Interfacility Transfer

Table of content

1. Summary

2. Our concept

3. Insights of each domain

   1. DOMS

   2. Operations

   3. Inventory

Summary

Interfacility Transfer on our platform involves moving items between facilities when a Click & Collect order is split during routing due to missing items at the receiving facility. While one pickJob is processed as usual (picking, packing, handover, and purchase order creation), the other pickJob at the receiving facility remains pending, displaying the expected items.

Our concept

The interfacility transfer process involves two types of facilities: receiving and supplying. Here is a summary of the process:

1. Receiving Facility: The receiving facility's pickJob lists expected items. Available items can be picked immediately, but picking may pause until all items arrive.

2. Supplying Facility: The supplying facility sends missing items to the receiving facility, functioning like a "ship from store" process. Once handed over, a purchase order is created that includes a transfer ID (helps identifying the parcel).

3. Item Transfer & Receipt: When the shipment arrives, scanning the parcel triggers the receipt which updates the pickJob in the receiving facility with the newly arrived items.

4. Final Picking: Once all items are available, the pickJob is completed, and the order is ready for the customer.

This process ensures smooth inventory management and order fulfillment across facilities.

More in depth description by the different domains of our platform

This section of the documentation provides detailed insights into each domain of our platform.

DOMS

Interfacility Transfer Process

The interfacility transfer process is initiated when a Click & Collect order includes items which are unavailable at the receiving facility, prompting a transfer from another location to fulfill the order.

Order Creation and Facility Selection

To initiate an order involving an interfacility transfer, the following steps must be taken:

1. Delivery Preferences: In the order's delivery preferences, the supplying facility must be explicitly set to indicate where the items will be sourced from.

2. Supplying Facility Configuration: The system can be configured (through supplyingFacilitiesConfigurations) to define how missing items will be handled. This can be set to:

   • Transfer to a preferred Facility before final pick up.

Example body information for the delivery preferences in an order

{
  "deliveryPreferences": {
    "collect": [
      {
        "facilityRef": "021e3402-ff49-4ec5-a907-af3b1e031c60",
        "supplyingFacilitiesConfigurations": [
          {
            "facilityRef": "e19ae843-0987-48bf-a182-a59997f937b0",
            "deliveryEvents": [
              {
                "deliveryTarget": "SHIP_TO_STORE",
                "deliveryTrigger": "DEFAULT"
              }
            ]
          }
        ]
      }
    ]
  }
}

Order Routing and Splitting

Requirement: It is necessary, that Order Split is enabled. To ensure this, please either go to your Backoffice -> Network Overview -> DOMS Configuration -> Order Split and verify it is active or do a GET call to /api/configurations/routing and check the response if the orderSplit is active.

When an order is created and split between different facilities due to item unavailability:

• The routing plan will contain critical details, including:

  • The receiving facility and supplying facility.

  • Information on potential available items and expected items from each facility.

  • A unique Transfer ID links related pickJobs from different facilities, indicating which jobs are part of the same transfer process.

Transfer Identification

The Transfer ID is a key identifier used throughout the order fulfillment process. It helps group the various pickJobs associated with an order across multiple facilities, ensuring smooth coordination and tracking of items during transfers.

Special Case: If no items are available in the preferred facility, the system will route the order to the next best facility for fulfillment according to the configuration settings. As a result, a pickJob is created in the preferred facility with no actual items, but expected items.

Operations

Overview

In our operational domain, we manage the transfer of inventory between facilities by distinguishing between a receiving facility and a supplying facility. This process involves the creation and handling of pickJobs in both facilities, ensuring a smooth transfer of items.

Supplying Facility Process

1. pickJob Creation:

   • The supplying facility initiates a regular pickJob, which is similar to standard pickJobs except that the items are intended for transfer to another facility rather than sending it to the customer at the end.

2. HandoverJob Completion:

   • Once the pickJob is processed and the items are packed for transfer, the handoverJob is completed. At this stage, the supplying facility generates an inbound process (see Inventory Section: Supplying facility) to log the items leaving the facility for the receiving facility.

Receiving Facility Process

Upon receipt of items from the supplying facility, the receiving facility will create its own pickJob and handle the incoming items based on their availability. There are two cases with different configuration for handling the pickJob in the receiving facility:

Case 1: Put on hold status after pickJob creation (WAITING_FOR_INPUT)

• pickJob Creation:

  • The receiving facility creates a pickJob that includes potential available items and expected items (that are in transit but not yet received or finished in the supplying facility).

• Put on hold Status:

  • The status of the pickJob is set to WAITING_FOR_INPUT, meaning the pickJob cannot proceed until all expected items arrive. However, the system allows users to view both available and expected items.

  • After the inbound process is completed and all expected items are received (see Inventory Section: Receiving facility), the system updates the pickJob:

    • Converts the expected items into regular items.

    • Changes the status of the pickJob to OPEN, allowing the picking process to begin.

Case 2: Open Status after pickJob creation (OPEN)

• pickJob Creation:

  • The receiving facility creates a pickJob that is immediately open (OPEN), allowing picking to begin for any available items. The pickJob tracks both available and expected items.

• Partial Picking:

  • Users can start picking the available items while the expected items remain in the system as not yet received. Once all available items are picked, the status of the pickJob is automatically changed to WAITING_FOR_INPUT.

• Transforming items and set the status to OPEN

  • When the inbound process is completed and at least one or all the expected items are received:

    • The system converts the expected items into regular items.

    • The status of the pickJob is updated back to OPEN, allowing the remaining items to be picked.

  • If only a partial of the expected items arrive and the inbound process for those items are finished our users are able to continue the partial picking.

  • Until all expected items arrive and are received a partial picking will continue. Only when all items (both available and expected items) are picked, the pickJob is finalized and marked as finished.

Special Case "No available items in the receiving facility": If no items are available in the preferred facility, our system sets the status of the pickJob to "WAITING_FOR_INPUT" regardless of the configuration. Only after receiving the expected items the pickJob status changes to "OPEN".

Inventory

• Supplying facility

  • The stock in the supplying facility is reserved from the moment the order arrives in the receiving facility.

  • Once the items in the supplying facility are picked and handed over for transfer, an inboundProcess with a purchaseOrder is created automatically. The purchaseOrder includes a transferId which makes it identifiable as an internal transfer process. The transferId is set by our systems and cannot be edited by external parties. However, it can be queried via the purchaseOrder endpoint if needed.

  • Stock is reduced in the supplying facility after it was handed over for transfer.

• Receiving facility

  • As soon as the purchaseOrder was created, the included items are announced in the receiving facility as expected stock. The transfer can be monitored in the inbound view in the Backoffice where it is marked as "internal".

  • When the delivery has arrived in the receiving facility, it can be identified by scanning the transferId. As soon as all items are accepted and the goods receipt has been completed, a receipt must be added to the respective inboundProcess. Please see the relevant endpoint for this below.

  • After the receipt is set to status FINISHED, the expected stock is added to the inventory of the receiving facility. The stock is instantly reserved for the respective order.

  • After the items have been booked to the receIving facility, the pickJob is updated and the remaining line items can be picked.

Adds a receipt to an inbound process.

POSThttps://%%HOST%%//api/inboundprocesses/{inboundProcessId}/receipts

Authorization

firebase

Path parameters

inboundProcessId*string

Body

application/json

asnRefstring

receivedDate*string (date-time)

receivedItems*array of InboundReceiptLineItem (object)

comments*array of InboundReceiptComment (object)

statusenum

IN_PROGRESSFINISHED

Response

201401403

Receipt was added to the inbound process

Body

application/json

asnRefstring

receivedDate*string (date-time)

receivedItems*array of InboundReceiptLineItem (object)

comments*array of InboundReceiptComment (object)

statusenum

IN_PROGRESSFINISHED

id*string

Request

JavaScriptCurlPython

const response = await fetch('https://%%HOST%%//api/inboundprocesses/{inboundProcessId}/receipts', {
    method: 'POST',
    headers: {
      "Content-Type": "application/json"
    },
    body: JSON.stringify({
      "receivedDate": "2024-09-19T01:15:27.490Z",
      "receivedItems": [
        {
          "tenantArticleId": "text",
          "acceptedQuantity": {},
          "rejectedQuantity": {},
          "comments": [
            {
              "content": "text"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "comments": [
        {
          "content": "text"
        }
      ]
    }),
});
const data = await response.json();

Response

201401403

{
  "asnRef": "text",
  "receivedDate": "2024-09-19T01:15:27.490Z",
  "receivedItems": [
    {
      "tenantArticleId": "text",
      "acceptedQuantity": {
        "unit": "text"
      },
      "rejectedQuantity": {
        "unit": "text"
      },
      "comments": [
        {
          "userRef": "text",
          "content": "text",
          "attachments": [
            {
              "inboundAttachmentRef": "text"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "storageLocationRef": "text",
      "stockProperties": {
        "expiry": "text",
        "receiptDate": "text"
      }
    }
  ],
  "comments": [
    {
      "userRef": "text",
      "content": "text",
      "attachments": [
        {
          "inboundAttachmentRef": "text"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "status": "IN_PROGRESS",
  "id": "text"
}