PRODUCTION INVENTORY SCANNING G L O B A L B A K E PREPARED BY:GLOBALBAKE 1 DECEMBER 2007
CONTENTS INTRODUCTION......... 3 OVERVIEW......... 4 SOLUTION DELIVERY......... 6 SOFTWARE... 6 HARDWARE... 6 HANDHELD DEVICE... 6 COMMUNICATION... 7 PALLET BARCODES... 7 SCANNING STATIONS......... 8 PROCESS STEPS......... 9 PALLET PROCESS... 9 FROM FREEZER TO LINE... 9 PRE FREEZER PROCESS... 9 LOAD OUT... 10 PALLET LABELLING... 11 PALLET CHANGE... 11 INTERNAL PROCESSING... 12 TRUCK MANAGEMENT......... 13 FREIGHT COMPANIES... 13 TRUCK LOAD SHEETS... 14 REPORTS... 16 PICK SHEETS... 16 LOAD SHEET... 17 BILL OF LADING... 18 FUTURE OPTIONS......... 19 RFID... 19 PALLET BARCODES... 19 WAREHOUSE... 19 INWARDS GOODS... 19 AWAREHOUSE LOADING PROCESS...... 20 BTRANSFER BETWEEN PALLETS PROCESS...... 23 CPICK AND LOAD PROCESS......... 26 PAGE 2
INTRODUCTION GlobalBake is extending the use of the inventory facilities to include inventory control through a scanning interface. The purpose of having improved inventory control is to reduce the difficulties that occur when production line output, stock in and stock out number do not agree. If the confirmation of production is not correct the line efficiency may be compromised, if stock in the warehouse / freezers is not accurate then inventory is uncertain. Uncertain inventory may mean failure to deliver customer orders which will be detrimental to their perception of service levels. Additionally errors in inventory may lead to financial imbalances relative to the value of stock held. This document outlines the changes and processes being proposed to allow efficient flow and accurate recording of inventory. The last section covers some options that will be considered as later extensions, or valuable advantages, to the implementation. PAGE 3
OVERVIEW In order to achieve efficient inventory control a simple and effective way of tracking inventory movement needs to be available. The processes outlined in this document, which are supported by GlobalBake, will improve the ability to perform product recall in the event of any contamination issues. Alternative methods for identification of inventory have been considered and this proposal is based on a barcode scanning solution for pallets of goods. RFID tagging of pallets was considered and rejected due to the cost of the associated tracking devices (chips) if they were sent to customers as well. The future section at the end of the document proposes that pallets may be RFID tagged to allow some automation of stock taking procedures. Conceptually there is one entry point to inventory (from the production lines) and one exit point (to transport) from inventory control. It is at these two points that the initial focus of improving inventory control is focussed. To track product that is to enter inventory a scan is made prior to entry into the freezers. This scan will also be used to confirm production for the shift which will improve the accuracy of data recorded at this point and will help to track production efficiency. The other scanning point in the system will be at the point of exit to transport for delivery to customer premises. At this point the transport device and purchase order are known and will be recorded against the pallet as it exits. Cross checks can be done at this time to ensure that the scan is appropriate, for example that the pallet s contents are appropriate for the Customer / Purchase Order being transported. This is the point that inventory will be debited with the items on the pallet. Samples removed from a pallet will continue to be processed as orders from a customer and accounted for in that manner. The final destination of samples will need to be recorded by the shipper / deliverer of those items to their final real address for recall compliance. PAGE 4
SOLUTION DELIVERY S O F T W A R E The scanning solution will be delivered in a browser based format. Whilst this format is not as rich as a more specifically written application it allows faster change, requires no software on the handheld device and can subsequently be implemented in a quicker timeframe. The use of this technology, in conjunction with suitable handheld devices, will allow for future development to be created that can enhance the interface. This can be done on an as needed / required basis. H A R D W A R E H A N D H E L D D E V I C E The chosen handheld device must run Windows Mobile 5 or later to support a future option of Jade based application in subsequent developments. These JADE facilities will be possible in late 2007 with new releases of the JADE software underlying GlobalBake. The device must support a Microsoft Internet Explorer compatible browser which will be the target environment for the solution. With Windows Mobile 5 this is implicit. A communications interface must be supported to allow the internet browser to connect in real time to the GlobalBake solution. The device must be able to scan a barcode and place the data into a browser field and enter or tab to the next field on the form. The action required to submit a completed form to the server must be easy to be carried out in a freezer environment e.g. possible for an operator wearing gloves. The device must be able to scan over a distance that is appropriate for the distances likely to be involved. If load-out scanning is done from a forklift then that should be an acceptable scanning distance from the device. The supported barcodes must be adequate for the needs of the solution as it will be implemented. Suitable operating parameters of the device must be supported to allow for temperature and handling issues. Devices investigated have shown operating temperatures down to 10 Fahrenheit and an ability to cope with multiple 4 foot drops to polished concrete PAGE 5
C O M M U N I C A T I O N As noted above the handheld devices must be able to communicate with GlobalBake in real-time for validation of the data entry at each point. If any proposed scanning stations do not already have suitable communications then additional devices, and infrastructure, will be required to be installed. This requirement will depend on the operating characteristics of the handheld device. Note that as well as hardware to support the communication there may also be infrastructure to support the communication back to the web server delivering the application. P A L L E T B A R C O D E S In order to identify each pallet as they are scanned at the end of the production lines pre-printed barcodes must be affixed to the pallets during the pallet packing phase at the end of the production line. All pallets that are stored in the inventory (freezers and any other storage spaces) must have an attached pallet number in the form of, at least, an attached barcode. The attachment of the barcodes will need to be in a manner and place that ensures: The barcodes cannot be accidentally removed during handling. They can be easily scanned, probably from a variety of locations at the desired distance. Pallet numbers should be serial and pre-printed in order to speed the process at the production line end. PAGE 6
SCANNING STATIONS The number of scanning stations that will be implemented may change over time as additional functionality is introduced and this section proposes an initial configuration based on the previous details. The initial scan will be done at the end of the production lines to confirm production. The exact point this occurs in the packing process will depend on each clients internal; processes, choice of barcode attachment and labour issues. Cost savings, in the number of devices, can be achieved by scanning at a central point if multiple production lines exist but this can have the difficulty of identification of final product and source. The other initial scanning point will be as the inventory is loaded onto trucks and at this point the load-out will be related to a specific truck and customer / purchase order. The number of physical devices required at these locations will depend on the processes in place there for loading of trucks. PAGE 7
PROCESS STEPS This section identifies the sequence of events that a pallet will take through its life as inventory. Assumptions made are: Pallets re-entering packing at the end of the production line would require slightly different handling to cater for this process since GlobalBake already knows about it and it has existing cartons on the pallet. Pallet re-packing, or creation, will be a scanning function. When two partial pallets are merged for an order or for storage requirements then a GlobalBake transaction will need to be entered to record the merge results. P A L L E T P R O C E S S At some point in the process the pallet identification information must be attached to the pallet. This could be done at any suitable point, for example as the pallet is placed at the end of the line for stacking or before the pallets are made available to the end of the line. This choice is one that the client can make relative to the internal processes, skills and resources. The pallet must have an identifying barcode prior to it being scanned at the end of the line or on entry to warehousing. F R O M F R E E Z E R T O LINE When a pallet is taken from inventory to be stacked with additional product from the line it will be scanned to confirm that the carton count in GlobalBake matches what is on the pallet. This is to ensure first that the pallet count is accurate and secondly to ensure that the correct number of cartons will be added from the line. If the count is wrong then the handheld operator will need to be able to correct the count causing a stock take loss/gain. P R E F R E E Z E R P R O C E S S As each pallet is has been wrapped and is ready to be moved into the freezer the warehouse person will be required to scan all the information necessary for GlobalBake to manage the pallet from that point. Once the pallet is full, and any additional barcodes are attached for ease of identification, the following scan will be done to update GlobalBake: From the production sheet scan the product produced. This scan will include information that includes any line identifier, the date and the Product Code. Pallet identifier from attached barcode. PAGE 8
The number of cartons on the pallet. Note that this will default to a full pallet unless overridden such as at product change or end of shift. Once this process is complete the pallet can proceed to the freezer. The response from scans here will be OK or error. If the process is running smoothly then errors should be minimal if not negligible. The kinds of errors are that the date is wrong in the production barcode for the current day, too many cartons of the scanned product have been produced or the pallet identifier is not valid etc. L O A D O U T As each pallet is placed onto a truck the following scans will be done to update the inventory held in GlobalBake: Truck identifier from truck load sheet. Purchase order identifier from truck load sheet. Pallet id from barcode on the pallet. Errors that may be reported for this transaction include: Pallet not currently included in inventory. Purchase order not scheduled for truck. Pallet contents invalid for purchase order. Out of order load for customer / PO being loaded. P A L L E T L A B E L L I N G Once a customer / purchase order is completely loaded on a truck sheets can be printed to identify the end of that order. They are then attached to the pallets in the truck and then the next order can be loaded. Whether these are printed at the loading dock area or elsewhere are choices for the client to make relative to their processes. P A L L E T C H A N G E In circumstances where the contents of one pallet are placed on another then there will be a process to record this change of pallet by transfer. Possible scenarios when PAGE 9
this will occur are to merge two partial pallets or to pick an order that includes partial pallet size order lines. The information that will be recorded for this transaction are: Source pallet or null if this is a stock-take adjustment to a pallet. Number of cartons. Lot identifier of cartons. Target pallet, if this is a merge or Purchase Order if this is a picking function. Errors that may be reported for this transaction include: Source or target pallet not currently included in inventory. Lot number not in source pallet. Cartons exceed recorded number on source pallet. Target pallet has more cartons than maximum. I N T E R N A L P R O C E S S I N G To allow for the handheld systems being disabled for some reason it is also possible to perform the pallet processes from within GlobalBake as per the below screen image. Figure 1 Pallet Processes Screen PAGE 10
TRUCK MANAGEMENT Truck Management allows the shipping/distribution department to plan for the deliveries that are to be shipped. F R E I G H T C O M P A N I E S At the highest level in the truck management are definitions of freight companies. These definitions are primarily as a grouping to allow different trucking companies to be represented and all the associated trucks can be grouped under the company. PAGE 11
T R U C K L O A D S HEETS Within each of the freight companies are the definitions of the associated trucks as seen below. Figure 2 Truck Load Sheet Form Note that multiple orders can be loaded for a customer and multiple customers can be loaded on the truck if required. Where multiple customers are loaded then load labels can be printed to be affixed to pallets to clearly identify the different delivery boundaries in the truck. Seal numbers can be recorded if used for transport security.
As pallets are loaded via the handheld interface they appear in the loaded list as per below: PAGE 13
R E P O R T S To facilitate the loading process using handhelds the truck load sheet can produce reports that will be used during the loading process. P I C K S H E E T S The pick sheet is used to tell loaders which products need to be loaded to a particular truck. Figure 3 Pick Sheet
L O A D S H E E T The load sheet is used to identify the truck being loaded and can also be used for manual recording in the event the handheld interface is unavailable. Figure 4 Load Sheet PAGE 15
B I L L O F L A D I N G Once the truck load is complete a bill of lading can be printed for the driver. Figure 5 Bill of lading
FUTURE OPTIONS R F I D RFID tags on pallets placed at end of line, removed at load out can be used to accelerate stock-take at pallet level since all pallets can be easily identified in the inventory. Options here include: Automation in stock-take using scanning device to find all inventory pallets. Passive tags with pure pallet identity. Passive tags with identity and product information. Active tags for the two scenarios above. Automatic scanning at entry/exit points in the warehouse/freezer. Alarms for inappropriate action from automatic scanners. Active tags have an integrated battery and can be scanned from greater distance. Passive tags rely on the radio signal to generate their response and the distance the scan works from is much less. P A L L E T B A R C O D E S If suitable media can be found it would be possible to print these labels directly from GlobalBake and this might add an additional opportunity for checking. Indeed the pallet barcode, rather than being purely a serial number, could be encoded to include some details such as date, line, shift etc. W A R E HO U S E Warehouse locations recorded for inventory control. All movements inside the warehouse recorded in the system so that every location s contents are known at all times. I N W A R D S GOODS Implement scanning at the receipt positions of bulk supplies to track receipt of ingredients.
A WAREHOUSE LOADING PROCESS The Pallet Management system is designed to record the cartons/cases as they are transferred from the end of the production lines to the warehouse. This record is to both confirm what has been produced and also for inventory control in the warehouse. The device will beep if an error is detected (and the sound is turned on!).
SHIFT START CLICK Get the scanning device from power charger. CLICK Ensure Pallet Management application is running on the device and get to the production application. Ensure correct production line barcodes are in place. Know if a partial pallet is being loaded. YOU ARE NOW READY TO START If the pallet from the line is NOT a partial pallet that already has a barcode label on it take the next barcode and apply to the pallet. From the Load Production screen scan the printed barcode for the line/product. If you scan anything else here an error will be reported and the screen will remain unchanged. PAGE 19
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Assuming you have scanned a valid production line barcode then the screen will show the line, shift and product information. If this is NOT correct then correct the production line scan by clicking the pallet management link and getting to the production scan screen again. Once correct the screen will be ready for the pallet scan. If a full pallet label is scanned for a second time then the system will report an error. Scan the pallet barcode and the screen will show the pallet number and be ready for carton count entry. Enter the number of cartons made on THIS shift. Normally this will be the number on the screen (calculated for expected product) but for the first or last pallet of a product this may be different. Once entered press the RETURN key and the system will return to the production line scan screen and show the last action.
B TRANSFER BETWEEN PALLETS PROCESS The Pallet Management system is designed to record the pallet location of all cartons/cases of finished product in inventory. This tracking allows inventory to be understood and to help accurate movement of pallets to trucks etc. At times it will be necessary to transfer some cartons/cases from one pallet to another and the transfer function is used to perform that transfer. If the system does not know of a transfer then it will create serious issues when those pallets are used elsewhere. The device will beep if an error is detected (and the sound is turned on!).
SHIFT START CLICK Get the scanning device from power charger. Ensure Pallet Management application is running on the device and get to the Pallet Transfer application. CLICK YOU ARE NOW READY TO START TRANSFERRING BETWEEN PALLETS From the Pallet Transfer screen scan the printed barcode of the pallet that is having product REMOVED, the from pallet. If you do not scan a valid pallet barcode here an error will be reported.
Assuming you have scanned a valid pallet then the system will respond with a list of the system s expected contents of the pallet. Select the line that contains the products and batch of cartons/cases that are to be removed from the pallet. Click the OK button or press Return on the keypad to continue. The next screen initially shows the maximum number of cartons/cases available for transfer from the batch that you selected. Using the keypad enter the number of cartons/cases that are being removed from the pallet, for example 10. Scan the pallet barcode of the pallet having product ADDED to it, the to pallet that is to receive the cartons/cases. Once the transfer is complete the system will now be ready for another transfer and it will show the details of the transfer you have just completed. PAGE 24
C PICK AND LOAD PROCESS The Pallet Management system is designed to record the pallets and hence cartons/cases as they are transferred from the warehouse onto a truck. The device will beep if an error is detected (and the sound is turned on!). PAGE 25
SHIFT START CLICK Get the scanning device from power charger. Ensure Pallet Management application is running on the device and get to the Pick and Load application. Ensure correct truck load barcodes are in place. CLICK YOU ARE NOW READY TO START LOADING A TRUCK From the Pick and Load screen scan the printed barcode for the truck. If you scan anything else here an error will be reported and the screen will remain unchanged. PAGE 26
Assuming you have scanned a valid truck load sheet check that the display shows the correct information. Validate that the pallet cartons are correct for the order and scan the pallet id onto the truck as it is loaded. The system will validate that the pallet is OK and report the pallet as loaded. If the system determines that the pallet is not correct for the truck then an error will be reported.