For busy readers:
-
Automated conversion of units of measure: Our system enables seamless conversion between different units of measure such as pieces, packages, or pallets, ensuring orders are precisely captured and processed.
-
Challenge of mixed orders: For orders with different units of measure, our technology ensures smooth conversion to avoid confusion and errors.
-
Customer-specific adaptations: The system considers specific customer needs by recognizing individual units of measure and automatically converting them.
In modern logistics and order processing, precise capture and processing of order quantities is crucial. Handling different units of measure such as pieces, packages, or pallets often presents a challenge. Especially when different units of measure are contained in a single order. In this article, we examine how automated systems can solve this problem and which specific methods are used.
The challenge: Mixed orders
A large portion of orders are captured either entirely in piece counts or in packages. In these cases, processing is simple: Orders are processed and shipped according to the specified unit of measure. However, it becomes problematic when an order contains both piece and package units. This can happen, for example, when a customer orders multiple items, some of which are listed in piece counts and others in packages or other sizes.
Automated conversion of units of measure
We have developed a mechanism that automates the conversion of units of measure. Our system can seamlessly convert from packages to piece counts and vice versa, or convert to other units of measure.
When converting packages to piece counts, our system calculates the corresponding piece count for each position ordered in packages and seamlessly transfers this to the order capture.
For orders primarily placed in packages, where piece counts are specified for certain items, the system automatically adapts and converts the piece counts to corresponding package units.
In this way, we ensure smooth and uniform capture and processing of all incoming orders.
Case study: Converting packages to piece counts
In a typical order, a customer might place the following order:
Overall, this is a complex order since it contains both packages and individual pieces as units of measure.
Our automated system recognizes in such cases that order line 2 contains exclusively individual pieces, while the other lines are ordered in packages.
At the end of processing, the system shows that a total of 400 individual pieces need to be shipped.
Through the use of automated order capture -- a core element of process automation -- it is ensured that all orders are correctly captured and processed without confusion or errors.
This not only saves time but also improves customer satisfaction, as products are delivered on time and in the correct quantity.
Exceptions and special cases
However, there are also exceptions where certain product numbers should be excluded from automatic conversion. To ensure this, these exceptions are managed by our system in a separate lookup table. When the system recognizes such a product number, no conversion is performed. The order thus remains in the originally chosen unit of measure, whether package or piece.
Customer-specific adaptations
Another central feature of our automated order capture is the ability to account for customer-specific units. Customers often use different designations for units of measure, such as "box," "packet," "carton," "pallet," etc. Our system recognizes these units and can convert them based on previously defined specifications. In some cases where the unit of measure is not clear, the system searches the product description for keywords to decide whether a conversion is required.
Should the article number be designed so that the article quantity can be derived from it, our systems can automatically capture this information. The structure of the article number could, for example, be designed so that the quantity specification is found at the end or at another fixed position, such as digits 5 and 6. Let's say the article number "136542025" follows this pattern, and the quantity can be derived from the last two digits -- then the article quantity would be 25.
Conclusion: Flexibility and precision in order capture
Automated order capture offers enormous advantages as part of a comprehensive automation solution, particularly in handling different units of measure. Through the implementation of conversion mechanisms, exception rules, and customer-specific adaptations, it is ensured that orders can be processed precisely and efficiently. This leads not only to improved customer satisfaction but also optimizes internal processes within the company. Learn how such data can be seamlessly transferred to ERP systems in our article on integrating Excel files into ERP systems.
By adopting this technology, companies can focus on what matters most: timely and error-free delivery of their products to customers. If you too would like to benefit from these advantages and increase the efficiency of your logistics processes, we invite you to a presentation of our automated order capture system. Contact us now!
