Containers Overview

Transaction Types

• Add Inventory: Inventory is added to a container. This usually occurs though a PO receipt or job receipt transaction. This type of container transacting is at the item level in that line item quantities are added to the container one at a time.
• Bulk: Container inventory is moved or removed. This usually occurs through a job material issue or order shipping transaction. This type of container transacting is at the bulk level in that the entire container contents are taken out of the stockroom location and the container goes away.

Add Inventory

You can add inventory to a container through these transactions:

• Goods Receiving Notes: GRN receipts can be received into a container through the Purchase Order Receiving form.
• Job Receipt: Job receipts can receive inventory into the stockroom or into a container within the stockroom. Inventory may not be returned from a container back to a job. To return from inventory back to the job, the system validates there are available single units to withdraw by subtracting the contained and reserved quantities from the quantity on hand. If an item is defined to track tax free material, receiving into a container is not allowed.
• Just-In-Time Production Transactions: Inventory can be entered into the stockroom or into a container within the stockroom using the Just-In-Time Production Transactions form. A JIT Production transaction cannot be used to return inventory from a container. To return from the stockroom, the system validates there are available single units to return by subtracting the contained and reserved quantities from the quantity on hand. If an item is defined to track tax free material, entering into a container from a Production Schedule is not allowed.
• Miscellaneous Receipt: Inventory can be received into the stockroom or into a container within the stockroom. The miscellaneous receipt transaction does not allow a negative quantity. If an item is defined to track tax free material, receiving into a container is not allowed.
• Production Schedule Complete Transactions: Production schedule inventory can be completed from the production schedule into the stockroom or into a container within the stockroom. Inventory cannot be returned from a container back to a production schedule. To return from the stockroom back to the production schedule, the system validates there are available single units to withdraw by subtracting the contained and reserved quantities from the quantity on hand. If an item is defined to track tax free material, receiving into a container is not allowed.
• Purchase Order Receiving: Purchase order inventory can be received into the stockroom or received into a container within the stockroom. PO inventory can also be returned from the stockroom, but not from a container. To return from inventory, the system validates there are available single units to return by subtracting the contained and reserved quantities from the quantity on hand. If the PO line is for a non-inventory item, an item defined to track tax free material or has a cross-reference value, receiving into a container is not allowed.
• RMA Return Transaction: RMA Lines inventory can be returned into the stockroom or returned into a container within the stockroom. RMA Lines can be returned from the stockroom but not from a container. To return from the stockroom, the system validates there are available single units to return by subtracting the contained and reserved quantities from the quantity on hand. If an item is defined to track tax free material, returning into a container is not allowed. If the transaction is for a negative quantity, there is validation to determine whether there are available single units to remove from inventory.
• Unposted Job Transactions: If the Job Stock Transaction check box is selected on the Shop Floor Control Parameters form, inventory can be moved from a job operation into the stockroom or into a container within the stockroom. Inventory cannot be withdrawn from a container back to a job. To withdraw inventory from the stockroom, the system validated there are available single units to withdraw by subtracting the contained and reserved quantities from the quantity on hand. If an item is defined to track tax free material, moving into a container is not allowed.

Bulk (Inventory Removed)

You can remove inventory from a container through these transactions:

• Batched Productions
• Job Material Transactions: A container can be issued to a job operation in its entirety using the Job Material Transactions form. The transaction can be performed at the job or the job operation level. You can specify a container number when filtering on the operation. To perform the transaction at the job level, leave the Operation field blank. The container's Usage Reference (set on the Containers form) must be either Inventory or cross-referenced to the job/operation. All rows in both the materials grid and serial numbers grid are automatically selected even if there are discrepancies between the container contents and the operation materials. It is required that all item, lot are serial numbers are selected to issue because the container must be issued in its entirety. Materials must either be all selected or all cleared; they cannot be selected or cleared on a line-by-line basis. When the Process button is selected, items not on the operation are added to the operation. All item, lot and serial quantities within the container are issued to the job when the Process button is selected. If the transaction is at the item level, the system validates to determine whether there are available single units to issue.
• Miscellaneous Issue: Containers can be issued from inventory using the Miscellaneous Issue form. All container contents must be successfully issued, or the entire transaction is canceled. Upon specifying the container number, the container's Usage Reference (set on the Containers form) must be Inventory. If the transaction is at the item level, the system validates to determine whether there are available single units to issue.
• Order Shipping: A container can be shipped against a customer order in its entirety using the Order Shipping form. Specify a container number when filtering on the order number. The container's Usage Reference (set on the Containers form) must be Inventory or cross-referenced to the order. The container contents are compared to the order lines. If there are any items in the container contents that are not on the order lines, an error message appears that there are differences prompting whether to redirect you to the Container form. This allows you to revert the container contents back to single units. If you select Yes, the transaction must be performed at the item level. If you select No when prompted to go to the Containers form, the transaction does not continue. At this point you have the option to add the items to the order or remove the items from the container. Quantity differences between the container and the order line are allowed, but it is highly recommended that the container contents are reviewed prior to the shipping transaction. No Ship Early or Ship Partial messages will be displayed (these are informational and do not restrict the shipping transaction). If the container contents match the order lines, the order line grid populates with the item and lot quantities within the container. The Serial Numbers grid populates with the serial numbers within the container. All rows in both the line grid and serial numbers grid are automatically selected. It is required that all item, lot are serial numbers are selected to issue because the container must be issued in its entirety. Lines may either be all selected or all cleared; they cannot be selected or cleared on a line by line basis. All item, lot and serial quantities within the container are shipped when the Process button is clicked. If the transaction is at the item level, the system validates to determine whether there are available single units to issue.
• Production Schedule Material Issue: Production schedules issue materials through backflushing or materials can be manually issued through a work center material transaction. If production schedule material is issued through backflushing, there must be sufficient single units in the location to meet the backflush quantity. Single units are calculated by subtracting the quantity reserved and quantity contained from the quantity on hand. If material is issued manually to production schedule items through work center material transactions, container processing is supported. If the transaction is at the item level, the system validates to determine whether there are available single units to issue.
• Project Resource Material Issue: Containers can be issued to a project resource task using the Project Resource Transactions form. You can issue the container at the project level or the project task level. To issue the container at the project level, leave the Task field blank. Upon specifying the project or project task, the container's Usage Reference (set on the Containers form) must be Inventory or cross-referenced to the project or task. The container contents are compared to the project task resources. If the transaction is at the project level, the task is automatically determined based on which container items match its resources. If there are items in the container that are not defined as task resources or the quantity required differs from the container quantity, a message appears that the container contents do match the project resources. When the Process button is clicked, items not on the task are added to the task. A message appears when adding an item to the project task, but is informational only. All container contents must be successfully issued, or the entire transaction is canceled. If the transaction is at the item level, the system validates to determine whether there are available single units to issue.
• Quantity Move: Containers can be moved from one location to another location within the same warehouse using the Quantity Move form. This transaction encompasses a single-site quantity move only. All container contents must be successfully moved to the new location, or the entire transaction is canceled. If the transaction is at the item level, the system validates to determine whether there are available single units to move.
• Warehouse to Warehouse Bulk Transfer: Containers can be transferred to another warehouse and location using the Warehouse to Warehouse Bulk Transfer form. Every container within the From Warehouse and Location is removed and added to the To Warehouse and Location.
• Work Center Material Transactions: A container can be issued to a work center in its entirety using the Work Center Material Transactions form. On the Container Contents tab you can view the container contents prior to issuing it to the work center. Upon specifying the container number, the container's Usage Reference (set on the Containers form) must be Inventory. If the transaction is at the item level, the system validates whether there are available single units to issue.

Other Considerations

• Cycle Count: When performing cycle counting, you are only required to transact at the item location level, but you cannot enter a value that is less than the quantity that is within containers at that location/lot. For example, an item location has 150 of an item; 100 are in Container C1, 50 are loose. In this case if you enter a quantity of 151, during posting nothing changes in the Container quantity, and the overall Item Location quantity is adjusted. In this scenario, it would be as though there are now 51 loose. However, if you attempt to enter a value that is less that the contained quantity, an error message appears. This validation is performed by the cycle count posting process, and the transaction will not post until the contained quantity is reconciled.
• Generate Order Pick List: To pick inventory in containers, the Post Material Issues check box on the Generate Order Pick List form must be cleared.
• Job Pick List: To pick inventory in containers, the Post Material Issues check box on the Job Pick List form must be cleared.
• Physical Inventory: When performing physical inventory, you are only required to transact at the item location level, but you cannot enter a value that is less than the quantity that is within containers at that location/lot.
• Quantity Adjustment: You must use the Containers form to adjust container quantities.
• Parent Containers: On the Containers form, if you want to assign parent containers, you must set the Usage Reference field to Shipment. You can then assign a parent container on the Pack Workbench form if you are using the packing process, or you can assign a shipment master to a parent container on the Shipment Master form.

Create a Container

Use the Containers form to create a container.

Utility Forms

Compare Container To Customer Order Utility

Compare Container To Project Resource Utility

Report Form

Container Contents Report

Query Form

Item Containers Query