Overview
When setting up the Warehouse Management System, in addition to the Item Location file (F41021) that keeps information related to item inventory balances, the warehouse module uses also the Location Detail Information file (F4602). The purpose of this additional file is to keep the inventory balances at a more detailed level, including information related to item unit of measure structure and capacity requirements, which is not available in F41021. The integrity between these tables should be monitored on a regular basis. This paper documents how the two files are updated during the most common transactions in Advanced Warehousing.
Scope
This document provides an overview of how the on-hand quantities are updated in the Location Detail Information file (F4602) and Item Location file (F41021), when using the Warehouse Management System.
Details
Inventory Commitments with Warehouse Management System
With Warehouse Management System, from the moment the items enter the warehouse until they are shipped out, they are tracked through the Location Detail Information file (F4602).
F4602 is a "self purging" file which means that the table will only have records if inventory or open transactions exist. F41021 is not a "self purging" file.
When using the Warehouse Management System (system code 46) it is important to understand why the on-hand inventory MUST be relieved at the point of Ship Confirm, within the sales order system, versus at the time of Sales Update. The Shipment Confirmation program (P4205) is the only sales program that contains logic to update the inventory balances of the F4602 table. The Sales Update program (R42800) does not contain the needed logic to update the F4602 and any orders that have not gone through the Ship Confirm process will cause a data discrepancy between the F41021 and the F4602 tables.
In order to relieve inventory at ship confirm, which is mandatory when using advanced warehousing, processing option #4 < Relieve On Hand Inventory Override> on the Process tab behind Shipment Confirmation (P4205) needs to always be <Blank = Relieve Inventory>. Also, the User Defined Code (UDC) table 40/IU must be set up to include ALL sales order types that need to update inventory.
The Build Location Detail UBE (R46820) was designed to synch the F41021 and F4602 files together at the time the Warehouse Management System is turned on, for those specific situations where inventory already exists in the F41021 and F4602 records needs to be created. However, it is also used as a 'repost' for the F4602 in order to bring data back into synch when corruption has occurred. The biggest warning on running the R46820 is that all Location Detail Sequences will be summarized into one record losing Receipt Date and UOM structure, potentially affecting the FIFO functionality.
For more details on this functionality, please see knowledge document E1: 46: Build Location Detail (R46820) (Doc ID 625574.1).
The Warehouse Location Integrity program (R46990) can be used to compare the warehouse and inventory records for all locations and items, as it displays imbalances between the records with detail messages explaining the data integrity issues between the F41021 and F4602 files.
Test Scenarios
Setup
Item unit of measure conversions and structure (P41002)
UOM Definition by Item (P46011)
The following locations will be used for the next two test examples:
1.A.8 and 1.A.9 will be used as replenishment locations while 1.B.1 will be set up as a fixed picking location.
All three locations will be filled with quantity using the cycle count process.
Considering that inventory adjustments, as well as inventory issues and transfers are not supported with Advanced Warehousing, the opening balance in F4602 should be populated using the Cycle Count process or by running the Build Location Detail (R46820) UBE. For this example, the Cycle Count process will be used.
Item Availability (P41202) after running the Cycle Count Update program (R41413)
Location Detail Information (P4602) after running R41413
Specific warehouse information can be tracked in F4602, by selecting each line, while the item is in warehouse. The information here will be in accordance to the item unit of measure structure. In this case, the item in the warehouse has been packed in cases and those cases have been placed into pallets (PL/CA/EA structure).
Picking and updates to F41021 and F4602
In this example, a pick request will be created at sales order entry and the F41021 and F4602 files will be tracked while the item goes through warehouse processing up to the point of Shipment Confirmation when the records in F4602 will be purged and the on-hand inventory in F41021 will be relieved.
A pick request is created in the Warehouse Requests file (F4600)
F41021 updates after sales order entry.
The quantity is soft committed against the primary location. Note that when using advanced warehouse the primary location must be blank with no stock. The Primary location should never hold any inventory when warehousing is activated. Also note that when using warehouse processing, availability checking should always be activated at sales order entry.
No records are created in F4602 at this point.
Run R46171 to generate a picking suggestion
F4602 after a picking suggestion is created in the Warehouse Suggestions file (F4611).
The suggested quantity of 50 EA is hard committed on the picking location in both tables – F4602 and F41021. The on-hand quantity remains the same, since the suggestion has not been confirmed yet. Based on the picking instructions, the system suggested 8 full cases (48 EA) and 2 loose items completing the 50 EA quantity ordered. Because of this, two records have been added to F4602 for the Docking (D) location. The quantity to be confirmed is updated into the Inbound Quantity field and the system considers it as quantity available on the D location, but the physical inventory has not been moved yet.
The two new records created on the D location have been separated in two detail sequences. The first detail sequence represents the 8 full cases while the second sequence represents the remaining 2 EA.
It should be considered that F4602 could also be split into multiple detail sequences due to different Receipt Dates.
F41021 updates after generating the pick suggestion
The quantity is hard committed against the picking location. The on-hand quantity remains the same, since the inventory was not relieved yet.
Confirm the suggestion (P4617)
Updates to F41021 after confirming the picking suggestion
Inventory has been relieved from the 1.B.1 picking location and the commitments have been cleared. Inventory has been moved to the D docking location and hard committed to this location until the items will be ship confirmed.
Updates to F4602 after confirming the picking suggestion
The quantity on-hand has been moved from the 1.B.1 picking location to the D docking location. The quantity has also been hard committed to the D docking location waiting to be shipped.
When confirming the warehouse picking suggestion, an IQ record is also written in the Cardex (F4111) to account for the quantity on-hand being physically moved from the 1.B.1 picking location to the D docking location.
Ship confirm the goods (P4205) relieving inventory
Updates to F41021 after ship confirming the items
The quantity on-hand has been relieved from the D docking location and the commitments have also been cleared.
The cardex is also updated at ship confirm to account for the goods leaving the warehouse from the shipping location.
Updates to F4602 after ship confirm
The inventory has left the warehouse and the records for the D location have now been purged.
The 1.B.1 location has now only 22 EA physically left in the warehouse and also available for picking.
Replenishment and updates to F41021 and F4602
Continuing the example above, the 1.B.1 picking location will be replenished from the replenishment locations 1.A.8 and 1.A.9 by running the Fixed Location Replenishment UBE (R461601).
F41021 before running R461601
F4602 before running the batch replenishment
Run R461601 using the normal replenishment point and the economic quantity set on the fixed picking location as below:
R461601 output
Having set up the replenishment instructions to sequence locations using "pick to clear" logic, which means the system uses the locations containing the smallest available quantity first, the replenishment location with the smallest quantity was picked first (1.A.9 holding 72 EA = 1 PL) and since the economic quantity has not been reached yet (360 EA = 5 PL), the system picked the remaining from the second replenishment location (1.A.8).
F41021 was not updated as this point, since no regular transaction outside warehouse management took place and the on-hand inventory hasn’t been affected.
F4602 updates after generating the replenishment suggestion
The quantity on-hand has not changed since the inventory has not yet been moved, but the quantity available has been modified based on the suggestion generated. The availability on the replenishment locations has decreased based on the set up explained above and the availability on the picking location has increased with the quantity set up on the fixed location, based on the economic quantity.
All records have the Location Detail Sequence No. field populated with a value of ‘1’, since the suggestion was created at the first unit of measure level (PL).
Detail records for the replenishment location with the smallest available quantity
Detail records for the second replenishment location
The detail records for both replenishment locations show the quantity on-hand at all unit of measure levels defined in the item structure.
Confirm the replenishment suggestion (P4617)
At this point F41021 gets updated since the inventory has moved from the replenishment locations to the fixed picking location
The Cardex is also updated to account for the inventory that was physically moved from the replenishment locations to the fixed picking location.
F4602 updates after confirming the replenishment suggestion
All commitments have been cleared and the inventory has been moved from the replenishment locations to the fixed picking location. The record for the replenishment location that is now empty has been purged.
Detail information for the replenishment location
The replenishment location currently holds 432 EA of item RUXW08 placed in 72 CA which translate into 6 PL, based on item unit of measure conversions and structure. The detail sequence number is ‘1’, per the first unit of measure level for the item – PL.
Detail information for the fixed picking location
The fixed picking location currently holds 6 PL of item RUXW08 holding a total of 64 CA, which means that one of the pallets is incomplete, holding only 4 CA. One out of the 4 CA is also incomplete, holding only 4 EA instead of 6 in a full case.
Putaway and updates to F41021 and F4602
The putaway suggestions also update both F41021 and F4602 files, using Quantity Outbound and Quantity Inbound in conjunction with the On-hand quantity in order to determine availability.
Continuing the examples above, 220 EA of item RUXW08 will be putaway to location 1.A.9.
A purchase order of 220 EA is entered for item RUXW08. The receiving location will be defaulted on the purchase order detail line. However, if following the item uom structure, this will translate into 4 PL out of which 3 full pallets and one partial pallet holding one partial case containing 4 EA. As a result, a partial receipt will take place – 216 EA within 3 full pallets and 4 loose items.
The 220 EA ordered are going to be received in the default receiving location R and then the putaway request generated at receipt will be processed through warehousing so that the items are move to the actual putaway location, based on putaway instructions.
When receiving the purchase order, the uom structure can be overridden if taking the row exit to Warehouse Override. This detail is important if considering the location utilization. If going to Location Detail Inquiry (P46321) it can be noticed that the Used Cubes is equal to the Level 1 quantity x Level 1 volume uom defined in the unit of measure definition.
For this example if receiving 220 EA based on the uom structure, then the system will multiply 4 PL with 80.99 FC each to calculate the location utilization. So even though the location will hold 3 full pallets and 4 EA within a pallet, the space occupied will be for 4 PL. The uom structure can be overridden at receipt entry to reflect the accurate volume and weight for the location.
After having selected the purchase order in P4312, take the row exit to Warehouse Override.
Here, receive only 3 full pallets based on the uom structure. The quantities for the remaining UOM levels should be blanked out so they are recalculated based on the quantity modified for the first uom level.
Return to the receipt entry screen and manually update the quantity in eaches to 216 EA placed in 36 CA and into 3 PL.
Item availability has been updated in the primary UOM. 216 EA have been received while the remaining 4 EA are still waiting to be received.
Location detail F4602 has also been updated following receipt entry
Notice the UOM structure has been used so that the eaches were put into full cases and into full pallets.
Now receive the remaining loose items overriding the UOM structure
Check item availability after receiving the purchase order.
The Cardex is also updated at receipt.
Check the location detail for the loose items and notice a second detail sequence has been created for the 4 loose items.
The first detail sequence represents the first 3 full pallets following the item UOM structure while the second sequence represents the remaining 4 EA for which the UOM has been overridden at receipt entry having the EA as the first UOM level.
Take a look now at the Location detail inquiry P46321 to check the location utilization following receipt entry. So, whatever the level 1 UOM is for the detail sequence, the system will multiply the Level 1 Total Quantity (Alias: TQL1) by the Level 1 Cubic Dimensions (Alias: CPL1) to get the value of space utilization in P46321.
Note that the field Cubic Dimensions in F4602 is calculated from the Item Unit Of Measure Definition (F46011) field Gross Cubes (Alias: GCUB) at the time the F4602 record is created (Receipt), so what finally dictates what the volume will be in field Cubes at P46321, is Gross Cubes from F46011 and the quantity involved in the Level 1 UOM from F4602.
At this point 2 putaway requests have been created and are now waiting to be processed.
The following putaway suggestions get created on the fixed putaway location 1.A.9.
Notice 3 full PL and 4 loose EA have been moved from the receiving location to the fixed putaway location creating 2 new detail sequences for location 1.A.9.
The availability for the item in F41021 does not get updated at this point.
Confirm the putaway suggestion so the items are received in the fixed putaway location 1.A.9
Notice the items have been moved from location R to location 1.A.9 and the on-hand quantity received has been updated in F41021.
The Cardex has also been updated to account from the move of on-hand quantity from the R receiving location to the 1.A.9 putaway location.
Note that the 2 detail sequences for the R location have been removed from F4602 and the 2 detail sequences for the fixed putaway location 1.A.9 have been updated from Inbound quantity to On-hand quantity.
Now the fixed putaway location 1.A.9 contains 3 full pallets and 4 loose eaches of item RUXW08 and used cubes have been update accordingly in F4602 and F46321.
The UOM structure should be overridden based on business requirements in order to reflect the actual quantity of an item in the warehouse. If a location holds 3 full pallets, 27 loose but full cases and 16 loose items, then this is what the system through F4602 and F46321 files needs to reflect.
Hard committing at sales order entry
In this last example, a pick request will be created at sales order entry but the order will be hard committed before reaching warehouse processing. The example will show how the hard commitment on the sales side affects warehouse processing and how the F41021 and F4602 files are updated at each step up to the point of Shipment Confirmation when the records in F4602 will be purged and the on-hand inventory in F41021 will be relieved.
A sales order is entered for 360 EA of item RUXW08 and picking location 1.B.1 will be manually overridden on the sales order which will cause the sales order to be hard committed. The current stock on the picking location is of 382 EA packed in 64 CA which are packed into 6 PL.
Having hard committed the order, it goes now into warehouse processing.
A pick request has been created from the location manually entered on the sales order to the D docking location.
Checking item availability it can be noticed the quantity has been hard committed to the picking location manually entered on the sales order.
No update has taken place in F4602 at this point.
The F4602.HCOM field in F4602 will get updated only when there is an open suggestion for that item/location. When entering a location at sales order entry, this constitutes an override, and when running the R46171, the location entered at sales order entry will be selected for suggestion regardless of the picking instruction or if the location selected is an actual picking location. At this time the system will sync the commitments between F41021 and F4602. Enhancement
12413096: HARD COMMITTING AT SALES ORDER ENTRY SHOULD ALSO HARD COMMIT F4602 was raised to have this functionality implemented in a future release.
Run R46171 to process the pick request and generate the suggestion.
F41021 does not get updated at this point because the sales order was already hard committed to picking location 1.B.1.
F4602 is updated once the pick suggestion is generated.
From this point on, the updates to the Item Location F41021 and Warehouse Location Detail F4602 files follow the normal process where the suggestion needs to be confirmed and then the goods get shipped from the suggested picking location to the D docking location where there will be loaded and then shipped to the customer.
Summary
With Warehouse Management System, the items are tracked through the Location Detail Information file (F4602) while they are in warehouse processing. Not only is it very important for the Item Location file (F41021) and Location Detail Information file (F4602) to be “in sync”, but it is imperative that F4602 records are always accurate; otherwise, errors will occur while trying to process warehouse requests or suggestions.
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