Key points to consider while doing Return Shipment / Return Order in IBM Sterling WMS?

Return orders should be based on original sales orders. Ability to return different items if wrongly shipped or excess items to be returned. Integrating with carrier for shipping label generation. Ability to receipt excess items than original shipped.

Difference between Agent vs Integration Server?

Agent Server:

• The Process that runs the time-triggered transactions. Time triggered means program running at specific time intervals.
• Multi-threaded
• Server type in YFS_SERVER table as 01 (Agent Server)
• Internal within IBM Sterling.  Example: Create Shipment, Sent to Node, Schedule, Release Transactions etc.,

Integration Server:

• The Process that manages Asynchronous services, such as messages to and from External systems can get work from message queues, database tables, and files.
• Multi-threaded
• Server type in YFS_SERVER table as 00 (Integration Server)
• External with IBM Sterling.  Example: Confirmation/Integration with other system.

Purpose of Shedule and Release in IBM Sterling

Schedule is the process that determines if a node or nodes have sufficient inventory or capacity to fulfill an order or service request. Order Status become ‘Scheduled’ when the applicable node(s) have the inventory to fulfill the order and it can be scheduled for release.

Release is the process of sending the demand quantity to nodes for fulfillment against the order line. Order Status become ‘Released’ when there is enough inventory to schedule the order for fulfillment. The order is released to the Application Console or Warehouse Management System.

Schedule
– soft allocation of inventory Release
– hard allocation of inventory

Using Item Based allocation (IBA) soft allocated inventory can be assigned to different order request.

FIFO vs FEFO vs LIFO

Warehouse is the most important location for a business. The optimization of your warehouse and regulating the flow of goods is the key of smooth flow of your business as well. It might not have struck you so often, but think over it. If you have a business that totally depends on how efficiently and how rapidly your products are delivered to your customers.

FIFO (First In First Out):
A First In First Out strategy implies that the products that were stocked first will move out first. Companies should use FIFO method if they are selling perishable goods. Companies selling products with relatively short demand cycles, such as clothes, also may have to pick FIFO to ensure they are not stuck with outdated styles in inventory.
FIFO strategy is used during picking, the material lying on top must be moved so that the warehouse worker can reach the material with the oldest goods receipt date.

FEFO (First Expired First Out):
FEFO, First Expired, First-Out, is similar to FIFO in that items closest to the expiration will be shipped first. The “E” refers to the expiration date of the product.

LIFO (Last In First Out):
The LIFO strategy is provided for such situations. When the system searches for a quant to remove from stock, it always selects the last quant that was placed into stock.

Purpose of Wave planning?

Wave planning define what is to be picked, from where and in which order. This helps maximize picking efficiency.

During wave planning, the current inventory levels and Putaway rules are verified in order to adequately allocate inventory for the others received. Wave are then released to the floor where orders are picked, in a few cases packed and shipped.

What is TI-HI?

Incorrect or uneven ti-hi causes a mismatch between the pallet & slot dimension thereby creating a problem during Putaway.

Ti-hi pallet specification calculates the storage along the length, breadth and height of a pallet.

Purpose of single pallet reserve location?

• Single pallet reserve location is used to store only one type of item(s).

What is Forward Picking Location?

Forward pick locations are the locations from where order fulfillment is carried out. These are easier to access and have a high turnaround of storage thereby increasing operational efficiencies. These are also called as ‘active locations’.

Yard vs Staging

• Yard management refers to the management of the trailers and the containers in a warehouse shipping yard. This process begins when the goods arrive at the location and ends when the trucks or goods leave the location or the shipping yard.

 

• Staging: An area reserved for inventory that is ready for final assembly or transport. An outbound shipping dock is a common choice for a staging location. A final visual or electronic inspection of the load may be performed in this location to ensure shipping accuracy. A staging area may also be used in the putaway process to temporarily hold inbound shipments prior to stocking.

What is Advanced Shipping/Shipment Notice

Advanced shipping notice (ASN) is a document that provides detailed information about a pending delivery. The purpose of an ASN is to notify the customer when shipping occurs and provide physical characteristics about the shipment so the customer can be prepared to accept delivery.

An ASN, which is usually sent over the Internet in an electronic data information (EDI) or extensible markup language (XML) format, provides information about when an order will be shipped, which items are being shipped, how many of each item is being shipped and physical characteristics about the shipment such as the shipment’s weight, the number of boxes and a description of how the shipment units are packaged. An ASN also tells the customer which mode of transportation is being used for shipping and provides carrier information.

Dock Scheduling vs Appointment Management

Dock Scheduling:

Dock scheduling is a means for managing the timeliness of inbound and outbound transportation (truck traffic) at your loading docks in order to maximize the efficient operation of those docks.

Dock Scheduling System moves beyond appointment management by enabling sophisticated prioritization of customers, suppliers, loads, product types, carriers, and more, depending on your specific business needs. In essence, it's a capacity planning tool, or a smart-schedule.
A dock scheduling system should also have reporting capabilities that include audits on loads delivered, enabling compliance information to be recorded and transmitted automatically, and authoritatively.

Appointment Management:

Appointment management usually takes the form of a spreadsheet or commonly available online calendar (such as Outlook) that tracks the time slots your carriers/suppliers want at your dock. It has to be managed by a human scheduler, who keeps track of changes and conflicts, and keeps it up to date.
 

Shelf life vs Lot Control

Shelf life data into the storage view of the material master record. This data includes:

• Maximum time a material can be stored
• Minimum shelf life a material must have available to be accepted by the system
• Percentage of the total shelf life that must still be available if the goods are to be sent to another distribution point
• Time unit used for the shelf life data (days, weeks or years)
• Total number of days that the goods can be kept – from production to the shelf life expiration date

Lot control itself is a rather simple concept that ensures every piece of inventory that flows through a warehouse can be tracked to its group of origin. A “lot” is a specific batch of an item that was received, is currently stored, or was shipped from your warehouse. The criteria that constitute a lot can be determined at an organizational level by anything from the materials that went into a product to its expiration dates. Every lot is assigned a unique number to facilitate tracking.
Managing your inventory is important, but managing your inventory when you have perishable items is crucial. Inventory lot control can protect your stock from expiring before your customers receive it. Food, chemicals and medical supplies are not the only examples of industries that should be using lot control to maintain their inventory.

Purchase Order vs Transfer Order

Purchase Order (PO):
Company will issue to Vendor to purchase materials.

 

Transfer Order (TO):
Company's one plant will issue transfer order to another plant to transfer stock. Stock will be transfered from one plant to another plant. TO which means Inter Company.

End to end process for trans. order means..issuing plant has to confirm to receiving plant that it has issued transfer order successfully. Issuing plant stock level in inventory has to be decreased. Receiving plant has to confirm that it has received tranfer order successfully. Receiving plant stock level has to be increased.

PO's are the documents which are used to procure materials externally from external vendors or third party vendors. Whereas STO's are the documents which are internal between the company codes (Plant to Plant transfer) called as Cross company STO's and Plant to Plant transfer under the same company code (Intra company STOs.)

Invoice or the inventory verification/Quality check is not applicable for STO transactions.

SKU vs Item

• SKU meaning Stock Keeping Unit, is a term that is typically used when talking about inventory management.

• SKU management enables you to tag any stock unit in your warehouse with a unique number, a kind of 'licence plate'.  Instead of scanning warehouse, location, item, batch number and quantity per individual item, you now only have to scan one unique number.

• Stock keeping unit is a distinct type of item for sale, such as product or service,  and all attributes associated with the item type that distinguish it from other item types.

Pend in vs Pend Out in IBM Sterling

• Pend In
• Pend In quantity number of units of the item having open tasks to move into the location.  This is related to Inbound

• Pend Out
• Pend out quantity number of units of this item having open tasks to move out of the location.  This is related to Outbound.