Assessing Fulfilments: Multiple Fulfilment Scenarios

 

Multiple Fulfilment Single Location Scenarios

 

9: Multiple Fulfilment For Multiple Items:  Single Location: No Surplus Stock

This is a relatively common scenario where there are two or more fulfilments that can be picked from a single location leaving no surplus.

A typical example would be where the entire output of a production  job is despatched to several destinations and has been temporarily located into a single location.

 

The following screen shot is an example of this. There are two distinct fulfilments 685721 and 686484.

However, there are clues that these are related.

Note:  it may not always be the case where the job name and/or job numbers are identical . There will be scenarios where multiple totally unrelated fulfilments can all be picked from a single location

When assessing the first fulfilment 685721 , it appears to be one fulfilment to one  location (Complete 5)  with some surplus stock.

However, when fulfilment 686464 is assessed, it becomes evident that its requirements are satisfied from the balance of stock in location Complete 5.

 

In other words, both fulfilments can be picked from the single location.

It is therefore most efficient to assign both these fulfilments to the same picker, as a smart relocate, and group them with a common indicator  so that they are picked together.

 

 

10: Multiple Fulfilments For Multiple Items:  Single Location: Surplus

This example is identical to #9 with the exception that the single location contains excess quantity of one or more of the required SKUs - i.e. a surplus will be result.

 

Again, we have two seemingly distinct fulfilments.

 

Looking at the first 685434 we can see it looks again like a one fulfilment to one location (W-23C1) with some balances.

In fact, the SKU requirements are exactly 1/2 of their balances in the location.

Again, although not definitive, this suggests the possibility that remainder of the holding may be required on other fulfilments.



Assessing fulfilment 685435 we can see that it requires the same stock items from the same stock location.

However, the difference between this example and the previous is that there will be  small residual balances at the end of the pick for two of the items.

 

Again as both fulfilments can be picked from a single location, the most efficient pick method is to assign both to the same picker, as a smart relocate, and group them with a common indicator  instructing that  they are picked together - this will minimise the to and from walking to the location.

 

 

11: Multiple Fulfilments For Multiple Items:  Multiple Locations: No Surplus Stock

Under this scenario, there are multiple fulfilments. Each of them has their requirements in multiple locations. When taken in aggregate the requirements for the group of fulfilments can be satisfied exactly by visiting the same set of locations.

 

Here's the 3 separate fulfilments:-

 

Assessing the first 686349 gives the impression that it can be satisfied via three locations (albeit will leave a balance.)

 

Assessing the second fulfilment, 686486 demonstrates that it requires the same items from the same three locations as the previous fulfilment.

 

Similarly, assessing the last Oklahoma fulfilment 686487,  reveals that it too requires the balance of the same three items from the same three locations.

 

 

When all three fulfilments are picked, the balance for the required three items in these three locations will be zero.

For example:-


As this set of fulfilments can be picked from the same set of locations, the most efficient pick method is to assign all of them  to the same picker, as a smart relocate, and group them with a common indicator  instructing that  they are picked together - this will minimise the to and from walking to the underlying locations.

 

 

12: Multiple Fulfilments For Multiple Items:  Multiple Locations:  Surplus Stock

This scenario is virtually identical to #11 with the exception that once all the required items are picked from the underlying locations, there will be a balance of stock for one or more of the SKUs.

This is a common occurrence with random stock keeping

 

Again we start with multiple (3)  seemingly separate fulfilments:-

As per previous scenarios - the job name is very similar and the parent job number is identical - so we have some clues that these fulfilments will be for the same items

 

Assessing the first 693577 gives the impression that it can be satisfied via three locations, albeit with balances

 

Assessing the next fulfilment 693612  shows that it requires the same items from the same three locations as the previous fulfilment.

 

If we pause for a second, we can see so far that for these two fulfilments we have the following requirements vs location holdings

 

 

 

Assessing the next fulfilment,  693613  shows that it requires the same items from the same three locations as the previous fulfilment.

 

 

Taking these three fulfilments together, we can see that we have three of the same requirements spread across three locations, and that balances will result post pick

 

 

As per #11, as this set of fulfilments can be picked from the same set of locations, the most efficient pick method is to assign all of them  to the same picker, as a smart relocate, and group them with a common indicator  instructing that  they are picked together - this will minimise the to and from walking to the underlying locations.

 

Using smart locate will ensure that smaller location balances are exhausted first and thus reduce the number of locations that the SKUs are stored in as much as possible.

 

Note:
In some of these scenarios a balance of stock in one or more locations will result. Best working practice is to Stock Check, Condense, Consolidate, Re-box/re-Label and relocate where needed.

To achieve this during a smart relocate will require some system development to pause the smart relocate cycle and access the corresponding Stock Checking layouts.