Bins

Exploring

SYSPRO's Multiple Bins system lets you keep track of the exact location of stock items in a warehouse, or to keep track of an item in different locations within the same warehouse. A single stock code can be stored in an unlimited number of bins and different stock codes can be stored in the same bin.

Tracking of stock is accomplished by assigning a bin location code to items. SYSPRO prompts you for this code whenever you process any transaction that affects stock quantities (e.g. receipt, adjustment, issue or sale).

When you enable multiple bins in SYSPRO, you are effectively switching the feature on in all warehouses for the current company. Only once you save your selections and reload the configuration program can you disable this feature for individual warehouses. (i.e. you can target specific warehouses in which to implement this feature if you want to reduce processing time for those warehouses where it is not required).

If multiple bins is enabled at company level, but a warehouse does not use bins, then a dummy bin is used internally by SYSPRO programs. The dummy bin always equals the warehouse code, so you never have to indicate a bin number when posting for a warehouse with no bins - the program uses the dummy bin automatically.

Topics

Lots

Serials

Bin to Serial Linkage

PDF and Video Resources

Feature Guides

Starting

System checks

When you change the multiple bins option (i.e. switching it on or off) the system notifies you of specific checks that are going to be performed.

  1. A Conversion program is run to update the bins for each warehouse.

    • A single bin is created for each stock code/warehouse combination and the entire quantity on hand for the stock code/warehouse is placed in the bin.

  2. The Purge and Archive program runs automatically (if the Lot Traceability module is installed).

    • The bin created in the conversion program is defined against the existing lot records for the stock code/warehouse combination.

    • The transactions associated with each lot record are updated to include the bin.

    • If lots were reserved for material allocations linked to a job, then the bin created in the conversion program is defined against these records.

When switching multiple bins on or off at any time, we recommend adhering to the steps described in the Deploy and use section.

  • Costing is unaffected by the multiple bins system. Costs are always held against the inventory warehouse record and the method of maintaining the unit cost is determined by the costing method that has been configured.

  • Existing sales orders with quantities to ship are unaffected by disabling multiple bins, as the bin allocations are removed as part of the conversion.

    However, we still recommend running the Balance function of the Order Purge program to maintain data integrity.

  • Picking slips can't be printed for non-stocked items if multiple bins are enabled.

The Setup Options program lets you configure how SYSPRO behaves across all modules. These settings can affect processing within this program.

  • Setup Options > Configuration > Distribution > Inventory

This requires entry of bins upon the receipt, issue or transfer of items and when capturing stock take information. The Purge and Archive program runs to ensure the default bin is inserted into existing lot records and their associated transactions against your traceable or ECC-controlled items. Run the Balance function of the Order Purge and Inventory Period End programs to ensure there are no quantities in ship without bin allocations and to transfer any qty on hand to the default bin.

This applies multiple bins selectively by warehouse. This can only be done after enabling multiple bins, saving your settings and reloading the Setup Options program. When a warehouse does not use bins (but the company does) then a dummy bin is used internally by SYSPRO programs. The dummy bin always equals the warehouse code (you don't have to indicate a bin number when posting for a warehouse with no bins as the program involved uses the dummy bin automatically).

  • Setup Options > Preferences > Distribution > Inventory

If multiple bins is enabled, then this option enables you to include bin transfers when retaining transaction movements processed for a stock item. Otherwise, the bin transfer transaction can be printed on the Inventory Journal Report but no movement is created.

This enables the automatic creation of new bins when a non-existent bin is supplied against a transaction. If you are using fixed bins in the warehouse then this option doesn't apply - the bin must exist before you can process any transaction against it (including stock take capture/import). Bins are not automatically created when processing negative inventory transactions.

This depletes the quantity (for which there is insufficient stock) from the default bin for items shipped in Sales Orders and kit issued in Work in Progress. You typically select this if you have enabled negative inventory and want to use automatic depletion to release or issue items (regardless of their stock level) for which you do not require a movement record through the system. The item cannot be serialized, traceable, or ECC-controlled.

  • Setup Options > Configuration > Distribution > Sales Orders

This requires the entry of lot, bin and serial information when reserving stock (unless the Capture serial numbers for orders option is not selected; multiple bins is not in use; and the item is not traceable, in which case you are only prompted when the items are shipped). The Automatic deplete in Inventory preference option takes precedence over this option (i.e. lots are allocated automatically from the first lot that can fully satisfy the requirement).

  • Setup Options > Preferences > Manufacturing > Work in Progress

This places a bin on hold that is affected by the receipt of a job into stock, preventing issues from the bin until the hold is released.

This lets the operator decide whether a bin affected by the receipt of a job into stock must be placed on hold.

Solving

To correct an imbalance between the quantity on hand in your bins and the warehouse, you need to run the Balance function of the Inventory Period End program.

  • If the imbalance relates to traceable items, then the imbalance between the quantity on hand in your bins and your lots can be corrected. Once those are balanced, any imbalance to the warehouse can be corrected.

  • If the stock code is traceable or ECC-controlled, then the lot quantities are assumed correct and the bins and/or warehouse quantities are balanced to the lots.

  • If the stock is neither traceable nor ECC-controlled, then the warehouse quantities are assumed correct and the bins are balanced to the warehouse.

Costing is unaffected by the multiple bins system. Costs are always held against the inventory warehouse record and the method of maintaining the unit cost is determined by the costing method that has been configured.

Existing sales orders with quantities to ship are unaffected by disabling multiple bins, as the bin allocations are removed as part of the conversion.

However, we still recommend running the Balance function of the Order Purge program to maintain data integrity.

Picking slips can't be printed for non-stocked items if multiple bins are enabled.

Using

  • If no bin locations exist for the stock code, then a default bin is created with the entire quantity on hand for the stock code/warehouse.

    If a bin location has been defined against the stock code's warehouse Warehouse Maintenance for Stock Code, then it is used to generate the default bin.

    Otherwise, the warehouse code becomes the bin location.

  • If bins are defined for the stock code then the on hand quantity against each bin is accumulated.

  • The on hand quantity against each of the lots defined for the stock code is accumulated.
  • If the accumulated total for the lots does not match the on hand quantity against the warehouse and the accumulated total for the bins does not match the on hand quantity against the warehouse then the bins are balanced to the lots (either replacing the bin quantity on hand with the lot quantity on hand, or creating the bin if it does not exist).

  • Once the bins and lots balance, the lot total is compared to the on hand quantity in the warehouse. If they are not equal then an adjustment is processed against the warehouse so that it equals the lot total.

    An adjustment movement is created against the stock code and a journal is generated.

  • For non-traceable or non-ECC controlled items:

    • multiple bins have to be enabled in order to accumulate the stock on hand quantity

    • if the on hand quantity in the warehouse does not equal the accumulated total for the bins, the bins are adjusted to match the warehouse.
    • If the warehouse is enabled for multiple bins, then an adjust bin is created for the adjustment quantity. Otherwise, the adjustment is processed against the default bin.

If you switch on multiple bins at any time after the system has been running without it, you need to do the following:

  1. Enable the Multiple bins setup option (Setup Options > Configuration > Distribution > Inventory).

  2. For each stock item, the bin location will be the same as the warehouse if the warehouse doesn't use bins.

    Run the Balance function of the Inventory Period End program. This creates a new bin to store the warehouse quantity on hand.

  3. If you have existing sales orders with quantities to ship, run the Balance function of the Order Purge program. This places all sales order lines for stocked items into back order since no bins will have been allocated to any order lines when multiple bins are switched on.

    When you later update your sales orders and move quantities into ship, you will be prompted to allocate the bin numbers.

If you switch off multiple bins for a single warehouse, the system automatically performs the processes required to transfer the quantity on hand to the default bins.

  1. Disable the Multiple bins setup option (Setup Options > Configuration > Distribution > Inventory).

  2. All bins are deleted against the stock code/warehouse combination and all sales order bin allocations are deleted

  3. The quantities on hand for stock items in the warehouse are transferred to the default bin.

  4. The bin location is generated from the warehouse code.

  5. The ship quantity against the bin is calculated by subtracting the quantity on back order in the warehouse from the quantity allocated.

  6. The Purge and Archive program is automatically run to ensure that the bins are cleared from existing lot records and their associated transactions for items defined as Lot traceable or ECC-controlled.

    For example:

    If you have the following lots, bins and quantities in warehouse DD:

    Lot number Bin Quantity
    2 D1 10
    2 D2 5
    3 D2 10
    3 D1 20

    The Purge and Archive program consolidates the existing lot numbers into the default bin which is the same as the warehouse code as follows:

    Lot number Bin Quantity
    2 DD 15
    3 DD 30

    The transactions associated with each lot record are updated to include the newly-created bin.

    If lots were reserved for material allocations linked to a job and an individual lot is stored in more than one bin, then each of the bin quantities is accumulated into a single reserved lot that has the newly created bin associated with it. If any reserved lot entry is incomplete, then the single lot with the rolled up quantities is marked as incomplete.

    Bins allocated to sales order lines are replaced with an allocation for the newly-created bin.

    Although not a requirement, you can run the Balance function of the Inventory Period End and Order Purge programs.

    If you later decide to re-enable multiple bins against the warehouse, no other action is required, as the default bin is already defined against lots, reserved lots and sales order ship quantities.

If you switch off multiple bins for the entire company, then the conversion and Purge and Archive program must be run.

  1. Disable the Multiple bins setup option (Setup Options > Configuration > Distribution > Inventory).

  2. The conversion program performs the following:

    • The bins are deleted for all stock code/warehouse combinations.

    • The bin allocations against sales orders are cleared.

  3. The Purge and Archive program performs the following:

    • The bin is cleared from existing lot records for all stock code/warehouse combinations.

      If an individual lot is stored in more than one bin, then each of the bin quantities is accumulated into a single lot that is associated with a blank bin.

    • The bins against transactions associated with each lot record are cleared.

    • If lots were reserved for material allocations linked to a job, then the bins are cleared from these records.