Cross-docking time fence

Introduction

In the Item Data by Warehouse (whwmd2510m000) session, to define a time fence for the planned delivery date of specific demand (outbound order line) you can specify minimum and maximum time tolerances. In the same session, you can also define a cross-dock lead time.

If you set both the minimum and maximum time tolerances to zero, LN ignores the time fence.

Time fence in a DMS environment

If you run DMS planning and process distribution, cross-dock orders and transfer orders are generated. Whether cross-dock orders are actually generated can be influenced by the time fence and the force cross-docking range.

Received goods are only cross-docked if the total of the receipt date plus the cross-dock lead time falls within the time fence. Otherwise, the received goods are inbound.

The date considered by LN depends on the way in which you run DMS:

If you run DMS...	LN considers...
During confirm receipt	Actual receipt date
After reporting an operation complete	Planned receipt date
Manually after confirm receipt	Actual (DMS) date

Example

This example assumes that you run DMS during confirm receipt. As shown in the following figure, the receipt date plus the cross-dock lead time falls within the time fence.

Cross-docking time fence

In this case, the cross-dock order is generated. If the result of receipt date and cross-dock lead time would fall outside the time fence, no cross-dock order is generated. The goods would then be inbounded rather than cross-docked.

By setting a time fence, you can prevent goods from being cross-docked too early, which results in goods remaining a long time on the staging location. On the other hand, you can also cross-dock goods that are already overdue, taking the time fence limit into account.

Note

Minimum and maximum time fence tolerances are always considered for the warehouse-item combination for which the cross-dock order must be generated. If, for example, a cross-dock order is created for supply warehouse WH1 and item X, another time fence might be used for a cross-dock order created in destination warehouse WH2 for item X.

Time fence in a non-DMS environment

The cross-docking time fence is closely linked to the force cross-docking range and the setting of the Generate Cross-dock Order Lines when Confirming Receipt option, which is also defined in the Item Data by Warehouse (whwmd2510m000) session:

If this check box is selected, cross-dock order lines are only generated during confirm receipt for cross-dock orders that meet the time fence.
If this check box is cleared, cross-dock orders and cross-dock order lines are only generated if the force cross-docking range is set. If applicable, the time fence must also be met.