Multi-level distribution planning
First Claim
1. A non-transitory computer storage medium storing computer-executable instructions that when executed by at least a processor of a computing system cause the processor to implement:
- a multi-level distribution planning logic comprising;
a revised inventory movement logic configured to;
receive an inventory allocation identifying a quantity of items for distribution;
identify a first inventory movement for a first portion of the quantity of items from a source to a first destination, wherein the first inventory movement is a part of a multi-level route in electronic form that includes at least one cross-dock location between the source and the first destination;
identify a second inventory movement for a second portion of the quantity of items from the source to a second destination, wherein the second inventory movement is a part of the multi-level route in electronic form that includes the at least one cross-dock location between the source and the second destination, wherein the first inventory movement and the second inventory movement define linked transactions that correspond to legs of the multi-level route through which the quantity of items moves from the source to the respective destinations;
determine the legs of the multi-level route, comprising;
determining a first leg, from the source to the at least one cross-dock location, that is shared between the first portion of the quantity of items and the second portion of the quantity of items;
determining a second leg corresponding to movement of the first portion of the quantity of items from the at least one cross-dock location to the first destination; and
determining a third leg corresponding to movement of the second portion of the quantity of items from the at least one cross-dock location to the second destination, wherein the cross-dock location has an associated cross-dock delay time, the first destination has an associated first destination delay time and the second destination has an associated second destination delay time;
construct a revised first inventory movement in electronic form that represents the part of the multi-level route corresponding to the first portion of the quantity of items as a first single level route between the source and the first destination without the at least one cross-dock location, wherein the first single level route is constructed with an associated first lead time that corresponds to a sum of the cross-dock delay time and the first destination delay time; and
construct a revised second inventory movement in electronic form that represents the part of the multi-level route corresponding to the second portion of the quantity of items as a second single level route between the source and the second destination without the at least one cross-dock location, wherein the second single level route is constructed with an associated second lead time that corresponds to a sum of the cross-dock delay time and the second destination delay time;
a planning logic configured to;
obtain the revised first inventory movement and the revised second inventory movement as one or more electronic documents from the revised inventory movement logic; and
construct a revised inventory movement plan for the first portion of the quantity of items and the second portion of the quantity of items based upon the revised first inventory movement and the revised second inventory movement; and
an expansion logic configured to;
obtain the revised inventory movement plan from the planning logic;
expand the revised first inventory movement to the first leg and the second leg;
expand the revised second inventory movement to the first leg and the third leg;
create a set of electronically linked transactions based upon the expanding the revised first inventory movement and the expanding the revised second inventory movement; and
provide, via a network, the set of electronically linked transactions to the at least one cross-dock location.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods are described herein that provide multi-level distribution planning utilizing simplified inventory movements to simplify the distribution planning process for inventory movements that include cross-docking while identifying cross-docked inventory to the cross-dock locations to prevent unnecessary handling. A simplified inventory movement is constructed that represents a multi-level route as a single movement from source to destination with an associated lead time that includes all time-related factors that arise in moving the inventory from the source through the cross-dock locations to the destination. The simplified inventory movement is provided to distribution planning solutions and the distribution planning solutions treat the multi-level route in the same manner as a single level route having the same source, destination, and lead time. This simplifies the distribution planning process and prevents the inventory from being re-allocated by the distribution planning solutions.
-
Citations
19 Claims
-
1. A non-transitory computer storage medium storing computer-executable instructions that when executed by at least a processor of a computing system cause the processor to implement:
a multi-level distribution planning logic comprising; a revised inventory movement logic configured to; receive an inventory allocation identifying a quantity of items for distribution; identify a first inventory movement for a first portion of the quantity of items from a source to a first destination, wherein the first inventory movement is a part of a multi-level route in electronic form that includes at least one cross-dock location between the source and the first destination; identify a second inventory movement for a second portion of the quantity of items from the source to a second destination, wherein the second inventory movement is a part of the multi-level route in electronic form that includes the at least one cross-dock location between the source and the second destination, wherein the first inventory movement and the second inventory movement define linked transactions that correspond to legs of the multi-level route through which the quantity of items moves from the source to the respective destinations; determine the legs of the multi-level route, comprising; determining a first leg, from the source to the at least one cross-dock location, that is shared between the first portion of the quantity of items and the second portion of the quantity of items; determining a second leg corresponding to movement of the first portion of the quantity of items from the at least one cross-dock location to the first destination; and determining a third leg corresponding to movement of the second portion of the quantity of items from the at least one cross-dock location to the second destination, wherein the cross-dock location has an associated cross-dock delay time, the first destination has an associated first destination delay time and the second destination has an associated second destination delay time; construct a revised first inventory movement in electronic form that represents the part of the multi-level route corresponding to the first portion of the quantity of items as a first single level route between the source and the first destination without the at least one cross-dock location, wherein the first single level route is constructed with an associated first lead time that corresponds to a sum of the cross-dock delay time and the first destination delay time; and construct a revised second inventory movement in electronic form that represents the part of the multi-level route corresponding to the second portion of the quantity of items as a second single level route between the source and the second destination without the at least one cross-dock location, wherein the second single level route is constructed with an associated second lead time that corresponds to a sum of the cross-dock delay time and the second destination delay time; a planning logic configured to; obtain the revised first inventory movement and the revised second inventory movement as one or more electronic documents from the revised inventory movement logic; and construct a revised inventory movement plan for the first portion of the quantity of items and the second portion of the quantity of items based upon the revised first inventory movement and the revised second inventory movement; and an expansion logic configured to; obtain the revised inventory movement plan from the planning logic; expand the revised first inventory movement to the first leg and the second leg; expand the revised second inventory movement to the first leg and the third leg; create a set of electronically linked transactions based upon the expanding the revised first inventory movement and the expanding the revised second inventory movement; and provide, via a network, the set of electronically linked transactions to the at least one cross-dock location. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
10. A computer implemented method performed by a computing system including at least one processor, the method comprising actions that implement:
a multi-level distribution planning logic comprising; a revised inventory movement logic configured to perform; receiving an inventory allocation identifying a quantity of items for distribution; identifying from an electronic transaction, by the processor, a first inventory movement for a first portion of the quantity of items from a source to a first destination, wherein the first inventory movement is a part of a multi-level route that includes at least one cross-dock location between the source and the first destination; identifying a second inventory movement for a second portion of the quantity of items from the source to a second destination, wherein the second inventory movement is a part of the multi-level route that includes the at least one cross-dock location between the source and the second destination, wherein the first inventory movement and the second inventory movement define linked transactions that correspond to legs of the multi-level route through which the quantity of items moves from the source to the respective destinations; determining the legs of the multi-level route, comprising; determining a first leg, from the source to the at least one cross-dock location, that is shared between the first portion of the quantity of items and the second portion of the quantity of items; determining a second leg corresponding to movement of the first portion of the quantity of items from the at least one cross-dock location to the first destination; and determining a third leg corresponding to movement of the second portion of the quantity of items from the at least one cross-dock location to the second destination, wherein the cross-dock location has an associated cross-dock delay time, the first destination has an associated first destination delay time and the second destination has an associated second destination delay time; constructing, by at least the processor, a revised first inventory movement as an electronic document that represents the part of the multi-level route corresponding to the first portion of the quantity of items as a first single level route between the source and the first destination without the at least one cross-dock location, wherein the first single level route is constructed with an associated first lead time, wherein the first lead time corresponds to a sum of the cross-dock delay time and the first destination delay time; and constructing, by at least the processor, a revised second inventory movement as an electronic document that represents the part of the multi-level route corresponding to the second portion of the quantity of items as a second single level route between the source and the second destination without the at least one cross-dock location, wherein the second single level route is constructed with an associated second lead time, wherein the second lead time corresponds to a sum of the cross-dock delay time and the second destination delay time; and a planning logic configured to perform; obtaining, by at least the processor, the revised first inventory movement and the revised second inventory movement from the revised inventory movement logic; and constructing a revised inventory movement plan for the first portion of the quantity of items and the second portion of the quantity of items based upon the revised first inventory movement and the revised second inventory movement; and providing, via a network, the revised inventory movement plan to a distribution planning process. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
16. A computing system comprising:
-
a memory; at least one processor connected to the memory; and a non-transitory computer storage medium connected with the at least one processor and the memory, the non-transitory computer storage medium storing computer-executable instructions that when executed by at least the processor cause the processor to implement; a multi-level distribution planning logic comprising; a revised inventory movement logic configured to; receive an inventory allocation identifying a quantity of items for distribution; identify an inventory movement for the quantity of items from a source to a destination wherein the inventory movement is a multi-level route in electronic form that includes at least one cross-dock location between the source and the destination, wherein the inventory movement defines linked transactions that correspond to legs of the multi-level route through which the quantity of items moves from the source to the destination, where the cross-dock location has an associated cross-dock delay time and the destination has an associated destination delay time; determine the legs of the multi-level route, comprising;
determining a first leg corresponding to movement of the quantity of items from the source to the at least one cross-dock location; and
determining a second leg corresponding to movement of the quantity of items from the at least one cross-dock location to the destination; andconstruct a revised inventory movement as an electronic document that represents the multi-level route as a single level route between the source and the destination without the at least one cross-dock location, wherein the single level route is constructed with an associated lead time that corresponds to a sum of the cross-dock delay time and the destination delay time; and a planning logic configured to; obtain the revised inventory movement from the revised inventory movement logic; construct a revised inventory movement plan for the quantity of items based upon the revised inventory movement; and provide, via a network, the revised inventory movement plan to a distribution planning process. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
-
Specification