|
|
Order processing within PowerHouse provides a wide range of options to cover any style of
operation. Orders can be downloaded from an external system, entered directly into PowerHouse
or even created on the fly during picking in certain operations. Once orders are registered
in PowerHouse, they can be grouped into a wave for allocation processing. Orders can also be
placed into individual waves during the download process and be immediately allocated and
released to the workers as soon as the order is downloaded.
|
| |
|
| |
|
When a wave is submitted for allocation, the system will determine the best location to pick
the product from based on the rules defined by the administrator. These rules and other
configured values will determine what type of picks can occur in certain types of locations,
whether FIFO is to be considered and many other variables. Once the system has found the
best location to pick product from, a record will be entered into the work pool for the pick
task.
|
| |
|
If the allocation application could not find enough product to fill an order, the system can
remove the whole order from the wave (releasing any allocated product for other lines on the
order), it can fill the order for what it found and backorder the remainder, or it can fill
the order for what it found and periodically rescan the warehouse to determine if enough
product to fill the line has been received since the initial allocation.
|
| |
|
The allocation process can also generate restock requests to fill forward picking locations
for the items on the orders in the wave. The rules can also be configured to generate picking
tasks against the inventory being restocked, even though it is not present in the location yet.
|
| |
|
Picking labels and documents can be configured to print at several stages of the process and
reprints can be printed upon request at any time. Customer specific labels and documents
can also be configured and will print out for any order that requires them, even if the
order was allocated in a wave with orders needing only generic shipping labels.
|
| |
|
| |
|
Picking can be done by pallets, cases, ID'd cartons and pieces. If a number of orders on a
wave all require the same item in sufficient quantities to make it worthwhile, the system
can generate a bulk pallet pick to cover all of the orders and have the cartons split out
to individual orders on an intelligent conveyor or at a verification station. Case picking
will allow a picker to continue picking cartons for an order onto a carrier pallet until
the pallet is full, at which point they inform the system that the pallet is done and the
system will direct them to the appropriate shipping location for the order.
|
| |
|
Pieces are picked into the final shipping carton and multiple cartons can be picked at one
time, taking the picker on a single orbit through the picking path. Zone picking is also
fully supported, allowing a picker to scan a carton and have the system respond with the
picks that need to be performed in their area. When their picks are complete, the system
will instruct them to pass the carton along to the next picking zone.
|
| |
|
Throughout the picking process, the pickers will be confirming the location IDs, pallet IDs
and, if desired, the item IDs of the products being picked as well as the identifiers for
the pallets and cartons the products are being picked onto. Because of this, picking
accuracy is very high and verification stations are not generally necessary. Verification
stations are supported for companies that wish to check the cartons before sending the
orders out. In addition to verification screens, there are also screens that support a
variety of different styles of carton repacking and screens to view the status of the
picks for an order.
|
