Introduction

Iptor IP1 system allows you to interface to an external warehousing system for warehouse functions. Various warehouse interfaces is defined in IP1 for data transfer between 1P1 and the external warehouse system. External warehouse can FTP data from their IBM POWER SYSTEM to the client’s IBM POWER SYSTEM and vice versa(using an internet connection). The FTP process can be built into the Import and Export processes.

The interface files can be exported/imported once or more per day either as part of End of Day or as a scheduled job.

A menu option is provided in the Warehouse Interface menu to resend the pick slip orders if there is a problem. It will ask for a warehouse run number. Similarly a menu option is provided in the Warehouse Interface menu to allow shipments/P.O to be resent. Both of these options will repopulate the files just as they were initialized the first time.

After the files have been sent to the warehouse (either by pushing or pulling), the files are cleared. When any data has been received back from the 3^rd party warehouse, the normal warehouse interface process will clear the data after processing.

The following information is sent to/received from the external warehouse.

Information sent	Information received
Item masterfile records; new records and changes to existing records	Pick confirmation details
Customer masterfile records: new records and changes to existing records	Stock receipts (from shipments)
Pick slips (orders including stock transfers)	Stock adjustments
Shipping details (expected receipts)	Authorised Returns
If picking from your own warehouse and despatching from a 3^rd party system, the pick confirmed invoice can be sent to the despatching system.	Unauthorized returns
Returns Authorizations	Stock transfers received from another warehouse
	Dispatched invoices from a 3^rd party despatch system
	Stock counts

Business rules

View the business rules

The following control files have to be set up for IP1 interface to a 3rd party warehouse.

Control files
TMSDS/ITF-MGT – Interface Management Flag if the 3rd party warehouse interface is is to be managed by its own interface data queue processor or via the standard data queue for order handling (DSM000). If the Standard data queue is chosen = 2, then DSM000 will stop and start the interface queue.
TMSDS/ITF-TYPE Interface types – given a DTAQ entry call a pgm Setup the Data Entry Type and the corresponding program that the background processor should call for the interface. An Entry Type may represent any type of data, eg. a completed picking key as supplied by a third-party warehouse system, an electronic shipping advice from a supplier etc.
TMSDS/WH-RUN Automatic warehouse run generate This Control File determines the pick method and order category by warehouse, and whether the pick run should be automatically generated. If Auto generate run is 1=Y and immediate pick slip flag = ‘Y’ then the warehouse run would be automatically created on order release to the warehouse (WHM070 Release for picking step would be skipped). If this flag is set to Yes then error report would print if error occurs with the release of the run and the order will go back to K status.
TMSDS/WI-PGM Warehouse Interface – Special programs This Control File defines any additional external processes that need to be run from within the normal background order processing function. If extracting and sending warehouse interface orders to the warehouse as part of the run process, then add the following. This only affects the orders that are sent to the warehouse, this does not send the other transactions: WHO210B WIO420C WHO220 WIO420C WHO225 WIO420C
TMSWH/WI-ORTYP W/h interface order extract type Determines whether to send pick slip details only or complete orders to the warehouse. Also determines if manual pick confirm is enabled. If enabled, an IP1 user could manually confirm the pick slips if there is a problem in the warehouse or with the file transfer. This could also be used to reject an order after it has been sent to the warehouse. If the order is to be rejected, the warehouse should not send back the order with zero pick qty. If they did, that would put all items on backorder. The Detail type can be one of the following: O = Complete Order Details. This includes orders showing backorder lines for the purpose of printing a complete invoice reflecting the original customer order. This is inclusive of picking slips. P = Pick Slip details only. This does not include backorders. It allows you to send the picking slip details only. Allow Manual Pick Confirm: This is used to determine if you want to allow to manually confirm pick slips even if it has gone to the external system. This should be flagged as N = No where the external system is allocating the invoice number to avoid two different invoice numbers in two different systems.
TMSWH/WI-PAYT W/h interface payment terms conversion Setup the external payment terms code for the IP1 payment terms code which is to be sent to the external warehouse. This is a two way conversion, which means the code will be converted when being transferred out or transferred in.
TMSWHS/WI-CAR W/h interface carrier conversion Setup the external carrier code for the IP1 carrier code which is to be sent to the external warehouse. This is a two way conversion, which means the code will be converted when being transferred out or transferred in.
TMSWH/WI-WHCNV W/h interface w/h convert Setup the external warehouse code for the IP1 warehouse code which is to be sent to the external warehouse. This is a two way conversion, which means the code will be converted when being transferred out or transferred in
TMSWH/WI-WHDFT W/h interface defaults This Control File defines the Warehouse, Zone and Location in IP1 system for the stock that is held in the external warehouse. The external stock is held in the internal system.
TMSWH/WI-MVTRN Selected movement trans. types
TMSWH/WI-DEVTP Warehouse interface generic device types The device types that are used for external warehouses must be setup as ‘EXTERNAL’ in this control file. When pick slips are released to the warehouse, auto run can be enabled, which will automatically send the transactions to the warehouse interface files. Part of the auto run is assigning a device type (need to have category selection). This allows for different types of orders to be assigned to different device types. This control file determines which device type to use. If using multiple warehouses, different types of pick slips may be assigned to different warehouses. A device type that is set as “EXTERNAL” will identify it as being for external processing. Any pick slips that go to that device type will go to the external warehouse and populate the WI files.
TMSDS/PRT-SMRY Print picking summary control For the external warehouse device type (defined on WI-DEVTP as ‘EXTERNAL’) setup the print selection and related details. This is used by WIO120 Warehouse Transactions download to extract ‘A’ctive pick/pull transactions from WHTRF and build WITRF to be sent.
TMSWH/WI-DRSN W/h interface discrepancy reason code This Control File defines the Warehouse Interface discrepancy reason codes. You must define the reason code and its description. For example: 02 = No Stock. The Reserve Stock field allows you to determine if you want to hold and reserve the remaining stock for discrepancy.

Control files

TMSDS/ITF-MGT – Interface Management

Flag if the 3rd party warehouse interface is is to be managed by its own interface data queue processor or via the standard data queue for order handling (DSM000). If the Standard data queue is chosen = 2, then DSM000 will stop and start the interface queue.

TMSDS/ITF-TYPE Interface types – given a DTAQ entry call a pgm

Setup the Data Entry Type and the corresponding program that the background processor should call for the interface. An Entry Type may represent any type of data, eg. a completed picking key as supplied by a third-party warehouse system, an electronic shipping advice from a supplier etc.

TMSDS/WH-RUN Automatic warehouse run generate

This Control File determines the pick method and order category by warehouse, and whether the pick run should be automatically generated. If Auto generate run is 1=Y and immediate pick slip flag = ‘Y’ then the warehouse run would be automatically created on order release to the warehouse (WHM070 Release for picking step would be skipped).
If this flag is set to Yes then error report would print if error occurs with the release of the run and the order will go back to K status.

TMSDS/WI-PGM Warehouse Interface – Special programs

This Control File defines any additional external processes that need to be run from within the normal background order processing function. If extracting and sending warehouse interface orders to the warehouse as part of the run process, then add the following. This only affects the orders that are sent to the warehouse, this does not send the other transactions:
WHO210B WIO420C
WHO220 WIO420C
WHO225 WIO420C

TMSWH/WI-ORTYP W/h interface order extract type

Determines whether to send pick slip details only or complete orders to the warehouse. Also determines if manual pick confirm is enabled. If enabled, an IP1 user could manually confirm the pick slips if there is a problem in the warehouse or with the file transfer. This could also be used to reject an order after it has been sent to the warehouse. If the order is to be
rejected, the warehouse should not send back the order with zero pick qty. If they did, that
would put all items on backorder.
The Detail type can be one of the following:
O = Complete Order Details. This includes orders showing backorder lines for the purpose of printing a complete invoice reflecting the original customer order. This is inclusive of picking slips.
P = Pick Slip details only. This does not include backorders. It allows you to send the picking slip details only.

Allow Manual Pick Confirm: This is used to determine if you want to allow to manually confirm pick slips even if it has gone to the external system. This should be flagged as N = No where the external system is allocating the invoice number to avoid two different invoice numbers in two different systems.

TMSWH/WI-PAYT W/h interface payment terms conversion

Setup the external payment terms code for the IP1 payment terms code which is to be sent to the external warehouse. This is a two way conversion, which means the code will be converted when being transferred out or transferred in.

TMSWHS/WI-CAR W/h interface carrier conversion

Setup the external carrier code for the IP1 carrier code which is to be sent to the external warehouse. This is a two way conversion, which means the code will be converted when being transferred out or transferred in.

TMSWH/WI-WHCNV W/h interface w/h convert

Setup the external warehouse code for the IP1 warehouse code which is to be sent to the external warehouse. This is a two way conversion, which means the code will be converted when being transferred out or transferred in

TMSWH/WI-WHDFT W/h interface defaults

This Control File defines the Warehouse, Zone and Location in IP1 system for the stock that is held in the external warehouse. The external stock is held in the internal system.

TMSWH/WI-MVTRN Selected movement trans. types

TMSWH/WI-DEVTP Warehouse interface generic device types

The device types that are used for external warehouses must be setup as ‘EXTERNAL’ in this control file. When pick slips are released to the warehouse, auto run can be enabled, which will automatically send the transactions to the warehouse interface files. Part of the auto run is assigning a device type (need to have category selection). This allows for different types of orders to be assigned to different device types. This control file determines which device type to use. If using multiple warehouses, different types of pick slips may be assigned to different warehouses. A device type that is set as “EXTERNAL” will identify it as being for external processing. Any pick slips that go to that device type will go to the external warehouse and populate the WI files.

TMSDS/PRT-SMRY Print picking summary control

For the external warehouse device type (defined on WI-DEVTP as ‘EXTERNAL’) setup the print selection and related details. This is used by WIO120 Warehouse Transactions download to extract ‘A’ctive pick/pull transactions from WHTRF and build WITRF to be sent.

TMSWH/WI-DRSN W/h interface discrepancy reason code

This Control File defines the Warehouse Interface discrepancy reason codes. You must define the reason code and its description. For example: 02 = No Stock. The Reserve Stock field allows you to determine if you want to hold and reserve the remaining stock for discrepancy.

Procedure

Task	Instructions
Update Interface p/slip files interactively	Warehouse interface pick slip files can be updated interactively by either of the following: A. Each time the warehouse run is created: Base>Distribution>Inventory Management>Warehouse Management>Warehouse Control>Work Management>WH Release Orders to pick (WHM070). B. Automatically on order release to the warehouse. For this automatic update the immediate pick slip flag must be ‘Y’ and the auto run enabled (Auto generate run flag must be turned on in TMSDS/WH-RUN for the External warehouse). Interface pick slip orders will be automatically extracted and added to Order interface files if the setting in TMSDS/WI-PGM allows it (Warehouse interface order extract program (WIO420C) must be setup in control file TMSDS/WI-PGM against Warehouse run program WHO210). The orders extracted will be pick slip orders that have been released to the warehouse with the device type setup as ‘EXTERNAL’ in control file TMSWH/WI-DEVTP. When sending pick slips to the warehouse, the whole order can be sent (including the backorder lines), so that a complete despatch document can print in the warehouse or just send what needs to be picked. Whether complete orders or only pick slip details are to be sent is dependent on TMSWH/WI-ORTYP. The information retrieved from the transaction text file like Special instructions will usually need to print on the invoice. The Warehouse Interface Order files for pick slip details retrieve the information from the Distribution transaction file. If sending complete orders, both the process number and the line number are retrieved from the transaction detail file. If sending pick information only, the line number is retrieved from the warehouse movement’s file and the process number will be blank. The Warehouse interface order text file for pick slip text retrieves warehouse instructions and line item text from the transaction text file. Warehouse instructions usually print on the pick slip. If sending complete orders, this file will have the same line numbers as the transaction detail file. If sending pick information only, no line text details will exist. The following interface order files are updated for export by this process: WIORA00P – Whs interface order header WIORB00P – Whs interface order details WIORC00P – Whs interface order text
Update once or more per day via WIO400 (W/h interface download)	To update once or more per day either as part of End of Day or as a scheduled job: Turn off the interactive update – change TMSDS/WI-PGM so Warehouse interface order extract program is not called from Warehouse run program (WHO210) To run it as part of EOD; add it to “extra programs” (DSCEODG). Or run it via menu option: Base>Distribution>Inventory Management>Warehouse Management>Warehouse Control>Work Management>WH Interface Export WH Details (WIO400). This process runs the following programs: WIO410 – adds new/changed Item master records to WIIMC00P for transfer to external warehouse. This process extracts the active item master file records and compares it with the previously sent master records and adds only the new/changed records to the External w/h item changes file (WIIMC00P). External w/h items changes history file (WIIMO00P) is also updated with the new/changed records. WIO415 – adds new/changed customer master records to WICMC00P for transfer to external warehouse. This process extracts the active customer master file records and compares it with the previously sent master records and adds only the new/changes records to the External w/h customer changes file (WICMC00P). External w/h customer changes history file (WICMO00P) is also updated with the new/changed records. Note 1: To send a complete refresh to the warehouse, clear the customer changes history file which will treat all customer master details as new. The customer changes history file represents all the information that the warehouse has been currently sent. Note 2: Another way to process customer details would be to have a generic customer number on the warehouse system. The customer number on an order will be that number and all the delivery information will be retrieved from the Warehouse Interface Order Header file. This method will prevent the warehouse from being able to track deliveries by customer. The tracking will need to be done in Bookmaster. If using a generic customer number, this could be handled by the translation on the warehouse side. It will be programmed to only use the generic customer number. This would be if the client did not want the warehouse to have the customer information. WIO420 – will extract pick slip orders as described above in the interactive process. WIO430 – will extract shipment and purchase order details to be sent to an external warehouse system as an expected receipt. Only those records where the status is a blank will be selected. Before a Shipment is processed the program checks that the shipment is valid and no longer closed. The warehouse shipment original file uses the same logic as the customer changes file for customer masterfile changes and applies to changes made to the warehouse interface shipment detail file. As shipments are received, old receipt details are purged so they no longer appear as outstanding in the Warehouse Interface shipments original details sent file. The following interface files are updated to be exported to the external warehouse. WICMC00P – External w/h customer changes WIIMC00P – External w/h item changes WIORA00P – Whs interface order header WIORB00P – Whs interface order details WIORC00P – Whs interface order text WISHA00P – Whs interface shipment header WISHB00P – Whs interface shipment detail Note: If the interface has its own data queue processor then ensure the data queue is active for the above files to be exported to the external warehouse.
Export Returns Authorisation details	Returns authorisation details are created from details entered in the Claims Entry/Approval menu option. Once the claim is “released” details can be generated in the returns authorisation extract files. A “RRA” entry needs to be placed in print control for this data to be created and when the claims authorisation print process is run (CLR091) this data will be ready for the external warehouse to use when receiving stock for claim returns purposes. The following files are updated to be sent to the external warehouse for Returns Authorisations. WIRAA00P – Whs interface R/A header download WIRAB00P – Whs interface R/A detail download
Resend Pick slip orders to external warehouse (WIO420)	This program can be used to resend the pickslip orders if there is a problem with the initial export. Run via menu option: Base>Distribution>Inventory Management>Warehouse Management>Whse Mgnt Interface>External Warehouse>WH Interface Re-send PS The system will ask for the warehouse and run number and extract the data and repopulate the interface order files just as they were initialized the first time.
Re-send Ship details to external warehouse (WIO430)	This program will extract shipment and purchase order details to be re-sent to an external warehouse system. Run via menu option: Base>Distribution>Inventory Management>Warehouse Management>Whse Mgnt Interface>External Warehouse>WH Interface Re-send Ship Details The selected details for the nominated shipment/purchase order will be resent regardless of whether they have changed from what was sent previously.
Import external warehouse data (WIO450)	W/h interface upload is run to receive data back from the 3rd party warehouse. This can be run as a scheduled job or as part of end of day. If you want the EOD to record sales and generate invoices, this program must be called prior to EOD run. After WIO450 is run and the files are archived, the files will be cleared. Another data area exists (WIO450) which archives incoming file details, similar to the data area for WIO400. The following files are received from the external warehouse. WICLA00P – Claim/Return input file – header WICLB00P – Claim/Return input file – detail WIDPA/WIDB/WIDPC00P – W/h interface despatch header/detail/cartons. WISAJ00P – Stock adjustment from external warehouse. The Stock Adjustments file assumes all stock adjustments to be done at the external warehouse. If the client wishes to do a stock adjustment, they will need to notify the warehouse manually and have the warehouse enter the adjustment. The stock adjustment menu options in Bookmaster should be disabled to avoid any one sided adjustments. Any Stock adjustment code must be valid in TMSDS/TR-SADJ. Carton quantity will always be one. The Location code can be blank and therefore Bookmaster will retrieve the default location from TMSWH/WI-WHDFT which contains default zone and location for the nominated warehouse code. WISHR00P – W/h interface shipment receipts. The Shipment Receipts file uses ship ID (ship number or PO number) as the Parcel ID. Receipts key, line number and sub-line number should have the same values as those sent in the warehouse interface shipment header and detail files. Goods manifest number is nominated by the warehouse and is informational only. Last receipt quantity is the actual receipt quantity. Discrepancy quantity is the damaged quantity received. For example, if 100 are received and 20 are damaged, receipt quantity will be 100 and discrepancy will be 20. Carton quantity will be one. Receipt confirmation date is the actual receipt date. Gross weight, volume, length, width and depth will update the item masterfile. WISRT00P – W/h interface in-transit receipt. This file uses stock received from another external warehouse. Stock transferred to another warehouse would normally be performed via a pick slip. Bookmaster will recognize this as an in-transit transaction and will put the stock in-transit. This file will be generated by the external warehouse to confirm that the stock has been received. Likewise, the external warehouse could send stock to the main warehouse, in which case the main warehouse would generate this file. WIINV00P – W/h interface invoices. The Warehouse Interface invoices file allows Invoices that are dispatched by a third party despatch system after being picked by the client’s system. The transactions selected are “I” status invoices. WIERR00P – W/h interface error log
Monitor Warehouse interface for errors (WIM450)	The Warehouse Interface Error log file is created by IP1 and contains all of the interface errors that have occurred. The reference is populated by IP1 depending on the transaction in error. This field will contain the receipt key when there has been a shipment receipt error. Otherwise it will be blank when the following errors have occurred: despatch, pick confirm, stock adjustment, in transit. Maintain this file by investigating the error, taking appropriate action and deleting the error from the file.