Configuring Delivery Service and Scheduling

Activities can be performed at all types of facilities including manufacturing facilities and flow-through or distribution centers. Some examples of Delivery Service and Scheduling done at the vendor site are:

• A vendor applies a license plate number (LPN) label on a carton based on the manufacturer's specification.
• A manufacturer applies price ticket or SKU labels based on the requirements of a retailer.
• A warehouse builds a pallet using customer requirements.
• A warehouse applies security tags on a class of items before shipping to certain retailers.
• A warehouse assembles components and builds a kit before shipping.

Provided services are usually purchased by the customer for an additional fee. Some examples of activities that are offered as a provided service are:

• Installing a customer's home theater system.
• Providing maintenance to a furnace as part of a service contract.

Installing software on a new computer, and configuring the computer to work on a home network.

Some examples of how value added services are used within the manufacturing, vendor, or shipping facilities are:

• Delivery Service and Scheduling for stocking — a facility performs the Delivery Service and Scheduling operations for stocking periodically on the basis of expected demand for a product. For example, a warehouse ships pens, pencils and erasers separately. In addition, that warehouse may also ship a student package, which consists of 2 pens, 2 pencils and an eraser.
• Delivery Service and Scheduling for a customer — this type of Delivery Service and Scheduling operation is performed to meet specific customer requirements, such as special ticketing or security tagging. The Sterling Order Management System Software allows the customization of inventory for a buyer at a node and ensures allocation to that customer. This scenario is referred to as made-to-customer, or buyer compliance. The customer usually makes repeated purchases of these specialized items. This type of Delivery Service and Scheduling is performed in a warehouse based on the demand forecast to reduce order cycle time.
• Delivery Service and Scheduling for an order — this is applicable when:
  • A customer selects a customization when ordering an item, like monogam on a shirt. The Sterling Order Management System Software creates a work order to perform these services in a warehouse and ensures that inventory is allocated only to that order. This is also referred to as made-to-order.
  • A customer orders a dynamic physical kit and selects the required components for that item. The Sterling Order Management System Software creates a work order to assemble the kit and ensures that the inventory of the assembled unit is allocated only to that order. This is also referred to as Built to Order, or made-to-order.
  • Inbound shipments that require packaging. Parts received that require packaging to a specified unit of measure.
• Breaking kits or Dekitting — this is performed on kits in inventory that are not required anymore. For example, inventory leftover from a seasonal promotion may be dekitted and the components can be used in other kits or sold individually.
• Unit of Measure (UOM) Conversions — a warehouse may create a work order to convert inventory from one UOM to another. For example, a warehouse may track inventory of screws individually as well as in packs of 50. A work order is created to convert single inventory units to packs of 50.
• Gift Wrap Services — a ship node may offer gift wrap services on items that are eligible for gift wrap. This flag is enabled for a node during Participant Setup for Sourcing/Scheduling Node Attributes.