by Accellos Upload Autoprocess (WM20), and can be printed by Receiving Verification List (WM26). Stock is received into Enterprise using Receive In-transit to Stock (PO63). Short shipments automatically take the back ordered quantities out of in-transit and add them back into outstanding on the purchase order. If any PO on the in-transit still has back ordered quantities, PO64 generates a new download file for each PO. For example, if in-transit PO 000123.00987 is received but still has back ordered items, then PO64 generates a new download for PO 000123.00000 with the back ordered items only.
Processing RMAs
- Create and Download Enterprise RMAs to Warehouse Management
- Run Return Merchandise Entry (IN67).
- Enter RMAs to be downloaded to Warehouse Management for receiving exactly as any other RMA. The Receiving Document Print (IN69) program creates download files for new or modified RMAs. If you are cancelling a printed RMA then IN67 immediately creates an RMA cancellation download file for Warehouse Management.
Once receiving has started in Warehouse Management, you may not cancel or change the RMA. Warehouse Management notifies Enterprise with an upload record when receiving has begun on an RMA. Enterprise then locks the RMA so it cannot be modified or cancelled. Once receiving has started Warehouse Management rejects any further downloads for the RMA until it has been uploaded.
- Run Receiving Document Print (IN69).
- Upload Warehouse Management RMA Receipts to Enterprise
- Run Accellos Upload Autoprocess (WM20) and keep it running throughout the entire business day.
- Run Accellos Upload Error Report (WM21) once a day.
- Run Enter Inv/Direct Bills/Credits (IN41) if you wish to make changes to the credit note generated by WM20.
Warehouse Management supports a variety of inventory adjustment transactions that need to be uploaded to Enterprise to keep the two systems synchronized. Examples are damaged goods, receiving errors, and customer returns. Each of these adjustment types must be set up in Maintain WM/Enterprise Adj. Codes (WM01)to link the Warehouse Management adjustment code to the Enterprise adjustment code.
- Run Accellos Upload Autoprocess (WM20) and keep it running throughout the entire business day.
- Run Accellos Upload Error Report (WM21) once a day.
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