• Registered: 04/22/2014
  • Posts: 1

Topic: How to set inventory physical location (bin or shelf)

I'm new to FA and wondering if anyone can share best practice on how to set up bin / shelf location for inventory items?  I know the description field allows for input of long descriptions etc but I would like to see a simple inventory location field called BIN or something like that to shows the actual physical location of inventory items within a warehouse.  Does that exist in FA or  is it possible?  Is there an extension available that does this?

  • From: Singapore, India, Chennai
  • Registered: 05/02/2009
  • Posts: 6,160

Re: How to set inventory physical location (bin or shelf)

Bin Location can be made as part of the Item Name but it will be subject to changes and will get reflected in the invoice. Even if it is part of the long_description field in the stock_master, it may possibly appear in some reports.
If the item_code field in the item_codes table is not used for UPC/EAN, then it can be used for Bin Location. This can be part of the foreign code naming then.

apmuthu's Website

  • From: Pakistan
  • Registered: 05/15/2015
  • Posts: 1

Re: How to set inventory physical location (bin or shelf)

I know the description field allows for input of long descriptions etc but I would like to see a simple inventory location field called BIN or something like that to shows the actual physical location of inventory items within a warehouse.

4 Reply by apmuthu (edited by apmuthu 05/16/2015 03:00:45 pm)

  • From: Singapore, India, Chennai
  • Registered: 05/02/2009
  • Posts: 6,160

Re: How to set inventory physical location (bin or shelf)

Check the wiki for a workaround - it show up in the appropriate reports as well.

apmuthu's Website

  • From: South Africa
  • Registered: 01/18/2018
  • Posts: 10

Re: How to set inventory physical location (bin or shelf)

Does this workaround still apply to FA 2.4.3

For instance the changes in the wiki for:
    Extend line 22 in the function get_customer_trans_details() in the file sales/includes/db/cust_trans_details_db.inc from:

        ".TB_PREF."stock_master.units, ".TB_PREF."stock_master.mb_flag

to

        ".TB_PREF."stock_master.units, ".TB_PREF."stock_master.mb_flag, ".TB_PREF."stock_master.long_description

do not match the cust_trans_details_db.inc in FA 2.4.3 which are
            .TB_PREF."debtor_trans_details line,"
            .TB_PREF."stock_master item
        WHERE (";

So far we like FA, but bin locations are important. Also when receiving the purchased items can a bin be allocated or will it allways be fixed.

Regards
Alan

  • From: Singapore, India, Chennai
  • Registered: 05/02/2009
  • Posts: 6,160

Re: How to set inventory physical location (bin or shelf)

In general the wiki article referred to in my post still applies but needs to be modified to suit FA 2.4.3. It was considered to be a workaround as the DB schema was frozen in FA 2.3.x then and hence we needed it to accommodate several data elements in the single description field and then parse them out when needed.

Line 22 in the same file in FA 2.4.3:

        item.units, item.mb_flag

should now be changed to:

        item.units, item.mb_flag, item.long_description

to use the workaround.

In FA 2.4.3, it was sought to be made native but the devs had not found enough time and sponsors to get it done and it possibly remains as an extension in some private repos only. The correct way to implement this would be to create a separate extension that would use a new table in a 1:1 relationship with the existing stock_master table used.

apmuthu's Website

  • From: South Africa
  • Registered: 01/18/2018
  • Posts: 10

Re: How to set inventory physical location (bin or shelf)

Thank you for the reply.

I am having difficulty understanding the below, do I do this in MySQL or in FA?

Insert the relevant data for printing Packing List

    In the 0_cust_branch.notes field, place your space separated and say a CID# prefixed value (amongst others) of any substitute branch code only if that may need to supercede the branch_code in FrontAccounting to be used for lookup in any external application like:

Frt#2300 CID#35263 Introduced by So and So Owner#Brian

    In the 0_stock_master.long_description field, place your space separated and say a BinLoc# prefixed Bin Location value (amongst others) like:

BinLoc#R12T3B4L6 Clr#Grey

    The above may well indicate that the stock_id is physically located in a warehouse with a loc_code (Location ID) and in Bin Location at Row 12 - Tray 3 - Bay 4 - Left Side, Item 6 with Color Grey'.

Also do I create the directory '/includes' under reporting or should it already be there

Make a copy of the reporting/includes/doctext.inc into company/0/reporting/includes/doctext.inc

Regards

  • From: Singapore, India, Chennai
  • Registered: 05/02/2009
  • Posts: 6,160

Re: How to set inventory physical location (bin or shelf)

All data elements go into the appropriate db field in MySQL.
The doctext.inc file should have it's path created before being copied over and edited as needed in the web folder.

If you need professional assistance post your offer in the Job Offers board.

apmuthu's Website