Pallets on Warehouse

Monsta

Hello.
We need to extend Navision’s (Nav 5 sp1) standard functionality of WMS module (or maybe a few tips describing a way how standard functionality may be used) in order to implement storage of items by pallets.
Pallet in this case is a temporary container. One pallet may contain one or more items. When goods are being received on warehouse (they come from vendors on pallets), a unique number is assigned to each pallet (a label with a bar code is attached to the pallet). This number is connected to all the information about goods on the pallet (including item numbers, quantities, lot numbers, expiration dates etc) in the system.
Next, when a put away or a movement must be done, warehouse employee needs to know only pallet’s number to perform the action. Employee receives a request to move a pallet from one location/zone/bin to another. Employee scans pallet’s number and bins, and all the items, connected to this number, must be moved to the desired place.
There should be possibility to breakbulk any pallet and create a new pallet any time.
Also it should be possible to continue to use standard Navision’s functionality (without pallets).

What is the best way (most efficient and least time-taking) to create the functionality? Maybe there is an add-on solution, or all described may be covered using standard Navision?
Thank you very much

Alex_Chow

The standard NAV WHM does not handle physical goods by pallets. So in the case where one pallet contains more than one item number, you won't be able to move pallets.

What you can do as an alternative is to tag the items received with Lot Numbers. This way, when you move the pallet, you're moving the lot number so the items stays together.

OR

Enforce each pallet to only be able to put into one bin. This way, you can move all contents within a bin to another bin.

AlexWiley

This is not standard, you will need to develop a custom solution. You should carefully analyze your business requirements and make sure you are fully aware of what auditing measures are required- if someone shouldn't be able to ship an item that is packed into a pallet with other items this needs to be part of a reservation routine that keeps things on a pallet until they are moved into regular inventory by a transfer order, or whatever system you choose.

If you need to be able to pull up lists by pallet, for example say "Pallet 123A has this list of items/quantities in it", I would look at copying and manipulating kitting or manufacturing functionality to create a dynamic bill of contents of each pallet.

If you only need the pallet number referenced then look into adding the pallet number onto the value and ledger entries as a new column, which you can filter on (to see the value entries and in stock quantities from the table based on pallet number) and then when it is moved out of the pallet the field is blank on the ledger entries.

I will stress again- make sure you know what sort of safety precautions are required for the solution you develop to insure your inventory integrity is not compromised! Good luck!

*EDIT*: What Alex said above is also a great way of using more native functionality than custom. You could make a smaller customization to pull all items with a shared Lot or Bin number into a transfer order, so you could easily move "entire pallets" from one location to another.

Monsta

Hello, guys,
Thank you for your responses.
As I understand, standard functionality does not offer any solution. Using Lot numbers or Bins as pallets – is not the case, because we are planning to use these fields according to their default purpose.
So there are 2 options remaining:
- Develop a custom solution
- Find an add-on
Does anybody know if there was an add-on to cover described functionality?

AlexWiley

I'm not immediately aware of a pre-packaged add on, but be cautious about the one you choose and make sure you and your team get to spend pleanty of time testing it yourselves with real business situations before you spend a dollar (or Euro) to make sure it works exactly how you want it to. Good luck!

Monsta

AlexWiley wrote:

I'm not immediately aware of a pre-packaged add on, but be cautious about the one you choose and make sure you and your team get to spend pleanty of time testing it yourselves with real business situations before you spend a dollar (or Euro) to make sure it works exactly how you want it to. Good luck!

Thank you very much, Alex. Unfortunately, we already have had some experience working with add-ons #-o ](*,) .

dmitrip

Tectura Process Manufacturing solution has Storage Unit Item functionality. It may answer your question.

Alex_Chow

Just an update, Lanham has an add-on that will allow you to move packages (or pallets).

ara3n

Also another suggestion would be to make Pallet a Unit of measure.

You can keep track and move it around inventory as a pallet.

JPHSC

ara3n,
I don't think you can do this by setting the pallet as Unit Of Measure. The way i understand it, there can be different items on 1 pallet!!