<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<ManualTopic ID="/baanerp/wh/onlinemanual/000031" xml:lang="en">
   <Header>
      <Title>Packaging levels</Title>
      <Keyword type="header" order="d1e3009215">
         <Level1>Packaging level</Level1>
      </Keyword>
   </Header>
   <AimSection>
      <Paragraph>A packaging level is an integral part of a fixed <Link href="/baanerp/wh/glossary/glossary#000357" role="glossary">package definition</Link>.</Paragraph>
      <Paragraph>To pack an item, you can use various packing materials. To pack
		an item such as a can opener, you can use a box, and then put the boxes with
		can openers on a pallet. Box and pallet are packing materials. Item, box, and
		pallet each represent a packaging level. Item is level one, box is level two,
		and pallet is level three. You can define various packaging levels for a fixed
		package definition.</Paragraph>
      <Paragraph>Packaging levels are used for the following
		purposes:</Paragraph>
      <List>
         <ListItem>If <Link href="/baanerp/wh/glossary/glossary#000432" role="glossary">handling units</Link> are used, to define the nodes and the
		  relations between the nodes of a packing structure for a <Link href="/baanerp/wh/glossary/glossary#000446" role="glossary">handling unit template</Link>.</ListItem>
         <ListItem>If handling units are not used, to define the way items are
		  packed. For items stored in a particular warehouse, to specify whether handling
		  units are used, you can select or clear the <GUIRef href="/baanerp/wh/wmd/whwmd2110s000#whwmd210.uhnd" role="manual">Use Handling Units in</GUIRef> check box in the <GUIRef href="/baanerp/wh/wmd/whwmd2110s000" role="session">Warehouse - Item (whwmd2110s000)</GUIRef> session. For specific items, to specify whether
		  handling units are used, you can select or clear the <GUIRef href="/baanerp/wh/wmd/whwmd4100s000#whwmd400.uhnd" role="manual">Handling Units in Use</GUIRef> check box in the <GUIRef href="/baanerp/wh/wmd/whwmd4100s000" role="session">Item - Warehousing (whwmd4100s000)</GUIRef> session.</ListItem>
      </List>
   </AimSection>
   <GeneralSection>
      <Paragraph>For each packaging level, you must specify the proportional
		number of items or packaging items.</Paragraph>
      <ExampleSection>
         <SectionTitle>Example A</SectionTitle>
         <List>
            <ListItemHead>Level 1</ListItemHead>
            <ListItem>Can openers</ListItem>
            <ListItemHead>Level 2</ListItemHead>
            <ListItem>Box type A: contains 200 can openers</ListItem>
            <ListItemHead>Level 3</ListItemHead>
            <ListItem>Pallet type B: carries 100 boxes type A</ListItem>
         </List>
      </ExampleSection>
      <Paragraph>To specify the proportional number of items or packaging
		materials for each packaging level, you must use storage units related to the
		packaging materials and the items, respectively.</Paragraph>
      <Paragraph>For each packaging level, you must specify a storage unit. The
		lowest level is the base inventory unit for the item. Each higher level can
		contain the previous, lower, level. Note that for packaging levels you do not
		define specific items, but storage units referenced by various items.</Paragraph>
      <ExampleSection>
         <SectionTitle>Example B</SectionTitle>
         <Paragraph>For example, the lowest level has storage unit PCS for the
		  item, the next level has storage unit BXA for the box, which contains 200
		  pieces, and for the highest level the storage unit is PLB for the pallet that
		  contains 100 boxes.</Paragraph>
         <TABLE border="1" borderstyle="default" space-and-orientation="indented-estimated">
            <TBODY noTR="4">
               <TR valign="top" no="1" isLast="false">
                  <TH width="45" valign="top" rowspan="1" colspan="1">Level</TH>
                  <TH width="84" valign="top" rowspan="1" colspan="1">Storage unit</TH>
                  <TH width="342" valign="top" rowspan="1" colspan="1">Storage unit description</TH>
               </TR>
               <TR no="2" isLast="false">
                  <TD width="45" rowspan="1" colspan="1">1</TD>
                  <TD width="84" rowspan="1" colspan="1">PCS</TD>
                  <TD width="342" rowspan="1" colspan="1">Pieces; the storage
				  unit for the item</TD>
               </TR>
               <TR no="3" isLast="false">
                  <TD width="45" rowspan="1" colspan="1">2</TD>
                  <TD width="84" rowspan="1" colspan="1">BXA</TD>
                  <TD width="342" rowspan="1" colspan="1">Box type A: contains 200 PCS</TD>
               </TR>
               <TR no="4" isLast="true">
                  <TD width="45" rowspan="1" colspan="1">3</TD>
                  <TD width="84" rowspan="1" colspan="1">PLB</TD>
                  <TD width="342" rowspan="1" colspan="1">Pallet type B: carries 20,000 PCS (100 boxes
				  type A)</TD>
               </TR>
            </TBODY>
         </TABLE>
      </ExampleSection>
      <Paragraph>The storage unit at each level must be established in the unit
		set for the item. Each level must also have a conversion factor to the base
		unit of the item. Whenever a higher level is added, a check is performed to
		ensure that the conversion factor is not smaller than that of the previous
		level. For example, when the level 3 pallet with a conversion factor of 20,000
		pieces is added to the level 2 box of 200 pieces, 20,000 is divided evenly by
		200 to yield 100 boxes on a pallet.</Paragraph>
      <Paragraph>When you link the package definition to an item, such as can
		openers in the previous example, which is described in Step 8 in <Link href="/baanerp/wh/onlinemanual/000334" role="manual">To define package definitions</Link>, the conversion factors of the storage units
		defined for the packaging levels determine the number of packing materials and
		items for each level.</Paragraph>
   </GeneralSection>
   <GeneralSection>
      <SectionTitle>Packaging data</SectionTitle>
      <Paragraph>In addition to the unit that you define for a package definition
		level, the package levels of a fixed packaging definition include the following
		data:</Paragraph>
      <List>
         <ListItemHead>
            <GUIRef href="/baanerp/wh/wmd/whwmd4120s000#whwmd420.pitm" role="manual">Packaging Item</GUIRef>
         </ListItemHead>
         <ListItem>The packaging item used to pack the package. Packaging items
		  can be received and stored in a warehouse like any other item. Packaging items
		  can have an assigned location like a normal inventory item. Packaging items
		  have a flag to indicate whether the items are reusable. Reusable packaging
		  items can be returned to inventory after they have been emptied. Note that
		  reusable packaging items can be physically stored in inventory, but they are
		  not registered in inventory in ERP Enterprise.</ListItem>
         <ListItemHead>External dimensions</ListItemHead>
         <ListItem>The external dimensions of the package.</ListItem>
         <ListItemHead>
            <GUIRef href="/baanerp/wh/wmd/whwmd4120s000#whwmd420.wght" role="manual">Weight</GUIRef>
         </ListItemHead>
         <ListItem>The <Link href="/baanerp/wh/wmd/whwmd4120s000#whwmd420.wght" role="formfield">Weight</Link> of the package.</ListItem>
         <ListItemHead>
            <GUIRef href="/baanerp/wh/wmd/whwmd4120s000#whwmd420.loct" role="manual">Location Type</GUIRef>
         </ListItemHead>
         <ListItem>The pick or bulk location where the package is stored.</ListItem>
         <ListItemHead>
            <GUIRef href="/baanerp/wh/wmd/whwmd4120s000#whwmd420.pktp" role="manual">Package Type</GUIRef>
         </ListItemHead>
         <ListItem>The package type indicates whether material is stored
		  internally or externally. Internally means that items or packing material is
		  packed inside the package item. For example, boxes inside a larger box. If you
		  put more boxes in the larger box, the overall volume of the larger box does not
		  increase. Externally means items or packing material is put on top of the
		  package item. For example, crates on a pallet. When you add crates, the volume
		  of the pallet increases.</ListItem>
         <ListItemHead>
            <GUIRef href="/baanerp/wh/wmd/whwmd4120s000#whwmd420.pqty" role="manual">Exists for Partial Quantity</GUIRef>
         </ListItemHead>
         <ListItem>The partial quantity flag is used when picking orders. When a
		  box is picked from a pallet, the pallet still exists in the location with the
		  remaining quantity. Therefore, the pallet still exists for partial quantities.
		  However, for particular types of boxes, when pieces are picked from the box,
		  the box is discarded and the remaining pieces are represented as pieces. The
		  box does not exist for partial quantities.</ListItem>
         <ListItemHead>
            <GUIRef href="/baanerp/wh/wmd/whwmd4120s000#whwmd420.shpb" role="manual">Shippable</GUIRef>
         </ListItemHead>
         <ListItem>
            <Link href="/baanerp/wh/wmd/whwmd4120s000#whwmd420.shpb" role="formfield">Shippable</Link>
         </ListItem>
      </List>
   </GeneralSection>
   <GeneralSection>
      <SectionTitle>Multiple package definitions</SectionTitle>
      <Paragraph>Because items can exist in various package sizes, you can link
		multiple package definitions to an item. If the item in the previous example
		can also be stored in a box that contains 50 pieces, another fixed package
		definition can be created for this item. However, units that are used in a
		package definition on a level higher than one cannot be used in another package
		definition for the same item.</Paragraph>
      <ExampleSection>
         <SectionTitle>Example C</SectionTitle>
         <TABLE width="44%" border="1" borderstyle="default"
                space-and-orientation="indented-estimated">
            <THEAD noTR="1">
               <TR valign="top" no="1" isLast="true">
                  <TH width="53" valign="top" align="left" rowspan="1" colspan="1">Level</TH>
                  <TH width="252" valign="top" align="left" rowspan="1" colspan="1">Contents</TH>
               </TR>
            </THEAD>
            <TBODY noTR="3">
               <TR no="1" isLast="false">
                  <TD width="53" rowspan="1" colspan="1">1</TD>
                  <TD width="252" rowspan="1" colspan="1">pieces</TD>
               </TR>
               <TR no="2" isLast="false">
                  <TD width="53" rowspan="1" colspan="1">2</TD>
                  <TD width="252" rowspan="1" colspan="1">BXB (a box
				  of 50 pieces)</TD>
               </TR>
               <TR no="3" isLast="true">
                  <TD width="53" rowspan="1" colspan="1">3</TD>
                  <TD width="252" rowspan="1" colspan="1">PLB (pallet of
				  400 BXB = 20,000 pieces)</TD>
               </TR>
            </TBODY>
         </TABLE>
      </ExampleSection>
      <Paragraph>A faster method for creating package definitions for multiple
		items is using the variable package definition. For further information, see <Link href="/baanerp/wh/onlinemanual/000334" role="manual">To define package definitions</Link>.</Paragraph>
      <Paragraph>A default package definition is always allocated to an item in
		the <GUIRef href="/baanerp/wh/wmd/whwmd4500m000" role="session">Items - Warehousing (whwmd4500m000)</GUIRef> session. Because a particular warehouse
		may handle the item with a different package definition, a default (possibly
		different) package definition is also provided in the <GUIRef href="/baanerp/wh/wmd/whwmd2110s000" role="session">Warehouse - Item (whwmd2110s000)</GUIRef> session.</Paragraph>
      <Paragraph>You can choose to assign a default package definition by
		business partner and item. This definition is used for a supplier who packages
		the item in a way that differs from other suppliers. When you purchase this
		item from this supplier, the package definition defaults to the one defined for
		this business partner and item. This default can be overridden in the <GUIRef href="/baanerp/td/ipu/tdipu0110m000" role="session">Items - Purchase Business Partner (tdipu0110m000)</GUIRef> session, if required.</Paragraph>
      <Paragraph>For sales orders, a mandatory package definition can be
		selected in the <GUIRef href="/baanerp/td/isa/tdisa0110s000" role="session">Item - Sales Business Partner (tdisa0110s000)</GUIRef> session.
		You cannot replace a mandatory package definition with another package
		definition, and the package definition is always mandatory for outbound order
		lines.</Paragraph>
   </GeneralSection>
   <GeneralSection>
      <SectionTitle>Relationship of packaging to inventory</SectionTitle>
      <Paragraph>Fixed package definitions have a relationship to inventory. If
		a location has an item stored in a base inventory unit called, for example,
		pieces, an inventory record and an inventory structure record is included for
		the pieces. This enables you to search the inventory for the various types of
		packaging. For example, if inventory is required by pallet, you can find the
		inventory. If inventory is required by pieces and the item is stored at a
		higher level of packaging, the inventory unit quantity is converted to the
		higher levels of packaging.</Paragraph>
      <TABLE width="44%" border="1" borderstyle="default"
             space-and-orientation="indented-estimated">
         <THEAD noTR="1">
            <TR valign="top" no="1" isLast="true">
               <TH width="53" valign="top" align="left" rowspan="1" colspan="1">Level</TH>
               <TH width="252" valign="top" align="left" rowspan="1" colspan="1">Contents</TH>
            </TR>
         </THEAD>
         <TBODY noTR="3">
            <TR no="1" isLast="false">
               <TD width="53" rowspan="1" colspan="1">1</TD>
               <TD width="252" rowspan="1" colspan="1">pieces</TD>
            </TR>
            <TR no="2" isLast="false">
               <TD width="53" rowspan="1" colspan="1">2</TD>
               <TD width="252" rowspan="1" colspan="1">BXB (a box
				of 50 pieces)</TD>
            </TR>
            <TR no="3" isLast="true">
               <TD width="53" rowspan="1" colspan="1">3</TD>
               <TD width="252" rowspan="1" colspan="1">PLB (pallet of
				400 BXB = 20,000 pieces)</TD>
            </TR>
         </TBODY>
      </TABLE>
      <Paragraph>For example, if you use the package definition from example C,
		a quantity of 45,505 pieces is converted into two full PLB pallets (400
		pieces), 110 full BXB boxes (of 50 pieces), and five separate pieces.</Paragraph>
   </GeneralSection>
   <GeneralSection>
      <SectionTitle>Package ownership</SectionTitle>
      <Paragraph>Owners of pallets and containers want to get their own property
		back, and to be able to send their partners' property back to them, ERP Enterprise tracks the number of
		pallets and containers that have been received or shipped. Only re-usable
		packaging items can be tracked.</Paragraph>
      <Paragraph>Re-usable packages are counted into and out of warehouses per
		business partner.</Paragraph>
   </GeneralSection>
</ManualTopic>