1. Warehouse Management Implementation Guide
  2. Item Unit of Measure and Capacity Definitions

Item Unit of Measure and Capacity Definitions

You define information about each item's units of measure, such as each, box, and case, to allow the system to perform putaway, picking, and replenishment of that item. You define the item's units of measure when you create the Item Master record for the item.

Each item's unit of measure definition includes information such as:

  • The default storage container.

  • A switch that controls license plate tracking for that unit of measure when license plates are activated.

  • (Release 9.2 Update) An option that enables you to specify whether the system will break down a unit of measure (such as a pallet) into smaller units of measure (such as cases) while picking.

    Note: Breakdown is allowed when both the picking breakdown flag in the Item Unit of Measure Definition (P46011) program and the license plate breakdown flag in the Movement Instruction (P46095) program are set to yes.

  • The dimensions that the system uses to calculate volume.

A unit of measure structure describes the relationship of eaches to boxes, boxes to cases, cases to pallets, and so on. If you use a unit of measure structure, you define each unit of measure in the structure during the creation of the basic Item Master record for the item. If you do not use a unit of measure structure, you must define the primary unit of measure for the item.

You use the Work With Item Unit of Measure Definition form to define the unit of measure's dimensions and how the system processes each unit of measure for an item's structure. You can define units of measure by item or item dimension group, and the system enables you to specify whether to display item or item dimension group information.

You select an item dimension group from UDCs. If the predefined item dimension groups do not meet the needs of the business, you can define a new item dimension group on the User Defined Codes form and then reference that group on Unit of Measure Group Revisions.

If you set up an item unit of measure definition, it always overrides an item group unit of measure definition. The item unit of measure is specific to that item, whereas you use the item group unit of measure to supply the unit of measure information for all items in the group during inventory movement. You can set up an item dimension group and then set up item unit of measure definitions for items that vary from the normal dimensions of the group.