Routes in SecureIO control the movement of products between different locations, whether internal or external, using a combination of push and pull rules. These rules help automate the movement of products based on specific conditions. They can be configured to create advanced use cases such as:
Managing product manufacturing chains.
Managing default locations per product.
Defining warehouse movement for quality control, after-sales services, or supplier returns.
Helping rental management automate return moves for rented products.
Configuration
To access routes and select them on products, navigate to Inventory app ‣ Configuration ‣ Settings. In the Warehouse section, ensure the Multi-Step Routes and Storage Locations features are enabled, then click Save.
Additionally, routes are generated depending on the warehouse’s reception and delivery configurations. To access these settings, navigate to Inventory app ‣ Configuration ‣ Warehouses and select the relevant warehouse. In the Warehouse Configuration tab, enable the desired inbound and outbound flows in the Incoming Shipments and Outgoing Shipments fields.
Important
To use 1-step, 2-step, or 3-step receptions or deliveries, only the Incoming Shipments and Outgoing Shipments fields should be set. Do not create or modify rules to set up these flows.
See also
Standard warehouse routes
SecureIO automatically generates warehouse routes based on the Incoming Shipments and Outgoing Shipments fields of the warehouse. These routes automatically apply to every product in the warehouse, and do not need to be manually applied on individual products.
Depending on the route, products move through the following warehouse locations, where <WH> is the
warehouse’s short name:
<WH>/Stock: The main stock location, used by all flows.<WH>/Input: Where products are received before being stored. Used in 2-step and 3-step receptions.<WH>/Quality Control: Where received products are checked. Used in 3-step receptions.<WH>/Packing Zone: Where picked products are packed. Used in 3-step deliveries.<WH>/Output: Where products wait before being shipped. Used in 2-step and 3-step deliveries.
SecureIO activates and archives these locations automatically when the warehouse options change.
The following tables list the operations created for each option. Each operation is created when the previous one is validated.
Incoming shipments
Route |
Operations created |
|---|---|
Receipts: |
|
|
|
|
Outgoing shipments
Route |
Operations created |
|---|---|
Delivery Orders: |
|
|
|
|
Note
Depending on the warehouse configuration, SecureIO can also generate the following warehouse route:
Resupply Subcontractor: Sends components from
<WH>/Stockto subcontractors. Generated when Resupply Subcontractors is enabled on the warehouse.
See also
Advanced: how routes work
Standard routes work without any rule configurations. For more advanced users, the following section provides information about routes and their rules and operations.
Routes are combinations of push and pull rules that determine how products move between locations.
Push rules
Push rules move products from a source location to a destination location. These rules are triggered as soon as products arrive at the source location.
Important
Push rules can only be triggered once a product transfer has already been generated.
Example
Different products arrive from Vendors at <WH>/Input. Push rules are configured on some products to move
directly to <WH>/Stock as soon as they arrive at <WH>/Input, while other products are pushed to <WH>/Quality Control.
Pull rules
Pull rules define product transfer flows from a source location to a destination location. These rules are demand-driven, triggered only when demand (e.g., sales orders or reordering needs) is confirmed at the destination location.
Important
For multi-step routes, pull rules are often used along with push rules. When there are multiple locations in the transfer flow, the pull rule specifies the final destination of the product and generates the first transfer in the route. Push rules are required to move the product through the rest of the transfer flow.
Example
For example, a warehouse is configured with a 3-step delivery route. A pull rule is configured to
move products from the <WH>/Stock as soon as they are needed at Customers. The rule also creates the first
transfer in the flow, a Pick operation that moves products from <WH>/Stock to the <WH>/Packing Zone. Then, push
rules move the products from <WH>/Packing Zone to <WH>/Output, then finally from <WH>/Output to Customers.
Additional routes
In addition to the standard warehouse flows, the following optional routes are available in SecureIO. Unlike standard warehouse routes, these routes are not applied automatically. They must be manually applied to individual products, product categories, or other records.
Note
By default, the Buy and Manufacture routes are automatically applied under the following conditions:
Buy: The product has a specified vendor.
Manufacture: The product has a Bill of Materials.
These routes, however, can still be made selectable.
Route |
Description |
|---|---|
Triggers a replenishment for each order instead of using existing stock. Used together with the Buy or Manufacture route. |
|
Buy |
Creates an RfQ when products need to be replenished. Requires the Purchase app. |
Manufacture |
Creates an MO when products need to be replenished. Requires the Manufacturing app. |
Has a vendor ship products directly to the customer or to a subcontractor, if applicable. |
|
Sends components to the subcontractor when a subcontracted product is ordered. The components are sent from stock through the warehouse’s Resupply Subcontractor route. |
Applying routes
Routes can be manually assigned to products, product categories, package types, shipping methods, and sales order lines. This is only required for additional routes, such as Replenish on Order (MTO), Buy, Manufacture, or Dropship.
Important
In order to apply routes on these forms, they must first be made selectable.
When routes are applied in multiple places, SecureIO selects the route that can handle the product’s next step. It checks routes in the following order:
On the sales order line. If none, check the order’s shipping method.
On the package type of the order line’s selected packaging unit.
On the product and/or on its product category.
On the warehouse.
Example
A warehouse uses 3-step deliveries. The Pallet package type has a route that ships directly from stock. A sales order for two Pallets of a product ships in one step, using the package type’s route. A sales order for twelve Units of the same product follows the warehouse’s 3-step route.
On products
To assign routes directly to a product, navigate to Inventory app ‣ Products ‣ Products and select the product. On the product form, select the Inventory tab, then select one or more Routes in the Operations section.
Tip
To see which routes and rules apply to a product without modifying them, click View Diagram next to the Routes field.
On product categories
To assign routes to a product category, navigate to Inventory app ‣ Configuration ‣ Product Categories and select the product category. In the Logistics section, select one or more Routes.
On package types
To assign routes to a package type, navigate to Inventory app ‣ Configuration ‣ Package Types and select the package type. On the Configuration tab, select one or more Routes.
Any packagings configured with this package type also inherit its routes. These Packagings can be selected in the Sales tab of a product form. When this product appears on a sales or purchase order line, its transfer flow follows the selected routes on the package type.
When this packaging is selected as the Unit on a sales or purchase order line, the transfer follows the package type’s routes.
Note
The Package Type field on a packaging requires the Packages and Units of Measure & Packagings settings. Routes on package types require the Multi-Step Routes setting.
See also
On shipping methods
To assign routes to a shipping method, navigate to Inventory app ‣ Configuration ‣ Delivery Methods and select the shipping method. On the form, select one or more Routes.
See also
On sales order lines
To assign routes to a sales order line, open the Sales app and select the sales quotation. Existing lines are listed in the Order Lines tab. By default, the route column is hidden. To enable it, click the (Optional Columns) icon, then select Routes.
In the newly-added column, select one or more routes on an order line.
Advanced: managing routes
Important
The following section is intended for advanced users needing configurations for custom flows. Standard 1-step, 2-step, and 3-step flows require no route or rule changes.
Access a dashboard of routes by navigating to Inventory app ‣ Configuration ‣ Routes. This opens the Routes page, displaying a list of all available routes across all warehouses.
Tip
To access a specific warehouse’s routes, navigate to Inventory app ‣ Configuration ‣ Warehouses. Select the warehouse, then click the Routes smart button.
To view additional settings, click the desired route in the list. This opens the route’s form.
Define route visibility
The Company field allows users to restrict the route to specific companies (if using a multi-company environment).
In the Applicable On section, specify any forms on which the route can be made selectable via the following options:
Product Categories: Allow routes to be selectable on a Product Categories form. When configured with a route, every product in the category inherits the route’s rules.
Products: Allow routes to be selectable on a Products form. The configured product inherits the route’s rules.
Package Type: Allow routes to be selectable on a Package Type form. All products configured with this packaging type inherit the route’s rules.
Shipping Methods: Allow routes to be selectable on a Delivery Methods form. When applied on a carrier, all orders with the chosen shipping method inherit the route’s rules.
Warehouses: Select the warehouses for which this route should be used as the default route.
Sales Order Lines: Allow routes to be selectable on sales order lines. When applied on individual sales order lines, the chosen routes override the corresponding product’s routes for the specific order only.
See also
See the Applying routes section to see how routes are applied on these forms.
Viewing rules
The Rules section lists any rules defining the route.
Warning
Modifying SecureIO’s default rules may cause unexpected errors in the database and is therefore not recommended.
Each rule has an Action, an Operation Type, a Source Location, and a Destination Location.
The following actions are defined in SecureIO:
Pull From: When demand (e.g., from sales or manufacturing orders) appears at the Destination Location, a picking of the specified Operation Type is created from the Source Location to fulfill the demand.Push To: When products arrive at the Source Location, a picking of the specified Operation Type is created to send them to the Destination Location.Pull & Push: Create both aPull FromandPush Torule with the selected Operation Type, Source Location, and Destination Location.Manufacture: When products are needed at the Destination Location, a manufacturing order (MO) is created to fulfill the demand, taking any required components from the Source Location.Buy: When products are needed at the Destination Location, a request for quotation (RfQ) is created to fulfill the need.
Note
The Buy action is only available with the Purchase app installed, and Manufacture with
the Manufacturing app.
See also