Enhanced Task Interleaving to Release Picks Dependent upon Replenishment

Picking wave-based replenishment is a powerful warehouse management system that determines inventory shortfalls and creates replenishment tasks to pick locations. Based on the replenishment tasks, the system creates allocations assuming that the order will be fulfilled when corresponding replenishment tasks are completed. However, with the high picking volumes you may have faced challenges in determining the picking tasks that are dependent on the replenishment, which may end up shorting the order though incoming quantities are available for the order fulfillment.

With this new feature, the system updates the status of the replenishment dependent picking tasks on hold until corresponding replenishment tasks are completed. This way, the picking tasks that are dependent on replenishment, will not be assigned to a picker until the replenishment activity for the picking location is over. Picking can be scheduled based on the task status instead of pickers moving to the picking location to fulfill a task with insufficient quantities. This can avoid skipping or shorting of the pick and reduces back orders on the ERP, improving productivity on the warehouse floor.

IMPACT ON TASKING MODE

If there is insufficient quantity in a location to fulfil an order via picking wave, the system creates replenishment tasks for the required quantity (deficit) if replenishment rule is configured in the wave template. Hence, the picking location will have incoming inventory coming through the replenishment tasks generated. Pickers may not be aware of such activities. To prevent this, we have enhanced the following.

While configuring a wave template with a replenishment rule, you can now define in the wave template if the generated picking allocation is linked to a replenishment task. We have introduced a new flag “Mark Picking Allocations Dependent On Replenishment” flag on the Create/Edit panes of the Wave Template screen. On enabling the flag, you can mark allocations dependent on the replenishment if the picking allocation also has a corresponding replenishment task.

NOTE: If you are enabling the “Mark Picking Allocations Dependent On Replenishment” flag, you must provide the Replenishment Rule on the Wave Template. If you miss to update, the system alerts you with an error message “Cannot have mark picks dependent on replenishment set to yes without replenishment rule”.

After enabling the “Mark Picking Allocations Dependent On Replenishment” flag on the Wave Template, on running the wave template, you can view the allocations that are dependent on the replenishment in the Wave Inquiry > Allocation UI.

During wave-based replenishment, if the flag “Mark Picking Allocations Dependent On Replenishment” is enabled on the Wave Template, on running the wave, for the insufficient inventory, wave triggers the replenishment and updates the new flag “Dependent On Replenishment” with “Yes” automatically for the allocations that are dependent on replenishment. The following table describes the behavior of the “Dependent On Replenishment” versus the “Mark Picking Allocations Dependent On Replenishment” flag configuration.

“Mark Picking Allocations Dependent On Replenishment” flag on the Wave Template UI	Behavior of the replenishment allocations	“Dependent On Replenishment” flag value
Enabled	Picking allocation is dependent on the replenishment allocation	Yes
Enabled	Picking allocation is independent on the replenishment allocation	No
Disabled	NA	Blank

To create the tasks that are dependent on the replenishment allocations, a new flag “Create Dependent Picking Task In Held Status” is added to the Task Creation Template UI. On enabling the flag, if the underlying allocation on a task has “Dependent On Replenishment”= “Yes”, then the picking task will be updated with Held status.

Also, for configuring the Task Selection Rules, Task Ordering Rules, or Cubing Rules, note that the “Allocation Dependent On Replenishment Flag” column is now available on the following screens so that you can segregate the picks that are dependent upon replenishments in separate tasks versus the picks that are not dependent upon replenishments.

Task Creation Template > Details > Selection Criteria
Task Creation Template > Details > Ordering Criteria
Cubing Rules > Selection > Selection
Cubing Rules > Selection > Ordering Criteria

You can use this “Allocation Dependent On Replenishment Flag” column to configure the rules and segregate the tasks that are dependent on the replenishment.

After fulfilling the replenishment dependent allocations, the system updates the flag “Dependent On Replenishment” = “No” on the Wave Inquiry > Allocation UI.

On completion of either Full LPN Replenishment or Distribute Replenishment, if the available quantity is sufficient to fulfill the picking allocation, the system updates the flag “Dependent On Replenishment” = “No” for that allocation on the Wave Inquiry > Allocation UI.

NOTE: Here, the system considers the Available Quantity = Current Quantity – ((Sum of the allocated quantity for the allocated allocations with “Dependent On Replenishment” = “No” or Blank) + (any allocation where “is picking” = “Yes”/“No”)).

Also, if you perform directed putaway to the pick location that fulfills the order, then the pending allocations that are dependent on replenishment will be updated with the flag “Dependent On Replenishment” = “No”.

Then, the system compares the available quantity with the picking allocation’s allocated quantity. If the allocated quantity is satisfied with the available quantity, then the system removes updates the flag “Dependent On Replenishment” = “No”. Thus, the system the updates the tasks in Held status to Ready.

NOTE: The system compares the available quantity with the picking allocations in the ascending order of the following sequence.

Allocation's picking task priority (if allocation has tasks)
Allocation's "Allocated Qty" in the Wave Inquiry > Allocation screen
Allocation's "Create Timestamp" in the Wave Inquiry > Allocation screen

For example, if a location LOC-01 has 100 units. In that, 20 units are allocated for an internal replenishment (going away from the location).

Consider you got an order of 250 units to fulfill. So, to fulfill the order, extra 170 units are required. On running the wave, assume that the system has created three allocations of 80, 70, and 100 units (replenishment created for 170 units). On completing the replenishment of 100 units, the system updates the allocations and tasks as follows.

Picking Allocation Quantity	No. of Picking Allocations on Task	Picking Task Status (Before Replenishment)	Behavior (After Completion of Replenishment)
Alloc-1: 80 Alloc-2: 70 (Task Priority = 2 and Create Timestamp = 10th March 23:45:20) Alloc-3: 100 (Task Priority = 2 and Create Timestamp = 10th March 23:45:20)	Task-1: Alloc-1 (“Dependent On Replenishment” = “No”) Task-2: Alloc-2 (“Dependent On Replenishment” = “Yes”) Task-3: Alloc-3 (“Dependent On Replenishment” = “Yes”)	Task-1 : Ready Task-2: Held Task-3: Held	The system updates the flag “Dependent On Replenishment” = “No” for Alloc-2 and updates the Task-2 to Ready status. Also, Task-3 remains in the Held status.

Picking Allocation Quantity

No. of Picking

Allocations

on Task

Picking Task Status (Before Replenishment)

Behavior (After Completion of Replenishment)

Alloc-1: 80

Alloc-2: 70

(Task Priority = 2 and Create Timestamp = 10th March 23:45:20)

Alloc-3: 100 (Task Priority = 2 and Create Timestamp = 10th March 23:45:20)

Task-1: Alloc-1

(“Dependent On Replenishment” = “No”)

Task-2: Alloc-2 (“Dependent On Replenishment” = “Yes”)

Task-3: Alloc-3

(“Dependent On Replenishment” = “Yes”)

Task-1 : Ready

Task-2: Held

Task-3: Held

The system updates the flag “Dependent On Replenishment” = “No” for Alloc-2 and updates the Task-2 to Ready status.

Also, Task-3 remains in the Held status.

If the replenishment for the remaining 70 units gets completed, then only the system updates the Alloc-3 as independent on replenishment and Task-3 to Ready status.

When a task in Held status gets fulfilled with the required replenishment, the system moves the task status to “Ready”. So, the picker can proceed with picking, as sufficient inventory is available to pick.

NOTE: If you cancel a wave-based replenishment task for an allocation with no other replenishments, the system updates the “Dependent On Replenishment” flag with “No” for the cancelled allocation.

IMPACT ON NON-TASKING MODE

In 24B, for tasking mode, the system updates the replenishment dependent picking tasks in Held status. Along with the tasking mode, the system allows the picker to pick the inventory in the non-tasking mode. So, for non-tasking picking mode, to alert the picker, we have added the following warning messages to the RF Pack NC Active {order} (rf.outbound.cwrfpackncactiveorder) and RF Pick Cart (rf.outbound.cwrfpickcart) transactions when the picker is picking inventory for a sales order that is dependent on replenishment.

Screen (Module)	Mode or Parameter Configuration	Warning Message	Behavior
RF Pack NC Active {order} (rf.outbound.cwrfpackncactiveorder)	“nc-or-cubed-mode” = Blank or “Non-Cubed Picking”	Available quantity is insufficient to fulfill order. Do you want to proceed?	After scanning an order with replenishment dependent allocation, the system displays this warning message.
RF Pack NC Active {order} (rf.outbound.cwrfpackncactiveorder)	“nc-or-cubed-mode” = “Cubed Picking”	Available Qty to Pick is insufficient for %OBLPN. Do you want to proceed?	After scanning an OBLPN with replenishment dependent allocation, the system displays this warning message.
RF Pick Cart (rf.outbound.cwrfpickcart)	NA	Available Qty to Pick is insufficient for %OBLPN. Do you want to proceed?	After scanning an OBLPN with replenishment dependent allocation, the system displays this warning message. NOTE: Before ending the cart in the transaction, the system displays the warning message every time when you scan an OBLPN with replenishment dependent allocations. Thus, the system displays the warning message multiple times within the transaction if you are scanning multiple OBLPNs with replenishment dependent allocations.

Screen (Module)

Mode or Parameter Configuration

Warning Message

Behavior

RF Pack NC Active {order} (rf.outbound.cwrfpackncactiveorder)

“nc-or-cubed-mode” = Blank or “Non-Cubed Picking”

Available quantity is insufficient to fulfill order. Do you want to proceed?

After scanning an order with replenishment dependent allocation, the system displays this warning message.

RF Pack NC Active {order} (rf.outbound.cwrfpackncactiveorder)

“nc-or-cubed-mode” = “Cubed Picking”

Available Qty to Pick is insufficient for %OBLPN. Do you want to proceed?

After scanning an OBLPN with replenishment dependent allocation, the system displays this warning message.

RF Pick Cart (rf.outbound.cwrfpickcart)

Available Qty to Pick is insufficient for %OBLPN. Do you want to proceed?

After scanning an OBLPN with replenishment dependent allocation, the system displays this warning message.

NOTE: Before ending the cart in the transaction, the system displays the warning message every time when you scan an OBLPN with replenishment dependent allocations. Thus, the system displays the warning message multiple times within the transaction if you are scanning multiple OBLPNs with replenishment dependent allocations.

You can configure these messages as hard errors on the Message Codes > Edit facility message config pop-up screen. On enabling the message as a hard error, if the scanned order or OBLPN is dependent on replenishment allocation, the system will not allow you to proceed in the transaction.

Steps to Enable

You don't need to do anything to enable this feature.

Key Resources

Oracle Warehouse Management Cloud Information Center