1. SCM (Supply Chain Management)
  2. Warehouse Management
  3. Outbound Processing
  4. Releasing Orders to the Warehouse
  5. Pick Task Decomposition

Pick Task Decomposition

Pick task decomposition enables picking in multiple larger units than the one used on the order transaction. Before you create or generate a wave, check the Apply Pick Decomposition box to enable it. If you want to automatically check this box for all waves, you can set the Allow Pick Decomposition for Waves preference. To set up units and preferences for pick decomposition, see Setting Up Units for Pick Decomposition or Setting Warehouse Management Preferences.

Note:

On the app, the pick decomposition option becomes available for single unreleased orders when you activate the rule, Provide wave status selection for unreleased orders. See Picking Items for Single Orders.

Pick task decomposition applies to inventory items only, including lot and assembly item types only. Kit, serialized, and non-inventory items included in a wave do not get decomposed even with pick decomposition enabled.

Pick decomposition follows the standard inventory tracking using base and stocking units. It does not enable inventory tracking using other or additional units that you may set up for it. For more information about inventory tracking, see Item Settings and Stock Levels for Multi-Locations.

NetSuite WMS applies pick decomposition when it generates pick tasks for a new wave. From the units that you set up, it looks for units larger than the one on order lines included in the wave. It breaks down item quantities per order line based on the conversion rate for any of the applicable units. It creates a pick task only for each unit used in pick decomposition. It does not decompose quantities that cannot be converted into a larger unit. Then, it follows your Picking Type setting to determine whether multiple orders can be combined in a single pick task.

If you enable the Pick Per Quantity setting for the unit, it creates separate pick tasks with one quantity each. For quantities that cannot be picked per quantity, NetSuite WMS applies pick decomposition whenever possible. For more information, see Setting Up Units for Pick Decomposition.

Pick Decomposition and Order Picking Types

Pick decomposition applies to both locations that use and do not use bins. See how it generates pick tasks for 2 orders using different picking types in the following examples:

Conversion rate: 6 pieces =1 case

Available quantity =100 pieces

Example 1: Pick tasks for single order picking type:

  • Order #101 with 24 pieces – Pick task #001 with 4 cases

  • Order #102 with 35 pieces – Pick task #002 with 5 cases and pick task #003 with 5 pieces

Example 2: Pick tasks for multiple order or bulk order picking type:

  • Item A from Orders #101 and #102 – Pick task #001 with 9 cases and pick task #002 with 5 pieces

    For these picking types, NetSuite WMS decomposes each order before it combines quantities for the same unit in a single pick task.

Example 3: Pick tasks for multiple order with case unit set to Pick Per Quantity:

  • Item A from Orders #101 and #102 – Pick tasks #001 to #009 with 1 case each and pick task #010 with 5 pieces

Pick decomposition does not alter the rest of the process flow and conditions for creating waves, pick tasks, and fulfillments. Note the following guidelines:

Recommended Bins and Pick Strategies for Pick Decomposition

You can create bins for zones where you pick quantities to fulfill the large units that you set up for pick decomposition. Even if you create bins used to physically store items in different units, note that inventory tracking in your NetSuite account uses only base or stock units. You can define pick strategies to drive picking to those zones that contain the bins. To recommend bins for picking, pick decomposition considers your pick strategies and applies the standard bin sorting. For more information, see Pick Task Sorting and Recommended Bins or Defining Pick Strategies.

For example, you set up the base unit, piece, and a larger unit, case for pick decomposition. You have 2 picking bin types that contain the same Item A. You might physically store items in Picking Bin B1 in cases and create a zone record for this bin. However, on the item record, you can view inventory quantities in pieces only, unless you set your stock unit to case. See how recommended bins vary whether or not you create a pick strategy with additional filters for the item, case unit, and zone.

Conversion rate: 6 pieces (base) =1 case (larger unit)

Single order picking wave with 2 orders of Item A

Picking bins with available quantity:

  • Picking Bin B1 with available quantity of 72 pieces (or 12 cases)

  • Picking Bin B2 with available quantity of 100 pieces

Example 1: With no pick strategy and no zone assignment

Order # =Qty (in Base)

Pick Task # =Qty

Recommended Bin =Available Quantity (in Base)

Order #101 =96 pieces

Pick task #001 =16 cases

Picking Bin B2 =100 pieces

In Example 1, through standard bin sorting, the recommended bin contains enough available quantity to fulfill the order.

Example 2: With pick strategy and zone assignment

Order # =Qty (in Base)

Pick Task # =Qty

Recommended Bin =Available Quantity (in Base)

Pick Strategy

Order #101 =96 pieces

Pick task #001 =16 cases

Picking Bin B1 =72 pieces

Case Pick strategy:

Unit =case

Zone =Case zone

(Zone assigned to Picking Bin B1)

In Example 2, the recommended bin belongs to the zone specified in the applicable pick strategy.

Note:

If there are pick tasks with no applicable strategy or with a strategy but no associated bin, the standard sorting applies to recommend a bin. Sorting may vary depending on specific item, bin, and preference settings. For more information, see Recommended Bin Sorting.

For this example, you can pick only 12 cases of the item from the recommended bin. On the pick task or app, you can view other available bins from which you can pick the remaining 4 cases. On the app, you can select a bin in which you might physically store this item in pieces. When you enter the quantity to pick, you can change the unit or tap the unit icon to view the unit conversion rates. You can pick 24 pieces from this bin, which converts to the remaining 4 cases. Unit changes on the app do not update the unit of associated pick task subrecords, which is not editable.

For examples of decomposed pick tasks per picking type, see Pick Decomposition and Order Picking Types.

Related Topics

General Notices