E-WMS

E-WMS SKU Management: general SKU settings

Introduction

This document describes the configuration of the main settings for E-WMS SKU Management. The information below is based on product update 406.

Description

E-WMS SKU Management can be enabled and configured in menu System, General, Settings, SKU Management.

Enable SKU Management
This setting enables E-WMS SKU Management, which means that SKU processes on the scanner will be started for 'SKU' items, SKU options become available in WMS 'Item/stock view', and, for example, WMS stock checks will use other calculations.

Please note that E-WMS SKU Management must only be enabled or disabled when there are no transactions pending in WMS Control Centers.
Please check and solve this, by reading back and processing or by rolling back, before you change this setting.
Otherwise WMS stock calculations may indicate incorrect stock positions.

Numbers

These settings are used to generate the SSCC numbers in the E-WMS label printing process from the hand terminal:

Extension digit
The extension digit is the first digit of a valid GS1 SSCC number, and can be assigned freely in the range '0' to '9'. Often, the digit '3' is used here.

GS1 company prefix
This is the company prefix as assigned to you by the GS1 organization. This number is not validated and can have variable length. The length of the sequence number will be shorter if this number is longer.

Prefix outer SKU
The digit that will be used in the first part in the sequence number of a generated unique (SSCC) number, for an outer SKU (pallet).

Sequence number outer SKU
This is the starting point for the next sequence numbers for the next SSCC labels to print, for outer SKUs.

Prefix Inner SKU
The digit that will be used in the first part in the sequence number of a generated unique (SSCC) number, for an inner SKU (box).

Sequence number inner SKU
This is the starting point for the next sequence numbers for the next SSCC labels to print, for inner SKUs.

BarTender scan folder

When using SKU label printing, you have to configure a folder which can be used in the SKU label printing process, started from the hand terminals.
This folder can be configured in menu System, General, Settings, E-WMS General.

This folder will be used by E-WMS ASP (by the IIS server) to save temporary files, which will trigger label printing in BarTender Commander.

When label printing is started from the hand terminals, saving these files is done by the IIS process.

The temporary files saved in this folder are read and handled by the BarTender Commander application.
BarTender Commander can be configured on the IIS server, or on another PC or server.
In the latter case, the 'BarTender scan folder' has to be a shared folder on the IIS server which can be accessed (and written to) by BarTender Commander.
The account configured for the IIS process will by default not have rights to access network shares, so usage of a local folder on the IIS server is advised.

General hand terminal settings

In menu System, E-WMS, Scanners, General scanner settings there is one setting specifically of importance when working with SKUs.

Focus to next field
Enabled: all fields which can be prefilled from the SKU (or EAN128/HIBC) scan are prefilled, but still have to be confirmed
Disabled: all fields which can be prefilled from the SKU (or EAN128/HIBC) scan are prefilled and also skipped (when filled with valid values)
In the last case, picking a SKU will be done with one scan, after which the hand terminal is showing the next line.
For this scenario, you may wish to enable the setting 'Show barcode summary'.

See document Hand terminal setting "Focus to next field" for more details on this setting.

Automatic SKU label screen

The setting 'Auto. SKU label screen' is available in the hand terminal settings available for the receipt processes, for example in menu System, E-WMS, Scanners, Receipt registration settings.

When enabled, the SKU label screen will automatically show in all hand terminal receipt processes, after scanning a SKU item, and when labels were not printed earlier for this specific receipt line. This is the adviced setting.
When disabled, this screen will not automatically show and if you want to print labels, you will have to press the SKU label button manually. In that case, the SKU number fields are not always available for scanning.

Hand terminal setting 'Use EAN128'

To be able to scan the SKU labels (SSCC numbers) you will need to enable the EAN128 setting, which is available in the hand terminal settings for most WMS processes. This is because a SSCC number will consist of the EAN128 identifier '00' followed by the 18-digit SSCC number. This identifier '00' will only be recognized if EAN128 is enabled.

Usage of EAN128 and identifier '00' is not mandatory for SKU Management, but then the SSCC number on the SKU labels must be a regular barcode (type CODE39 or CODE128 barcode) and not an EAN128 barcode.

For example, settings for Sales Order Fulfillment in System, E-WMS, Scanners, Sales Order Fulfillment settings.

When you are enabling EAN128, and you are also using other types of bar codes in your warehouse, we advise you to also enable the usage of prefix, suffix, group separator and code identifier. For further documentation on these settings, please see section EAN128 in document E-WMS hand terminal FAQ.

Receipts hand terminal setting 'Guided flow'

The hand terminal setting 'Guided flow' in System, E-WMS, Scanners, Receipt registration settings determines for non-SKU receipts if receipts are to be validated on 'complete quantity' after each partial receipt, or only when finishing the receipt (after the message "all lines are scanned"). For SKU items, this setting determines if the focus returns to 'item code' or to the next 'SKU' after receiving the first SKU number.

Random scan

After scanning a SKU, the input returns for the next SKU, for the same item.
The quantities (receiving less) are not validated on the hand terminal, but only after reading back and depending the validation settings.

Random scan manual differences
After scanning a SKU, the input returns for the next SKU, for the same item.
When you scanned less than expected, then only after receiving is finished (after the message "all lines are scanned"), you will be notified that there are differences. You are then able to edit the receipts lines, continue receipts or accept the receipt as it is.

Scan per item
After scanning a SKU, the focus returns to the item code again. That would be efficient if you receive just 1 SKU per item.
The quantity (receiving less) is validated when ending the receipt line, where you can choose to close the line or leave it open for more receipts during this session.