A bin is a physical placeholder in a warehouse where inventory should be placed or stored. It must have a precise address that would tell operators where a particular product or product group is located. Bins can be configured to allow random storage or fixed SKU by bin storage, as well as to limit the number of license plates/Track ID's allowed to be put into the bins.

You can have various bin location types, including Bulk locations, Pickface locations, Reach Truck locations, and Receiving locations.

Bins can be created one at a time, by creating a single bin, or by doing a multiple bin import using an import template.

Download the import template

• To start with the import function, you must first download the import template

• Select the Import button on the left of the Maintain Bin Data Program and select Download Template.

• Specify a location to save the Import Template.

Overview of the import template

• Notice that there are already two rows configured in the template; this is just dummy data to show you how to populate the template. You can delete those two rows.

• Let’s go over the different columns from left to right in the template:

  • Warehouse refers to the Warehouse name. This should have been configured as part of your initial installation

  • Bin refers to the Bin code or numbering system. You can use any naming convention, but only 15 characters are allowed

  • BinType refers to the Bin Type. There are only four types of Bin Types allowed in the system:

    • Bulk Bins

    • Pickface Bins

    • Receiving/Picking/Floor Bins (Will not be reserved by Picking)

    • Reach Truck Bin

  • Track ID this column gives the system an indication of whether the Bin should have a Track ID record created or not. You can enter a Y for Yes or N for No

  • PickingSequence this applies only to Pickface Bins and you can set this field to USER if Bin is of type Pickface. With the more advanced premium implementations, you have three options to configure here: User, FIFO (first in first out) and LIFO (last in first out)

  • Area refers to the Area within the Zone. This should have been configured already. View the Create Areas User Guide

  • Zone refers to the Zone. This should have been configured already. View the Create Zones User Guide.

  • NumberOfTrackIDs refers to how many tracking IDs is the maximum number in that Bin

  • Volume refers to the volume of the Bin

  • MaxMass refers to the maximum Mass of the Bin

  • Check Digit this field refers to more advanced Datascope WMS premium implementations and you can leave this blank. With the more advanced premium implementations, you can implement voice scanning and picking

  • BinSequence refers to an alternative picking sequence for your bins. When creating your Bins for the first time, you can leave this blank

  • Status refers to the status of your bin.  You have three options: Active, In Active, or On Hold. When creating your Bins for the first time, set the Status as 1 (1=Active)

  • Arrow refers to more advanced Datascope WMS premium implementations and you can leave this blank

  • Level refers to more advanced Datascope WMS premium implementations and you can leave this blank

How to populate the import template

Locate your Import Template from the location where you saved it.

• Open the template and start populating the fields

• Start with your Warehouse code. You cannot add a Warehouse if it hasn’t been configured in WMS

• Add your Bin code. The Bin numbering system can be any configuration you prefer up to 15 characters with no spaces in between. Hyphens and special characters are allowed.

• BinType. BinType must either be Bulk, Pickface, or Receiving. These are the only three Bin Types allowed in the system and must be captured exactly like this

• In the Track ID column, you must give an indication of whether a TrackID must be created that is the same as the Bin code. You would typically set this to Y (Yes) for Pickface Bins. If it is a Bulk Bin, then you would set this to N (No) as you wouldn’t need it

• You don’t need Sequence picking when creating Bin Locations so you can leave this blank.  (This field refers to more advanced Datascope WMS premium implementations where you have three options to configure: User, FIFO (first in first out), and LIFO (last in first out))

• Zones are populated as previously created

• When populating the NumberOfTrackID column you have a few options to use. Depending on how your Warehouse has been configured Bins usually only have one TrackID, but on some occasions, you might want numerous TrackIDs for one Bin, for example Staging Bins and Bulk Bins. In these situations, you can type in ANY, which allows any number of TrackIDs to be imported into that Bin OR you can type in a number indicating how many TrackIDs in that bin. Example:

• ANY

  • 1

  • 2

  • 3

• Volume refers to the volume the bin can contain

• MaxMass refers to the maximum allowed mass in a bin

• Check Digit can remain blank as it is required for Datascope WMS premium when using voice scanning

• BinSequence can remain blank when creating your Bins for the first time

• Status can be split between 1, 2, and 3.
  1 = Active, 2 = On Hold and 3 = Inactive. The default should always be 1 which is an Active Status

• Arrow this field refers to more advanced Datascope WMS premium implementations and you can leave this blank

• Level this field refers to more advanced Datascope WMS premium implementations and you can leave this blank

Save your populated Import template back on the server.

Importing the data from the import template

• Select the Import button on the left of the Maintain Bin Data Program and select Browse. Browse to the location on the Server where you copied (or saved) your Import Template and select Open.

• The data will be imported from your Import Template.

• If there are any errors, you can select Remove from Grid for that specific record. That record will then not be imported.

• Select the Update button on the right of the Window.

• This might take a while if there are many records.

• Once the validation is complete you will get a message stating that the Validation is Completed and to View the grid for any errors.

• If errors occur, you can remove them from the Grid. Failures will occur if the Area doesn’t exist, or the Zone doesn’t match the Zone you have entered in the Import Spreadsheet. The record will be highlighted in red, and it will not be allowed to be imported.

• Once all errors have been rectified you must select the Update button again in order to transact the changes.

• If there are no errors in the grid, then you will get a Validation message asking you to click on the Update button again.

• Once you have successfully imported all the Bins, you can Print these Bin labels by clicking on the Print Bin Label button at the top of the screen.

• Before printing make sure you have selected the correct label format.

Go over your imported data

You can view your imported bins under the Main Menu / KPI Dashboard & Reporting / Standard Reports / Information Check.

Delete a Bin

• Deleting Bins must be done from the Create bin screen

SPECIAL FEATURES

• Bins can be deleted from the Create Bin screen. A bin cannot be deleted if there are active TrackIDs in it

TECHNICAL

• When printing to a physical printer, you must ensure that the System Settings is configured correctly. The BINLABELING setting under Settings / Printers on the Ribbon Bar must point to the physical printer. For more information, refer to Configure Printers.

SYSPRO REQUIREMENTS & Business objects used

• None

REFERENCE

WHS013