This activity is used to automatically pack parts into the handling units according to a packing instruction defined for the part or handling unit type.
In inventory this activity can be triggered manually for stock records that have a quantity available. It is possible to define packing of one or several stock records at the same time. One packing instruction will be applied at a time. When applied on inventory part in stock records the part will first be packed according to handling unit capacity for the handling unit type defined on the lowest level in the choosen packing instruction. Then the parent levels in the packing instruction is applied, creating new handling unit structures according to the packing instruction definition. It is also possible pack according to packing instruction for existing handling units. The packing instruction is then used to create additional parent levels in the handling unit structure according to the packing instruction definition.
For shipments this activity can be executed either manually per shipment, manually for all shipments connected to a consolidated shipment, or automatically in the shipment flow. Whether or not to automatically pack according to packing instruction, is controlled by the shipment type of the shipment. In the shipment type, it can be defined that pack according to packing instruction should be performed at the execution of a main activity in the shipment flow e.g. reservation, report picking, delivery. A consolidated shipment is defined as one departure of several shipments from the specified site, to all the delivery addresses of the connected shipments. When triggered from the consolidated shipment, the pack according to packing instruction is executed for all connected shipments. It is also possible pack according to packing instruction manually on a shipment for existing handling units. The packing instruction is then used to create additional parent levels in the handling unit structure according to the packing instruction definition.
When parts are automatically packed into handling units according to a packing instruction defined for the corresponding handling unit type(s), and if these handling unit types are connected to packaging material parts, the corresponding packaging material parts (inventory parts) are consumed. As a result, the On Hand Quantity of the relevant packaging material decreases on the Inventory Parts In Stock page. Also, the empty handling unit packaging material(s) will be consumed for the fill-up with empties scenario.
The planned empty handling unit structure can be defined in the shipment handling unit structure page, in that scenario, the packaging material part(s) get consumed.
Note: If the same handling unit type (package material part connected) creates multiple handling units then the system generates a single inventory transaction per packaging material part. example: For handling unit type: small box, each small box can pack 5 pcs, so if we are going to pack 20 pcs then the system will generate 4 small boxes but for this one inventory transaction is created.