The Multi Pack Boxes Support for B2C Shipment feature from an end-user perspective includes the following key points in more detail:
Efficient Tracking and Management: The system handles both pack box and shipment AWBs, ensuring proper tracking and management of multi-pack box orders. This includes support for child AWBs used by some couriers to track multi-piece shipments, as well as the main AWB for the entire shipment.
Seamless Integration: The feature integrates with RMS and OMS systems, ensuring smooth handling of multi-pack box orders and AWB management.
Invoicing and Shipping Labels: For multi-pack box orders, there will be one invoice for the entire shipment. Shipping labels will have multiple pages for each box, with markings like "1/2" and "2/2" to indicate the box number within the shipment.
Manifest and Handover Management: The multi-piece shipments need to be treated as a unit, so if some packets are not scanned and added to the manifest, manifest close is not be allowed. This ensures that all child boxes are accounted for and scanned during the handover process.
Today system will be relying on operator to decide whether multi-box or not.
There will be following types of parent & child AWB combinations:
Child AWB to be a unique number just like parent AWB.
Derived: Child AWB will be derived from the parent AWB. If parent AWB is 1234 then child AWBs will be 1234-1 and 1234-2 for two piece shipment.
Child AWBs Coming from Logistics aggregator : Child AWB on a box level will be given by Logistics aggregator like Clickpost.
Child AWB is same as parent AWB.
Internal backend configurations to allow multiple pack boxes and to allow box labels at the channel level are added.
Allow multi pack box value is applicable only for B2C orders because it will always remain TRUE for B2B orders irrespective of value set in this flag.
The same values of these properties will flow against orders to OMS and WMS. These values would be set by the Increff team while configuring a channel for a client on the basis of use case shared by client.
If Allow box label is not enabled, only one shipping label per shipment will get generated even if there are multiple pack boxes present for the shipment. But, when it’s enabled, labels get generated for each box.
These configurations can be enabled/ disabled for a client and channel pair on raising a request to the Omni Success team.
Below B2C processes/flows will have changes on enabling the B2C Multi Pack Box feature.
Packing Flow
Capturing Package Details during Packing
Manifest Flow
Handover Flow
B2B Order Creation
There will be no changes in the process/ flow if the configurations are disabled to allow multiple-pack boxes.
Packing Flow
Packing Screen Configuration to allow Multiple Packboxes
Increff WMS now provides flexible Packing Options for B2C shipments.
Users can pack orders in multiple boxes or a single packet, depending on the order requirements. Users can enable/ disable the toggle Allow Multiple Packboxes configuration in the Piece Packing screen’s Configuration. The toggle is provided for users to generate multiple Pack boxes for an order, allowing for easy management of multi-pack box orders
This allows for better handling of orders with large or bulky items, as well as orders containing items from multiple categories.
When Allow Multiple Packboxes config is turned OFF in Packing screen Configurations, the user can process the Block Complete B2C orders as usual and there is no change in the packing process.
Packing process for Single Shipment Partial Orders(When Allow Multiple Packboxes config is turned OFF in Packing screen Configurations)
SINGLE_SHIPMENT_PARTIAL orders refer to a specific order fulfillment type in which not all items of a BLOCK_COMPLETE order can be fulfilled. In such cases, the fulfillment type is updated to SINGLE_SHIPMENT_PARTIAL. For these orders, all unscanned items will be automatically canceled in WMS during the Complete Packing process.
When Allow Multiple Packboxes configuration is tuned off at Packing screen configurations, below steps should be followed for orders with type SINGLE_SHIPMENT_PARTIAL.
Scan the Item Codes as usual in Piece Packing screen.
Once all Item Codes which user wants to pack are scanned, please click Partially Pack in Box button. This will allow user to only pack the scanned line items even when the number of line items in order were more than scanned.
User can complete the packing by clicking Complete Packing button.
User can print invoice and shipping label by clicking Print Invoice & Shipping Label button.
Packing process for Block Complete Orders when Allow Multiple Packboxes configuration is turned On
Please follow below steps when the Multiple Packboxes configuration is turned On.
On scanning first item, the Scan Box pop up will be displayed. Here, user can generate and print a Box Id. Box ID should be sticked to Box.
Since it’s first box of the shipment, user is still given the choice to pack the order in single box. User can click the button Pack Order in a Single Box to still go ahead with packing without printing a box sticker.
If a box Id was generated in previous step, user will scan required items while physically adding those to the box.
Please click Close Box button once required items are added into it.
After closing previous box of same shipment, when user scans the next item, the Scan Box pop up will be displayed. Please print the Box Id and scan. Please stick the Box Id to the box.
Please keep on scanning all the items while physically adding those to the box. The count of items SKU-wise in the box is present in the screen as shown below.
This will also help when screen got refreshed by user due to some reason. He can continue packing by physically matching SKU-wise item count for scanned items to the box.Please close the box once the required items are added to that box. A close box confirmation will pop up, please click Confirm button.
If the package SKU, dimensions or weight capturing is enabled, te Capture Package details pop up will appear. Capture the required details and Submit.
Once all the items are added to box, please click Complete Packing button. Then, Click on Close Shipment button. If there are any error, please resolve them. Refer Error Handling section in this doc for more details.
Post this, please print Invoice and Shipping label. Multiple Shipping box labels should be sticked on respective boxes.
Please scan all the all the box AWBs to complete the shipment.
If Allow box label is not enabled at backend, only one shipping label per shipment will get generated even if there are multiple pack boxes present for the shipment. In such case, user will scan the same parent AWB number for all number of boxes present in the shipment.
Manifest Flow
Steps to create and close manifest for Multiple Pack Box shipments
A manifest is created in Manifest screen as usual.
For shipments without multiple boxes, AWB number can be scanned as usual and there is no change in the user interface. Same manifest can have both type of shipments(single packet or multi box shipment).
For shipments with multiple boxes, when any of the AWB for shipment(either parent AWB or any Child AWB) is scanned, the pop-up as shown below will be displayed. We display the count of scanned Box AWBs for the shipment AWB.
Please note, if the user refreshes screen while scanning Box Ids against an AWB, user will have to scan all child AWBs once again for the particular AWB to add shipment to manifest.User will have to scan all the box Ids that belong to that specific shipment.
Post that, please click on Add Shipment button to continue scanning other AWBs
Generate Manifest Document
Please find the sample manifest document where multiple boxes for the same shipment are present.
Line items in Manifest Doc are sorted in descending order of box count.
The document also has a total box count at the end.
- Rahul Singh To attach the document.
Handover Flow
Steps to Handover by AWBs for Multiple Pack Box shipments
For shipments without multiple boxes, AWB number can be scanned as usual and there is no change in the user interface.
For shipments with multiple boxes, when any of the AWB for shipment(either parent AWB or any Child AWB) is scanned, the pop-up as shown below will be displayed. We display the count of scanned Box AWBs for the shipment AWB.
Please note, if the user refreshes screen while scanning Box Ids against an AWB, user will have to scan all child AWBs once again for the particular AWB to add shipment to manifest.User will have to scan all the box Ids that belong to that specific shipment. If some packets are not scanned and added to the manifest, manifest close is not be allowed.
Post that, please click on Confirm button to continue scanning other AWBs for handover.
Handover By Manifest
No changes in this flow.
Generate Handover Document
Please find the sample handover document where multiple boxes for the same shipment are present.
OMS to include the count of boxes for every AWB in the handover document. Line items in Handover Doc to be sorted in descending order of box count.
Document should also have total box count in the end.
- Rahul Singh Sample handover and manifest doc to be added
Creating Internal Order with Multi-Pack Boxes & labels
Add isMultiPackBoxAllowed & areBoxLabelsAllowed flags while creating internal order
- To discuss on the requirement & use case
Error Handling
The system will display errors in the user interface, guiding users to remove items from the Pack Box if needed. This helps prevent issues such as extra boxes being added after shipment closure or unclosed boxes with items.
Error scenario where the Pack Box gets closed but adding box to shipment is not successfull.
After the boxes are added in the shipment some qty gets cancelled in OMS
Error will be displayed to remove items from the Pack Box. The user would have physically added the items to the box, hence those items which are cancelled should be removed from the box.
User will navigate to Remove Items from Outward Box screen in WMS
The discrepancy will be displayed here. Currently the user can refer report to know the box where the items of the discrepancy SKUs are present. The cancelled items can be removed from the box by scanning those items.
User can sync the order to ensure that all the discrepancy is corrected.
After the boxes are added to the shipment all the items of the box are removed
While closing the shipment if there are any empty CLOSE box associated with it (resulted from removing items from box), then error will be displayed.
The empty box IDs will be displayed in the error message and user is prompted to physically remove them from shipment.
The user has to remove the box from the shipment by clicking Remove button.
Dimension Capturing misses
In case where dimension capturing is mandatory, but for all the closed boxes dimensions are not captured. In such case user has to capture the dimensions for all the close boxes (with some items) and then proceed with the close shipment.
The Pack Box not closed
User has added items to the box, but has not closed the box. This box will not get added to shipment, hence error will be thrown since the order is BLOCK_COMPLETE. We display the Box ID - Status - Count of Items in the packing screen. Here the user scan and close the box first.
After the errors are resolved by user on taking required actions, the below message will be displayed.