Feature: Stock Picking

[barbinbrad]

Feature Request: Pick Lists

Background

In manufacturing, stock is not only held in central stores but also staged at work centres ("line side") where operators consume parts. Carbon currently assumes a single store/shelf per item, which doesn’t reflect how stock is moved and consumed in real operations.

Logistics staff typically execute a picking exercise, transferring items from central stores to local shelves at the work centre. A single item may be staged across multiple shelves and multiple jobs simultaneously.
Carbon needs functionality to support these practices.

Problem Statement

• Carbon assumes a single location per item for inventory tracking.
• Operators work from local shelves at their work centre, not directly from central stores.
• Operators place completed jobs on certain shelves (which can then be used on the next part of the process or transferred back to stock)
• Logistics staff need a factory-wide pick list to manage stock movements from stores to shelves.
• Production managers need to stage jobs for picking and review stock levels before releasing to production.

User Stories

• Production Manager: I need to stage jobs for picking before release, ensuring parts are available at the correct shelves.
• Logistics Operator: I need to view and action a pick list that shows stock movements required across the factory.
• Manufacturing Engineer: I need to define in the BOM where operators will pick parts from, and place finished parts, to match real factory workflows.

Proposal/Solution

1. BOM Enhancements

   • Allow specifying a “pick from” shelf location in the bill of materials for a Make Item.
   • Allow specifying a “finish to” shelf location for the completed item to be placed

2. Job Staging Step

   • Add a “Stage Job” state before release.
   • Show stock on local shelves vs. other shelves/stores.
   • Highlight shortages or over-allocations.

3. Inventory → Picking App

   • A factory-wide view of required stock transfers.
   • Generates a pick list used by logistics staff.
   • Allows updating of stock locations after transfers.

4. Job Release

   • Once staging is confirmed and stock is positioned correctly, the production manager can release the job.

5. Stock movement records

   1. Follow the movement of the stock from Shelf to Vehicle, Scrap, Customer, Rejected, Quarantine

Acceptance Criteria

• ✅ User can define pick shelf location in BOM.
• ✅ User can define finished shelf location in manufacturing.
• ✅ Jobs can be staged before release, with visibility of stock at shelves vs. stores.
• ✅ Logistics staff have a central pick list of all required transfers.
• ✅ Transfers update stock locations in real time.
• ✅ Carbon warms that stock levels may not be adequate to complete the job (production manager can still release)

Diagrams

Job staging workflow

Stock levels and pick list views / calculations

[rayrrr]

Food for thought: I recently toured an Amazon Fulfillment Center and they use a random stowing approach. So, any item could be anywhere (given size constraints) in a robotic inventory system. Not sure if this "random stow" model fits with the planned approach here, but it would be nice to have.

[barbinbrad]

Thanks Rayrr -- I don't see any problem with using a random stow method with this. In fact, the system doesn't care whether the inventory is randomly assigned or intentionally assigned. It only cares about getting the part to where it's needed.