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System-directed cluster picking

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Cluster picking is a piece picking process that lets you pick items for multiple orders at the same time by clustering them into pick clusters. You then have to visit the pick location only one time. Typically, this functionality is used with small order picking or quantities that are less than case quantities.

When system-directed cluster picking is set up, you can cluster-pick work headers, based on a system-generated cluster. The system cluster-picks orders up to the number of positions that is specified in the cluster profile. Therefore, you can pick multiple orders at the same time without having to manually create a cluster.

System-directed cluster picking offers an alternative to manual cluster building, where a cluster profile is used to create a cluster. Several setup-related lines must be defined in the cluster profile before it's used:

  • Number of positions corresponds to the number of orders that will be put on a cluster. Therefore, it corresponds to the number of totes.
  • Break cluster determines when the cluster should be broken.
  • Generate cluster ID controls whether the cluster ID will be generated by the system or entered by the user.
  • Sort verification type determines whether position verification is required.

A new mobile device menu item is used for system-directed cluster picking. The Cluster profile ID must be specified for the selected Directed by option. Additionally, the system-directed work sequence queries can group orders based on company-specific criteria. Therefore, you can further optimize the assignment of work orders by specifying customized sorting criteria using the system-directed work sequence queries.

When system-directed cluster picking is enabled, warehouse workers are presented with a cluster where picking orders have been preassigned to cluster positions. Therefore, workers can start to pick an item for multiple work orders by visiting the pick location only one time. The picking process for system-directed cluster picking is the same as the process for user-directed cluster picking.

Enable the System-directed cluster picking feature

Before you can use system-directed cluster picking, two features must be turned on for your system. Administrators can use the feature management page to check the feature statuses and enable them if necessary. Enable the following features, in the following order:

  1. Organization-wide system directed work sequencing (As of Supply Chain Management version 10.0.32, this feature is mandatory and can't be turned off.)
  2. System directed cluster picking (As of Supply Chain Management version 10.0.32, this feature is mandatory and can't be turned off.)

Set up system-directed cluster picking

Create cluster profiles

Cluster profiles control how the system creates each cluster. If different clusters are required, a different cluster profile should be created for each mobile device menu item.

  1. Go to Warehouse management > Setup > Mobile device > Cluster profiles.

  2. Select New.

  3. In the Cluster profile ID field, enter 2 Position.

  4. In the Name field, enter 2 Position.

  5. On the General FastTab, enter the following information:

    • Generate cluster ID - Select Yes. This option determines whether the cluster ID is automatically created by the system, or whether the user will create it at the start of picking.
    • Activate positions - Select Yes. This option determines whether the position names are automatically generated based on the position name setup. If this option is set to No, the license plate ID for the position is used.
    • Number of positions - Select 2. This field determines the maximum number of positions that the cluster can have (that is, the maximum number of boxes, totes, and so on).
    • Position name - Select Numeric so that positions are named by using continuous numbers. If you select Alphabetical, the positions are named in alphabetical order.
    • Break cluster at - Select Put. This field determines when the cluster is broken.
    • Sort verification type - Select Position scan. This field determines whether the put-to-position step is verified.

  6. On the Cluster sorting FastTab, you define sorting criteria by creating a new line and enter the following information:

    • Sequence number - Select 1. This field determines the sequence that the system sorts by. A value is entered automatically, but you can change it if needed.
    • Field name - Enter WMSLocationId. This field determines the field that the line uses for sorting criteria.
    • Sorting - Select Ascending. This field defines whether the sorting is done in ascending or descending order.

Create a mobile device menu item

To create a new mobile device menu item for system-directed cluster picking and link the cluster profile ID to the mobile device menu item, follow these steps.

  1. Go to Warehouse management > Setup > Mobile device > Mobile device menu items.

  2. Select New.

  3. In the header section, enter the following information:

    • Menu item name - SD Cluster
    • Title - SD Cluster
    • Mode - Work
    • Use existing work - Yes

  4. On the General FastTab, enter the following information:

    • Directed by - System directed cluster picking
    • Generate license plate - Yes
    • Cluster profile ID - 2 Position

  5. On the Work classes FastTab, set up the valid work class for this mobile device menu item by setting the following fields:

    • Work class ID - Sales
    • Work order type - Sales orders

  6. In the Mobile device menu items Action Pane, select System directed work sequence queries and follow these steps to specify a new system-directed work sequence query:

    • Select New in the Action Pane.
    • Sequence number - 1
    • Description - Work priority – Work ID

  7. On the Action Pane select Edit query

  8. Select the Sorting tab

  9. Select Add to add a new line, then enter the following:

    • Table - Work
    • Derived table - Work
    • Field - Work priority
    • Search direction - Ascending

  10. Select Add to add a second line, then enter the following:

    • Table - Work
    • Derived table - Work
    • Field - Work ID
    • Search direction - Ascending

  11. The system will now sort work IDs in the cluster, first by work priority and then by work ID.

Set up a mobile device menu

  1. Go to Warehouse management > Setup > Mobile device > Mobile device menu.
  2. Add the SD Cluster menu item that you just created to a Mobile device menu.
  3. Select the Outbound menu.
  4. Select Edit from the Action Pane.
  5. Scroll until you find SD Cluster.
  6. Select SD Cluster, the arrow pointing to the Menu Structure list will be enabled.
  7. Select the arrow button to move the SD Cluster menu item into the Outbound menu structure.
  8. Select SD Cluster from the Menu Structure list, then select the UP or DOWN arrows to move the menu item into the desired position on the mobile device menu.

Scenario

Create picking work

Before you can set up system-directed cluster picking, you must create eligible outbound work. The cluster profile that you created earlier specifies two cluster positions. Therefore, you must create at least two work IDs. In this scenario you will create two sales orders, reserve inventory, release the sales orders to the warehouse, and then manually process the wave.

  1. Go to Sales and Marketing > Sales orders > All sales orders.
  2. Select New in the Action Pane to create the first sales order.
    • The Create sales order menu opens, enter the following information:
      • On the Customer FastTab, enter Customer account - US-004.
      • On the General FastTab, enter Warehouse - 62.
      • Select OK to close the menu and create the sales order.
    • On the Sales order lines FastTab, select Add line if a new line is not automatically added and enter the following:
      • Item number - A0001
      • Quantity - 1
      • Select Add line to add a second line.
      • Item number - A0002
      • Quantity - 3
    • Reserve inventory for both of the lines that you just created.
      • Select Line 1.
      • On the Sales order lines Action Pane, select Inventory, and then select Reservation from the list.
      • On the Reservation form, select Reserve lot to reserve the inventory.
      • Close the Reservation form when the reservation is completed.
      • Repeat these steps to reserve inventory for Line 2.
  3. Select New in the Action Pane to create the second sales order
    • The Create sales order menu opens, enter the following information:
      • On the Customer FastTab, enter Customer account - US-005.
      • On the General FastTab, enter Warehouse - 62.
      • Select OK to close the menu and create the sales order
    • On the Sales order lines FastTab, select Add line if a new line is not automatically added and enter the following information:
      • Item number - A0001
      • Quantity - 4
      • Select Add line to add a second line.
      • Item number - A0002
      • Quantity - 2
    • Reserve inventory for both lines that you just created.
      • Select Line 1.
      • On the Sales order lines Action Pane, select Inventory, and then select Reservation from the list.
      • On the Reservation form, select Reserve lot to reserve the inventory.
      • Close the Reservation form when the reservation is completed.
      • Repeat these steps to reserve inventory for Line 2.
    • Close the sales order and return to the All sales orders list page.
  4. Find the two sales orders you just created (you may need to refresh the page). In the table, select both sales orders using the section check mark.
    • In the All sales orders Action Pane, select the Warehouse tab.
    • In the Actions group, select Release to warehouse to release both sales orders to the warehouse.
  5. When the release to warehouse process is completed, an informational message will be displayed.
    • Shipments will be created for each sales order.
    • A wave will be created and both shipments will be assigned to the wave. Make note of the Wave ID.
  6. Go to Warehouse management > Outbound waves > Shipment waves > All waves.
    • In the All waves list find and select the Wave ID that you created in the previous step.
    • In the Action Pane, select the Wave tab,
    • In the Wave group, select Process to process the wave and create Work.
    • Informational messages will be generated when processing has been completed, indicating that work has been created and the wave has been posted.
  7. Optional: Go to Warehouse management > Work > Work details to view the work created. Two different work IDs are created. Each work ID has two pick lines.

Run the mobile device flow

  1. Sign in to the mobile device for a user in warehouse 62.

  2. On the Main Menu, select Outbound.

  3. On the Outbound menu, select SD Cluster to initiate the pick.

    • A cluster is created, and the two work IDs that you created earlier are attached. If you created more than two work IDs, only the first two are added to the cluster. Notice that the work IDs are added to the cluster in ascending order, as you specified in the query setup.

    Note

    The new cluster is automatically created only if enough additional work IDs were previously created. Otherwise, the following message is shown: "Not enough work can be found for cluster."

    • After you select the menu, the first pick screen appears. The system aggregates all matching pick lines from the two work IDs and directs you to visit the pick location one time, so that you can satisfy both orders by using one pick. This process is done in the same way as the process for user-directed cluster picking.

  4. Confirm the first picking location and item by selecting OK.

    • The quantity of the pick will be the total of the item displayed on the sales orders in the cluster.

  5. Enter the position name (Numeric or Alphabetical) to confirm that the item quantity picked for the position were put in the correct position.

  6. Repeat this process until all item quantities have been picked and put in the correct position.

  7. The last step on the mobile device is to Put the cluster in the final location. Select OK

    • When the put operation is confirmed, the cluster is closed and broken, based on the value that you set for the Break cluster at field in the cluster profile. Work IDs are also closed.

  8. A "Cluster complete" message is shown on the mobile device.