How do the Always Create configurations work?
Let me show you the two set up fields always create put away line and always create pick line on the location set up, and we will start the example here on my item ledger entry view on item number 1600, location code warehouse center just to show you I have lots of inventory 40 and 42 in remaining quantity.
This is what happens in the video
In Business Central warehouse management, the two location setup fields Always Create Put-away Line and Always Create Pick Line control whether the system creates warehouse activities even when it cannot find a matching item in inventory or a suitable bin.
If you enable Always Create Pick Line on the location’s bin policies, Business Central creates a pick line even when the item is not available in the required unit of measure. The pick line is created without a bin code, so the warehouse worker has to figure out where to take the item from.
If you leave Always Create Pick Line deselected but enable Allow Breakbulk, Business Central creates the pick line when the item exists in another unit of measure and a breakbulk can be performed. This gives you a complete pick with breakbulk lines and bin codes filled in.
The same logic applies on the inbound side with Always Create Put-away Line, where the question is whether an appropriate bin or zone exists for placing the item.
Where to find the setup fields
The two fields Always Create Put-away Line and Always Create Pick Line sit on the location card under bin policies. They decide how Business Central behaves when it cannot find an exact match for what you are trying to ship or receive.
The example setup: item 1600 at Warehouse Center
To see how this works, take item number 1600 at location code Warehouse Center. The item ledger entries show plenty of inventory, with remaining quantities of 40 and 42.
Now go to a prepared warehouse shipment for this item with a quantity of four and try to create the pick. Business Central responds that there is nothing to handle. This means there is nothing to handle on that unit of measure code in the warehouse. On the location card, the field Always Create Pick Lines is deselected, so the system stops here.
Always Create Pick Line: creating picks without inventory
On the location’s bin policies, you can select Always Create Pick Lines. With this enabled, Business Central creates a pick line even when it cannot find the item in inventory.
Going back to the warehouse shipment and creating the pick now produces a pick activity. When you open it, you can see that the pick was created without a bin code. The system does not know where to take the item from, because the item is not there in that unit of measure, so the bin field is left empty. The pick is in the unit of measure code pieces.
This option lets you force the activity through, but it leaves the warehouse worker to handle the missing bin information.
Always Create Put-away Line on the inbound side
The same principle applies to Always Create Put-away Line. If there is no appropriate combination of bin or zones that matches the policy on the item, this field decides whether Business Central should create a put-away line anyway. On the inbound side, it is more a matter of having an appropriate bin where to put the item.
Using Allow Breakbulk instead
There is another strategy. Instead of leaving Always Create Pick Line on, you can remove the checkmark and rely on Allow Breakbulk.
With breakbulk allowed, if the item is available in another unit of measure and a breakbulk can be performed, Business Central creates the pick line anyway when possible. So even with the Always Create Pick Line checkmark deselected, you still get a warehouse activity, because a breakbulk is possible.
In this case, the resulting warehouse pick contains all the breakbulk lines with the bin codes filled in. This gives you a complete and usable pick rather than an empty one.
Choosing the right approach
Both fields are about telling Business Central what to do when it cannot find an exact match. Always Create Pick Line and Always Create Put-away Line force the activity through, but you may end up with lines that have no bin code. Combining a deselected checkmark with Allow Breakbulk gives you a more complete result when the item exists in a different unit of measure. Pick the approach that matches how your warehouse actually works.
Q&A
What do the fields Always Create Put-away Line and Always Create Pick Line do in Business Central?
They are setup fields on the location card under bin policies. They control whether Business Central creates a warehouse pick or put-away activity even when it cannot find a matching item in inventory or a suitable bin or zone.
Why does Business Central say “nothing to handle” when I create a pick?
It means there is nothing to handle on that unit of measure code in the warehouse, and the location has Always Create Pick Lines deselected. The item is not available in the required unit of measure, so the system does not create the pick.
What happens to the bin code when Always Create Pick Line is enabled but the item is not in inventory?
Business Central creates the pick line without a bin code. The bin field is left empty because the system does not know where to take the item from, leaving the warehouse worker to handle it.
How does Allow Breakbulk help create a pick without enabling Always Create Pick Line?
If you remove the Always Create Pick Line checkmark but enable Allow Breakbulk, Business Central creates the pick line when the item exists in another unit of measure and a breakbulk can be performed. The resulting warehouse pick includes the breakbulk lines and the bin codes filled in.