Creating Wave Templates

Wave Templates require the following configuration pieces:

• Wave Search Template
• Allocation Mode
• Task Creation Template
• Allocation Method

Step 1: Create a Wave Template Search

Wave Template Searches are used as filters for selecting specific Orders during a wave. Each search template has a set of fields that are configurable.

To view existing Template Searches, click the “Wave Template Searches” button from the “Wave Template” screen.

From Wave Template Searches, click Create to create a new Search Template. Here, you can define the filtering parameters.

Examples:

In example 1, “Search Template 1” will filter all orders with route number “ROUTE1” and that only contain SKU “ITEM1”.

In example 2, “Search Template 2” will filter orders that have order numbers “ORD_001” and “ORD_002”. In other words, Wave Templates with this search template selected will only attempt to allocate these two orders.

Users can also define Order Types as additional filtering criteria:

1. Select the Search Template and click the Details button ().
2. Click the Create (+) button to add Order Types for this Wave Search record. If there are no Order Types defined, it will not filter by Order Type.

Step 2: Create an Allocation Mode

Allocation Modes are used to define how the inventory should be allocated in terms of the different allocation UOMs.

In the Wave Template screen, click on the “Allocation Mode” button – this will take you to the list of Allocation Modes available for the current company.

Note: Make sure you are at the correct company view before proceeding).

1. Create a new Allocation Mode with the Create button.
2. Enter its details with the Details button.
3. Create the sequence of allocation UOMs desired for the Wave Template. See example below.

Extra Configuration Parameters

• Sequence Nbr: The order in which the system will look for allocations.
• Location Type: The locations that will be used for allocation – Reserve or Active.
• Restrict Area: If populated, the WMS will search for allocations in this area only.
• Restrict Alloc Zone: If populated, the WMS will search for allocations in this allocation zone only.
• Cartonize UOM: If populated, the WMS will automatically create a new carton per UOM defined.
  • Example: If Cartonize UOM = Units, the system will create a new carton number for every unit allocated in the wave.
• Alloc Distribution Mode: This field is used to enable/disable the distribution (Put to Store) functionality. If using distribution, you must choose one of the following parameters:
  • Distribution Residuals OK: This is the first distribution option that is used in distribute to store. The “Residuals OK” implies that when allocating orders to available LPNs in the inventory, the system allows LPNs to be partially allocated and have unallocated units left over (ie. ‘residuals’). Depending on the order quantity and the available inventory, this allocation type can allocate both LPNs and units. Distribution Residuals OK only allows you to select units, packs, or cases from the Allocation UOM drop-down.
    Note: If you plan on allocating less than full LPNs from reserve, you must make sure the location flag "Allow reserve partial pick" is enabled. For more details, see Allow Reserve Partial Pick in the Location Master section.
    Note: The system is not currently handling the Allow reserve partial pick flag during replenishments.
  • Distribution No Residuals: This distribution mode will only allocate LPNs with no residuals. In other words, every time an LPN is allocated for distribution, all of its contents must be allocated to one or more orders (ie. LPNs cannot be “Partly Allocated”). Distribution No Residuals only allows you to pick units, packs, or cases from the Allocation UOM drop-down.
  • Consolidate and Distribute: This distribution mod allows you to pick allocation from Reserve or Active. Consolidate and Distribute only allows you to pick units, packs, or cases from the Allocation UOM drop-down.Note: This option allows you to pick inventories for multiple stores to a temporary LPN, place it in a consolidated location, and distribute inventories based on the stores.
    Note: The partial allocation flag (on the Order Type UI) is not honored and it will always have a default of yes.
  • No Distribution: No Distribution turns the distribution off, and it will create non-cubed picks based on the allocation UOM. This mod allows you to pick units, packs, cases, or LPNs from the allocation UOM drop-down.
    Note: Distribution Residuals OK, Distribution No Residuals, and Consolidate and Distribute do not allow the user to set the Allocation UOM as LPNs. If you try to save this setting, you will see the following error: “Alloc UOM LPN invalid for distribution modes”
  • mhe_sytem: Input the MHE system needed for this allocation, if configured. If picking is happening from MHE, then the MHE system has to be populated on the allocation mode sequence.

• Ignore Attribute A, B, C to O: You can select one or multi-select relevant inventory attribute to ignore the inventory attributes in the Order Header. Even if the order has corresponding inventory attribute populated, ignoring the inventory attribute on allocation mode sequence will prevent the wave from honoring the order’s attribute.

Step 3: Create a Task Creation Template

Task Templates are used to determine the Task Types that will be used for the wave. Similar to allocation UOMs, Task Types are records that create Tasks based on the UOMs defined in the Allocation Mode. Therefore, to correctly configure a Wave Template, the selected Allocation Mode’s UOMs must match the Task Template’s Task Types.

Task Types

The 'Task Type' UI Module will display all task types used in WMS. The task type details will display all RF Modules used within a task type.

The table below displays a list of Task Types and their uses.

Task type	Description	Explanation	RF Modules Used with Task Type
CONSOL_REPLEN	Consolidate Replenish	Used for a type of replenishment that allows you to pull multiple cases from multiple locations and replenish to one more location. Requires Task Zone movements.	RF IBLPN Pick for Consol Replen RF - Task Zone Movements RF Distribute Replenishment
DISTRIBUTE-LPN	Distribute LPN	Used for LPN picking tasks with distribution.	RF Move LPN RF - Task Zone Movements RF Distribute {oblpn}
FULL-CONTAINER	Full LPN Pull	Used for LPN picking tasks. This task type is enabled when the quantity ordered matches the exact LPN quantity in the inventory.	RF Pack {oblpn} RF- Task Zone Movements RF Putaway OBLPN
INTERNAL-PICK	Internal Picking Task	Tasks relevant to internal unit movements, such as directed putaway.	RF IBLPN Pick for Consol Replen RF - Task Zone Movements RF Distribute Replenishment
LPNCASES	Reserve Cases	Used for Case picking tasks with no distribution.	RF Pack {oblpn} RF - Task Zone Movements
LPNMOVE	LPN Movement	Used for movement of intermediate LPNs during distribution and replenishment.	Pack NC Active {order} RF - Task Zone Movements RF Putaway OBLPN
LPNPACKS	Reserve Inner Packs	Used for Pack picking tasks with no distribution.	RF Pack {oblpn} RF - Task Zone Movements
LPNUNITS	Reserve Units	Used for Unit picking tasks with no distribution.	RF Pack NC Active {order} RF Task Zone Movements RF Putaway OBLPN
NC-ACTIVE-PICK	Noncubed Active Picking Task	Used for internal non-cubed active picking tasks.	RF Pack NC Active {order} RF -Task Zone Movements RF Putaway OBLPN
PICK_CART	Pick Cart	Used for creating Pick Cart tasks.	RF Pick Cart RF -Task Zone Movements RF: Putaway OBLPN
PICKLPN-INTERNL	Pick LPN Internal	Tasks relevant to internal LPN movements, such as directed putaway.	RF Pick {iblpn} RF - Task Zone Movements
PLTMV_AUTOPK	Plt Move Auto-Pack	Used for pallet picking tasks. To enable this task type, the order detail must specify that the pallet that will be allocated in inventory in the "Pallet Nbr" field.	RF Move LPN RF Task Zone Movements RF Putaway OBLPN
REPLEN-CASES	Cases Replenishment	Used for LPN replenishment tasks. This task type is enabled when cases from a given LPN are being replenished (as opposed to replenishing the entire LPN).	RF Move LPN RF - Task Zone Movements RF Distribute Replenishment
REPLEN-LPN	Full LPN Replenishment	Used for LPN replenishment tasks. This task type is enabled when entire LPNs are being replenished.	RF Move LPN RF - Task Zone Movements RF - Replenish Full LPN
CC-LOCATION	Cycle Count Location	Used for Cycle Count Location tasks.	RF Cycle Cnt {locn}
CC-LOCATION-DTL	Cycle Count Location Detail	Manual CC by Item Detail	RF Cycle Cnt {locn}
CC-LOCN-LPN-CNT	Cycle Count Location LPN Count	Count the LPNs in a Cycle Count Location.	Resv {lpn} Nbr Cnt Cycle Cnt {locn}
CUBEDSINGLEUNIT	Cubed Single Unit	Pick and Pack cubed single LPNs that were generated by the wave.	RF Pack {oblpn} RF – Task Zone Movements
FULL-LPN-PALLET	Full LPN	Pick and Pack full LPNs that were generated by the wave.	RF Pack {oblpn} RF - Task Zone Movements RF Putaway OBLPN
CUBED SINGLE CASE	Cubed Single Case	Pick and pack cubed single cases.	RF Pack {oblpn} RF – Task Zone Movements
CUBED SINGLE PACK	Cubed Single Pack	Pick and pack cubed single packs.	RF Pack {oblpn} RF – Task Zone Movements
MULTILPNMOVE	Multi LPN Move	Movement of multiple intermediate LPNs during distribution and replenishment.	RF Move LPN RF – Task Zone Movements

To create a Task Creation template:

1. From the Task Creation Template screen, create a new Task Template and add a description.
2. Set “Template Type” to “Regular”.
3. Click the Detail button to inspect the Task Template’s details.
4. Create new Task Types for the template by populating the sequence, Task Type, and Destination Zone.

Task Creation Template Details

This section details the list of parameters you can define for your task creation template:

Table 1. Task Creation Template

Fields	Description
Task Creation Template	Displays the task creation template
Sequence Nbr*	Determines the sequence of each Task Type
Task Type*	Select the task type from the drop-down
Break By Quantity	Specify the break by value in Quantity. The user configured break by value will be considered for grouping the tasks based on the allocation mode and task template configured for the wave. Users can now break the tasks by configuring break by quantity value in task creation template.
Break By Weight	Specify the break by value in Weights. Users can now break the tasks by configuring the break by weight value in the task creation template.
Break By Volume	Specify the break by value in Volume. Users can now break the tasks by configuring the break by volume value in the task creation template.
Priority	Determines the priority of the Task Type. The priority can override the record’s sequence number.
Create Held	This flag determines whether the Task will be ‘held’ when created. When a Task is held, it will not be visible to the picking operator in the RF gun. The operator will only be able to view this task once the superuser ‘releases’ this task in the “Tasks” screen, via the “Release Task” button.
Assign Destination Zone	Enable this flag to configure the Dynamic Destination Zone. Note: On enabling, the Destination Zone field will be disabled.
Destination Zone	When you reach the end of a Task, this configuration determines whether or not the RF will prompt you to move the picked boxes into a Destination Zone. Destination Zones are essentially locations that have Task Zones configured. Additionally, the system checks if there is a matching Task zone movement configured with the Start and End zone (Start zone is based on pick location and end zone is based on the zone configured in "Destination Zone"). If a match is found, the picker can execute task zone movement after reaching end of their task.
Dynamic Destination Zone	You can specify multiple destination zones separated by comma. This field checks the destination zone for pending tasks or uncancelled inventory. If the destination zone doesn't have any incomplete/uncancelled tasks nor uncancelled inventory, tasks for that task creation sequence will take the specified Destination Zone. Else, it will evaluate the next destination zone in the list. For example, if Dynamic destination zones are configured with Dest01,Dest02,Dest03. Dest01 will be evaluated first, then Dest02, and finally Dest03 will be evaluated. Note: If all the destination zones configured have pending tasks or inventory not in cancelled status, the tasks will not be created but allocations will be generated for the wave.

Break the Task via Break By Parameter

The allocations in a wave are added to a task until one of the value - quantity, weight, and volume mentioned in break by parameter has reached the value. Once the condition is satisfied, the system creates a new task for the next allocation in sequence and continues to verify the tasks are created for all allocations in a wave.

For example, If break by quantity is configured as 80, and there are three allocations in sequence with Qty: 50, 60 and 40, the first two allocations with Qty 50 and 60 are added to the first task and then the third allocation with Qty 40 is created as a second task.

1. From the Task Creation template UI. Select the template and click details icon.
2. The Details page opens > Click Create (+) icon.

   

3. Enter the break by values in the respective field. By default, these fields are set with value 0 or blank, and supports decimal values greater than or equal to zero”.
   Note: For Template Type = Regular, you can save the record by populating numeric values in the new fields. While creating, the entered "Break By Weight" & "Break By Volume" rounds-off based on the max weight, volume and dimension decimal precision value configured in Decimal settings for the user logged in company.
4. Click Save.

Task Creation Templates with Break by Quantity/Weight/Volume for Picking, Replenishment, and Work order.

Task Breaks by Quantity, Weight, Volume

The following use case provides an outline on how the tasks are broken based on break by values:

Break by Quantity

Use Case - 1: If you have a allocation with allocated quantity 20 in task creation template. The Break By Quantity =10, and Break By Weight/Break By Volume = null/empty, the task is created as follows:

LPN	Item	Location	Order	Allocated Qty	Task
LPN10	Item10	Loc10	Ord2	20	Task0005

Even though the allocated Qquantity is twice as that of Break by Quantity, the system creates only one task as the allocation cannot be broken further into multiple tasks.

Use Case - 2: If you have three allocations with allocated Qquantity as 4,4, and 3 and in task creation template, the Break By Quantity = 5, and Break By Weight/ Break By Volume = null/empty, the tasks is created as follows:

LPN	Item	Location	Order	Allocated Qty	Task
LPN11	Item11	Loc1	Ord3	4	Task0010
LPN21	Item11	Loc2	Ord3	4	Task0010
LPN31	Item11	Loc3	Ord3	3	Task0011

The Task0010 can accommodate only 5 units (break by Qty =5), but the first allocation does not exceed the break by value and on including the second allocation, the total quantity for task exceeds break by quantity. Because, the system does not split the allocation further, the second allocation is included in Task0010 and the total quantity in Task0010 = 8 (4+4).

Break by Weight and Volume

To add a Task Zone to a location:

1. Go to the Task Zone screen and create a new Task Zone.
2. Go to the Locations screen, select the desired location and click edit.
3. In the “Task Zone” field, select the Task Zone that you added in step 1.

For example, if there is a Drop Zone location “DZ1” with Destination Zone “ATZ1”, there will be the following Task Template configuration:

This means that at the end of every “Reserve Units” Task, you are prompted to move the picked LPNs into a “DOOR_DROP” location – which in this case is location “DZ1”.

Once all the necessary Task Types are created, you will now have to configure the selection and breaking criteria for each Task Type.

Ordering Criteria

The Ordering Criteria allows you to determine the break logic for each Task. For example, if there is a criteria for “Break by Order Nbr = 1”, WMS will create a new Task for every unique Order number in this Task Type.

1. Select the Task Type record and click “Ordering Criteria”.
2. Create a new breaking rule for this Task Type by clicking the Create () button.
3. Enter the sequence number, select the logic criteria and the ‘break by’ value.
4. Click Save.

Example:

screen

1. Location Pick Sequence, Break by count = 0

   This will sort the creation of Tasks in order of the allocation’s Location Pick Sequence.

2. Pallet Number, Break by count = 1

   This will create a new Task for every Pallet that is allocated. This may be used in cases where the picking equipment does not allow users to pick multiple pallets at a time.

Selection Criteria

You can use Selection Criteria to configure Task Type conditions.

1. Select the Task Type record and click “Selection Criteria”.
2. In this new window, you will see a folder icon; this is a “Complex Operation”. Within this folder, there can be many nodes with criteria specified; these are “Basic Operations”.
3. To create a new basic operation, select the folder icon and click on the “Insert Basic Operation” button.
4. Select the SQL Operator, column name and column value.
5. Click “Save”.

Example:

This configuration translates to the following:

• If the allocation’s SKU has a Putaway Type of LAPTOPS or TABLETS, create a Task under the current Task Type.
• Once every Task Type has Ordering Criteria and/or Selection Criteria set up, the Task Template is complete.

Step 4: Combine all Configuration Pieces Together

Once the Wave Search, Allocation Mode and Task Templates are created, the user can now combine everything to create a Wave Template.

1. Go to the Wave Template screen and click the Create (+) button.
2. Enter a name for the template and select the previously created configurations from the drop-down.
3. Once everything is selected, click the “Save” button.

Choosing an Allocation Method

You can choose different ways of ordering inventory for picking from Active or Reserve location:

• FIFO: First in First Out – Allocates inventory based on ascending order of the inventory’s “Create timestamp” or ascending order of LPN’s create time stamp for allocating from reserve
• LIFO: Last in First Out – Allocates inventory based on descending order of the inventory’s “Create timestamp” or ” or descending order of LPN’s create time stamp for allocating from reserve.
• FEFO: First Expiry First Out – Allocates inventory based on ascending order of the inventory’s “Priority Date” field.
• LEFO: Last Expiry First Out – Allocates inventory based on descending order of the inventory’s “Priority Date” field.
  Note: We consider Priority date for FEFO or LEFO (expiry date captured during receiving is copied over to priority date field, if priority date field is not passed in shipment detail.). For item’s which are not tracking expiry, the received date is considered in Priority date of the LPN.
• Quantity Ascending: Allocates inventory with the smallest quantity first.
• Quantity Descending: Allocates inventory with the largest quantity first.
• Location Ascending: Allocate inventory in the ascending order of the location pick sequence.
• Location Descending: Allocates inventory in the descending order of the location pick sequence.

Note: For Allocation Method of FEFO, LEFO, Quantity Ascending, or Quantity Descending, the system has an inbuilt secondary ordering of location pick sequence. That is, if you have an allocation method= FEFO and there are two sets of inventories with the same expiry date in loc1 & loc2, the system picks the inventory which expires first from the location with first location pick sequence.

The following allocation methods will be honored for Multi-SKU Full LPN Allocation:

• FIFO (default)
• LIFO
• Location pick sequence Ascending
• Location pick sequence Descending

Following allocation methods are not applicable for Multi-SKU Full LPN Allocation:

• FEFO
• LEFO
• Quantity Ascending
• Quantity Descending

Note: If the allocation method configured for multi-sku LPN’s allocation is not defined or configured one is not supported, the system falls back to the default allocation method (FIFO).

Optional Step: Additional Configuration Parameters

You can configure additional parameters in the Wave Template depending on how you will use it:

• Reuse LPN Nbr: determines whether or not the IBLPN number can be reused as the outbound LPN number during packing.
• Cubing Mode: (see Cubed Pickingfor more info)
• Cubing Rule: (see Cubed Picking for more info)
• OB LPN Type: (see Cubed Picking for more info)
• Location Size Type: if populated, the wave template will search for allocations specifically from locations with the defined Location Size Type.
• Cancel Unallocated: used as cancellation waves. If yes, all orders unallocated from this wave will be cancelled.
• Routing Mode: defines the routing logic for parcel manifest orders.
• Column Ordering: if populated, WMS will automatically print labels according to the selected Column Order when a wave is completed.
• Auto release MHE message: generates a custom MHE message when a wave is run.
• Max Units/Weight/Volume/Orders: defines the maximum value that the wave can allocate. For example, if “Max Units” is set to 1000, the wave can only allocate up to 1000 units at a time.
• Tolerance_percentage: The value populated here defines a tolerance with respect to the maximum defined in the “Max Units/Weight/Volume/Orders” field. For example, if the “Tolerance Percentage” field is defined as 5% and the “Max Units” field is set to 1000, the tolerance will allow WMS to allocate up to 50 more (1050 units total).