Openerp WMS: Draft Proposal To Clean Existing Openerp Models - V8 Work in Progress..

OpenERP WMS
Draft proposal to clean existing OpenERP models - v8
Work in Progress...

This analysis is a collaborative effort between
Camptocamp
and
OpenERP SA
.

Legend:
● Pending Questions/Issues
● Something has to be developed

1. Introduction
List of Concepts
2. Analysis of Concepts
2.1 Routing of Products: Stock Movements
2.1.1 Concepts Explained
2.1.1.1 Stock movements: stock.move
2.1.1.2 Push rules:
2.1.1.3 Pull rules:
2.1.1.4 Notes on Pull and Push rules
2.1.1.5 Removal strategies
2.1.1.6 Put away strategies
2.1.1.7 Routes
2.1.1.8 Cancellation of an operation in a chain
2.1.1.9 Change of quantities in a chain
2.1.1.10 Procurement Group
2.1.1.11 Impact on pickings
2.1.2 Use cases
2.1.2.1 Incoming Shipments, with input = stock
2.1.2.2a Incoming shipments with input != stock
2.1.2.2b Reception with a purchase order coming from a procurement on
stock
2.1.2.3 Simple outgoing shipments (ship only)
2.1.2.4 Outgoing shipments (pack + ship)
2.1.2.5 Outgoing with pick → pack → ship
2.1.2.6: Sale → Purchase and MTO (drop shipping)
2.2 Pickings
2.2.1 Concept explained
2.2.1.1 Introduction to pickings
2.2.1.2 Picking and push rules
2.2.1.3 Picking and pull rules
2.2.2 Use Cases
2.2.2.1: CrossDocking
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Aside Notes on Pegging strategy
2.2.2.2: routing at reception
2.3 Picking Waves
2.3.1 Concept of picking wave
2.3.2 Use Cases
2.3.2.1 Batch picking
2.3.2.2. Wave Picking
2.3.2.3 Trip assignation
2.4 Quants
2.4.1 Concept Explained
2.4.1.2 Consumables vs Stockable products
2.4.2 Use Cases
2.4.2.1 examples of some moves
2.4.2.2 How is it used in lots management
2.4.2.3 How is it used in FIFO
2.4.2.5: negative stocks
2.4.2.7 Impact on performance
2.4.3 Separation of concepts
2.5 Lots Management
2.6 Packings
Data Model: packaging
Removal Strategies
Packing in stock.picking
Some notes on the interface
Examples
Use case 1: reception
Use case 2: Pick
Use Case 3: pack
Use Case 4: Ship
Use Case 5: Partial Pick
Viewing a pack (stock.quant.pack)
Pack (stock.quant.pack) and putaway strategies
2.7 Real Time Costing
2.7.1 Basics
2.7.1.1 ‘Standard Price’ costing method
2.7.1.2 ‘Average Price’ costing method
2.7.1.2 ‘Real Costs’ costing method (FIFO, LIFO)
2.7.2 Stock valuation reconciliation
2.7.3 Landed costs
2.7.4 Anglo saxon accounting
2.7.5 Stock Ownership
2.7.6 Implementation
2.8 MultiCompany
2.8.1 Explanation of the current problem
2.8.2 Things to do to in order to solve this problem
2.9 Burst Process
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2.10 Dates Management
2.11 Replenishment strategy
2.12 KPI
2.13 Purchase Order Workflow and Procurements
Use Case: Reception → Quality Control → Stock (pull)
Modularity
List of Corner cases to take care of
Negative Quants
Identified Issues
Misc points
Raised points to include in the doc

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1. Introduction

List of Concepts

● Put Away Strategies
● Removal Strategies
● Push Rules
● Pull Rules
● CrossDock
● Picking
● Packing
● Procurements
● Stock Moves
● Routes
● Batch Picking
● Wave Picking
● Quants
● FIFO

2. Analysis of Concepts

2.1 Routing of Products: Stock Movements

2.1.1 Concepts Explained

2.1.1.1 Stock movements: stock.move

Stock movements are represented by the stock.move object and represent a transfer from
one location source to a destination location. All movements are generated in advance
because it is what allows to compute virtual stocks. (and, thus, trigger correct orderpoints,
…)

A stock.move has the following status:
● Draft :
the stock move is uncertain, nothing has been planned yet
● Confirmed : the stock move has to be done (it is confirmed that we will move these
products), but we did not identified the exact products (serial number) yet.
● Waiting : the stock move is linked to another one (usually after a MTO) and it will
become assigned only when the preceding one will be done.
e.g: supplier → input → stock
(in this case the move input → stock is linked to the move supplier → input)
● Assigned : the product is reserved (identified) and the exact locations are known
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(source and destination)
● Done:
the stock move has been done (products have been moved)

This concept already exists in OpenERP.

2.1.1.2 Push rules:

A rule that trigger another stock.move based on a stock.move.

● Example : When products arrive in “Input” location, you want to move them to
“stock” directly with a push rule (this example intentionally simplifies the flow by not
taking eventual quality checks into account)

So, when a stock.move “Supplier → Input” is confirmed, this rule will create another
stock.move: “Input → Stock”. It allows 3 mode: automatic (the second operation will be
validated automatically), manual (the second operation must be validated manually),
manual no step added. (the destination of the first move is replaced instead of creating
another stock.move.

Push rules can be defined on products or locations (or combinations of both).

When several push rules are triggered at the same time (by action_confirm on
stock.picking), we must be sure that all chained moves that have the same destination
location are grouped in the same picking. (according to group concept explained later)

This concept already exists in OpenERP.

2.1.1.3 Pull rules:

Pull rules are not the opposite of push rules! It’s very different as push rules impact moves
and pull rules impact needs. (procurements)

A pull rule trigger a procurement on the source location when a stock.move is confirmed.
This procurement will fulfill products at the source location through different ways (move
products from another location, purchase, produce)

● Example : When there exists a pull rule saying that products have to move from the
“pick” zone to the “pack” zone, the system creates a procurement at the pick zone
for these products. This procurement will then move products from stock to pick.

Pull are defined on products, depending on the location.

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This concept already exists in OpenERP but we should also add the concept of group of
picking

2.1.1.4 Notes on Pull and Push rules

1. Neither the pull nor the push rules propagate a change in the quantity on a stock
move

Example : i ordered 5 products to a supplier and have a manual push rule from input to
stock, in the system. I have the given chained stock moves: supplier → input → stock

Given that i see there is a broken piece in the incoming shipment when i receive the
products, I have 2 possibilities:
1°) i make the partial reception and it creates a backorder for the remaining product. The
next chained move stays in ‘Waiting’ while all backorders are not ‘Done’. This is the
current behavior.

2°) i want to accept the current reception fully so that the rest of the flow can proceed
further without waiting for a new shipment from my supplier, if i change my quantity on the
initial stock move (supplier → input) it won’t be propagated.

In this second case, the behavior is normal because imagine you were doing
crossdocking operation and forwarding the goods to the client directly (supplier → input →
output → customer): you certainly don’t want to automatically deliver your customer all but
one product, as you may have another product from stock to replace the missing one. This
case is an exception in the logistics flow and must be treated manually (as does OpenERP
for all exception cases).

There are scenario where we want to propagate changes in quantities and split of moves
(reception) and others where we don’t want to propagate (picking → packing or picking →
mo).

We should probably define on the stock.move if we propagate changes or not. This is
probably linked to the existing feature: propagate cancel of moves. So, we should reuse
and extend this to propagate split and quantity changed, not only cancellation.

Remark : Currently, we have cancel_cascade on moves, but this can only be triggered by
pull moves (it is False for push moves). The problem with the pull rules is that the
cancellation advances forward, while it should advance in the backwards direction. (=> if
you cancel a picking, it will cancel the delivery order, but if you cancel the delivery order, it
won’t cancel the picking and it should be the other way around)

2. Chained moves propagate the quant (and thus the lot number)

Chained locations propagate the quants. Both push and pull rules chain locations. So, the
lot number (which is referenced on the quant) is propagated for both push and pull rules.
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When a stock.move is done, the quant is selected (if not provided manually) and, by
default, it reuses the quant of the preceding chained move.

3. Push/Pull rules aren’t new but may need to be improved

To add some flexibility, power … for example it may be interesting to
● add the possibility to define a push/pull rule from a product category (means we
chose the rule to apply/create at category level, and the product aggregates the
rules from his categories (recursively)) .
● Push/pull rules should also work on a product attribute
○ A Further deeper analysis will cover this point. (TODO)

4. (We may need to add a big picture of pull/push rules)

We think that it may be interesting to show in a clear way all routes defined in the system
as pull/push rules, ideally in the form of a diagram view.

We need a related button on the product form that opens all push/pull rules that may
impact this product. (from the product, it’s category, rules on locations, …) This list view
can be converted into a diagram view to see it graphically.

This isn’t necessary at all and can come at last. I let it here for the record only

5. Pull rules doesn’t seem to work with non stockable products.

There exists a bug currently to fix: pull rules aren’t working with non stockable products
(maybe only in MTS, not sure)

2.1.1.5 Removal strategies

When a stock.move goes from “confirmed” to “assigned”, OpenERP’s warehouse tries to
find available products that can be assigned to this move. The way OpenERP finds these
products should depend on the “removal strategy” that is defined on the product.

As an example, if you have the following location structure:

● Stock
○ Area 1: 3 Computers

If you create the following confirmed stock.move:
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● 5 PC: Stock → Ouput (confirmed)

When you will assign the stock.move it will be splitted into:
● 3 PC: Stock / Area 1 → Output (assigned)
● 2 PC: Stock / Area 2 → Output (assigned)

Removal strategies are usually used in picking operations to select the best products while
optimizing the distance for the worker.

Note that a “waiting” move is automatically converted into “assigned” without going through
removal strategies when the linked move is done. (because the source is the one of the
linked move, no need to compute anything).

This concept already exists in OpenERP, but only one strategy is implemented: “Nearest
available products”. (actually it seems wrong: Lowest ID goes first → I think it’s lowest ID
in nearest available based on order of locations; to be checked)

We need to allow easy hacking to add new selection methods like ‘by expiry date’ and
allow the stock manager to select the removal strategy per product or product category).

The removal strategies must be defined on locations, and one of the removal strategy is
“use removal strategy from product” (actually it’s the default value). Thus, the removal
strategy can be defined at the product or product/category level, but the removal strategy
from the location has precedence.
● By default the removal strategy is on the product category
● If nothing is specified in product category, it comes from the location (depending
obn the category)
● If nothing is on the location, it has no removal strategy

Type of removal strategy:
● FIFO
● LIFO
● Nearest goes first (regarding location)
● Regarding the packaging of the product (to avoid repacking)
● expiry date (FEFO), etc.

Important: in v7, the removal strategy may imply to split a stock.move → this should not be
the case anymore as the split is done at the quant level. Destination locations are not
changed on the stock.move but set on the quant.

For the first implementation, we plan to only implement fifo and lifo.

2.1.1.6 Put away strategies

Same principle as removal strategies, but affect the destination location of a stock.move.
It’s usually used when receiving products to store them at the right location according to
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different strategies.

Unlike the Removal strategies, the putaway strategies are used in case of chained move.

Put away strategies are defined at the location level. (not like removal strategies which are
defined at the product level).

We need to a “Prefered Locations” object linked to the stock.move where entries are
created when the stock.move is assigned:
● location_id
● quantity

The quant creation should be created using the “Prefered Locations” and Lots if possible.

This concept does not exists in OpenERP.

2.1.1.7 Routes

A route is a set of rules (push and/or pull). On products and categories of products, we
assign routes (many2many_tags), not directly push/pulll rules.

The worst of the push/pull rules today are the configuration of them. Very difficult to set
and manage a large quantity of product and be sure that everyone has the proper rules.
Route will allow to easily reuse a set of rules.

Routes for basic configurations could also be defined by default to help the setup of
warehouses flows. (this shouldn’t be done at first)

This concept does not exists in OpenERP and need to be developped: a route is just a
name, and 2 many2many fields: one containing all the push rules of the route, the other
one all the pull rules of the route.

2.1.1.8 Cancellation of an operation in a chain

The current OpenERP approach is good:
● Stock → Picking → Pack → Delivery Order

If you cancel the operation Stock → Picking, OpenERP broke the chain and you get:
● Cancelled: Stock → Picking
● Confirmed (instead of waiting): picking → pack
● Waiting: PAck → Delivery Order

Moreover, OpenERP creates a procurement (MTS) linked to the confirmed move, at the
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pick location. OpenERP also supports to propagate cancellation. So, we will need to
configure pull/push rules accordingly:
● input → stock (propagate)
● pick → pack (do not propagate)
● pack → delivery (propagate)
● input → crossdock (propagate)

This feature already exists in OpenERP but should be extended to also propagate
changes in quantities and split of stock.move.

2.1.1.9 Change of quantities in a chain

See point just above: we need to extend the “propagate cancel” feature to also propagate
changes in quantities and split..

2.1.1.10 Procurement Group

We need a new object to group procurements together when created in the same time
(from a SO, from an orderpoint, from a MRP order...) if the source and destination
locations and the partner are the same. It will allow to make only one PO to a supplier if we
need to buy him different products for the same SO. Currently one PO per product would
have been made.

This object (procurement.group) is just a many2one on procurements that has only 1 field:
name which is a sequence. It will be very useful as it will allow to group together all the
procurements triggered by a SO.

Each new SO, or MRP order creates a new procurement group.

On pull rules and orderpoints, men can give a procurement.group to use. If nothing is
given, it just propagate previous (if any). → object: stock.move.group, not procurement
group for the name of the object.

This concept is totally new.

2.1.1.11 Impact on pickings

In OpenERP v7, all documents produced pickings that produced stock.moves. So, it was
the picking’s workflow that ‘controlled’ the stock.move. In OpenERP v8, the key concept
becomes the stock.move, not the picking.

So, we propose to remove the workflow of the picking and replace the state field on the
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picking by a function field computed based on its related stock.move. This will have
several impacts:
● change the way purchases monitor receptions (listen to stock.move, not picking)
● change everything that was related to the picking workflow (mrp.production,
repairs, …)

2.1.2 Use cases

2.1.2.1 Incoming Shipments, with input = stock

In case of warehouses where the incoming shipments are received and placed in stock
immediately, in one operation. (small companies without a complex warehouse)

Configuration:
● In locations, you just have “stock”, no input
● On the warehouse, you have “input location” equals to stock

The steps:
● When the purchase order is validated, a stock.move is created (in state: confirmed)
Confirmed: Supplier Stock

● When we change the state of the stock.move to assigned, a put away rule will
select the right destination location within children location of “stock” according to
the put away strategy.
Assigned: Supplier Stock \ Bin A

(*) = Put Away strategy

To develop:
● Implement put away strategies to select the right location according to different
criteria: location capacities, complete existing bin with same product, …

● Purchase orders should create stock.move, in “ confirmed ” state, not in assigned
state. (because the destination (using put away strategy) has to be done when
receiving the products, not when confirming the purchase)

Note that this can be managed with push rules (with no step added) for very simple rules
(this product goes into this location).

2.1.2.2a Incoming shipments with input != stock

Scenario with:
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● Purchase order recorded manually
● incoming shipment is received on an input location first (e.g. at the docks) before
the goods go to a specific location in the stock.

Configuration:
● Location Structure:
○ Warehouse
■ Input (quai de déchargement)
■ Stock
● On the warehouse, you have “input location” equals to “Input”

The steps:
● When the purchase order is validated, a stock.move is created (in state: confirmed)
Confirmed: Supplier Input

● This stock.move triggers a push rule (input → Stock) that creates the following
move:
Waiting: Input Stock

● At the product reception, we execute the first move and assign the second move,
we get:
Done: Supplier Input
Assigned: Input Stock \ Bin A

(*) Put Away strategy

The user can also change the destination manually, selecting another destination location
(e.g. bin) on the document.

2.1.2.2b Reception with a purchase order coming from a procurement on stock

A procurement on stock should trigger:

● Pull rule 1: move: Input → Stock (MTO)
● Pull rule 2: po: supplier → input

To develop:
● Nothing more than previous use case

This means we need to create 3 rules to handle reception through an input lnput location
(one for manual orders (push) and two from pulled flows)
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2.1.2.3 Simple outgoing shipments (ship only)

In case of simple warehouses like Use Case 1. The goods are sent from a specific stock
location immediately to the customer.

Configuration:
● In locations, you just have “stock”, no output/input
● On the warehouse, you have “output location” equals to stock

The steps:
● When the sales order is validated, a stock move is created:
Confirmed: Stock Customer

● When we assign it, we get:
Assigned: Stock Customer

(*) Removal Strategy

To develop:
● Need to implement other removal strategies than nearest first
● Split when stock comes from different sublocations (see below)
2.1.2.4 Outgoing shipments (pack + ship)

In case of warehouses like Use Case 2. The goods are brought together on the Output
location before being sent to the Customer.

Configuration:
○ Warehouse
■ Packing Zone
■ Output (quai de chargement)
■ Stock
● On the warehouse, you have “output location” equals to “Output”

Steps:
● A sales order generates a delivery order and a need at the customer
Confirmed: Output Customer

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● The pull rules will generate a move from packing zone to output and another one
from stock to packing zone, both chained together.
Waiting: Packing Zone Output
Waiting: Stock Packing Zone

● When the second move becomes assigned, it selects the right sublocation of
stock:
Waiting: Packing Zone Output
Assigned: Stock / Bin A Packing Zone
(*) Removal strategy

● Whenever the second stock move gets done, the stock move from packing zone to
output becomes assigned:
Assigned: Packing Zone Output
Done: Stock / Bin A Packing Zone
(*) Removal strategy
2.1.2.5 Outgoing with pick → pack → ship

In case of a situation with picking , we can have multiple pulls or orderpoints after each
other.

Configuration:
○ Warehouse
■ Output (loading dock) (several sublocations)
■ Stock (several sublocations)
■ Picked: where you put goods before being packed (= pack in)
■ Packed: where you put the packed goods (= pack out)
● On the warehouse, you have “output location” equals to “Output”

Steps:
● A validated sales order generates a delivery order and the Output location in turn
has a pull rule from packed which has a pull rule from Picked

Waiting: Stock Picked Packed
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Output Customer

Pull1 : Does not need to be a pull rule itself from Stock to Picked. It can be
triggered by an orderpoint instead which can make sure the packer has enough to
pack, but does not lead to an uncluttered pack of goods next to the packer.
Pull2: Packed pulls from Picking
Pull3: Output pulls from Packed

● When we execute the flow, all the pickings get towards assigned/done. When they
get assigned, they could get a different location because of Put Away (or Removal
Strategies only on first move):

Stock / Bin B Picked Packed
Output / Gate A Customer

In this example, the location Stock / Bin B is decided by a removal strategy, and the
Output / Gate A is decided by a putaway strategy (but it could also be manually
chosen): it finds an appropriate child location of the destination, not at the source of
the move.
2.1.2.6: Sale → Purchase and MTO (drop shipping)

The sale order in v7 creates:
● a stock.picking
● stock.move related to products sold
● a procurement for every product

We should change sales order so that they just generate a procurement (on the Customer
location) and not the Stock → Customer moves. The procurement will trigger the picking
and stock → Customer moves.

This would:
● reduce code (just create procurement, not picking and moves)
● allow dropshipping (from supplier to customer, without going through the stock)

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2.2 Pickings
2.2.1 Concept explained
2.2.1.1 Introduction to pickings

A picking in OpenERP is a list of stock.move. It does not only reflect the “picking”
operation but every operation that moves products: receptions, delivery order, internal
move, …

Pickings are created from different ways:
● Sale order (delivery order to the customer)
● Purchase order (reception)
● Manufacturing Order (pick des matières premières)
● Manually

2.2.1.2 Picking and push rules

When checking push rules on a processed picking, we may have different push rules fired
(by product) and at that time OpenERP groups the chained operations together in a
picking if they share the same destination and source location, and the same procurement
group . (not that this is evaluated before putaway strategies apply as they apply only at
assignation).

So, if you have this picking INTERNAL/001:
● 5 Computers: stock → pick
● 2 Mouses: stock → pick
● 1 Keyboard: stock → pick

If you have a push rule on pick location (pick → pack) and one on the pick location specific
to the product keyboard (pick → pack2). The push rules will create two picking:

INTERNAL/002:
● 5 Computers: pick → pack
● 2 Mouses: pick → pack
INTERNAL/003
● 1 Keyboard: pick → pack2

2.2.1.3 Picking and pull rules

same than for push , picking are splitted if sources or destination are differen
t.

2.2.1.4. Picking Types

By default, in OpenERP v7, a stock.picking has 3 possible types: Incoming, Internal,
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Outgoing. We think this should be removed to allow supporting more types of movements:
● Receptions
● CrossDock
● DropShipping
● Pick
● Pack
● Shipping
● Quality Control, ...

So, we will create a new object handling the different picking types (stock.picking.type) and
different values must be stored on this object, rather than computed in the code (e.g.
default source location, default destination location)

The Picking Type (describing what operation you want to do) should be the entry point in
the application as we don’t have the 3 menus anymore (Incoming, outgoing, internal). We
need a clean kanban view that replaced the menu showing all possible operations and key
metrics about what to do and performance. (like sales team in trunk, sales module)

2.2.2 Use Cases

2.2.2.1: Cross-Docking

Configuration of Locations:
● Input: reception of goods
● Crossdock: zone where goods are temporarily waiting for out
● Stock
○ Bin A/B/...
● Picked (where goods are put after picking)
● Packed (where goods are put after packing)
● Output

Scenario 1: routes are defined according to the product
We will give the example of fresh products that always do crossdock and plastic cups that
always go to stock.

In case of plastic cups, we will always go to stock:
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In case of fresh products, we will always do crossdock:

Then, the exact sequence of steps are:
● SO triggers: Output → Customer
● Then several pull rules according to products trigger:
○ Packed → Output
○ Input →Crossdock → Output (for fresh products)
● Then pull rules according to locations
○ Stock → Picked →Packed
○ Supplier → Input (through a PO: pull rule of type ‘buy’)

Steps:
● Sales order with fresh products that will be crossdocked and plastic cups.
Waiting: Output → Customer with fresh products and plastic cups
● 1 purchase order from the same supplier with fresh products and plastic cups:
Confirmed: Supplier → Input with fresh products and plastic cups
● It will split in two pickings as fresh products always do crossdock and plastic cups
do not. So there will be pull rules on the product from Crossdock→ output and
from Input →Crossdock
Confirmed: Input → Stock → Picked → Packed → Output with plastic cups
Confirmed: Input → Crossdock → Output with fresh products
● Put Away Strategy on Stock when first move gets assigned and when second
move gets assigned it will do the removal strategy and as it is the only stock, it will
take from the stock we entered:
Confirmed: Input → Stock / Bin A → Picked → Packed → Output
Confirmed: Input → Crossdock → Output with fresh products

Scenario 2: routes are defined at reception by the warehouse manager:

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(*) with autopropagation of cancel
(**) pull for scenario 1, push for scenario 2 (if there is a pull, the push does not apply)

● Multiple sales orders with plastic and glass cups
SO A: Waiting: Output → Customer with glass and plastic cups (two full
pallets, one plastic, one glass)
SO B: Waiting: Output → Customer with glass and plastic cups (2 boxes
and a half of glass cups and half a box of plastic cups)
● One big purchase order with plastic and glass cups to the same supplier. (two full
homogeneous pallets and one mixed pallet)
Supplier → Input → Stock →Picked →Packed →Output →Customer
● Then the warehouse manager will decide that SO B needs to go to stock and
packing because the truck will only arrive tomorrow and it becomes too cluttered on
the floor. It is also better to provide 3 boxes instead of one pallet on the truck
(packing).
● => Warehouse Manager decides that the two pallets have to go through
CrossDock and the 3 boxes will go to stock
This will split the moves, and for the 2 pallets, the original flow will be cancelled:
2 pallets: Input → Crossdock → Output (and the previous flow will be cancelled)
3 boxes: Input →Stock →Picked →Packed →Output

Our proposition is to create all location by default (may be in stock_location module), the
default routes (pick>pack>ship, crossdock, drop ship, …). So that it’s very easy to do a
demo or configure the system without having to create all locations and rules (just set the
route on the product)

Scenario 3: removal strategy that decides where we can take the products (stock or
crossdock)

● I do not know if it’s feasible in our solution? Describe the sequence of steps
● Sales order
Stock/Input > Output > Customer
● Purchase order
Supplier > Input
● Removal strategy on Stock / Input. It will decide a specific location in Stock / Input
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(disadvantage: confuses concepts of location / bin (or bin locations) )

TODO: Scenario depending on MTO/MTS for different lines of a sale order

Question:
● So, when having received products, there are two possibilities:
○ We leave the products waiting for the execution of an outgoing shipment as
we expect its transport soon or it is over there already
○ We move the products towards the stock in order to keep the docks empty
● An important question here is whether we can define beforehand which products
will do crossdock and which will not. If we know we will do crossdocking by
advance, and if we are used to, then we can manage this by a pull rule from output
to input.

Note that:
● The stock.pickings above could be split in several pickings when there will be
products that are ready for crossdock and other products that do not. It is possible
that the warehouse manager decides to bring certain products in stock or products
in crossdock.
● Our future solution must allow the warehouse manager to decide case by case and
override the picking proposed by push/pull rule and solve this problem in an
efficient way (cancellation propagation?). For more details, see the small note on
Pegging Strategy just below.

Aside Notes on Pegging strategy

Pegging is the links between requirements with suitable stocks or receipts.
The pegging strategy if consequently the regulation that determines the time sequence in
which the system processes requirements in dynamic pegging and the time sequence in
which the system assigns the receipt elements in the pegging interval to a requirement.
The pegging strategy therefore controls:
● which requirement the system processes first
● which receipts the system uses first

In particular,
● it does the matching between IN/OUT operations
● it handles reserved, released and priority changes
● If you have on unit of product A in your stock, you sell one unit to customer A, one
unit on customer B. If you first validate your Customer A, then B => then you have
a available picking for Customer A. The picking for Customer B is waiting. Then if
you want now to invert the priority, because customer B is more important, it take
lots of time and operation.. overall if the move are chained ! canceling them all to
allow OpenERP to reaffect the sales to customer B take too much time.
● => A more important customer than another is a very common case in
real life. We need to handle this properly !
● If more than one product are in that case, it become the hell.
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2.2.2.2: routing at reception

In this use case we will receive fresh tomatoes and frozen ice cream in one shipment, but
the different products will need to follow a different route through the warehouse.

Location Config:
● Input (docks)
● Freezer input
● Fresh input
● Stock Freezer
○ Freezer A
○ Freezer B
● Fresh
○ Fresh table A
○ Fresh table B

Steps:
● A purchase order will create an incoming shipment towards Input from Supplier
Confirmed: Supplier Input

● Then if there are products with different push rules, when the original moves will
propagate it will split in several pickings accordingly to the destination location.
● Thus, we will have the following routing:
Supplier Input Freezer input Stock Freezer

Fresh Input Stock Fresh

● The last pushes eventually become:
Assigned: Freezer Input Freezer A
Assigned: Fresh Input Fresh Table A

(*) Put Away Strategy
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It is also possible that the freezers and the fresh tables are close to each other and the
Freezer Input and the Fresh Input are the same (maybe even Input). Then the removal
strategies will split the stock moves instead of the push rules splitting the picking.

As a summary:
● Split of picking (and, thus, operations): push rule
● Split of lines but keep the same picking (in the same operation, by the same
worker): put away strategy

2.2.2.3: Supplier direct delivery (in MTO from SO) / Drop shipping

In order to resolve the dropshipping cases, we suggest to create, at the confirmation of the
SO, a procurement on the customer location instead of a procurement on output + stock
move from output to customer. The picking from output to customer will be managed by
the procurement instead of the SO (need toc reate a pull rule)=> we will remove a bunch
of code and simplify the whole process (we may need to remove some code from
stock_location and move it in stock (procurement that creates an internal move)
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More over, the MTO/MTS selection field is not useful anymore on a sale order line. As an
example, take a “Pick → Pack → Ship” process; there is no interest to set the Ship
operation in MTS/MTO. This means we have to replace the MTS/MTO selection field on
the sale order line by a route selection. (MTO becomes an available route that impact the
Pick operations, downstream)

When doing a sale order, routes should come from:
● the warehouse (required to process Customers location), e.g.: Pick → Pack → Ship
● the sale order lines (optional), e.g.: MTO

Routes must be assigned to stock.move and propagated to procurement (using others
routes defined on pull rules.)

As this requires a lot of setup, the modules “stock” and “stock_location” must implement all
the default routes and pull rules so that the user just have to select an existing route when
doing a flow.

2.3 Picking Waves

2.3.1 Concept of picking wave

The Goal of the picking waves is to group operations that may (needs to) be done together
in order to increase their efficiency. It may also be useful to assign jobs (one person = one
wave) or help the timing management of operations (tasks to be done at 1pm). In practice
this is simply a many2one on stock.picking (wave_id).

We also need to define a way to assign automatically this wave_id field, based on a rule
system that manages
● timing (all picking to be done between 1:00 and 2:00)
○ most urgent first...
● volume/load constraints
● destination
● …
This object (wave.rule) would have the following fields: name, responsible (user_id),
capacity (weight, packs, volume..), location_id(s), time (1:00).. To be Improved

We need to be able to validate a whole wave in a row (validate all pickings inside this
wave)

Inspiration can be found in
● picking_dispatch module:
http://bazaar.launchpad.net/~stocklogisticcoreeditors/stocklogisticflows/7.0/files
● Syleam module

Note: the picking wave is different than the strategy to group several moves within the
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same picking.

Picking Wave Group Move in Picking
Used for Prepare Orders for Worker Link moves that should be made

together
Depends On Timing, Grouping defined on orderpoint (all

Volume Constraints, frozen product should be picked
Locations together), on push/pull rules, sales
order
Strategy A strategy using constraints Groups Defined manually

2.3.2 Use Cases

2.3.2.1 Batch picking

In batch picking, groups of orders are picked at the same time to minimize repeat visits to
the same product bin location. An order management system will arrange a group of
orders in the most efficient picking sequence and those orders are picked in the same time
(all P1 products are picked and 5 are placed in X while 10 are placed in Y, then the
operation is repeated for P2, P3, P4).

To implement batch picking:
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● Use pull rules between Pick Zone and Stock
● So, pickings will remain the same than the sale order (this allows to prepare
pickings by packing or do pick and pack at the same time)

2.3.2.2. Wave Picking

In bigger warehouses, it may be more efficient to work in wave picking instead of batch
picking. In this method, the operations are grouped by products, not by order (pack). This
allow a more efficient management of load/volume constraint but involves also to rebuild
orders.

To implement this with our solution, you need to:
● define an automatic orderpoint (minimum 0, maximum 0) on the pick zone that
creates picking for each product. (in the stock zone) instead of a pull rule.
To
implement this, we need to be able to create orderpoints of categories of products
(child_of)
● This would generate lots of pickings with one line that will be grouped efficiently
with the wave algorithm

2.3.2.3 Trip assignation

Once the packs are done, we may use the waves to group together all the delivery orders
in the same area. This wave would reflect the places the carrier would have to do in a
single trip.

Once all packs have been done (or during the operation of doing the packs):
● You can create wave per trip (automatically or assign manually each pack to a trip
by setting the wave_id)
● Then, you can assign trips to Doors/Gateway by moving the wave to the right
location. We should implement a few operation in a wave:
○ validate all pickings at once
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○ print the wave
○ pack all the wave in one packagin → this would allow to move all products
of the wave in one operation. (internal move) → don’t thnk we need this

● Steps
The warehouse manager gets overview of all delivery orders
Delivery A → France
Delivery B → Germany
Delivery C → Switzerland
Delivery D → Netherlands
The warehouse managers know that tomorrow transporter A will arrive with
cheapest tariffs to Germany and Switzerland
The day after transporter B will arrive specialized in France and the Netherlands
The warehouse managers knows they can all deliver in time. He will assign B and
C to the transport tomorrow of transporter A and A and D to the transport of
transporter D. So the wave_id becomes a transport.
Every transport will get a dock assigned
When the movement from Packing to Gates gets assigned, the PutAway strategy
has to check the Delivery Order to see to which gate it is assigned.

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2.4 Quants
2.4.1 Concept Explained

The Quants is a new table that stores the current state of stock (per location). It is updated
each time a stock.move is set to done and has 3 main impacts:

● it allows optimization of computation (quantity available for example), because it
only contains information about the current stock (not the past or the future). The
volume is thus smaller and doesn’t grow with time.
● it will also be used in FIFO costing, as we need to match the incoming and
outgoing moves for a correct stock valuation.
● this table can also be used for the upstream/downstream traceability and the lot
management: this table will also contains the information about lots and, a list of
stock moves that explains the current stock level a record is depicting (it will
replace the 2 one2many ‘move_history_ids’ and ‘move_histoy_ids2’, currently used
to get the chained moves). This field is called history_ids later on the doc.

The following properties should be on the Quant
● lot #, many2one:
○ serial #
○ expiry date...
● cost price (in the currency of the company)
● quantity (of this lot)
● location_id (of this lot)
● pack_id (see later for packaging)
● reservation_move_id (ID of the move that assigned/reserved this quant)
● history_ids:

The following properties should be on the stock.move:
● quantity (total quantity to move)
● src location
● dest location
● quant_ids (inversed one2many: reservation_move_id)

2.4.1.2 Consumables vs Stockable products

The difference between a consumable and a stockable product is that the consumable
have no quants assigned to it.

The following table summarize the difference between the different types of products:

Physical Products Consumables Services
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Procurement Yes Yes Yes
Stock.move Yes Yes /
Stock.quants Yes / /

This means:
● Consumables follows push and pull rules
● But there is no putaway/removal strategies on consumables
● No inventory valuation possible for consumables too

2.4.2 Use Cases

2.4.2.1 examples of some moves

After the following stock.move:
● ID 1: 5 PCE, Supplier → Input
● ID 2: 3 PCE, Supplier → Input

We got the following Quants:
● 5 PCE Input (history_ids: ID1)

If we do the following stock.move:
● ID3: 6 PCE, Input → Stock

● 5 PCE Stock (history_ids: ID1, ID3)
● 1 PCE Stock (history_ids: ID2, ID3)

Let’s suppose i now cross dock the 2 PCE from Input to Output. I do the following
stock.move:
● ID4: 2 PCE Input → Output

The Quants table now looks like
● 5 PCE Stock #1 10€ (history_ids: ID1, ID3)
● 1 PCE Stock #2 12€ (history_ids: ID2, ID3)
● 2 PCE Output #2 12€ (history_ids: ID2, ID4)

This Quant record about 5 PCE can be interpreted as: “I have currently 5 PCE in Stock
location, and these 5 PCE have follow the path Supplier → Input → Stock”. All stock
moves in history_ids applies for the quantity on the Quant record.

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2.4.2.2 How is it used in lots management

Let’s take back the example used in the previous use case but this time with the tracking
lot feature and let’s see the impact on the Quants table

First i receive products from my supplier for the given lot numbers:
● ID 1: 5 PCE, Supplier → Input, lot #1
● ID 2: 3 PCE, Supplier → Input, lot #2

In the Quants table, we have:
● 5 PCE Input, lot #1 (history_ids: ID1)

If we do the following stock.move ( i don’t need to encode the lot number on the stock
move (but if given it will have priority on the system default behavior):

● 5 PCE Stock, lot #1 (history_ids: ID 1, ID3)

Let’s suppose i now cross dock the 2 PCE from Input to Output. I do the following
stock.move:
● ID4: 2 PCE Input → Output

● 2 PCE Output, lot #2 (history_ids: ID2, ID4)

2.4.2.3 How is it used in FIFO

m
In FIFO, as for any other valuation method when the product is set up as having a
realtime accounting valuation (and not standard), we must store the purchase price on the
Quants record. The stock valuation is easy to do and fast to compute.

First i receive products from my supplier for the given amounts:
● ID 1: 5 PCE, Supplier → Input, unit price = 10€
● ID 2: 3 PCE, Supplier → Input, unit price = 13€

In the Quants table, we have:
● 5 PCE Input, unit price 10€ (history_ids: ID1)
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The stock valuation is simply 5x10€ + 3x13€.

If we do the following stock.move:

● 5 PCE Stock, unit price 10€ (history_ids: ID 1, ID3)

Let’s suppose i now move 6 products from stock → customer

● 5 PCE Customer, unit price 10€ (history_ids: ID 1, ID3, ID4), valuated as 5x10€
● 1 PCE Customer, unit price 13€ (history_ids: ID 2, ID3, ID4), valuated as 1x13€

Question:
HOW MANY PRODUCT DO I HAD ON THE 1st JANUARY with this !!? What was the real
value of the stock in location “stock” (for example for a product with a price that change
with the time (like gold for example)) + think about landed costs integration

=> SQL Query to compute the inventory at a specific date:
● select qty, cost, product_id, (select location_dest_id from stock.move m where
m.id=q.move_id and date_done<=DATE order by date_done limit 1) from quants;
○ + join on m2m history_ids
● + price historization
2.4.2.4: Impact on removal strategies
Currently, removal strategy works on stock.move, but they should be implemented at
stock.quant level.

A quant can be assigned to a move to do or not (reservation mechanism) with the
reservation_move_id field.

The removal strategy finds the quant amongst all quants in a specific location being not
reserved yet. It assign the quant to the move by setting the reservation_move_id.

2.4.2.5: negative stocks

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Negative stocks may appear in OpenERP if all operations aren’t done in a
logical/chronological way. For example, if a delivery order is confirmed (because the truck
went away with the goods) before the move ‘pack → output’ has been set to done (human
error, latency...). These are exceptional cases but we want to let the possibility to users to
make these strange situations appear in OpenERP because users can’t be stopped in
their work.

When the stock becomes negative, we will have a quant with a negative quantity. The
purpose for this quant is to become 0 or positive again as it should correct the situation
where we wanted to force things. In the history_ids, you will only have this outgoing move
in the beginning, but the next in move will also be put on this quant. It is very important
here that the move which is corrected, will also correct the moves that were propagated
from the original out move.

At the end, if the negative stock has been totally solved, we must have the exact same
situation as if there has never been any negative stock

Let’s see that with an example:
● At the beginning, we have 20 pieces available on the Output location (from ID1).
The Quants table is:
20 PCE output (history_ids: ID1)

● Then we make a delivery order ID2 of 40 PCE (output → customer), which implies
a negative stock on output. As we are 20 pieces short, this creates a negative
quant of 20 pieces on the output location. However, these 20 PCE have been sent
to the customer location, so the total stock will be 40 PCE over there. This results
in 2 quants of 20 PCE on the customer location as the 20 PCE of negative stock
will almost certainly come from a different incoming shipment. So, when there is not
enough stock, two quants are created: a negative in the source location and a
positive in the destination location. We will make a link between these two quants,
which makes it possible to propagate the reconciliation afterwards.

The Quants table is now:
20 PCE customer (history_ids: ID1, ID2)
20 PCE customer (history_ids: ID2)

● Afterwards, 10 pieces come in output with ID3. The negative record in the Quants
table is updated and this update needs to be propagated to all the succeeding
moves by use of the history_ids. The link between the positive and negative quants
makes sure ID3 is applied to the history_ids of the correct quant (second quant in
the table above). However, the provided quantity is still not enough to completely
fix the negative stock, thus the same quant is split in two: one part containing the
10 pieces detected as sent to the customer, one for the remaining 10 units to
reconcile with another quant.

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The Quants table is now:
10 PCE customer (history_ids: ID2)

● Finally, yet another 20 pieces arrive with ID4. The negative record in the Quants
table is updated and as it becomes 0 it is removed. We add the positive balance as
a new Quants record:
minus 10 PCE output (history_ids: ID2)

In order to achieve the above use case, the system must be able to “reconcile” quants to
link a negative one with a positive (and, thus, generate accounting entries)

This reconciliation can happen automatically when the goods received later, pass in the
exact location of the negative quant. Depending on the PutAway rules e.g., it is possible
that the goods e.g. end up in the location next to the location of the negative quant e.g. bin
B instead of bin A.

In that case, we provide a menu (or a filter) that shows the negative quants. Then we can
tell the system that we used the box from bin B in bin A. The system will create a move
from bin B to bin A and as bin A has the negative quant, this will propagate the original
move in the history_ids in the same way as in the example above.

2.4.2.7 Impact on performance

This would speed up all operations like:
● quant selection (confirm → assign on stock move: removal strategies)
● quantities available (according to warehouse, location, …)

Because:
● Computations are made on products that are still in the warehouse (limited volume
of data, index on location_id), rather than all stock.move since the creation of the
company (explosion of data)

We can even speed up virtual stock computation because we base them on two limited
sets of records: “quants” +” move not done”

Inventory reports must be changed to use quants instead of stock.move. Same for
quantities on products or locations, they should be implemented using the quant table.

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2.4.3 Separation of concepts

The clear separation of concepts allows an easier implementation and an easier
configuration of the whole system.

Object Impacting Concept Used For
stock.picking picking.wave, picking.group Work Orders
stock.move push rule, pull rule Routing
quants removal strategy, put away strategies Bins Allocation

As an example, suppose you have a stock.move:
● Input → Stock
And the put away strategy says you have to put the product in Stock → Stock / Bin 1

When the stock.move becomes “done”:
● stock.move: Input → Stock
● Related quant: Stock / Bin 1

So, put away and remove strategies have no impact on the stock.move. The exact location
is provided on the quant, not on the move. (move defines main routings in the warehouse).
This means that:
● Forecasts are defined at higher levels (Stock, not on bins)
● Real operations (quants) are defined at low level (Stock / Bin 1)

Removal strategies should have no impact on the stock.move (we should avoid splitting
stock.move due to a stock reservation).

This also means that we have no traceability at the bin level, only at main location level
which we think is ok. (if one need a ful traceability at the bin level, we can add the
location_id information in the many2many history field between quants and moves)

2.5 Lots Management

Directly linked to the quants solution, but we should define scenario more precisely
(receptions, delivery orders, internal moves …).

Lots assignation is defined by the removal strategy. During some operations, it may
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eventually automatically create or split lots numbers.

On doit pouvoir enforcer qu’un serial number est créé et proposé automatiquement par
OpenERP (à la réception/ manufacturing unique).

Il faut une contrainte d’unicité pour certains produits, afin de gérer les traceabilités à la
pièce (case à cocher sur le produit + constraint sur les Quants)

2.6 Packings

Data Model: packaging

The different types of packaging are defined in the product.packaging table. “Pack Types”.

We propose to add a new table ”stock.quant.package” with one instance per physical
package with the following information:
● Serial #: char
● package_id: Type of Package (product.packaging)
● quant_ids: one2many(‘stock.quant’, ‘pack_id’, ‘Content’)
● parent_id: fields.many2one(‘stock.quant.package’)
● location_id ? constraint to enforce that all quants in a given package are in the
same location => location_id is a fields.related => need a technical way to do that

On the stock.quant table, we add a fields.many2one(‘package_id’, ‘Package’).

→ So, several quants can be in the same handling unit (a box) and several boxes can be
in a pallet (parent_id).

Removal Strategies

Toute la complexité de la gestion des packs est dans le removal strategy (et éventuellment
dans les changements de quantité entre deux opérations chainées → moins c’est ok, mais
plus peut poser des problèmes)

L’algo doit ressembler à qqch du genre, implémenté dans la removal strategy:
● Prendre les packs du move chainée précédent s’il y en a
● S’il n’y en a pas, utiliser les stratégies (à définir) du genre: si j’ai besoin de 10
produits, je vais plutôt prendre une boite de 10 que 10 pièces isolées. On doit avoir
plusieurs stratégies par emplacements, ex: estce que j’accepte d’ouvrir une boite
lors de la mise en stock de marchandises reçues

L’assignation des stock.move doit se faire en masse (en tous cas par picking), et non pas
un par un car un pack peut contenir plusieurs produits différents.

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Packing in stock.picking

During an operation (picking, packing, internal move, reception), we need to be able to:
● pack products in others handling units. (put products in boxes)
● move packs (a whole pallet)
● pack handling unites in others handling units (put boxes on pallets)

The same object (stock.picking) can be used for receptions, internal moves, picking,
packing, shipments, … So, we need one flexible interface that adapts to main needs.

We propose to split two concepts on the same picking:
● What should be done, the current product lines (stock.move)
○ 505 PCE Computer
○ 10 PCE Mouse
● What I do do, (the exact physical operation: moving boxes, packing products, …)
○ 5 Boxes (containing 100 computers)
○ 1 box (containing 10 mouse)

When the picking is validated, we do the difference between what have been done and
what should have been done and it generate optionally a backorder, in this scenario:
● 5 PCE Computer

This system would replace the current popup wizard with quantities processed (partial
picking wizard).

Some notes on the interface

We think that the interface should be somehow looking to this mockup:

Exemple of such an interface: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QaflmApHX0k

In the package section, you can select products or handling units (e.g.boxes)
. When
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a picking goes from confirmed to assigned, the removal strategies apply and OpenERP
proposes automatically the handling unit according to the required quantities. (and chained
moves. (a web module development) → it’s not packaging, it’s what you do (move
products, move boxes)

When we click on the “pack” button, it takes all products and boxes that are
selected and create a package in the bottom right. (need to add a checkbox on the left
of Laptop computers in the above mockup)

The package many2one (Pack/001) in the above mockup) can be empty.

A tooltip must be defined on the product line (e.x. 505 laptop computers). If you put your
mouse over, OpenEPR suggest appropriate packaging methods according to the
quantities of this product: “5 box X of 100, 1 box of 5”, “2 box Y of 200, 1 box of 100, ….”

The bottom one2many as a default value only if preceding moves are chained (e.g. ship of
a previously packed parcel). If no move is chained, the one2many is empty by default.

As in v7, location is:
● source for internal move & delivery orders
● destination for incoming shipments

The package (PACK/001) can be a new package (usually) or an existing one (moving
product in one existing palet) → this field should be a many2one (allowing select or create)

We need a print button to print a pack list on a selected pack.

To manage homogeneous package when packing operation (series of package), you just
click on (+) icon to do several packages of the same type . there will be a integer field to let
the user encode how much of the same package he wants.

We may add a “copy all” or “clear all” button that will copy ordered qty to processed qty.

OpenERP will automatically manage the creation of the stock.quant.pack object and it may
eventually move it into another stock.quant.pack (if you move a box and put it in a pallet)

The package one2many is filled automatically, with default value, by OpenERP at the
assignation of the picking. (proposition of packaging) only if they are chained moves

This system replaces the confirmation wizard with quantities as it does the same (compare
what should have been done (product lines) and what we did (packs) and create a back
order if necessary)

In the picking one2many, we may add a “Preferred Packing” field with the information that
comes from the sale order. (and the product)

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Ideally, this UI should be like the POS:
● support for disconnected mode (you load a picking wave and you can work in local
storage)
● responsive design to work on small screens
This would allow to support major barcode readers without specific hardware interfaces.

Examples
Use case 1: reception

Reception:

Initial Screen:
● Top: filled with products from the order
● Bottom: Empty

The worker do:
● Record packs as he received it, by checking the packing list of the supplier (select
on the top) by clicking on products and clicking Pack for each recorded pack.

Put away in stock:

If he stores packs as it, initial screen:
● Bottom: Filled with packs from the reception
He just has to click on validate

If he wants to repack, initial screen:
● Bottom: Filled with packs from the preceding shipping (because chained picking)
He clicks on “Clear” and pack products by clicking on them in another way. (like reception)

Use case 2: Pick

Initial screen:
● Top: filled with products from the picking list
● Bottom: empty

He packs products by clicking on them and clicking on the pack button at each box.
(usually in batch picking) or he doesn’t pack the products (usually in wave picking) or he
can take boxes as it by selecting boxes (drop down when clicking on the product line)

Use Case 3: pack

Initial screen, batch picking:
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● Bottom: Filled with packs from the picking (batch picking) if he did pack during the
picking operation
→ the user just has to validate (and may be pack differently)

Initial screen, wave picking:
● Bottom: empty (as it’s not a pull mto, but an orderpoint)
→ the user should record the packing
Use Case 4: Ship

Initial screen, batch picking:
● Bottom: Filled with packs from the packing

The user just has to validate.

Use Case 5: Partial Pick

Initial screen:
● Bottom: empty

The user starts to record what he does (products or boxes move) and the remaining
column changes. Then, he validates the whole picking and the backorder is created with
remaining products. (like current v7 implementation).

Viewing a pack (stock.quant.pack)

We need a menu where you can search packs by product, serial number, customer, etc.

You can ask the tree view of a pack: (related button on the top right corner to open a tree
view)
● Container 102210
○ Pallet 03240204202
■ Box 43043203
■ Box 32032032
■ Box 20320320
○ Pallet 04024043220
○ …

If you click on one of the node, you get all quants (group by product_id) belonging to this
pack (child_of)
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Pack (stock.quant.pack) and putaway strategies

The stock.move should have a preferred packing that is set automatically by the sale
order/purchase order. (and the default value comes from the product form)

The picking proposes automatically a packaging using the preferred packing when going
from confirm to assign.

A putaway strategy can have a “Preferred packing” that will be used by OpenERP to
propose the packaging according to the number of products to process. this putaway
strategy sets the “Preferred Packing” on the stock.move created.

2.7 Real Time Costing
2.7.1 Basics
2.7.1.1 ‘Standard Price’ costing method

Stock valuation is always made using the cost price set on the product. Inventory value is
given by quantity in stock * standard_price. Modifying the standard price of a product
results in posting accounting entries to adjust the stock value.

2.7.1.2 ‘Average Price’ costing method
As for the ‘standard price’ method, the stock valuation is always made using the cost price
set on the product, the inventory value is given by quantity in stock * standard_price, and
modifying manually the standard price of a product results in posting accounting entries to
adjust the stock value. The only difference is that the new average price of a product is
computed at each reception, accordingly to quantities.

2.7.1.2 ‘Real Costs’ costing method (FIFO, LIFO)
This costing method, also known as ‘Specification Identification’ method tracks the exact
cost of each inventory item. It will valuate each Quant individually accordingly to the
purchase price stored on it when it comes in or goes out the company stock.

This option allow to implement FIFO and LIFO costing methods, that are really achieved
thanks to the removal strategies (products with costing method = ‘Real Costs’ and removal
strategy = FIFO will be valuated in FIFO).

While this method allow to always reflect the reality, the direct consequence is that there
can’t be a different algorithm for the stock valuation and the removal strategy. You can’t
decide, for example, to remove first the products nearest the output zone and make a
stock valuation for them in FIFO.
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Another limitation is explained in the following example: let’s suppose i receive a product
that i configured with real time valuation, real costs for costing method and FIFO for the
removal strategy. This time, i purchased 10 pieces at 10€ the unit but i had a remaining
stock of 5 pieces at 8€ the unit. At the time of receiving the incoming shipment, i realize i
have an outgoing shipment for the same product planned, and i decide to make cross
docking to avoid useless stock movements. The outgoing products will be valuated at the
price of 10€ instead of 8€ as would have suggested the FIFO removal strategy.

2.7.2 Stock valuation reconciliation

Reconciliation between stock valuation and the supplier invoice is a way to ensure the
stock value is correct regarding what you really paid for your products. The way to achieve
this is to add a many2many relationship between invoice lines and quants.

Each time a new relation is made using this field, it posts the related entries.

2.7.3 Landed costs

If you want to add landed costs to a product that is currently present in your stock, you can
use the same many2many between invoice lines and stock moves. Nothing more is
planned at this time for this feature.

2.7.4 Anglo saxon accounting

All concepts explained before stand for continental accounting. In anglo saxon the only
difference is that for all products (no only the ones with ‘real costs’ as costing method), the
quant table will be used also to book the eventual entry for price difference at the
generation of the supplier invoice from the purchase order. In other words, the matching
beteween the invoice line and the stock move will automatically be made and if there is a
difference it will post it under the ‘price difference’ account of the product.

Encoding this ensure to have always the price difference that is exactly the difference
between the stock value and the supplier price.

2.7.5 Stock Ownership

The default ownership is defined by the location of type internal. An “internal” location
does not refer to the localization of the location but to the ownership (for inventory
valuations). The localization of a location is defined by it’s parent and hierarchy structure.

So, you can have “Partner” locations in your warehouse and “Internal” locations outside of
your warehouse. Thus, the following locations are usually of the type internal; Bins, input,
picked, packed, output.

But ownership can also defined on the quant (products in my stock belonging to someone
else). If a ownership is defined on the quant, it takes precedence on the “internal” stock
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locations. → this has impact of accounting entries and costing.

2.7.6 Implementation

The journal entries generation and price adjustment must be private methods on the
quants, not on the stock.move. We should move all methods on the quant object.

2.8 Multi-Company

2.8.1 Explanation of the current problem

When you transfer goods intercompany in OpenERP now, you have one cost price over
all the companies for the same product, so this means the valuation can only be done in
one way for all companies. This mean that it’s not possible share a product if the company
currencies aren’t the same, if the cost price for each company aren’t the same, if the
valuation methods of each company aren’t the same...

2.8.2 Things to do to in order to solve this problem

Note: we though about this before designing the Quants table. There may be things to
review in it.

When you transfer goods intercompany from A to B, you should be able to do the
necessary calculations for going out of A and the necessary calculations for the goods
arriving in company B.

This involves following changes in OpenERP
● Valuation, cost method and cost price (standard_price) fields become properties =
will be different according to the company they are viewed in.
● This has influences on a lot of PSQL reports, where calculations are made with the
standard price of the product. For each we need a solution case by case: in the pos
reports we remove it, for product margins we calculate it afterwards with a
functional field as this report is basically calculated fields on the product, in case of
mrp in / out we change the standard_price with the price on the move...
● Intercompany stock moves disappear. They have to pass through a transit
location. The company of the stock move becomes the company of the internal
location. This allow us to store the cost price on the stock move in the company
currency (in other words, we disallow situations where a stock move is shared in
between 2 companies that haven’t the same currency)
○ ok constraint
○ transit location insuffisant, il faut enlever ca, il faut SO et PO
● When calculating prices on moves and changing the cost price of a company, it is
important to have the force_company in the context when executing the price
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calculation method. That way if you validate a stock move from another company, it
will create the valuations according to the methods and prices of the company of
the stock move.
The owner of the stock of an internal location is the company of the location. If the
owner is an external company, the type is not internal (and it’s address can be
specified on the location)
● vérifier que le mass import de records avec des champs property fonctionne => ce
qu’on veut avoir c’est produit | cost price in company A | cost price in company B.
→ It does not work; a simple solution would be to import several lists (one for each
company)
● on doit avoir que tous les champs sur la fiche produit sont dans la devise de la
compagnie MAIS on garde le comportement actuel pour le sale price parce que
c’est pas la problématique adressée ici
● vérifier le price_get a cause du changement en champ property et éventuellement
modifier la facon de gèrer le prix d’achat par défaut (ne plus baser cela par rapport
au cost price car c’est débile)

2.9 Burst Process

Could be done with the current wizard to process a picking (all lines are created with bar
code scanner rather than a default value, then we detect differences between what have
been done (records in the wizard) and what should have been done (picking) to create the
backorder)

To be developed in the specific interface of picking/packing, using the same technology
than what we did for the POS. → mostly covered by the packing section.

2.10 Dates Management

To be discussed
Master Datas
● Lead time at supplier level (split with transport mode & leadtime) and product
category potentially
● Supporting features for automatic update should be included in OpenERP solution
to reduce the data keyboard while supporting users’ daily activities (e.g. update of
product/supplier prices at supplier catalogue load or RfQ validation) → why not
ising import/export with predefined formats?

Date mgmt
● ajouter la date demandée par le client / date confirmée au niveau du header=> KPI
pour connaître notre performance / celle du supplier
○ champ related sur le stock move qui pointe sur un nouveau champ du
picking (recopié depuis le PO/SO: data demandée par le client)
● Allow to change a processed date by the user (today openerp scratch the date on
the packing confirmation, we may have process a pack on friday and encode it on
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monday in the system => We should be able to put a date in the past)
○ permettre de setter la date done du move
● planned date on the picking must be computed accordingly to the picking policy
○ date la plus proche ou la plus éloignée selon le cas
● vues a revoir pour permettre d’encoder la scheduled date sur les pickings
● grouper les stock move dans les pickings de manière intelligente, pour pas avoir un
picking contenant des move avec 2 mois d’écart par exemple
● add the scheduled date on the PO line (computed as date planned on the PO +
lead time of the product)

2.11 Replenishment strategy

Replenishment strategy is based on two criteria: date and quantity both can be fixed or
variable.

The replenishment rule needs to be assigned to a product Category or to a product and for
a Stock Location or a warehouse (as in standard when a rule is set for a parent location,
the inventories taking into account in the replenishment calculation includes the children
locations*). A hierarchy has to be followed: if the replenishment rule is assigned at product
level, this one will be used if no rule is assigned; system will use the one of the product
category if existing. If not, no replenishment rule will be applied.

Date (frequency and start of policy applying) can be determined at category/class level
(and of course at product level).
Variable quantity calculation method can be selected at category/class level (and of
course at product level).
Fixed quantities have to be defined at product level on standard UoM.

The previous choices will imply one of the below policies:

Combined Fixed Date Variable Date
Combinedpolic
y
Fixed Quantity Automatic Supply Min/Max or Reorder point
Variable Order Cycle “Opportunist” Supply or
Quantity Threshold value

→ These should be an improvement of orderpoints, not a new concept. Eg for improving
order point:
● Quantity to Order: Fixed / Replenish Until Max
○ define a max
○ or define a fixed qty
● Cycle:
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○ Every day (current behaviour) / Week / Month
○ Like the current features on recurring meeting: day/hour of week, day of
month, X weeks, …
● Based on:
○ Minimum Qty
○ Other for opportunist supply

Note that I am not sure that the Cycle should be implemented at the orderpoint
level. It
may be more efficient to implement cycle in the PO process (or procurement). → e.g. I
want to order to this supplier on mondays. (whatever if needs come from MTO,
procurements or orderpoints)

Safety stock in “absolute” quantity or on based period quantity should be set if needed.

2.12 KPI
To evaluate activities and measure “performance” of any Supply chain, indicators are
requested.
Indicators analyze needs to be quick and easy to be useful. The idea is then to provide a
tool to create a kind of dashboard with personalized indicators selection with appropriate
reference values optionally.
Example of basic KPIs:
● Cycle time of Purchase orders
● Supplier punctuality (Percentage of PO lines on time/late)
● Cycle time of Sales orders (average)
● Total stock value: value for all internal location, by location, by view…
● Value of quantity expired / loss
● Nb of references of non moving stocks,
● Volume of POs (Number of POs, Total number of PO’s line , Total amount of
POs (monthly/annual) ; Number of lines received
● Volume of Shipment (by destination, by transport mode, by month / annual.) ;
Number of lines shipped

If it’s ok for C2C, I propose that this analysis do not cover reporting and KPI. We should
better focus on the main flows. You should just verify that our solution fits your reporting
need.

Reports are an implementation effort, not an analysis effort.

2.13 Purchase Order Workflow and Procurements

The problem: when do we close the workflow of the purchase order (As the SO close
when ship is done, not when packing is done). Do we consider that a purchase order is
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received if we refused products during quality control, after the reception?

We should make the difference between:
● The purchase order is closed (reception has been made)
● The procurement is fulfilled (product arrived where I expected it, e.g. in the stock,
after the quality control)

In this regard, if you receive all the products you purchased but you refuse some after the
quality control: the purchase order is considered as received (you received everything) but
the procurement is not (products did not arrive in the stock). Depending on how you
handle this, you may trigger:
● return of products + request for refund
● return of products + reviewed expected invoice
● return of products + ask for new products
● scrap of products + …

So, a purchase order is marked as “received” when you received all the products (the first
operation), even if you decide to scrap, return or introduce a claim after.

In case of chained moves, the purchase order is “Received” when the first reception has
been done. In case of backorders, the purchase order is “Received” when the last
backorder has been closed (received or cancelled) If one reception is done, the PO is
closed. If all receptions are cancelled, the PO is cancelled.

If further operations (like quality control) requires that you send back products to your
supplier, it should be another request:
● new expected incoming shipment
● change in the expected invoice

We think the current workflow of the purchase order is correct in that regard.

But no other workflow should rely on the workflow of a purchase order to know if products
arrived or not. The procurement workflow should rely on the reception of the product
(stock.move) rather than the purchase order for stockable/consumable products.

The procurement should be changed in order to “listen” to the stock.move instead of the
purchase order

Use Case: Reception → Quality Control → Stock (pull)

This flow is different if it’s in pull (po created from a procurement) or in push. (manual
purchase order). The scenario is different according to how you handle refused products.
This scenario: receive less (or return refused products), expect less on the invoice.

Two operations are created by pull rules:
● Incoming Shipment (linked to a PO)
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● Quality Control (chained to shipment rule, with a procurement on stock)

When receiving all the products:
● Incoming Shipment: “Done”
● Purchase Order: “Received”
● Procurement on Stock: In Progress

Quality Control (Partial Transfer to stock of validated products): (1/2)
● Some procurements closed (according to products)
● Some procurement still in progress

Quality Control (Return remaining products to Supplier) (2/2)
● By cancelling the backorder (quality control → stock):
○ Procurements on stock becomes “MTS”, chain between moves broken
● Change the draft invoice that you expect to receive
● By returning the backorder:
○ New shipment to the supplier created
→ we can create a wizard that record these 3 steps automatically.

Other Possibility (Ask supplier to exchange the products) (2/2)
● Keep backorder open
● By returning the backorder:
○ New outgoing shipment to the supplier created
○ New incoming shipment created with a procurement to fulfill quality
→ we can create a wizard that record these 2 steps automatically.

So, the main idea:
● The purchase order is marked as received (which is true, we received products)
● But new documents keep track of the fact the supplier still owns us stuff:
○ Products to be exchanged:
■ new outgoing shipment
■ new incoming shipment still open
○ Reduced invoice expected

Modularity

The different features should be splitted across different modules:
● stock: Inventory Management (+ most basic operations) (including the stock
packing web UI)
● stock_location: Warehouse Management
● stock_picking_wave: Picking Waves

Feature Module
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Push stock_location
Pull stock_location (basic pull rule in stock)
Put Away stock_location
Removal stock (simple strategies)
stock_location (advanced strategies)

Most advanced routing operations should be placed in the module stock_location
wherever it’s possible without bloating too much the code.

The idea is that a company that manages a warehouse without routes inside this
warehouse would use only stock and not stock_location. So, they do not need push/pull
rules, putaway strategies and removal strategies. (stock just include the basic removal
strategy on the product)

Removal strategy should be in the stock module because the mechanism of reservation of
quants is based on the removal strategy. More advanced removal strategies than FIFO
can be in the stock_location module.

List of Corner cases to take care of

Negative Quants

Negative quants are generated when the user forces the validation of a stock.move from a
location having no products (quants) available.

Negative stocks are a problem because:
● You can not do the accounting valuation
● You have to create a quant without having the right data about it (lot, cost, …)

In this situation, we create a negative quant in the source location that is the opposite than
the positive quant generated at the destination location. This negative quant should be
reconciled with a positive quant arriving in this location (having a cost, …) During the
reconciliation, the right data are set on the quant related to the negative one (costs, …)

So, we need an automatic reconciliation system to link negative quants with newly created
positive quants no yet assigned to another operation.
Identified Issues

Our solution does not handle:
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● Reception of handling units (e.g. palets) without knowing the exact content and
filling the content afterwards. We chose not to support this case in this analysis to
keep things simple. This leaves two possible implementations: 1/ receive all
“expected” products according to the PO or delivery note and update numbers
afterwards. 2/ Record the detailed reception afterwards.
● Computation of the best route between two locations: we support several
possibilities for removal or putaway but not several routes between two locations.
(one has always priority on another one using sequences) It’s not covered by this
analysis as we think it’s better not to implement it for now on.
● A scheduler that proposes to move Bins instead of products/handling units. It’s
possible to move BINS (=locations) manually, but our scheduling tool will always
propose to move packs or products rather than BIN. We also have no transfer
order for BINs.

There are probably lots of others small needs that are not covered by this analysis. Our
goal is to propose a solution for solid foundations, not to cover all possible logistic scenarii.
If foundations are strong, it should not be complex to add more features in extra modules.

Misc points
1. MTS/MTO should be managed at the stock.move level

remove MTS/MTO from sale order lines, replace it by a route_id field
remove MTS/MTO from procurements (a procurement is always MTO)
put MTS/MTO on the stock.move
add route_id in procurement.group
add "sale", a fields.boolean on procurement in sale module (this
route is selectable in the sale.order)

The MTS/MTO selection field on the sale order line is replaced by a
route_id field on sale.order.line (with domain [('sale','=',True)])

This would allow to select "DropShipping" at the sale order line by
selecting "DropShipping" route.

We consider that all procurements are MTO.
For tasks, add a field.boolean on product.product "Create Task Automatically". The
procurement will use this field to know if it's a task or nothing.

The default on stock.move is MTS

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2. procurements are created by MTO stock.move, not by pull rules

Create procurements based on stock.move as MTO (when the move is
confirmed). If a stock.move is MTS, no procurement is created.

A pull rule should not create a procurement on the source location of a
stock.move (> the procurement is automatically created by the
stock.move itself)

The scheduler should look to all confirmed stock.move and try to reserve
them. (to test further)

3. Merge trunkwmsimplementseducefp into trunkwmsimplementseduce

So that we have only one branch: trunkwmsimplementseducefp (did opposite)

4. Cleaning

[QDP] Remove file: stock/stock_fifo_lifo.py
Remove module stock_location_sale

5. Module sale

The "sale" module should create the procurement, not sale_stock
The sale_stock module should be removed to the minimum:
property handling
views (like open delivery orders)

6. Groups:

when a stock.move is confirmed, if no picking_id is associated;
find a confirmed picking when same source_destination and group_id
if no group_id or no picking exists: create picking
if the stock.move is MTO, create a procurement at the source location.

Create group when picking is created without group (picking confirm)

[JCO] 7. MRP
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No need to create a stock.picking before the manufacturing order, the
removal strategy will do the job. Remove this extra step,
remove stock_auto_picking module.

8. Purchase

Merge the code of CSN that makes the difference between "Draft Purchase
Orders" and "Request for Quotation".

When a procurement have to buy something, it tries to add the line to an
existing purchase order that is still in "Draft Purchase" for the same
supplier.

[QDP] 9. Clean Stock.picking Invoicing

Remove all invoice_... stuff from stock module.

Just create one method in sale_stock allowing to create an invoice from
a stock.picking. > no more hooks.

[QDP] 10. Costing
Change costing method on product: average/standard/real costs
implement the stock valuation

11. do not link stock.move with sale order lines

beacause it's not needed, procurement group does the trick
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Raised points to include in the doc

● ease the computation of virtual stock at a given date → explained in the quants
section: sum of quants+move not done.
● do we need to NOT manage bins as sublocation because it totally explodes the
number of locations to manage (there are no difference between exploding the
number of bins or locations)
○ Bin should help manage volume of product (to know that big one goes here,
small here
○ Help to manage the packaging / packing
○ Ex:
■ Bin A2 : one palet of 10 boxes of 100 product A
■ Bin A1 : 256 Product A In bulk
○ We think bin should be locations, not a separate concepts as their
behaviour is exactly the same than locations: inventories on bin,
source/destination of a move, capacity constraints, subject to removal or put
away strategies, etc.
● Packing and packaging management => Know how are packaged to 10’000
Product A (boxes of 100, palet,...) => The goal is to optimize the packing operation
when deliver → tooltip added in the picking screen on a product
● Need a scenario on how we deal with a quantity propagation in chained moves:
TODO
● When do we close the workflow of the purchase order (As the SO close when ship
is done): → check 2.13
○ In case of one step reception
○ In case of 2 steps (supplier > input > stock)
○ In case of quality check (supplier > input > quality > stock)
○ In case of crossdocking (supplier > input > crossdocking)
● On packing operation, think to take care of the carrier/transporter => You want
probably to group by customer AND carrier when organizing your packing →
Explained in the waving strategies.
● comment gèrer la notion de ownership ? info sur les Quants ou info sur la location?
qd etce que ca doit être valorisé (si ca doit l’être)? → info sur la location → 7.2.5
● improve the replenishment management
○ Can you provide an example of what would you like to improve?

Link to the docs (draft) written by Camptocamp before putting it here in this current doc:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1u7i2_llgqzSbNbS4R6eVGjr4o59jfwvMeALDLml_RG
E/edit?usp=sharing
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OpenERP WMS

Draft proposal to clean existing OpenERP models - v8

2.1 Routing of Products: Stock Movements

2.1.1 Concepts Explained

2.1.1.3 Pull rules:

2.1.1.5 Removal strategies

2.1.1.6 Put away strategies

2.1.1.8 Cancellation of an operation in a chain

2.1.1.9 Change of quantities in a chain

2.1.1.10 Procurement Group

2.1.1.11 Impact on pickings

2.1.2 Use cases

2.1.2.3 Simple outgoing shipments (ship only)

2.1.2.4 Outgoing shipments (pack + ship)

2.1.2.5 Outgoing with pick → pack → ship

Waiting: Stock Picked Packed

Stock / Bin B Picked Packed

Output / Gate A Customer

2.1.2.6: Sale → Purchase and MTO (drop shipping)

2.2.1.1 Introduction to pickings

2.2.1.2 Picking and push rules

2.2.2 Use Cases

Supplier Input Freezer input Stock Freezer

2.3 Picking Waves

2.3.1 Concept of picking wave

Used for Prepare Orders for Worker Link moves that should be made

Depends On Timing, Grouping defined on orderpoint (all

Strategy A strategy using constraints Groups Defined manually

2.3.2 Use Cases

2.4.1.2 Consumables vs Stockable products

Stock.move Yes Yes /

2.4.2 Use Cases

2.4.2.2 How is it used in lots management

2.4.2.3 How is it used in FIFO

2.4.2.4: Impact on removal strategies

2.4.2.5: negative stocks

stock.picking picking.wave, picking.group Work Orders

stock.move push rule, pull rule Routing

quants removal strategy, put away strategies Bins Allocation

2.5 Lots Management

Data Model: packaging

Some notes on the interface

Use case 1: reception

Viewing a pack (stock.quant.pack)

Pack (stock.quant.pack) and putaway strategies

2.7 Real Time Costing

2.7.1.1 ‘Standard Price’ costing method

2.7.2 Stock valuation reconciliation

2.7.3 Landed costs

2.7.4 Anglo saxon accounting

2.7.5 Stock Ownership

2.8.1 Explanation of the current problem

2.8.2 Things to do to in order to solve this problem

2.9 Burst Process

2.10 Dates Management

2.11 Replenishment strategy

2.13 Purchase Order Workflow and Procurements

Use Case: Reception → Quality Control → Stock (pull)