When you run a Business Central location with require shipment enabled, you have to create a warehouse pick for production orders. This article shows you how to pick more than the production order requires, so you can move a full box or pallet into the production area before consumption. You do this with a warehouse internal pick or a warehouse movement into a sub bin that is set up as a put pick bin instead of a production bin.
The key point to know is that your default pick bin stays as your normal pick bin, for example 11.06, because that is what you pick to for sales orders and other demands. You cannot make the production bin the primary bin if you mostly pick to other bins.
If you use zones, you need to be aware of one practical issue. When you create the warehouse pick, you cannot see the production bin in the bin code lookup because the zone code is set up differently. To pick into the production bin, you have to delete the zone first. Then you can drill down and select the production bin.
Why you would pick more than the production order requires
Sometimes it makes sense to move more material into production than the order strictly needs. There are a few common reasons:
- You want to handle a full box of 10 pieces rather than splitting the box and taking out individual pieces from inventory.
- You have a production order where you are not certain of the consumption and output quantities, because there is a lot of slack on that order.
- You have a big pallet of items that you want to roll into the production area, let the production people consume from it, and then move the rest back afterwards.
In all these cases you want to make a movement into production before you actually post the consumption.
How the bin setup works in this scenario
Take an item where your normal pick bin is 11.06, holding 24 pieces. You move 10 pieces into a bin that sits in your production area but is not set up as a production bin.
Your production consumption has to come from a production bin, for example bin 120. So you need a warehouse pick into bin 120. But before that, you want to move the full quantity into one of your sub bins, such as 120.08, which is set up as a put pick bin rather than a production bin. From there you create the warehouse pick.
Creating the warehouse pick on the production order
Start with a production order that has not consumed anything yet, so there are no entries and no pick created. On the component lines you have your components listed. For the first component you want to roll quantity 10 into the production area, and you have already done that movement.
When you create the warehouse pick, Business Central suggests the default pick bin, which will be 11.06. That is correct as a default, since you normally pick to sales orders and other demands from that bin. You cannot make the production bin the primary bin in this setup.
If you need to pick four pieces and drill down into the bin code, you will not see bin 120, because the zone code is set up differently. To fix this, delete the zone. Then you can drill down in the bin code, see all the bins, and select the production bin you need to pick from.
Once you have selected the right bin, register the warehouse pick. This registers the item into bin 120, and from there you can do the consumption.
What to tell your production team
If you use zones and follow this strategy, your production people need to remember one thing: delete the zone when creating the warehouse pick. Otherwise they cannot reach the production bin in the bin code lookup. Make sure everyone who picks for production orders knows this step.
Q&A
Why would I pick more than a production order requires?
You might want to handle a full box of 10 pieces instead of splitting it, you might be uncertain of the exact consumption and output quantities because the order has slack, or you might want to roll a full pallet into the production area and move the rest back after consumption.
Can I make the production bin the primary pick bin?
No. If you primarily pick to other bins such as sales order bins, your default pick bin stays as your normal pick bin, for example 11.06. You cannot set the production bin as the primary one in that case.
Why can’t I see the production bin in the bin code lookup when creating a warehouse pick?
Because the zone code is set up differently. To see the production bin, delete the zone first, then drill down in the bin code to see all bins and select the one you need.
What do I need to do before posting the consumption?
Make a warehouse movement or warehouse internal pick to move the full quantity into a sub bin that is a put pick bin. Then create and register a warehouse pick into the production bin, for example bin 120, and do the consumption from there.