--- title: "Item Weighing and Dispensing properties and setup" slug: "item-weighing-and-dispensing-properties-and-setup" description: "Configure weighing and dispensing properties, tolerances, and sub-batch settings to support safe handling and accurate processing." updated: 2026-06-29T05:36:48Z published: 2026-06-29T05:36:48Z canonical: "docs.staedean.com/item-weighing-and-dispensing-properties-and-setup" --- > ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.staedean.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Item Weighing and Dispensing properties and setup To process an item through the Life Sciences Weighing and Dispensing module, the item requires some properties, either mandatory or optional: - **Product properties and setups:** - Dispensing type (mandatory) - Tolerance (mandatory in case of **Weighing**, **Counting by weighing**, and **Weighing by difference** items) - Counting by weighing parameters (mandatory in case of **Counting by weighing** items) - Target sub-batch information (optional) - [**Approved container configuration**](/life-sciences/docs/container-configuration) (optional): type of container (for example, bag, drum) that can be used to pour the material to be weighed. - [**Safety information**](/life-sciences/docs/handling-instructions) (optional): pictograms and statements displayed on the Life Sciences Weighing and Dispensing Client screen, which inform the dispensing operators about the dangers of substances and provide instructions on handling the material in safe conditions. - [**Period after opening**](/life-sciences/docs/material-expiration-after-container-opening) (optional): defines the time frame after which a dispensed sub-batch expires. ## Dispensing type Within the creation of a product in STAEDEAN Life Sciences, an authorized user can identify the items undergoing dispensing processes by assigning the **Dispensing type**. The following dispensing types are available: - **None** – Items not undergoing any dispensing process. - **Weighing** – Items requiring the execution of a weighing operation to determine the precise quantity required by the dispensing order. - **Counting by weighing** – Items stored in pieces that can be weighed instead of counted. The weight is then automatically converted into pieces based on the average part weight of a single piece. - **Counting** – Items requiring the direct entry of the quantity in the Life Sciences Weighing and Dispensing Client without executing a weighing operation. - **Weighing by difference** – Items requiring the execution of an indirect weighing operation to determine the precise quantity required by the dispensing order. This setup prevents warehouse workers from moving the wrong items to the dispensing area and drives the dispensing operators to the right process, for example, counting vs. counting by weighing, according to the product properties. > [!NOTE] > Note > > Items set up for dispensing processes must be traced at the sub-batch level. ## Tolerance The Life Sciences Weighing and Dispensing module requires the definition of the **Tolerance** for **Weighing**, **Counting by weighing**, and **Weighing by difference** items to determine the acceptable range of the quantity to be weighed in percentage. ## Counting by weighing parameters When the **Dispensing type** is **Counting by weighing**, a set of parameters must be configured to allow the correct conversion from the weighed quantity into the number of pieces, such as: - **Reference part weight**, reference weight of a part of the item (for example, capsule, tablets). - **Unit**, the unit of measure of the part weight. - **APW determination**, rules to be followed to define the average part weight to be used in the Life Sciences Weighing and Dispensing process. The following options are available: - **Never** – The reference part weight defined at the item level is always used to determine the **Average part weight** of the batch. - **Always** – The **Average part weight** and the **Reference parts** at the batch level are always determined by weighing a sample. - **Optionally** – The operator can choose to determine the **Average part weight** and the **Reference parts** or use the current value of the **Average part weight** defined for the batch. - **Minimum reference parts** – The minimum number of parts that the user must weigh to determine the average part weight of a selected batch. - **APW deviation** – The percentage that defines the acceptable deviation of the **Average part weight** from the **Reference part weight**. ## Inheritance to order lines The parameters described above are copied to formula lines and then to production formula lines, sales order lines, transfer order lines, dispensing order lines when the item is selected. These values are editable by an authorized user in compliance with the following controls: - **Dispensing type** – Changeable from: - **Counting by weighing** to **None.** - **Weighing** to **None** and **Weighing by difference.** - **None** to **Weighing** and **Weighing by difference.** - **Weighing by difference** to **None** and **Weighing**. - **Tolerance** – Editable and mandatory when the **Dispensing type** is set to **Weighing**, **Counting by weighing**, and **Weighing by difference**. - **APW determination** – Editable only when the **Dispensing type** is set to **Counting**. In sales order lines, transfer order lines, formula lines, formula lines – batch, and dispensing orders lines, if **Dispensing type** is **Weighing**, **Counting by weighing**, **Weighing by difference**, authorized users can choose between keeping the percentage tolerance inherited from the item or specify the acceptable tolerance range as a pair of fixed values by enabling the **Enable lower/upper limits** checkbox. By enabling the **Enable lower/upper limits**, the **Tolerance** value is set to zero and cannot be edited, while the **Lower limit** and **Upper limit** values are editable and mandatory. The **Lower limit** can be zero. In formula lines (**Product information management > Bills of materials and formulas > Formulas > Formula lines**), authorized users must also set the **Dispensing priority** (integer number) to potentially create multiple dispensing orders for the same batch order operation, if the **Dispensing by operation** parameter (**Inventory management > Setup > Inventory and warehouse management parameters > Life Sciences Weighing and Dispensing**) is enabled. In formula lines and formula lines – batch, Life Sciences Weighing and Dispensing module adds a **Filler calculation** parameter. The parameter is disabled by default and editable if the **Dispensing type** is not **None** and the **Ingredient type** is not **Filler**. When enabled, the formula line is considered in the automatic filler ingredient quantity recalculation during weighing. The **Dispensing type**, **Tolerance**, **APW determination**, **Dispensing priority**, **Enable lower/upper limits**, **Lower limit**, **Upper limit,** and **Filler calculation** information is available in change orders and can be modified in the formula for engineering products. ## Subdivision When the subdivision is enabled, a new target sub-batch is created out of the parent sub-batch(es) to store the weighed quantity at the end of each weighing operation. To ensure full traceability of the new sub-batch and preserve the quality of the product, the Life Sciences Weighing and Dispensing module allows the user to define default values for the relevant properties of the sub-batch. The properties of the target sub-batch are always populated from the parent sub-batch(es). The only exception is when a target sub-batch is made of multiple parent sub-batches with different properties. In this case, the system assigns the properties to the target sub-batch based on the default values defined in the item as follows: - **Manufacturing date** – The system assigns the **Latest** or the **Earliest** date to the target sub-batch. - **Other dates** – This rule applies to the shelf advice date, best-before date, expiration date, and destroy-by date. The system assigns the **Latest** or the **Earliest** date to each date of the target sub-batch. - **Use code** – [Use code](/life-sciences/docs/use-code) assigned to the target sub-batch. - **Storage condition** – [Storage condition](/life-sciences/docs/restrictions-on-physical-movements-by-storage-conditions) assigned to the target sub-batch. The recalculation of the expiration date of the dispensing material can be configured based on the [container configuration](/life-sciences/docs/container-configuration) chosen during the dispensing process. For each approved container configuration, the **Target sub batch expiration date calculation** field can be set to: - **Yes** – The expiration date of the target sub-batch is recalculated based on the value set in the **Target sub batch shelf life period in days** field. - **No** – The expiration date of the target sub-batch is not recalculated and it is inherited from the parent sub-batch. - **Same as dispensing operation date** – The target sub-batch is set to expire the same day as the dispensing operation. The fields described above are available in **Product information management > Products > Released products > Released product details > Manage inventory** section. ## Related - [Container configuration](/container-configuration.md) - [Handling instructions](/handling-instructions.md) - [Material expiration after container opening](/material-expiration-after-container-opening.md) - [Use code](/use-code.md) - [Restrictions on physical movements by storage conditions](/restrictions-on-physical-movements-by-storage-conditions.md) - [Life Sciences Weighing and Dispensing](/life-sciences-weighing-and-dispensing.md)