Picking Rules for Products with a Pick Face

Picking rules are the rules by which ProSKU will physically locate product for picking. They help you to handle stock and manage space efficiently when picking and despatching. However, they only apply to products which have a designated pick face set up.

The Rotation Rules that you select for your product (“Depot Setup>Products>Rotation Rules”) will always be the first product selection criteria. After that the picking rules, which in effect dictate where to pick correctly rotated stock from, will take effect.

There are four main picking rules in this section.

 

Pick Cases from Pallets

This rule is used when you want to pick a secondary UOM from a storage UOM when the latter is a single storage unit. The typical example (hence the rule name) is when you want to pick cases from a full pallet, where the pallet is your normal receipt/storage unit.

However, the rule can also be used for similar examples e.g.to pick items from as cages, stillages ‘palletainers’, drums, IBC’s etc. The rules are:

  • Use any pallets not in pick face – split if needed
  • Use part pallets not in pick face – split if needed
  • Use full pallets not in pick face – split if needed
  • Use any pallets not in pick face – do not split
  • Use part pallets not in pick face – do not split
  • Use full pallets not in pick face – do not split
  • Use cases from pick face

The rules will operate in the sequence they are displayed in the ‘Rules in Operation’ section.

 

Pick Loose Cases/Other

This rule is used when you want to pick loose items which are received and stored as loose items. These may often be stored on shelves or in bins. They may sometimes also be stored on pallets although they will still be classed as loose items, rather than ‘a pallet of items’.

Examples of this could be boxes or cases that are not split for picking purposes and are despatched whole. They could also include any non-packaged loose item from nut and bolts to tools, tyres, items of furniture or just about anything. The rules are:

  • Pick cases from pick face
  • Pick cases not in pick face

The rules will operate in the sequence they are displayed in the ‘Rules in Operation’ section.

 

Pick Full Storage UOM

This rule is used when you are picking full storage UOM only. This can obviously include, as above, pallets, cages, stillages, etc. The rules are:

  • Pick full storage UOM from Pick Face
  • Pick full storage UOM from Backup

The rules will operate in the sequence they are displayed in the ‘Rules in Operation’ section.

 

Pick Items From Cases

This rule is used when you want to pick any loose items from a larger loose item when the latter is not a single storage unit. For example when you receive and store cases but these cases are opened in order to pick single units to satisfy an order. The rules are:

  • Pick Items from Cases in Pick Face
  • Pick Items from Cases in Backup

The rules will operate in the sequence they are displayed in the ‘Rules in Operation’ section.

 

Replenishment Rules for Pick Faces

Replenishment rules are used to select pallets when you need to replenish a pick face. This is generally when you are picking cases or items from a pallet (i.e. where storage UOM is pallet and secondary UOM = case/item, etc). When the pallet quantity is used up it is replaced with another one so that picking can continue.

Like picking rules, the replenishment rules determine which pallets will be picked, in order to satisfy the replenishment requirement. The rules are:

  • Use Part Pallets – do not split
  • Use Full Pallets – do not split
  • Use Any Pallets – do not split
  • Use Part Pallets – split if needed
  • Use Full Pallets – split if needed
  • Use Any Pallet – split if needed

The rules will operate in the sequence they are displayed in the ‘Rules in Operation’ section.

Rules for Products without a Pick Face

There are two settings in this section:

  • Maximise Space
  • Minimise Picking

If you are not using pick faces in your system one of these settings will be set up for you by the ProSKU implementation team. If you opt for the ‘Maximise Space’ setting it means the system will prioritise the efficient use of space in the warehouse. It does this where possible (and in accordance with a product’s selected rotation method) by focusing on using up ‘part quantities’ of product. This applies to palletised (or other individual putaway type) products as well as loose-stored products. For example if you have an order for 35 cases and you have pallets in store containing 15, 20, and 50 cases each, the system will instruct two picks of 15 and 20 to make up the order, rather than picking all from the pallet of 50. In this way the system helps to reduce the space used for storage.

By contrast, if the setting is Minimise Picking’ the system will attempt to reduce the number of picks needed to satisfy an order, producing an opposite effect to the one above. So with this setting in the example above, the system would instruct a single pick of 35 cases from the pallet containing 50 cases. This means that although picking may involve fewer movements and therefore be more efficient, you may potentially end up with more residual stock taking up space in your warehouse.