Define Cross-Docking Settings

This document explains how you define settings for what to cross-dock and where to put it.

Cross-docking is performed in order to avoid putting stock away when it will be picked again within a short period of time.

Outcome

  • Basic cross-docking settings per warehouse and item/warehouse are defined.
  • Cross-docking settings when transportation planning is used are defined
  • Cross-docking settings for how an object control table should work are defined.

Depending on how you define the cross-docking settings, the system will suggest a cross-docking location when you perform goods receiving.

  • Details of performed cross-docking are stored in the MITTCD file.
  • Stock entrance allocation is executed in the MITALO file.
  • Some details about the cross-docking are recorded on the MITTRA file.

Before you start

  • Basic settings for order types must be set.
  • If you use transportation planning, the conditions listed in Transportation Management must be met.

Follow these steps

Basic settings per warehouse

  1. Start 'Warehouse. Open' (MMS005). Open the G panel.

  2. Activate the 'Cross-docking on/off' field.

  3. Enter the number of days in the 'Planned cross-docking time fence – days' field.

    These are the days for future pre-allocations that should be considered for cross-docking.

  4. Enter the number of days in the 'Opportunity CD time fence – days' field.

    The number of days in the future demands on the material plan (MMS080) should be considered for cross-docking.

  5. Enter 2 in the 'Pack/Docking' field.

    2=Cross-docking location

  6. Enter the location in the 'Docking location' field. This is retrieved from the location master (MMS010) that will be used for cross-docking.

    You do not have to fill in this field if you want to define your cross-docking location as below.

    The value in the 'Docking location' field is used as the last search path if none of the others below are defined. The cross-docking locations are retrieved in the following sequence:

    1 - From the cross-docking location retrieval table (MWS130)

    2 - From the loading platform (if transport planning is being used)

    3 - From the item/warehouse (MMS002)

    4 - From the warehouse master (this field).

  7. Activate the 'Display MWS160' field if you want 'Cross-Docking Results. Open' (MWS160) to be displayed automatically during the goods receiving process.

    In (MWS160), you can change the suggested location and quantity and also update the put-away transaction.

Settings per item/warehouse master

  1. Start 'Item. Connect Warehouse' (MMS002/G).

  2. Select the 'Pack location' or the 'Location' field. Any of these can be used for cross-docking.

    The selection between these is done in (MMS005).

  3. Set the 'Cross-docking on/off' field to 'On.'

Settings when transportation planning is used

If you use transportation planning, then you will plan to load the shipment from a loading platform. Each loading platform can be assigned to a cross-docking location.

  1. Start 'Loading Platform. Open' (DRS016/E).

    Alternative: Start (DRS016) via option 12 in (MMS005).

  2. Enter the location you want to use for cross-docking in the Location field.

Settings when an object control table is used

These functions are designed to give maximum flexibility in choosing a cross-docking location, but are also the most complex to set up, so only use them if you must.

  1. Decide upon the objects (fields/columns) that will control which location you will cross-dock to. Start 'Available Object Control Parameters. Open' (CMS016). Select the 'Cross dock location' parameter and select option 11=Object table detailed lines

  2. Enter the values in 'Generic Object Control Table. Open' (CMS017).

  3. Decide which parameter values lead to which cross-docking locations. Start 'Cross-Docking Put-Away Selection' (MWS130/B).

  4. Select a priority.

  5. Fill in the 'Start value 1' field. Also fill in 'Start value 2' and '3,' if they exist.

    Press Enter.

    The values selected on the B panel are displayed on the E panel.

  6. Enter the cross-docking location.

  7. Click Exit to end the program.

Parameters to set

Program ID/Panel Field The field indicates …
(MMS005/G) Cross-docking on/off … whether cross-docking is to be used in this warehouse. Both this parameter and the one in (MMS002/G) must be selected for cross-docking.
(MMS005/G) Planned cross-docking time fence days/hours

… the number of days forward that linked orders activate cross-docking. Linked orders or planned stock entrance allocations can be either order-initiated orders or pre-allocations.

If the value is left as 0, then only pre-allocations due to be shipped today or in the past will be considered.

If a negative value is used, then only overdue pre-allocations will be considered (overdue by the number of days specified).

(MMS005/G) Opportunity cross-docking time fence days/hours

… the number of days ahead that demand in the material plan activates cross-docking. Cross-docking from the material plan is called opportunity cross-docking.

If the value is left as 0, then only pre-allocations due to be shipped today or in the past will be considered.

If a negative value is used, then only overdue pre-allocations will be considered (overdue by the number of days specified).

(MMS005/G) Packing or docking location

… whether the location is used for packing or cross-docking.

1 = Packing location

2 = Docking location

(MMS005/G) Cross-docking location … the default docking location used for cross-docking. It is only used if all other cross-docking locations have been left blank in the setup.
(MMS005/G) Display cross-dockings in (MWS160) … whether cross-docking should be shown on (MWS160) after it is generated in MMMNGCDK.
(MMS002/G)

Packing location

Docking location

… the locations specified in these fields can be used for cross-docking. The selection is made in (MMS005/G).
(MMS002/G) Cross-docking on/off

… whether cross-docking is allowed in the warehouse.

Both this parameter and the one in (MMS005/G) must be set to On for cross-docking.

(DRS016/E) Location … the location you use for cross-docking when you use the transportation planning function in M3.
(CMS016/B) Object control parameter .. the available object control parameter, where you can define your objects and values.
CMS017/B Program name … the program that is used for the object control table. In this case, enter 'MWS130' here.
(CMS017/E) Warehouse … the warehouse for which this object control table is valid.
(CMS017/E) Priority

… the sequence in which each information field should be displayed.

Switch the numbers to change the sequence. To add new information fields, enter the numbers and names of the desired information fields.

Example:

To add a new information field between 10 and 20, assign this new field a number between 11 and 19. Press Enter. The new field is then placed in the correct order.

(CMS017/E) Fields 1, 2 ,3 ,4

… a field or data element from a specific file.

It is used to create keys or search paths for userdefined tables, and also to create the contents of userdefined files.

Note: These fields will be protected if entries are found on (MWS130). That means that you cannot fill in these fields if they are in use.

(CMS017/E) Status

… the status for the generic object control table. The valid alternatives are:

10 = Preliminary

20 = Definite

90 = Blocked/expired.

(MWS130/B) Priority … the table priority from the table in (CMS017). The field indicates the table priority. When searching for cross-docking locations, the tables are searched in order of priority for a set of rules that corresponds to the specified object values. These sets of rules are displayed below as the 'Start value 1, 2, 3' fields.
(MWS130/B)

Start value 1

Start value 2

Start value 3

… the first, second and third valid values to be compared with the contents of a control object. If the contents are greater than or equal to this start value, the record will be accepted.

If there are several start values, the one that is the closest lowest value is valid.

Example: Start value 1 could be 'Product group' Select a product group with F4=Prompt

Start value 2 could be 'Item no.'. Select an item number with F4.

Start value 3 could be 'Customer no.'. Select a customer number with F4.

(MWS130/E) Location … cross-docking location used according these specified rules and values.