This article covers how to create and process an outwards consignment including creating an outwards consignment, adding products, picking products, calculating charges, moving through statuses and closing a consignment.
Creating an Outwards Consignment
Consignments are created and managed in the Consignments menu.
To create a new consignment choose . Consignly gives the option to create a Point to Point, Inwards or Outwards consignment.
In this case we are creating an outwards consignment.
Enter the consignment details beginning with the Client. Tapping this field will present a list of recent Client Partners to select from. Start typing their name to refine the options.
Provide a reference number and the date entered; this will default as today's date but can be changed with the calendar if required.
An screenshot illustrating creating an outwards consignment.
Select the route for this outwards consignment.
Tapping in the Origin field will present a list of warehouse locations to select from. Choose the warehouse that the product will be shipped from.
Next, select your destination. Tapping this field will present a list of Consignee addresses to choose from.
Optionally add a new Consignee here or enter an ad-hoc address that can be selected for future consignments across all Client Partners.
Once both origin and destination are specified, Consignly will present you with a route map.
Enter any relevant shipping information, such as container number, container size and type, vessel and voyage information.
Finally, select a Carrier Partner, and enter a reference if applicable.
Choose the Create Consignment button to create the consignment.
Adding Inventory
Search and select the inventory that you are consigning.
Consignly will raise the Inventory screen after creating the outwards consignment. Use the filters at the top to find the inventory and enter the quantity.
Inventory search is live, so the inventory results will change as filters are provided.
When choosing product and quantities, Consignly will automatically suggest products based on the stock depletion and rotation methods for that product. If your product is FIFO then oldest inventory will be suggested first.
Override Consignly's suggestion by selecting the appropriate lines and entering the quantity to add to your consignment.
A screenshot illustrating the Add Inventory screen
Once Inventory has been configured, choose Add Inventory. This will add the inventory to the outwards consignment. Add More Inventory will add these items and return you to the search to find further inventory items to add to the consignment.
Save the inventory by choosing the Save Changes button on the Products card.
You may also search for product based on a different unit conversion for that product.
For example, if you have set up unit conversions for cartons and outers, as well as pallets, then these conversions will appear in a drop down menu on the add inventory screen.
You can search for a certain number of cartons, or virtual pallets of inventory. Consignly will automatically calculate the number of stocked items required to satisfy your search, and attempt to find that amount of inventory for you.
Example of searching on a different unit conversion
Entering other information
After the consignment is created, Consignly will navigate to the consignment detail view.
The top of the consignment display several tabs that take you to other related things on a consignment, such as notes, charges, history, etc.
The Detail tab includes several cards. The first one is General consignment information, this includes general information about the consignment, including number, reference and expected arrival.
The Route card, shows the origin and destination for this consignment with both a map and addresses, and the Container / Shipping card holds shipping information.
The Status card shows the current consignment status. For a new outwards consignment this will show as pending.
Metrics details the weight, volume and quantity for this consignment.
Charges is where you can calculate the freight incurred, freight charged and activity charges for this consignment based on those already entered in Consignly.
Shipping information
If this consignment has related shipment information, it can be entered along with relevant container information.
In the Container / Shipping card, choose Edit and enter any vessel and voyage information, along with container size, type and number.
Receive and return dates can be entered once these have taken place. Voyage details may be recorded, along with a container yard and delivery reference if appropriate. Save the information by choosing Save Changes.
This information helps feed dashboard widgets that show containers due soon, as well as containers that might be close to or are currently in detention.
The consignment is now 'Ready to Pick' and the status can be changed by choosing the new status.
Picking Products
When it is time to prepare the consignment, the inventory needs to be picked.
When the status of this consignment is changed to 'Ready to Pick' the new action called Pick becomes available.
Choose this on this to start picking inventory.
You will now see a list of all products which require picking for the consignment. All of the information needed to do so, including batch, expiry, quantity required and metrics are present here.
Tapping the arrow will show the location details for each product.
Tick the items which have been picked. Once complete, click Pick Selected, enter a date and time that the pick took place. The information will be transacted in the warehouse based on the choice made here.
Consignly will default this to the current date and time, but these fields can be updated if needed.
The date/time entered is based on the time zone set in your user profile.
A screen illustrating the pick process. In this example a single line is being picked.
Held inventory and traceability
Inventory that is added to a consignment is put on hold in Consignly. Holds ensure that inventory cannot be allocated to another consignment and essentially reserves the stock.
If the consignment is under-picked, then the balance of the inventory that was held but not picked will still remain held.
When the consignment is closed, these holds will be released automatically. Optionally a held can be released manually while the consignment is in a status other than Closed. This releases the inventory line from this consignment and allows it to be added to another consignment.
The action menu for products on an outwards consignment, illustrating how to release a hold and view transactions
All movements that take place in the warehouse are recorded as transactions. On an outwards consignment, transactions can be viewed for each inventory line by choosing View Transactions from the action menu.
This provides a level of traceability to operators.
A screenshot illustrating product transactions describing movements in the warehouse for that item of inventory
Preparing for Dispatch
Once the consignment has been picked the consignment can be moved into a 'Ready to Dispatch' status.
On the Dashboard the 'Outwards Consignments To Dispatch' widget shows the number of consignments which are awaiting dispatch for each Carrier Partner, along with the total volume and weight.
Clicking on the Carrier Partner will open a refined search list showing a list of consignments which are ready to dispatch for that Carrier Partner.
Marking the Consignment as 'In Transit'
Once this consignment has been collected by the Carrier Partner the status can be updated to 'In Transit'. Your client partner can login and see the status for each of their consignments.
To calculate freight and handling charges for this consignment click the Calculate All button in the Charges card.
This will calculate the freight incurred, freight charged and the activity charges for the consignment. Consignly will calculate these for you automatically using the freight and activity rates entered for this Client Partner and the chosen Carrier.
To get better visibility of the charges being raised, you can navigate to the Charges tab, which shows a break down of all charges calculated.
The freight margin for this consignment will be displayed and if it falls below the specified threshold as defined on the Client Partner settings, Consignly will highlight the charge details in red.
Activity charges will also be listed individually in this section once calculated.
Completing the Consignment
When the consignment arrives, the status can be changed to Complete.
Closing the Consignment
When you are ready to close off and raise charges for the consignment, change the status to 'Closed'.
This will present a summary of the charges that will be raised. Consignly will let you choose a transaction date to assign against the charges.
The consignment 'Status' will now change to 'Closed'.
This consignment will no longer show in the consignments list unless the filter is modified to include 'Closed' consignments.
The charges for the consignment will now appear in the Client Partner's Transactions list.