From a mobile device, production operators can report in real-time the material and quantity being consumed as part of a batch order. To cover this requirement, Life Sciences Warehouse Management allows the creation of a mobile device menu item with an Activity code set to Production consumption.
Once the menu item is accessed on the mobile device, users are prompted to scan/enter the Prod ID corresponding to the production order number or the Journal ID corresponding to the picking list journal from which the material will be consumed. By scanning/entering the Prod ID, the system starts the consumption against the first non-posted picking list journal.
The system creates a new picking list journal where the consumed quantities are listed, removing them from the original one. If a new journal is already available and non-posted, the system adds the quantity there.
If the Create picking list journal per Oper. No. parameter (Production control > Setup > Production control parameters > Production consumption tab) is enabled, the system generates a picking list journal for each operation in which the material is consumed.
Consumed material identification
The user is then prompted to scan/enter the identification barcode of the Item number, Batch number, or Sub batch number of the component being consumed, depending on the active tracking dimensions of the item.
The system performs the following actions:
Searches for the material within the selected picking list journal lines, returning a warning message if the batch/sub-batch is unavailable in any picking list journal line. In this case, the production operator must confirm if they wish to proceed with the consumption process (that is, perform an unplanned consumption) or return to the previous step.
Verifies if the scanned/entered dimension exists in the system and has available on-hand quantity, returning an error message otherwise.
Note
If the Scan License plate/Location parameter is enabled in the Mobile device menu item (Warehouse management > Setup > Mobile device > Mobile device menu items) which Activity code is Production consumption, in the production consumption via mobile device, the user is prompted to enter the license plate and the location if they are not unique for the considered dimension (for example, item, batch).
Validates the batch disposition code of the batch number, returning an error message if it blocks production picking (that is, the Block picking parameter is enabled for production transactions in the Batch disposition master form).
Validates the batch/sub-batch expiration date. An error is returned if:
The batch is expired, and the Allow expired batch parameter (Production control > Setup > Production control parameters > Production consumption tab) is disabled.
The sub-batch is expired, and the Allow expired sub batch parameter (Production control > Setup > Production control parameters > Production consumption tab) is disabled.
Validates the batch/sub-batch best before date, based on the item’s Best before date check method:
If the item’s Best before date check method is set to No check and the scanned material has crossed the Best before date, no error/warning message is displayed.
If the item’s Best before date check method is set to Warning only and the scanned material has crossed the Best before date, a warning message is displayed.
If the item’s Best before date check method is set to Not allowed and the scanned material has crossed the Best before date, an error message is displayed.
Validates the batch/sub-batch shelf advice date, based on the item’s Shelf advice date check method:
If the item’s Shelf advice date check method is set to No check and the scanned material has crossed the Shelf advice date, no error/warning message is displayed.
If the item’s Shelf advice date check method is set to Warning only and the scanned material has crossed the Shelf advice date, a warning message is displayed.
If the item’s Shelf advice date check method is set to Not allowed and the scanned material has crossed the Shelf advice date, an error message is displayed.
Validates the Use code assigned to the material against the intended use code of the batch order, based on the Use code matrix configurations and on the item’s Approved use code check method:
If the item’s Approved use code check method is set to No check and the scanned material is unsuitable for the current production, no error/warning message is displayed.
If the item’s Approved use code check method is set to Warning only and the material is unsuitable for the current production, a warning message is displayed.
If the item’s Approved use code check method is set to Not allowed and the scanned material is unsuitable for the current production, an error message is displayed.
Validates the batch disposition status of the batch disposition code assigned to the batch, based on the Batch disposition status check method:
If the item’s Batch disposition status check method is set to No check and the scanned batch (or the parent batch of the scanned sub-batch) has the Batch disposition status set to Unavailable, no error/warning message is displayed.
If the item’s Batch disposition status check method is set to Warning only and the scanned batch (or the parent batch of the scanned sub-batch) has the Batch disposition status set to Unavailable, a warning message is displayed.
If the item’s Batch disposition status check method is set to Not allowed and the scanned batch (or the parent batch of the scanned sub-batch) has the Batch disposition status set to Unavailable, an error message is displayed.
Validates if the sub-batch is stopped, displaying an error message in such a case.
Note
All the error messages are displayed together, and all the warning messages are displayed together. If both warnings and errors should be displayed, the mobile device displays only errors.
Material consumption restrictions
Life Sciences Warehouse Management prevents the consumption via Warehouse Management app of items not listed in the batch order’s approved formula, based on the Intended use code assigned to the batch order and its Restriction value:
None: no restriction; the user can consume any ingredient.
Items: the user can consume only ingredients belonging to the batch order’s formula.
Operations: no restriction; the user can consume any ingredient.
Both: no restriction; the user can consume any ingredient.
Consumption quantity definition
If the material is successfully identified, the user is then prompted to enter the consumed quantity and, in case of sub-batch consumption, specify if the sub-batch is empty after the consumption operation:
If the user selects Yes, the system automatically posts an adjustment journal in the background to clear any remaining quantity in the sub-batch.
If the user selects No, the leftover sub-batch quantity remains in the production location. Therefore, it can either be used in the next consumption or returned to the warehouse.
If the consumed quantity is more than the reserved one, the system performs the following checks:
If there is enough available quantity (that is, quantity not reserved for other transactions), the system behaves as follows:
If the Over-consumption warning parameter is enabled in the Mobile device menu item (Warehouse management > Setup > Mobile device > Mobile device menu items) with Activity code Production consumption, the system displays a warning message. If the user accepts the warning message, it is prompted to select a reason code;
If the Over-consumption warning parameter is disabled in the Mobile device menu item (Warehouse management > Setup > Mobile device > Mobile device menu items) with Activity code Production consumption, the system consumes the declared quantity, without displaying any warning message.
If the additional quantity is partially reserved for other transactions, the system displays an error message.
Note
The error message text is based on the Sub batch empty check parameter (Production control > Setup > Production control parameters > Production consumption tab).
If the user enters a larger quantity than the available inventory on-hand in the system (that is, quantity mismatch) and the material is not reserved for other transactions, the system behaves as follows:
If the Quantity adjustment warning parameter is enabled in the Mobile device menu item (Warehouse management > Setup > Mobile device > Mobile device menu items) with Activity code Production consumption, the system displays a warning message. If the user accepts the warning message, the system consumes the declared quantity and an Inventory adjustment journal is automatically posted to reconcile the on-hand.
If the Quantity adjustment warning parameter is disabled in the Mobile device menu item (Warehouse management > Setup > Mobile device > Mobile device menu items) with Activity code Production consumption, the system consumes the declared quantity and automatically posts an Inventory adjustment journal to reconcile the on-hand , without displaying any warning message.
Note
If the Display consumption quantity parameter is enabled in the Mobile device menu item (Warehouse management > Setup > Mobile device > Mobile device menu items) with Activity code Production consumption, during production consumption via mobile device, the Proposed consumption field is displayed and populated with the proposed consumption of corresponding picking list journal line.
Entire sub batch consumption
The Entire sub batch consumption feature can be used to easily consume the full sub-batch quantity. To use this feature:
Enable the Entire sub batch consumption parameter in the Production control parameters form.
Enable the Entire sub batch consumption parameter for the item in the Engineer FastTab of the Released products form.
Enable the Entire sub batch consumption parameter in the consumption menu item (Mobile device menu items form).
In this case, the user is prompted to declare if the sub-batch is entirely consumed (that is, the available physical on-hand is totally consumed against the batch order). If confirmed, the entire sub-batch quantity is added to the picking list journal, and the sub-batch is set to empty. Otherwise, the user must manually specify the consumed quantity and define if the sub-batch is empty.
End consumption
Before completing the consumption, if the Allow end consumption parameter is enabled in the relevant mobile device menu item, users are prompted to confirm if the consumption for the scanned item/batch/sub-batch has been completed by selecting a value in the End consumption field:
If the user selects Yes, the system registers the consumption in a new picking list journal line with identified item, inventory dimensions, quantity, and the End checkbox ticked. This means that the system does not expect to consume more quantity of the line, and the reservation of any unconsumed quantity is removed and becomes available in the system. The line is removed from the original picking list journal.
If the user selects No, the system registers the consumption in a new picking list journal line with identified item, inventory dimensions, quantity, and the End checkbox unticked. This means that the system expects users to report more to be consumed for the line, and the reservation of any unconsumed quantity will remain.
If the Allow end consumption parameter is disabled in the relevant mobile device menu item, the system registers the consumption in a new picking list journal line with identified item, inventory dimensions, quantity, and the End checkbox unticked.
Picking list journal posting
Once consumption is completed, the picking list journal can be posted to deduct the quantity from the system. If the Automatic picking list journal posting parameter is enabled in the Production control parameters form > Production consumption tab, the picking list journal is automatically posted upon each consumption line, and the transaction is automatically set to Deducted. If the parameter is disabled, the consumptions are reported and accumulated in a single picking list journal with multiple lines and transaction Picked, which allows further supervisor verification and reconciliation before posting.