Pharmaceutical companies manage different types of containers to preserve products from contamination, hinder microbial growth, and ensure product safety during the container’s shelf life. Within Life Sciences Supply Chain Management, users can define container configurations in the Container configurations form (Inventory management > Setup > Container configuration > Container configurations).
Life Sciences Supply Chain Management allows users to define a default quantity and unit for each container configuration in the Capacity and Unit fields, respectively. If the Sub batch numbers generation by order status parameter is enabled (Production control > Setup > Production control parameters > General Tab), populating the Capacity and Unit fields is mandatory.
Users can select the list of allowed container configurations for a product in the Approved container configurations form (Product information management > Products > Released products > Manage inventory tab > Packaging group > Approved container configurations). By clicking the Set as default button, it is also possible to identify a default container configuration that will be automatically assigned to newly created sub-batches for the selected item. If the Unit assigned to the Container configuration is different from the Inventory unit of the item to which the container configuration is added as approved, an error message is displayed.
Users can configure the Container configuration check method in the Item check groups form (Inventory management > Setup > Inventory > Item check groups). By default, the selected value is inherited by all items with that item check group. Still, it can be overridden by updating the Container configuration check method field in the Manage inventory tab of the Released product details form (Product information management > Common > Released products > Released product details). It is possible to select among the following options:
No check – During the inventory transaction or upon manual updates, the system will not check if the Container configuration of the selected sub-batch is among the list of approved container configurations for the item.
Warning only – During the inventory transaction or upon manual updates, the system will check if the Container configuration of the selected sub-batch is among the list of approved container configurations for the item. If not, the system will return a warning message. The user will still be able to complete the transaction.
Not allowed – During the inventory transaction or upon manual updates, the system will check if the Container configuration of the selected sub-batch is among the list of approved container configurations for the item. If not, the system will return an error message, and the transaction will be aborted.
Container configuration assignment upon manual batch/sub batch creation
When manually creating batch or sub-batch numbers, their Container configuration is automatically populated based on the default container configuration defined for the item, but users can manually override it by selecting a different value.
The Container configuration of sub-batches can be copied from the Container configuration of the parent batch via the Copy container configuration button.
Depending on the Container configuration check method, the container configuration change may be either allowed or not.
Container configuration assignment to batch/production orders
Life Sciences Supply Chain Management™ allows users to assign a container configuration to a batch/production order in the Container Configuration field (Production control > Production orders > All production orders > Setup). If an Approved container configuration is set as default for an item, the related batch/production orders automatically inherit the default container configuration value.
Life Sciences Supply Chain Management™ allows users to assign a container configuration to the Co/By-products of the order in the Co-products form (Production control > Production orders > All production orders > Production order tab > Co-products > Setup). If an Approved container configuration is set as default for the Co/By-products, the container configuration is automatically inherited.
If the user assigns to the order a Container configuration whose Unit is different from the Inventory unit of the item, an error message is displayed.
Once the container configuration is assigned to the batch/production order, the selected container configuration (that is, the default one or the overridden one) is assigned to newly created batches.
If the Sub batch numbers generation by order status parameter (Production control > Setup > Production control parameters > General tab) is enabled, the system performs the following checks on the Container configuration assigned to the batch/production orders:
If the Container configuration check method is set to Warning only or Not allowed for the manufactured product (Production type: BOM, Formula, Co-product, or By-product), a warning or error message is displayed if the user assigns an unapproved container configuration or leaves it blank upon batch order status update (estimate, schedule, release, start).
If the Container configuration check method is set to No check for the manufactured product(s), no checks are performed.
Container configuration assignment upon material registration via client
The container configuration can be assigned to batches/sub-batch upon purchase or production registration via client. The Container configuration defaults as follows:
Purchase orders:
If the batch already exists in the system, the Container configuration defaults to the currently assigned value.
If the batch is generated upon registration, the default container configuration of the item is automatically assigned.
If the batch is generated upon registration and the item does not have a default container configuration, the Container configuration remains blank.
Batch/production orders:
If the batch already exists in the system, the Container configuration defaults to the currently assigned value.
If the batch is generated upon registration and the container configuration is assigned to the batch/production order, the Container configuration defaults to the assigned value.
If the batch is generated upon registration and the item does not have either a default container configuration or a container configuration assigned to the batch/production order, the Container configuration remains blank.
Users can modify the batch container configuration via the Reset batch container configuration button in the Registration form. Depending on the Container configuration check method, the modification may be either allowed or not.
When using the Create sub batch numbers functionality, the sub-batches Container configuration is defaulted as the value of the parent batch and can be manually changed. After the sub-batches creation, users can further modify the container configuration of single sub-batches. Depending on the Container configuration check method, the modification may be either allowed or not.
During the registration of manufactured products, if the sub-batches have already been generated at a previous order status, by selecting the sub-batch(es) in the Production sub batches list button, the Container configuration is automatically inherited.
Container configuration assignment upon material registration via mobile device
The container configuration can be assigned to batches/sub-batches upon registration via mobile device, using mobile device menu items with one of the following Work creation processes:
Purchase order item receiving
Purchase order line receiving
Purchase order item receiving and put away
Purchase order line receiving and put away
Load item receiving
Load item receiving and put away
Advanced report as finished
Advanced report as finished and put away
The Container configuration defaults for batches as follows, but users can modify it by selecting a new value among the available Container configurations:
If the batch already exists in the system, the Container configuration defaults to the currently assigned value.
If the batch is generated upon registration, the default container configuration of the item is automatically assigned.
If the batch is generated upon registration and the item does not have a default container configuration, the Container configuration remains blank.
The sub-batches Container configuration is defaulted with the Container configuration of the parent batch and can be manually changed by the users in the Create sub batch numbers screen. Then, users can manually change the container configuration of single sub-batches from the Registration screen. Depending on the Container configuration check method, the modification may be either allowed or not.
During the registration of manufactured products, if the sub-batches have already been generated at a previous order status, when the users enter/scan the sub-batch number, the Container configuration is automatically inherited.
It is possible to select one or more sub-batches in the Sub batches form and copy the container configuration of the parent batch by using the Copy from batch > Copy container configuration functionality.
Container configuration change approval
Life Sciences Supply Chain Management enables users to manage the container configuration change approval workflows, thus allowing a review of container configurations before they are applied in the system.
Users can enable the workflow by setting the Enable container configuration change approval parameter to Yes in the Inventory and warehouse management parameters form (Inventory management > Setup >Inventory and warehouse management parameters > Proposed changes tab > Container configuration change approval FastTab).
In the list of fields, users can select the Enable checkbox for every field that must be approved before the changes can be made.
The following field is available:
Field | Form |
|---|---|
Description | Container configurations |
The workflow name is Proposed container configuration changes workflow. The workflow template can be setup in the Inventory management workflows form (Inventory management > Setup >Inventory management workflows).
STAEDEAN Life Sciences workflow templates leverages D365 workflow engines and standards. Please refer to the Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance & Supply Chain Management training material for information on how to configure a workflow instance.
Users can set up the workflow according to the required approval process. The Workflow approval for proposed container configuration change workflow approval element applies the changes to the container configuration.
When a field that is enabled for the workflow is changed:
The Proposed changes page appears, showing the original and new values of the field.
The changed field is reverted to its original value.
A status message informs that the changes have been logged but have not yet been submitted to the workflow.
All changed fields (unless they are not enabled for the workflow) are added to the list on the Proposed changes page. To discard the proposed value for a field, use the Discard button next to the field in the list. To discard all changes, use the Discard all changes button, if enabled, at the bottom of the page. Select OK to close the page.
When there is at least one proposed change, two additional buttons are displayed in the Action Pane:
The Proposed changes button opens the Proposed changes page, this allowing the user to review the changes.
The Workflow > Submit button allows to submit the changes to workflow. The Workflow status of proposed change field is changed from Changes not submitted to Changes pending approval.
The workflow follows the standard workflow process. The approver is directed to the Released product details page, where they can review the changes on the Proposed changes page and then select Workflow > Approve to approve or Workflow > Reject to reject them. A reason code and a comment must be entered. After all approvals are completed, the fields are updated with the proposed values.