FEFO Lot Assignments

The FEFO (First Expiry First Out) Lot Assignments SuiteApp manages the process of optimal lot assignment to sales order line items. The lot assignment happens either on a first expiry first out (FEFO) or a first in first out (FIFO) basis. If the item is expiry date controlled, the assignment takes place on FEFO basis, else on FIFO basis.

Using this SuiteApp, you can mark each location to use either of the following modes:

• Commit and Assign – Commit and assign lots to sales order line items automatically at a scheduled interval using a schedule script. You can also assign lots manually from the Add Lot Assignments page. This assignment is made taking into account customer shelf requirements and minimum order fulfillment needs.

• Assign Lots on Order Fulfillment – Assign lots and fulfill orders through UI, CSV import, or web services.

You can also use the SuiteApp to automatically assign inventory to cash sale transactions that you import using CSV files.

Note:

The FEFO Lot Assignments SuiteApp supports translation. However, the following user interface elements are not translatable:

1. The following center links in Lists > FEFO Lot Assignments:

   • Preferences

   • Add Lot Assignments

   • Remove Lot Assignments

   • Assign and Fulfill Orders

   • CSV Import – Assign and Fulfill Orders

2. Character encoding list values on the CSV Import – Assign and Fulfill Orders page.

3. The first item in the subsidiary list on the following pages:

   • Add Lot Assignments

   • Remove Lot Assignments

   • Assign and Fulfill Orders

   • FEFO Lot Assignment Messages Report

To select your language preference, see Setting Language Preferences.

FEFO Lot Assignments Terminology

The following terms are used in FEFO Lot Assignments SuiteApp:

• Lot assignment – The process of assigning lots to a sales order line item. Lot assignment applies to only lot numbered items.

• First Expiry First Out (FEFO) – Lots with earliest expiry date are first assigned to sales order line items.

• First In First Out (FIFO) – Lots that are input first are assigned first.

• Required shelf life – Minimum number of days that an item is expected to stay on customer’s shelf before being consumed or sold. Required shelf life can be set at item level as well as at customer item level. If it is defined at both places, the required shelf life defined at the customer item level is used.

• FEFO Shelf life group – Minimum number of days that each associated item in the group is expected to stay on customer’s shelf before being consumed or sold.

• Commit group – The number of days prior to the sales order’s ship date when the SuiteApp makes the first attempt of lot assignment.

• Minimum fulfillment percentage – The minimum quantity that should be available for assigning lots to a sales order line item. This percentage is set at customer level and applies only to lot assignment at the locations marked as commit and assign in the FEFO Lot Assignments preferences.

FEFO Lot Assignments and Supply Allocation Feature

The FEFO Lot Assignments SuiteApp works in parallel with the supply allocation feature for inventory and assembly item types. When using the SuiteApp to commit and assign lots, use the supply allocation feature for commitments for all items, except lot items for selected locations configured to commit assign mode.

When using the SuiteApp for assigning lots and fulfilling orders, use the supply allocation feature for committing items for locations configured in assign lots on order fulfillment mode. For lot items, automatic lot assignment takes place at the time of fulfillment.

Commit and Assign Lots

When a location is marked as commit and assign, the SuiteApp performs the following tasks on the sales order line items for that location:

• Allocates inventory to customer sales orders desired number of days prior to shipment. Enables allocating slower moving items earlier and faster moving items closer to the ship date.

• Meets customer-specific shelf life requirements. Customer-specific shelf life requirements relate to the minimum number of days of shelf life that an item should have upon receipt by a customer.

• If the items are expiry date controlled, allocates item lots on a FEFO basis to reduce instances of item lots going past their expiry date. If the items are not expiry date controlled, allocates item lots on a FIFO basis.

• The lot allocation script delivered with the SuiteApp recurs to assign lots to sales order line items.

For more information, read Commit and Assign Lots.

Assign Lots on Order Fulfillment

For a location, if you select the Assign Lots on Order Fulfillment preference, you can automatically assign lots at the time of fulfillment using one of the following options:

• From the Assign and Fulfill Orders page

• From the view mode of the sales order.

• From the CSV Import Assign and Fulfill Orders page

• Using web services integration

For more information, read Assigning Lots on Order Fulfillment.

Criteria for Commitment and Lot Assignment

Commitment and lot assignment in this mode works on the following criteria:

• For lot numbered items, the SuiteApp commits and assigns lots. For nonlot items, the SuiteApp makes only commitments.

• The Location field, if available at line level of a sales order, must not be empty.

• The SuiteApp assumes that the sales order always aligns with the corresponding item fulfillment record. If you fulfill less than the committed quantity, then you must also make allocation manually based on the expiry date.

• If Intercompany Cross-Subsidiary Fulfillment feature is enabled, a value is required in the Inventory Location column at line level.

• When assigning lots on order fulfillment, the SuiteApp does not consider commit days and minimum fulfillment percentage.

• Sales order line items that have the Commitment Confirmed box checked are not committed by the SuiteApp.

• Sales orders that have only one of the following statuses are considered for commitment and lot assignment:

  • Pending Fulfillment

  • Pending Billing/Partially Fulfilled

  • Partially Fulfilled

• If the Expiry Date Required box for an item is checked, you must add expiration date to the lots of that item.

• For kit items, the committed quantity is displayed as a whole number on the sales order page.

• When order quantity and lot quantity have different units, a conversion of units take place. In such case, the SuiteApp considers the converted values up to 4 decimal places.

The following video gives you an introduction to the FEFO Lot Assignments SuiteApp.

The following video gives you an introduction to the assign lots on order fulfillment mode of FEFO Lot Assignments SuiteApp.

The following video explains the scenarios in the commit and assign mode using the FEFO Lot Assignments SuiteApp.

Related Topics

Setting Up FEFO Lot Assignments

Commit and Assign Lots

Assigning Lots on Order Fulfillment

Importing Cash Sale Transactions and Assigning Lots

Reporting Errors

FEFO Lot Assignments and the Static Route Management SuiteApp

General Notices