Program: LPN Maintenance

This program lets you create and maintain License Plate Number(s) (LPNs), either as a standalone program or when launched from other LPN-enabled processes. Generate empty LPNs, print LPN labels, and change the hold status for existing LPNs.

Exploring

Things you can do in this program include:

  • Generate empty LPNs (where your business process requires pre-created containers)

  • Print LPN labels for the selected LPN.

  • Place an LPN on hold / remove hold, including capturing an on-hold reason.

  • Maintain container and location attributes (warehouse/bin/container) for eligible LPNs, subject to validation rules.

This program is accessed from the Program List of the Syspro menu:

    Program List > Warehouse Management > License Plate Numbering and Containerization > Setup

You can run LPN Maintenance standalone or it can be launched from other LPN-enabled programs.

An LPN refer to an unique identifier assigned to a container that holds stock (e.g., pallet, carton, bin) for tracking through receiving, storage, movement, allocation/picking, dispatch, and counting.

An LPN may hold a single or multiple stock codes/lots depending on the setup options, Multiple stock codes per LPN, Multiple lots per LPN). Core metadata includes warehouse, bin, container, created date/by, and statuses (On Hold, Archived, Awaiting Put-away, In Transit, In Stock Take)

This refers to the physical type of container or storage (e.g., Pallet, Box, Cage) associated with an LPN, configured with dimensions, capacity, and label templates. Container Types are maintained in the Container Maintenance program and LPN Container Setup business object, which include the description, dimensions, maximum weight/volume, flags (default, stacking allowed, flexible volume), and associated label format.

A single global default container type must always be defined. When selecting a new default it clears the previous one so only one default container type will always exists at a time.
An optional default container can be stored against the stock code (Stock Code Maintenance) and is used when generating LPNs during receipting, if no stock code default is supplied, the global default container type is used.

This refers to an LPN that represents a larger container holding multiple child LPNs (e.g., a pallet holding boxes)

This refers to an LPN stored within a parent LPN. Only a single level of hierarchy is supported. Child LPNs are managed within the LPN Parent Child Relationship program and LPN Parent-Child Relationship business object.

Starting

  • LPN processing must be enabled.

  • To move an LPN that already contains stock, you must use the relevant inventory movement transactions available under Inventory Movements (Program List > Inventory > Transaction Processing)

The following configuration options in Syspro may affect processing within this program or feature, including whether certain fields and options are accessible.

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.

  • Only available in a SQL environment and if multiple bins is in use. Initially, all warehouses using multiple bins are flagged as fixed bin warehouses. The Show Warehouses hyperlink lets you switch off this facility selectively for warehouses. Fixed bins requires a bin to exist in the WhmBin table before you can transact against it. If the Create bins at inventory transaction option is switched on, bins can only be created at transaction time for warehouses not using fixed bins.

    The Show Warehouses hyperlink is also used to maintain the WMS control options against the warehouse (Warehouse Maintenance).

  • This indicates that WMS License Plate Numbering is required. When enabled, existing stock items in bins are placed in LPNs.

    When this setup option is enabled, stock must be received into a warehouse and the Associate serials by bin setup option must be enabled. Run the License Plate Number Conversion or Stock Take LPN Conversion program to ensure all stock items that are currently in bins are placed into LPNs. Transactions can't be posted if the conversion wasn't done.

    This setup option can't be disabled after the conversion was done or a license plate number was created.

  • LPN options:

      • This indicates whether multiple stock codes can be allocated to one license plate number.

        This setup option can't be disabled if multiple stock codes have been placed in an LPN.

      • This indicates whether multiple lots can be allocated to one license plate number.

        This setup option can't be disabled if multiple stock codes have been placed in an LPN.

Setup Options > History > Distribution > Inventory

    • LPN archiving

        • This indicates whether archiving empty license plate numbers is required.

          This only applies to LPNs with a zero stock level and where no stock movements have occurred within the number of days specified at the Number of days to retain LPNs setup option.

LPN Maintenance behavior is influenced by LPN setup and the container type configuration stored for the company.

  • Stock code, Warehouse, and Bin will be disabled for an existing LPN that already contains stock, because an inventory movement is required to preserve auditability and traceability.

Solving

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The calling program may lock these fields to ensure the LPN selection remains valid for the transaction content.

When performance LPN maintenance (using the LPN Maintenance) for an LPN that already contains stock, warehouse and bin changes are disabled because the LPN must be moved using the appropriate inventory movement transactions (using Inventory Movements) to preserve traceability

Using

The LPN Maintenance process is as follows:

  • Select New.

  • Enter the required attributes (Container, Warehouse, Bin) for the empty LPN.

  • Select Save to create the new LPN.

  • Load the required LPN
  • Select Print.
The label format is determined by the container type's label template where applicable. To create a Container Type open Container Maintenance (Program List > Warehouse Management > License Plate Numbering and Containerization > Setup )
  • Load the required LPN.
  • Select (or deselect) the Hold Status checkbox and add an Hold reason code.
  • Save the changes.

The following indicates the possible status codes that can be assigned to a License Plate Number (LPN). These statuses are implemented on header-level flags on the LPN record (i.e. the field used to control whether an LPN can be selected/processed in receipts, movements, allocations, picking, and stock take)

Status Description

On Hold

This indicates that the LPN is temporarily blocked from operational processing. It is used to restrict processing until the relevant action/task is completed or the hold is cleared (e.g., it cannot be moved/allocated/picked while on hold)

Awaiting Put-away

This indicates the LPN has been created/received and is pending put-away.

In Transit

This status indicates that the LPN is in a transfer state (e.g., Goods-In-Transit processing) and is not available for normal selection until it is received/confirmed at the destination.

In Stock Take

This indicates the LPN is currently part of an active stock take process, and operations on an LPN are not allowed when this flag is set.

Archived

This indicates the LPN is no longer operationally active and is retained for audit/history purposes. Setup option LPN archiving (Setup Options > History > Distribution > Inventory) must be configured.

Referencing

This lets you capture a new data record.

This saves the details you entered or changed.

This lets you enter or select a unique License Plate Number(s) (LPNs)code.

This outputs the data to a printer destination of your choice.

Field Description

License plate number

 Indicates the unique identifier for the LPN. This field is read-only once the LPN has been created.

Date created

Indicates the date on which the LPN was created.

Created by

Indicates the operator name who created the LPN.

Container

Indicates the container type assigned to the LPN (for example , pallet, carton, cage). Container types are maintained in the Container Maintenance program.

Warehouse

Indicates the warehouse in which the LPN is currently recorded.

For an LPN that already contains stock, this field is not directly maintainable in LPN Maintenance, as the LPN must be moved using the relevant inventory movement transaction in Inventory Movements.

Bin

Indicates the bin location in which the LPN is currently recorded.

For an LPN that already contains stock, this field is not directly maintainable in LPN Maintenance, as the LPN must be moved using the relevant inventory movement transaction in Inventory Movements.

Parent LPN

Indicates the Parent LPN (where the current LPN is assigned as a child). This field is read-only .
Status

Indicates the current processing state of the LPN. LPN status information is stored at header level in the WhmLpnHeader table, and movement state can be reflected in the WhmLpnMovements table.

Indicates whether the LPN is placed on hold and restricted from processing.

Indicates the reason for placing the LPN on hold.

Indicates whether the LPN is treated as a full container for processing (i.e., expected to be processed as a whole LPN rather than as partial contents).

Indicates whether the LPN is pending a movement/put-away action.