We are encountering an issue when attempting to stage multiple shipments for the same part on the same day. We are a tier 1 supplier that at times receives ‘Pull Ahead’ shipment requirements from GM and other customers. These ‘Pull Ahead’ requirements occur at times due to weather conditions (expected storm), or more likely holidays.
When we attempt to stage the additional shipments we receive an error from Epicor that states ‘There is not enough unallocated inventory in this bin for this transaction’. This only occurs if there is more than enough inventory to satisfy the first shipment, but not enough to satisfy the 2nd shipment.
Has anyone encountered this issue? Is there a setting that will allow us to stage the shipment, knowing that parts are in production and will be available by time of shipment?
This issue is strange in that it only stops us in specific situations. If we have 0 or negative inventory for a part, we can create the both shipments and drive the inventory even further negative. If we have some inventory on hand, but not enough to cover the 1st shipment, we create both shipments. The only time the system stops us is if there is enough inventory to cover the 1st shipment, but not enough to cover both.
We are on Epicor 10.1.500.14 and we get this error message pretty regularly. I probably shouldn’t admit what it is we do to get around this, but I’ll put a disclaimer at the end.
We usually have to go into the Epicor.erp.PartAlloc table and either manually set some HardAllocation columns to FALSE (0) or DELETE some rows. Used to be the HardAllocation setting to false was enough, but anymore we just skip right to deleting rows completely.
Disclaimer: you should never directly UPDATE or DELETE rows in your Epicor database, and these views expressed here are my own and not those of my company or it’s management.
Have you reviewed the planning settings for the parts in question? There is a planning tab in part maintenance > site tab if I am not mistaken. I would check these settings first and see if there is a constraint triggering this when you have stock. Weird it only stops when you have enough for one but not to shipments.
good idea
Do you use AMM? I only ask because i know it adds another layer of complications and requirements regarding allocations and it can be a PIA… if you do, try deleting associated material queues, also you can try to close the sales order release and re-open it. That may cause it to re-evaluate allocations as well. There is also refresh part quantities and allocations process in system management if i recall. There is also fulfillment workbench you may be able to eliminate some allocations through as well. There is no magic checkbox to turn of allocation requirements (actually wish this was a site level configuration option - ARE YOU LISTENING EPICOR?). I see this error often in my own system though it is usually from old sales orders left open that we never shipped due to poor internal processes.
Rob, we are licensed to AMM, but do not actively use it at this time. It could be throwing another level of difficulty at this problem. My consultant alluded to this idea as well.
This rule makes very little sense to me. If I have no inventory I can create as many shipments as I want. If I only have partial inventory for the initial shipment, there will be no allocation and I can create as many shipments as I want. If there is more than enough inventory for the initial shipment, but not for the subsequent shipment, it won’t let me create the subsequent shipment.
I also find it strange that it enforces the allocation error at time of shipment creation. We run pretty lean. The material for a shipment may still be getting produced when the shipment is created. Stop me at shipping time if I don’t have enough inventory, but not at time of pack creation.
We don’t use planning values (other than costing lot size) on Finished Goods. Only on RAW & WIP. I don’t think the planning values are imposing a restriction.
There are many complexities to AMM, some good, some not so well implemented. You don’t have to be ‘Using’ it to be subjected to the increased systematic requirements. If you are licensed and have it enabled, you’re definitely using it whether you like it or not. You should find that some of those suggestions in a variety of combinations i gave will do the trick. For us it’s kill the queues, and close orphaned orders, and toggle real ones closed/open to remove the allocations. Good luck
