Item exceptions

Item exceptions require minor changes to your receiving workflow. Item exceptions include cross-referenced items, tied orders, and nonstocks. Use the Inbound Over/Short/Damaged Receipts Report to identify exceptions, such as unavailable stock and nonstock receipts, which are marked on the report with an asterisk (*).

Cross-references

In most warehouses, items arrive with barcoded labels that include the vendor part number. The cross-reference must be present on the TWL Configuration-Item master record to receive by the Item number. When a barcoded label contains a vendor part number that has a valid Product Extended Product Cross Reference Setup record, you can scan the label. The item can be received when you are receiving a purchase order by line item.

You can also set up, change, or remove barcode cross-reference records from the RF, the TWL Configuration-Item master function, and the Vendor Information function. The information is synchronized to update the Transfer Exception Receipt Entry files.

If you plan to use vendor UPC barcodes, then set up cross-reference records in Product UPC Number Setup to link the barcodes to your item records. If the UPC code is released to TWL, then you can receive by UPC number. Otherwise, the item is treated as a nonstock in TWL. A barcode record is displayed in WL Transaction Inquiry as an synchronize transaction.

In TWL Execution-Management Reports, run the TWL Vendor Cross Reference Report to view the cross-references between your vendor part number and your item number. You can sort by vendor, vendor part number, or item number and run it for a particular zone and aisle or for the entire warehouse.

Lots

Lots are groups of similar items that are manufactured and warehoused with unique identification numbers. Because slight variations occur from one lot to another in the manufacturing process, lot numbers are used track items through the supply chain. For example, the fasteners that are used to assemble automobiles are tracked with lot numbers. If a defect is discovered, the automobiles that were assembled with the defective fasteners can be identified and repaired. Lots differ from serial numbers because each lot record contains multiple units per record, whereas each serial number is a record.

The lots that you can select during receiving are determined by the setting of the Receive Lots Into field in SA Administration-Administrator Options-Products-Defaults. When lots are received, a unique Product Extended Lot Number Setup record is created and assigned to each lot. The record includes the correct quantity stored in that lot. As the item is sold, quantities are removed from the lot until the quantity left in the lot is zero. You can view the lot records from Product Inquiry.

Lot numbers are captured, and storage locations are assigned, when the item is received. If parameter 7506, Allow Multiple Lots Per Location/Pallet, is set to Yes, there is no limit on the number of lots you can store per location.

If No is selected for parameter 7506, then you can store one lot per location. In a pallet location, each lot must be stored on a separate pallet. If a location can hold multiple pallets, then several lots can be stored in the same location. However, each pallet must contain only one lot. Non-pallet locations can only store one lot.

Serials

Serial numbers are unique identification numbers that track an item from manufacturing to the final sale to the customer. Serial numbers can be used to track beyond the sale when service or replacement is required. All processing for serial products is based on each unit of measure. Individual units of serial products are tracked in TWL to ensure that a unique number is associated with each unit. Each serial number must have a Product Extended Serial Number Setup record to track this information:

  • Receipt date
  • Cost
  • Order number
  • Customer
  • Invoice
  • Price
  • Relevant dates

The serial number entry field on the TWL RF unit allows entry of up to 30 characters. The serial number value is then validated by the Product Extended Serial Formatting Setup functionality. Specific characters are removed, resulting in the 20-character, or less, serial number required by Distribution SX.e. A message is displayed at each of these serial number validation points when there is no Product Extended Serial Formatting Setup record set up for that vendor, or when the resulting number is more than 20 characters. The message is: Serial Number cannot be longer than 20 characters. Please re-enter. Serial number validation occurs immediately upon entry wherever serial number entry is available in the TWL RF. Ensure that your Product Extended Serial Formatting Setup records are set up appropriately.

Parameter 3607, Receive/PutAway Serial Scan Confirmation, controls whether a serial number is verified during the receiving and putting away tasks.

When you modify a received serial product in RF, the Serial Number - Modify screen is displayed. The screen, either for a direct receipt or a receipt that is put away, is shown on the left. The screen for a regular receipt that is on a receipt pallet is shown on the right.

For example, based on an original receipt, 31 units and serial numbers were received. Only 30 units were put away, so you must delete the extra serial number. The Modify Receipts screen shows the 30 unit quantity after you delete the extra number.

After you close the RT and run the WL Entry Batch Receiving Report, the quantity in Product Warehouse Product Setup is updated. The serial numbers in Product Extended Serial number Setup reflect the correct receipt.

Nonstocks

Nonstocks are items you obtain from a source on demand because you do not stock them in your warehouse. This table shows nonstock situations and how to handle them in TWL:

If a nonstock item is

Then

Specified on purchase order in the system and released to TWL

An TWL Configuration-Item master record is created for the nonstock.

Received

The TWL Configuration-Item master record is updated, and the receipt data is provided to the system for processing.

Received, and does not have an Item master record

An TWL Configuration-Item master record is created for the nonstock. The default unit of measure is the smallest unit of measure [each] to allow conversions.

Cross-referenced to an Product UPC Number Setup record

The item is processed as a nonstock in TWL.

Received, and to place it in inventory

Set up item records so the item can be accounted for.

Shipped to you, but it does not exist on a purchase order that was created in the system

Set the item aside. Create a purchase order for the nonstock in the system. Print the purchase order to release the information to the RF. Receive the unexpected item against it; otherwise, an error occurs on the WL Entry Batch Receiving Report.

On an existing purchase order

Modify the purchase order, reprint the purchase order in the system to update TWL, and receive the item against the modified purchase order.

Specified on a purchase order from the TWL system and the RT is closed

The communication is placed in error status in the interface file until the data is established in the system to allow processing. This also occurs if a line is added to a purchase order in error.

To clear these transactions, change the record to inactive status in WL Transaction Inquiry. Manually receive the purchase order in Purchase Receipt of Inventory Entry. This creates additional overhead and manual intervention, adding line items to a purchase order that is in the process of being received is not recommended.

Supersedes and substitutes

Vendors occasionally substitute or supersede items for those placed on purchase orders. Substitute items are not 100 percent interchangeable. They are temporary substitutes for existing items. An original item is displayed on the backorder or new purchase order when these factors exist:

  • An item is substituted during receiving
  • A backorder or new purchase order is created due to a short receipt

Supersede items replace existing items and are interchangeable in most situations. Superseding generally occurs when an item becomes obsolete or is no longer manufactured and is replaced with a better item. A new item is displayed on the backorder or new purchase order when these factors exist:

  • An item is superseded during receiving
  • A backorder or new purchase order is created

The item cost from the original order is displayed on the backorder.

You can set up Transfer Exception Receipt Entry records for supersede and substitute items. You can receive a supersede or substitute item with an existing Transfer Exception Receipt Entry record. If the record exists, then the Add/Replacement screen is displayed on the RF after the item is entered.

If the Transfer Exception Receipt Entry record does not exist, TWL treats the item as nonstock and adds the item to the receipt.

Tied orders

When handling an allocation through Order Drop Manager, drop the tied orders. Ensure you perform this after all tied receipts have been moved to the designated location and before new orders are dropped. The WL Entry Batch Receiving Report updates the received purchase order data. The Allocation Report within Sales Entry Processing Back Order Fill Report provides the order tie detail. During receiving, a T is displayed on the RF.

Unavailable for sale

Unavailable reason codes are used by TWL to segregate unavailable inventory from the inventory that is available for sale. Any status code, except a blank status code, marks the inventory as unavailable stock in TWL.

When you receive goods that are unavailable for sale, the record corresponds to Product Unavailable Inventory Entry and Product Warehouse Product Setup in the system.

You can receive a shipment that contains more than one unavailable type. If so, the sum of the unavailable quantity with the first unavailable reason is shown in the system. For example, you can receive a line item that contains a quantity of 5 transportation hold and 12 quality assurance hold. If so, then the entire quantity of 17 is recorded. It is recorded on the line item and in Product Unavailable Inventory Entry as transportation hold.

If you receive a line item that contains available quantities and multiple types of unavailable stock, then a receive transaction is created. The receive transaction updates the On Hand quantity for the entire receipt quantity. The quantity that is assigned to the first unavailable reason code is also updated. Stock transactions are created to move the remaining unavailable quantities to the appropriate reason code. For example, you receive a line item that contains with these items:

  • 5 available items
  • 2 unavailable items with a reason code of Inventory hold
  • 3 unavailable items with a reason code of Transportation hold

A receive transaction is created for 10 items with 2 unavailable and a stock adjustment to move the Transportation hold items to unavailable. When you process the transactions, Product Unavailable Inventory Entry is updated with the two unavailable quantities. Process the receive transaction in the WL Entry Batch Receiving Report before you process the stock adjustment in WL Entry Batch Adjust Inventory Report. Otherwise, the STK adjustment is skipped and a message prints on the WL Entry Batch Adjust Inventory Report report.

During receiving, the status for a receipt into a zone I or T is automatically set to I (Inventory Hold) or T (Transport Damage). You can control this default with the parameter 6265, Hold I and T Zones. Retain the default, Yes, to automatically set the status to match Zones "I" and "T". Select No to not automatically set the status; allowing the operator to specify the status. Other configurations that may affect the status value during receiving include these settings:
  • If parameter 1071, Return RT Processing, is No, the status set by parameter 6255, Return RT Processing, is used
  • In TWL Configuration-Warehouse-Default Settings, if the Q/A Inspection option is selected the status is Q - QA Hold
  • In TWL Configuration-Item-Lot, if a lot product is expiring within the item's receiving threshold days, the status is I - Inventory Hold
  • If parameter 1061, Clearance Required Orders, is set and if the clearance required is C - Customs Hold on the Receipt Header, the status may show in TWL receipts