About locations
Important
This content is archived and is not being updated. For the latest documentation, see Microsoft Dynamics 365 product documentation. For the latest release plans, see Dynamics 365 and Microsoft Power Platform release plans.
Applies To: Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R3, Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R2, Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 Feature Pack, Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012
This topic applies to features in the Inventory management module. It does not apply to features in the Warehouse management module.
The term location refers to the place that items are drawn from.
For each location, the place where the item is inserted can also be specified. By default, they are the same. Items are usually inserted and drawn from the same side of a location, but not always. For example, items that are stored in live storage racks are inserted from one aisle and drawn from another.
The main input is given by a location name, which is usually determined by its coordinates: warehouse, aisle, rack, shelf, and bin. This name or ID can be entered manually or generated from the location coordinates—for example, 001-002-03-4 for aisle 1, rack 2, shelf 3, bin 4 in the Inventory locations form.
Note
You can automatically attach locations to a warehouse. In the Inventory locations form, click Functions, and then select Location Wizard.
Location properties
A location has the following characteristics:
Size (number of pallets, height, width, and depth)
Pallet type group
Storage area
Picking area
Location type (inbound dock, outbound dock, pick location, or bulk location)
Check text can be used in online systems to verify that the operator has selected the correct location for a specific item. This check text can be created manually or by default.
Sort codes
Use sort codes to optimize the handling of picking lines, which describe the information that is required for picking items from inventory, including the picking order. Sort codes can be specified by the aisle and other coordinates, or assigned manually for the location.
Blocked locations
Occasionally, you must block a location for a period of time, for example, to allow for repairs. At other times, you may want to block only the input or the output. It is possible to block either or both of these.
Location types
The following location types are used in Microsoft Dynamics AX:
Bulk location – The area in the warehouse where received items are stored until they are transported to picking locations. Bulk locations are used to replenish picking locations as their stock decreases, and to pick full pallets.
Picking location – The area where items are stored until they are picked for shipment. They are kept here to guarantee that they can be easily picked. The picking location is used for picking small quantities of an item. An item can have only one picking location in each warehouse.
Inbound dock – The locations in the warehouse where goods are received.
Outbound dock – The locations in the warehouse where goods are shipped from.
Location placement
Location placement can be categorized in terms of input areas and picking areas.
Input areas
Input areas are areas in the warehouse that are designated for item placement upon receipt. Items are grouped based on similar characteristics or the order in which they are placed in their locations. For example, items that require cold storage would be in one input area, and items that can be stored in the general warehouse storage area would be in another.
Picking areas
Picking areas are assigned throughout a warehouse to group items that should be picked at the same time or by the same person. For example, items that require a forklift for picking and transport would be in one picking area, and items that can be picked individually from floor level by a person with a hand truck would be in another.
Tree structure tab
In the Inventory locations form, you can view a graphical representation of the locations. Locations appear in a tree structure based on their coordinates. The tree structure can also be used to find a specific location.
To define the setup of the tree structure, click Setup >>, and then select the data to be displayed. Select the Summation check box to view the number of locations in underlying levels of the tree, such as the number of racks in an aisle or the number of shelves on a rack.