Replenishment
REPLENISHMENT
DATASCOPE WMS has two main replenishment systems.
- Simple Replenishment
- Directed Replenishment
We also have the option to link a weight scale to perform a Replenishment mass check.
Simple Replenishment
The first is a simple replenishment process that monitors all pick face bin stock levels and compares these to the reorder level set against each bin. Depending on the replenishment setting selected on the bin, the module will:
- Replenish to the bin max level based on the reorder level
- Replenish to the bin min level based on the reorder level
- Replenish to the bin max level plus SYSPRO sales order demand in the next X days (where X days is a warehouse setting) or picking slip demand (based on reorder level)
- Replenish a set replenishment qty (based on reorder level)
- Replenish to the reorder level plus SYSPRO sales order demand in the next X days (where X days is a warehouse setting) or pick slip demand
Replenishments generated in this program automatically load a mobile device task to have the stock pulled from the correct source warehouse (as set against the pick face setup). The TrackID to fetch stock from can be selected by the user or forced by the system based on FIFO or smaller quantity TrackIDs.
Certain lines will be flagged as critical automatically if there is not enough stock in the pick face bin to satisfy the demand for the pick face (bearing in mind that some orders will be split over pick face and bulk). Additionally, lines can be flagged as urgent from the sales order allocation screen if the user cannot release picking slips to the floor due to pick face shortages. Scanning operators on the floor can view urgent and critical lines separately to immediately take action.
Users can select specific pick face zones for replenishment, a feature allowing efficient workload distribution. The stock can be replenished in a single-step mode where the users scan the stock from the bulk bin location and directly to the pick face or in a two-stage replenishment mode where a pallet is built up and then moved to the pick face to put away.
Direct Replenishment
The directed replenishment module is far more complex. This module starts with a custom calculation built into core DATASCOPE WMS logic. As such, the actual rules to generate replenishment orders are endless. The user can quickly build advanced replenishment calculations by selecting various filters by warehouse, warehouse area, or stock code product class.
Like the Sales order wave releasing screen, a review screen allows the Replenishment Manager to review replenishment lines in logical groupings and release them in waves.
Auto-allocation logic can be applied to all lines. The process applies the preset stock allocation rules to find the most optimal stock to reserve. Once the lines have reserved stock from the bulk locations, the screen can be filtered by logical grouping before releasing Replenishment pick slips in waves.
The process output will be Replenishment pick slips, which can be picked as if they were Sales Order or Job pick slips but are instead used to top up the Pick face bins.
DEMAND CALCULATIONS
There is not one magic rule for calculating replenishment orders. Some calculations can be quite simple, yet others can be very complex. Some may be a movement to a Pick face bin, and others may be a replenishment to another bulk location. In some warehouses, the replenishment system generates a consolidated order pick to move stock to the floor for detailed order picking.
Due to this the DATASCOPE WMS system allows custom scripted replenishment calculations to be embedded into the software. Typically, a custom rule would be discussed, written, and applied to the site when using this module. Once the replenishment orders have been loaded, the module has a full wave release screen to review the replenishments and release them as picking slips in logical groupings. For instance, you may review all replenishment orders and sort them by bulk warehouse bin zones. You could then release a separate picking slip per Zone or Aisle in a zone. This helps to optimize the picking of replenishment orders.
The release of replenishment picking slips works in the same way as all picking in the DATASCOPE WMS software: the slip is assigned to a picker, and all details are tracked, including what was picked from where to where, at what time, and by whom.
This module performs a mass check on a replenishment pallet. For many companies, this is not a requirement, but in some mass-driving operations, this is important. One such example is in a food manufacturing operation. Here, we may call for replenishment of a food or chemical ingredient, which must be weighed to confirm that mass before it is issued to production.
This function is like the mass check above, but it has been designed to correct any mass variance of lot-controlled products going into a pick face warehouse. Here, a replenishment may call for 40 pounds of a product to be placed into a pick face. A single product bag is picked and delivered to the pick face warehouse entrance. Before simply scanning this into the pick face, the back can be placed on a conveyor that integrates with this software to process a weight check. The screen then processes any small positive or negative stock adjustment to correct the mass. Ensuring the mass is correct before moving the stock into a pick face bin helps to ensure that we do not get picking errors later where the picking transacts 2.34 pounds to a job, but DATASCOPE WMS only has 2.1 pounds in the bin.