Internal replenishment

Hello Peter,

I think the stable_extra_addons module: stock_routings might tailor your requirements.

You can get that module from the link:
https://code.launchpad.net/~openerp-commiter/openobject-addons/stable_5.0-extra-addons

I Hope this will help you.
Thank you.

IMHO more correct answer is module stock_location_pull in version 6.0. I didn't check it yet but it looks promising for functionality Peter asks for. I look for such functionality too.

stock_routings doesn't do stock moves of pull type. It creates more sophisticated automatic stock moves but still push type.

Hi Peter,

We have a new module coming out on top of v6 that might be able to help. It will be uploaded into lp:openerp-usa shortly.

It's purpose is to help manage a dynamic and large warehouse environment, and to help maintain picking efficiency. It is designed with a distributor in mind.

It was originally designed for one of our client to manage over 4000+ warehouse locations, with primary picking locations for products (for high-volume frequently picked stock), and also easily manage overstock locations.

The concept is that products may actually reside in multiple locations in a warehouse(s). Due to the rapid turnover of inventory in the warehouse, it is very common for material handlers to drop product wherever there is an "open" bay or slot in the warehouse. So a product doesn't always have the same "location/home" in the warehouse <--- which is what the original OpenERP design seems to address.

The new module allows a product to have multiple locations assigned to it (e.g. primary picking location, and multiple overstock locations).

It also provides a replenishment report suggesting what stock to move to make the warehouse more efficient - so a warehouse material handler can print a report so they know when they need to "restock" the primary locations (do a stock move to the primary picking location). Stock moves are done with one button.

We think this provides some flexibility versus a more rigid stock-pull approach. Our warehouse environment is very dynamic so we leave some "decisioning" up to the experience of the material handlers as well.

If replenishment of a primary locations must be pulled from multiple overstock locations - the system determines how many overstock locations the system needs to pull from and qty in each to hit the replenishment max target for the primary picking location. <--- right now it pulls according to ordered sequence of the overstock locations. (in the future some logic can probably be applied to make these suggestions/move optimized).

If the overstock/secondary location inventory level of a product drops to zero - the module will automatically remove that location from the list of locations associated with a product (or rather it won't show up in the list of locations displayed with a product).

The product screen displays all of the individual locations in a warehouse where product can be found. (our use case took the locations up to about 20 per product). We did this to quickly answer the question - Where is product in the warehouse?

Each product's primary location has a target - minimum threshold level/replenishment floor point - and a maximum qty. Again this is for picking efficiency.

On another note - we also created the ability for a warehouse manager to assign designated pickers to orders.
Then the pickers can actually print out a "consolidated pick list as well" - which allows them to pull multiple orders and products as efficiently at one time. So they may receive instructions to gather multiple quantities of a product to cover off several orders in one "picking trip" in the warehouse. <--- This is a big productivity boost for picking.

So in our model:
Reorder points(the existing capability) are used when product needs to be reordered/purchase order created.

Replenish levels are used to instruct warehouse material handlers to replenish primary picking locations and manage a dynamic warehouse environment where product is found in multiple overstock locations.

Our hope is to in the future drive analysis to determine optimum layout of warehouses based on picking efficiencies + provide a mobile client so the material handler can mark the product immediately/barcoding etc, and then of course improve automatic updates using RFID.

Does that address your use case?

We are also getting ready to release a new "Assembly/Sales BoM module" - which allows kiting/building kits at time of picking - and accurately tracks stock moves/inventory - and also provides a report to show consumption of individual products (e.g. 10 sold in kit A, 20 sold in Kit C, and 49 sold separately). This is managed with OpenERP's BoM mechanism + adds a new BoM type called Assembly (which used to be in the documentation but was removed).

The module in lp:openerp-usa is called stock_multi_location. Sorry - forgot to mention the name.

Hello David,

Thank you for the detailed explanation of your works on warehouse management.
It seems that we have some common needs. I'm particularly looking for batch picking functionality. As I understand you already have this with the "consolidated pick list" you mentioned. I've taken a look at the stock_multilocation_picking module and I could only find primary/overstock location handling in it.

Hi Dukai,

I hope you find the modules helpful.
The consolidated pick list will be in another module that should be
uploaded tonight.
It is called stock_assigned_picker.

It allows a warehouse manager to assign which of the warehouse staff
is to pick which orders.
Then the warehouse manager or the user can print a consolidated pick
list of all their available orders that are open.

We see this as - warehouse manager selects the orders to pick, and
then prints the consolidated pick list, and then prints the packing
list.

After the items are "picked" and the done button is pressed. The
shipping_api takes over and displays a shipping tab. Today it works in
conjunction with shipping_api_ups.
The goal is high-efficiency in the warehouse.

Sorry for the oversight . . . my team forgot to load the
stock_assigned_picker module.

Hopefully, it will address your needs.

Dave

2011/4/12 Dukai Gábor <email address hidden>:
> Question #116664 on OpenERP Addons changed:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/openobject-addons/+question/116664
>
> Dukai Gábor requested for more information:
> Hello David,
>
> Thank you for the detailed explanation of your works on warehouse management.
> It seems that we have some common needs. I'm particularly looking for batch picking functionality. As I understand you already have this with the "consolidated pick list" you mentioned.  I've taken a look at the stock_multilocation_picking module and I could only find primary/overstock location handling in it.
>
> --
> You received this question notification because you are a direct
> subscriber of the question.
>

Hi David,

I created a bit different solution for batch picking because we needed to split big pickings. I quote the model description here:
    Combine several stock pickings into a wave. In a wave stock moves are
    grouped by product and wave pickings are created from the reordered moves.
    Wave pickings are designed to fit on a printed page. Every wave picking
    can be entered into the ERP individually when done.

    A sorting list is available for the batch picked orders
    in case there is a separate sorting step after picking.

If you're interested, it's in the trunk-community-addons as stock_wave_picking. I had to create it v5 compatible.

Gábor