Table of Contents

Zones and Picking

Zone configuration and picking strategies are essential for proper warehouse operations. This page covers zone setup, pick location configuration, and dynamic picking strategies.

In this article

Zone Configuration

The role of a location is determined by the zones and the field in the Warehouse tab on the location card. You can create zones yourself if you search for the Zone list. The Boolean values indicate for which the location is available.

You can then assign these zones to the locations on the location map. You assign a type for the zone you are creating. This can be a Bulk zone Type or a Pick zone Type. When you make it a Pick zone type, this means that the location is a Pick location (default pick location or dynamic pick location). If this is a Dynamic pick location you will have to enter the parent dynamic pick location in the field Dynamic Pick Location No.

Why Zone Type is Important

The zone type is crucial for warehouse operations because it determines:

  • Allocation Strategy: How items are allocated from different zones (Bulk vs Pick)
  • Replenishment Logic: Whether items need to be replenished to pick locations
  • Pick Strategy: Which picking method is used (standard, dynamic, or special)
  • Capacity Management: How capacity is calculated and managed per zone type
  • Workflow Optimization: The system uses zone types to optimize warehouse workflows

The system processes zones in a specific order:

  1. Bulk zones are processed first for allocation
  2. Pick zones are used when bulk allocation is not suitable
  3. Special pick zones override standard and dynamic pick when specific conditions are required

Pick Location Setup

Standard Pick Locations

Standard pick locations are fixed locations where specific items are always picked from. To set up standard pick locations:

  1. Go to Customer Items: Navigate to the customer items
  2. Click 'Pick Locations': Use the Pick Locations action button to configure pick locations
  3. Configure Location: Set up the desired pick location with proper settings
  4. Zone Assignment: Ensure the location is assigned to a Pick zone type

For detailed configuration instructions, see: Pick Locations

Benefits:

  • Predictable picking locations
  • Easy inventory management
  • Consistent pick paths

Dynamic Pick Locations

Dynamic pick locations allow flexible replenishment to any available pick location within a zone. To set up dynamic pick locations:

  1. Create Dynamic Location: Create a location with the name "DYNAMIC" or similar
  2. Enable Dynamic Replenishment: Check the 'dynamic' box on the item card
  3. Zone Configuration: Link the dynamic location to a pick zone
  4. Set Dynamic Pick Location: In the zone list, enter the DYNAMIC location in the "Dynamic Pick Location No." field

Benefits:

  • Flexible inventory placement
  • Better space utilization
  • Reduced replenishment constraints

Special Pick Locations

Special pick locations are used when specific conditions (like expiration dates, batch numbers, or item conditions) are required that are not available in standard or dynamic pick locations.

When Special Pick is Used:

  • Requested conditions are not available in the standard pick location
  • Different expiration dates are required than what's currently in pick
  • Specific batch numbers are needed
  • Item conditions don't match the pick location content

Setup:

  1. Configure Special Pick Location: Set up a dedicated location for special picks
  2. Zone Assignment: Assign to a Pick zone type
  3. Set Special Pick Location: In the zone list, enter the location in the "Special Pick Location No." field

Allocation Override Logic

The system uses a hierarchical approach for pick location allocation:

Priority Order:

  1. Special Pick Locations (highest priority)

    • Used when requested conditions are not met in standard/dynamic pick locations
    • Example: Specific expiration date requested, but different date is in pick location

  2. Standard Pick Locations (medium priority)

    • Used when default pick location is configured
    • Only used if conditions match

  3. Dynamic Pick Locations (lowest priority)

    • Used when no standard pick location is available
    • Allows flexible replenishment

Override Conditions:

Special Pick Override Triggers:

  • Expiration date mismatch
  • Batch number requirements
  • Item condition differences
  • Customer-specific requirements
  • Quality control requirements

Example Scenario:

  • Standard pick location has items with expiration date 2024-12-31
  • Order requests items with expiration date 2024-06-30
  • System automatically uses special pick location to fulfill the specific requirement

This override logic ensures that customer requirements are always met, even when it requires using different locations than the standard pick setup.

Edit this page