When using multiple bin setup in GP, there are many settings specific to the multiple bin tracking features to configure.
About Multi-Bin Setup
Multiple bin tracking setup in GP enables the ability to setup multiple bins under each site. The advantage of multiple bin setup is it gives access to specific areas (bins) within the site to actually locate the inventory. Enabling and configuring this option within your GP environment together with PanatrackerGP will get you to a very functionality warehouse management system that is fully integrated.
If you are not currently using multiple bin setup in GP, it is strongly encouraged to first set it up in a test company or environment. This will allow your to define and confirm the bin setup logic both within the system and the physical bin locations in your stockroom or warehouse. The big benefit is to make sure your bin location assignment support the bin sort order for the most efficient pick path.
Some of the key Dynamics GP Setup areas for multiple bin tracking to review include:
- Site Bin Defaults for Purchase Receipts, Assembly Receipts, Material Issues, and Manufacturing Receipts. Defining any of these on the site level assumes that all items are recorded to this site as part of the corresponding transactions. For example, Purchase Receipts set on the site level may be a bin that represents a dock or staging area. Items are received and checked into the single specified bin and then a put away to the item’s stocking bin locations would be done as a second step.
- Item Bin Defaults for Sales Order Fulfillment. This is the most common setup when using Order Fulfillment functionality and your items have a primary stock area location that you want to pick from. One of the most widely used sort orders for pick lists is based on the item default bin. This does require defining a primary default bin for every item-site combination. Consider discussing with your Dynamics GP partner for ways to import this into GP.
- Priority Bin Setup. On the item-site bin setup in GP, priority bins can be defined. Consider setting this area up if you want to set min and max levels for your items or if you want to define a primary and secondary bins for each item.
Other advantages for multiple bin tracking:
- Allows better management for stock counts. Bin ranges can be selected for smaller counts and to setup cycle counts.
- Better visibility to actual available quantity. Allocations within GP affects the site available quantities. For example, if you enter a sales order in GP and allocate (not fulfill) the quantities on the sales orders, the site quantity available will reflect those allocations. You may often see negative quantities should an item have more allocated sales order lines than on hand inventory. Unfortunately when you then fulfill the orders, the on-hand quantities are not updated until the orders are actually posted in GP (the same as all other transactions). The bin available quantity would get updated at the time the item is actually picked from the bin. Therefore, the available bin quantities are typically accurate of what is truly available.
- Giving better visibility of exactly where to find the inventory. If you have item that are stored in overstock areas, it will be easy to identify for restocking functions to the primary stock bins. Training new employees or temporary workers will be easier since the system will tell them exactly how much is in which bin location.
Transactions
Enable Bin Move
This will enable the Item Bin Move transaction which is used for standard item bin move functions.
Enable Bin Transfer
The Bin Transfer moves ALL items from one bin to another bin location. Items are not individually selected and moved independently.
Enable Put-Away
The put away transaction allows the ability to select the bin items are being moved from at the start of the transaction versus with each individual move. It is named Put-Away since often items are received to a receiving bin area and then put away to a stock area in a second step. The put away provides a second verification to the receiving actions. If there are items remaining in the ‘from’ bin once the area is clear, it indicates a discrepancy. If the item is physically in the bin but not on the list for put away, may require review of the receiving step to confirm it was not missed. Although this was designed to support this function, it can also be used in other ways such as consolidation of stock bin locations or even as a quick bin look up since the list of items expected is displayed in the list.
Multi-Bin Settings
Default Put Away Bin
Define a bin to default as the To Bin for the item on the Put Away transaction. Defining this adds a directed put-away function.
- None. User will scan
- Purchase Receipt Default (Item)
- Sales Order Fulfillment Default (Item)
- First Priority Bin
To Bin Display for Put Away
Defines the bins available to select and displayed in the look up list. Be sure to define this to compliment the default put away bin option and for additional uses for the transaction.
- All Bins for Site
- All Bins for Item
- Bin Quantity Greater Than Zero
- Priority Bins
- Empty Bins for Site
- Empty Bins for Item
To Bin Display for Receiving
Defines the bins available to select and displayed in the look up list at PO Receiving.
- All Bins for Site
- All Bins for Item
- Bin Quantity Greater Than Zero
- Priority Bins
To Bin Display for item Bin Move
Defines the bins available to select and displayed in the look up list for item Bin Moves
- All Bins for Site
- All Bins for Item
- Bin Quantity Greater Than Zero
- Priority Bins
To Bin Display for Site Transfers
Defines the bins available to select and displayed in the look up list for Site Transfer transaction based on the To Site.
- All Bins for Site
- All Bins for Item
- Priority Bins
To Bin List Sort Order
For Item Bin Move and Put Away transaction, define the sort order for the look up list.
- Bin Order
- Least Quantity Available
- Greatest Quantity Available
- Priority Bin Assignment
Allow Bin Moves for All Quantity Types
When set to true, enables the type field. Type of available will be defaulted. However, other options of In Service, Damaged, etc. can be selected. You are not able to move items between the different types. This must be completed using a Site Transfer. When set to false, the type field is not displayed and you will only be moving items that are available (on hand).
Receiving Bin Choice
Define the default bin to receive items to for PO Receiving
- Site Default. Purchase Receipts default setup on the site.
- Item Default. Purchase Receipts default setup on the item+site
- Last Bin. User will select the bin for first item received. The bin will remain defaulted until user changes.
- Priority Bin. Be sure to have priority bins set up for ALL items that will be received on a purchase order.
- User Entry by Item
Reasons for Bin Moves
Enable the capture of a reason code on the item-bin move transaction. This requires reason codes to be defined in GP for Item Bin Transfer.
Set From Bin Read Only [Order Fulfill]
Set the pick From bin as a read only. WARNING. To use this setting, ALL items that will be on sales orders to pick REQUIRES the Sales Order Fulfillment default bin to be defined on the item-site level.
Use UOM for Item Bin Move
Enables the UOM field to be enabled. The base UOM will default for the item selected. When UOM is enabled, the user can select an alternate UOM. The transaction is processed using the UOM selected. UOM setup must be appropriately completed in GP. Only UOM setup on the corresponding UOM schedule will be available to select.
Default Create Production Bin
Define the default bin assignment for Create Production transaction.