D365 for Finance and Operations Warehouse Overview

My previous posts have all focused on AX 2012 R3 advanced warehouse (WHS) functionality.  Future posts will focus on D365 for Finance and Operations advanced warehouse (WHS) functionality.  D365 for Finance and Operations Enterprise Edition was previously called AX7.  This was released for general availability in February 2016.  The latest platform update at the time of this article is platform update 12, released in November 2017.

Warehouse options have changed some in D365 versus AX 2012 R3.  WMS2 is deprecated due to the advanced warehouse replacing those features.  See this article for the features included in WMS2.  The remaining warehouse options include WMS1 and WHS.  WMS1 does not include any mobile scanning options out of the box.  WHS includes an out of the box app to support warehouse scanning.

A new warehouse app is available for D365.  This app only runs on Windows 10 or Android mobile devices.  The vast majority of the ruggedized mobile devices in warehouses today run on WinMobile 6.5 or some flavor of Windows CE.  Those devices can still run the WMDP (IIS portal) at the time of this writing, but that feature is also deprecated and will be removed from D365 in Q4 2018.  This will force customers to upgrade hardware to run the warehouse mobile app.

Some great features have been added to D365.  For a full list of added features and in-development features, see this site – https://roadmap.dynamics.com.  Some added features include:

1. Consignment inventory using the inventory owner dimension.  Note that consignment inventory is not supported on the D365 warehouse app.
2. Moving reserved inventory associated with warehouse work.
3. Create work after packing.
4. Group containers into one container or license plate.
5. Create a release policy for packed containers.
6. Short pick reallocation process.  If items are not on the shelf where they are supposed to be, the user is directed to another location to pick the goods.  The prior solution required users to short pick, then release the sales order to the warehouse again.
7. Merge license plates with outbound work.
8. Freeze work at the line level instead of the header level.
9. Cancel work from the mobile device.
10. Container types added to specify the physical characteristics of the container.
11. Reverse shipments and cancel packing slips.
12. Cancel product receipts on the inbound side.
13. Receive mixed pallets and move mixed pallets to the putaway location.

WHS Cluster Picking

Standard AX picking is completed one order at a time.  This leads to many trips through the warehouse, and is inefficient for some business processes.

Cluster picking allows the user to specify which orders they will pick.  The users generate a cluster and then pick everything in their cluster in one efficient picking route.  Cluster picking is a great way to improve efficiency in the warehouse.

See the video below for more information on WHS Cluster picking.  I will note that cluster picking did not work properly when picking a serial number controlled item.

WHS PO Receipt – Variants

See the video below for an example of receiving in a purchase order line that includes the following dimensions:  Configuration, Color, Size, Style, Batch and Serial Number.  Since items typically do not include bar codes when they arrive at your facility, unfortunately most of this data entry is going to be completed manually on the mobile device.  I notice the following issues with receiving in the WHS mobile device:

1. The receiving process is slow.  Receiving one line took nearly 5 minutes (note I was explaining some issues along the way, so the actual time may be slightly faster).
2. Manually typing in this data on a mobile device keyboard (see below) may lead to inaccurate data.
   
3. The batch expiration date must be manually typed in during each receipt, even if the batch is the same.
4. Serial numbers must be manually typed in, even though a serial number group (set to auto) exists on the item master.
5. Product dimensions can be mixed up across multiple PO lines.  The WHS mobile device does not catch the error until you press the OK button. Click to enlarge images. 
   

   

   

   

   https://vimeo.com/164128743

WHS Inventory Status

The Inventory Status dimension identifies the status of an item/license plate.  You can block inventory using the inventory status dimension so that inventory cannot be transacted against.  See below for further details on setting up the inventory status dimension.

https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dn553211.aspx

The inventory status dimension is only available for use with a storage dimension group that has the checkbox “Use warehouse management processes” checked (i.e. WHS items).  The inventory status dimension cannot be used with storage dimension groups that have the “Use warehouse management processes” unchecked (i.e. WMS1 & WMS2 items).

See below for my video that discusses the inventory status dimension.

 

WHS Manual Packing

WHS includes two options for packing items.  Please note that these options are mutually exclusive, as they do not work in tandem at all.

Option 1 is known as containerization.  This option suggests containers based on the volume of the items being processed.  This article does not focus on containerization.

Option 2 is manual packing.  Manual packing includes most of the functionality needed at an Order Pack station to pack items into cartons to send out for small parcel shipments.  The setup for manual packing is covered well in the following article:

 https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/dynamicsaxscm/2014/06/18/manual-packing-functionality-in-warehouse-management-in-microsoft-dynamics-ax-2012-r3/

Please note that manual packing is not available via the WHS mobile device.  Packing must be completed from the AX client.  See my video below for the setup and a demonstration of manual packing.

 

WHS Open Work List

With the release of Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R3 CU9 came the new work list feature.  The work list is covered in depth in the following link.  https://community.dynamics.com/ax/b/axsupchainmang/archive/2015/06/19/whs-work-list

So what is the WHS Open Work List?  This is a list of open user directed work that needs to be processed.  There are several different types of work (user directed, system directed, etc.), but only user directed work is supported in the work list.  The work list is designed to run on tablet sized devices.  While the work list can technically be ran on a mobile ruggedized device, the display is very lacking.

Why do we need a work list?  Without a work list, warehouse staff need to print out stacks of Work ID reports everyday to know what to process.  The work list helps by informing the user what needs to be done.

To setup the work list, create a new mobile device menu item with activity code “Display open work list”.  The records per page controls how many items in the list display on each page.  The work classes dictate what type of work is displayed in the list (receiving, picking, etc.).

Select the “Field list” option in the top right of the form.  You can set up to 7 display fields in the work list (in addition to the WorkId field).  See below for the fields I setup in the work list.

Here is what the work list looks like on a mobile device.

Here is what the work list looks like on a tablet sized device.

Selecting the work ID will take you directly into that transaction to process the work (see below for an example of Work ID USMF-000034).

Note that purchase orders that have not been received will not display in the open work list.  The work list only displays work, and PO’s only generate work after the PO is received.  

WHS Sales Order Picking

This post explains how to conduct a sales order pick in WHS.

1. Create a sales order.
2. Reserve the sales order lines.  This can be done automatically or manually.
3. Release the sales order to the warehouse.  This is accomplished on the sales order Warehouse management tab.  The wave template is processed and the work is created when the order is released to the warehouse.
   
   
4. Review created work.
   
5. From the handheld device, navigate to sales picking work.
   
6. The transaction initiates by asking the user to scan the work ID.  The only way the work ID is known is to print out stacks of work reports everyday.  There is a newer work list feature that can assist with selecting the work ID, but this is intended for use on tablet devices and doesn’t display properly on windows mobile devices.
   
7. Enter the required information to complete the pick.  In this example, I will enter the check digit for the location, the license plate to pick, the item to pick and the quantity.
   
8. After pressing enter, I receive a message that there is no more eligible work.  Press the “Done” button to get past this screen.
   
9. Now the item is picked, and we need to put the item to the outbound dock.  Enter the appropriate information into the sales order put form. In this example, I enter location, item and quantity.  Press ok when complete.
   
10. The work is now completed and the work status is closed.
    
    

WHS Reservation Hierarchy

Microsoft Dynamics AX inventory reservations put a block on inventory to ensure that specific inventory is used for a specific purpose (i.e. picking for a specific customer order).  WMS1 and WMS2’s reservation logic was too stringent at times.  The reservation was placed on specific batches or serial numbers with no knowledge of how accessible this inventory is to the warehouse worker.  The end result was a batch/serial being reserved in an inconvenient picking location.  To resolve this issue, the inventory in AX must be unreserved, then reserved against the correct batch or serial, then complete the pick.

Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R3 solves this problem with the introduction of the inventory reservation hierarchy.  The reservation hierarchy provides flexibility in how inventory reservations are applied.  The location field is the lowest level where inventory gets reserved.  Common terms for batch reservations are “Batch Above” or “Batch Below” location.  Batch above location means a specific batch number gets reserved.  Batch below location means the location is reserved, but a specific batch is not reserved, so any batch can be used to fulfill the order.

More information on reservation hierarchies can be found here:  https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dn553195.aspx

WHS Mobile Device Error Sounds

The standard WHS mobile device does not have an error sound when scanning an invalid bar code.  The user may not realize the scan was invalid, which will likely cause some wasted time.  Error sounds can be added to WHS if you have a clever programmer on hand to work on it.  See below for instructions from Microsoft for this task.

https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/dynamicsaxscm/2015/03/13/creating-custom-solutions-with-the-warehouse-mobile-device-portal/

Here is another link/video that discusses how to add error sounds to the mobile device portal.

http://organicax.com/2016/03/25/using-sound-as-feedback-on-the-warehouse-mobile-device/

WHS Label Printing

Label printing is integrated into WHS for printing license plate labels.  Individual item labels are not supported.  There are a couple setup forms in AX to trigger label printing.

Individual transactions can be setup to print labels by checking the “Print Label” option. 

Another option is adding a print work step to the work template.

It is important to note that the quantity of labels must be determined in the configuration of AX.  The warehouse user does not have control over the quantity of labels that print.

The label printing setup has been covered in great detail in the attached article:  https://community.dynamics.com/ax/b/axvanyakashperuk/archive/2014/09/11/printing-labels-with-the-new-warehouse-management-solution

The steps to setup label printing are as follows:

1. Download a label designer software.  I used Zebra Designer.
2. Design the label to your satisfaction.  Remember this is a license plate label. 
3. If you have a mobile printer, ensure it is installed properly on the AOS server.  If you don’t have a mobile printer, download and install the Zebra P4T mobile printer driver.
4. Install a dummy printer to a local port to print ZPL to a text file.  The ZPL is needed for further processes in AX.
   
5. Print label to Zebra P4T dummy printer and review the text file.
   
6. Copy and paste the ZPL into the AX WHS Document Routing Layout form.
   
7. Map appropriate field by highlighting the text, then right clicking and selecting the field that should be mapped.  See below for example of mapping the UserId field.
   
8. Setup the document routing form to print labels for PO Receipt.
   
9. Add a print step to the PO Receipt work template.
10. Process a PO Receipt from the mobile device and a label will print out.

WHS License Plates

What is a license plate in WHS?  Is it is pallet?  Is it better/worse than a pallet?

License plates are similar to the WMS2 pallets (see my blog post about WMS2 if unfamiliar with the term).  In order to use WHS, it is required to also use license plates.  Pallet was an optional dimension in WMS2.  License plates are not optional, they are required.  License plates are just essentially another dimension in AX that can be used to identify a product and the location of that product.  The WHS mobile device uses License Plates extensively to process work.  Most transactions in WHS start with the option to either scan the work ID or the license plate.  Unless you print out many stacks of work ID papers everyday, you likely will not have or know the work ID, so license plates are typically scanned.

The license plates are created and maintained in the License plate form in AX. Note that some processes support nesting parent/child license plates.

Do license plates always have to be used?  The answer is NO, they don’t.  Location profiles determine if a license plate is required or not.  Note that inbound docks and staging locations always require license plate tracking.

License plates can be setup to automatically generate based on the transaction.  This will essentially create the license plate for you.

Are there any limitations with license plates?  Yes, only one item can be received onto the license plate in the PO Receipt transaction.  There are some workarounds to this issue, which include using the PO Arrival function from within the AX client, or creating an inbound load before processing the PO Receipt transaction.  The standard PO Receipt transaction does not support multiple items on a license plate.

Note that WHS label printing is based on license plates, not individual items.  A third party label printing solution is required if you require printing labels by item (not license plate).

WHS Mobile Device on IOS

Curious what the WHS mobile device looks like on IOS?  We have you covered.  See below for the WHS mobile device running the stock .CSS file on an iPhone 6 plus using the Safari browser.

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