Configure detours for steps in mobile device menu items

This article describes how to configure detours for menu items so that workers can "park" the current task, perform another task, and then return to the original task without losing any information.

A detour is a separate menu item that workers can open from a step in a main task. At the end of the detour, the worker returns to the place where they left the main task. During the configuration, you specify the menu item that should act as a detour. You also select which field values from the main task should automatically be forwarded (copied) to the detour and entered there. Therefore, you must understand where in the task flow you want the detour to be available to workers. You must also ensure that the information you need to copy to the detour is available for that step of the task flow.

Configure a detour from a menu-specific override

Use the following procedure to set up a detour from a menu-specific override.

1. Create a menu-specific override for the relevant menu and step as described in Customize step titles and instructions for the Warehouse Management mobile app.
2. Find the combination of Step ID and Menu item name values that you want to edit, and then select the value in the Step ID column.
3. On the page that appears, on the Available detours (menu items) FastTab, specify the menu item that should act as a detour. You can also select which field values from the main task should automatically be copied to and from the detour. For examples that show how to use these settings, see the scenarios later in this article.

Sample scenario 1: Sales picking where a location inquiry acts as a detour

This scenario shows how to configure a location inquiry as a detour in a worker-directed sales picking task flow. This detour enables workers to look up all the license plates in the location that they're picking from and pick the license plate that they want to use to complete the pick. This type of detour might be useful if the bar code is damaged and therefore unreadable by the scanner device. Alternatively, it might be useful if a worker must learn what is actually on hand in the system. This scenario works only if you're picking from license plate–controlled locations.

Enable sample data

To use the specified sample records and values to work through this scenario, you must use a system where the standard demo data is installed. You must also select the USMF legal entity before you begin.

Create a menu-specific override and configure the detour for scenario 1

In this procedure, you configure a detour for the Sales picking menu item in the license plate step.

1. Go to Warehouse management > Setup > Mobile device > Mobile device steps.

2. Find the step ID named LicensePlateId, and select it.

3. On the Action Pane, select Add step configuration.

4. In the drop-down dialog, use the Menu item field to find and select Sales picking.

5. Select OK.

6. The details page for the override that you just created appears. On the Available detours (menu items) FastTab, select Add on the toolbar.

7. In the Add detour dialog, select Location inquiry as the detour that the Warehouse Management mobile app makes available.

8. Select OK.

9. On the Available detours (menu items) FastTab, select the detour that you just added, and then select Select fields to send on the toolbar.

10. In the Select fields to send dialog, specify the information that should be sent to and from the detour. In this scenario, you enable workers to use the location that they're supposed to pick from as input for the location inquiry detour. Therefore, in the Send from sales picking section, select Add on the toolbar to add a row to the grid. Then set the following values for the new row:

    • Copy from Sales Picking: Location
    • Paste in Location Inquiry: Location
    • Auto submit: Selected (the page refreshes with the pasted Location value)

11. Because the detour in this scenario is configured on the license plate step, it helps if workers can bring the license plate from the inquiry back to the main flow. Therefore, in the Bring back from location inquiry section, select Add on the toolbar to add a row to the grid. Then set the following values for the new row:

    • Copy from Location Inquiry: License plate
    • Paste in Sales Picking: License plate
    • Auto submit: Cleared (no auto update occurs when returning from the detour with a License plate value)

12. Select OK.

The detour is now fully configured. A button to start the Location inquiry detour appears on the license plate step for the Sales picking menu item.

Complete a sales pick on a mobile device and use the detour

In this procedure, you complete a sales pick by using the Warehouse Management mobile app. You use the detour that you just configured to find the license plate that you use to complete the pick step.

1. In Microsoft Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management, create a sales order that requires a pick step to pick from a location that is license plate tracked. Then release the sales order to the warehouse. Make a note of the work ID that is generated.
2. Open the Warehouse Management mobile app, and sign in to warehouse 24. (In the standard demo data, sign in by using 24 as the user ID and 1 as the password.)
3. Select the Outbound menu, and then select the Sales picking menu item.
4. Follow the data entry instructions on the screen to enter the work ID that you generated in step 1.
5. On the step that contains the text Scan a license plate, open the actions menu. You see a new button that is labeled Location inquiry. An arrow in the upper-left corner indicates that the button starts a detour. Select Location inquiry.
6. The detour starts. On the next page, confirm the location that was copied from the main flow.
7. In the list of available license plates in the location, select the license plate that you want to copy back to the main flow. Then select the Back button.
8. You're returned to the sales picking main flow, and the license plate is copied back to it from the detour. Confirm the value to continue to the next step.
9. You can now complete the rest of the standard flow by entering the requested data entry instructions.

The warehouse work is now completed. The worker successfully opens a detour to perform a secondary task (location inquiry) without losing their place in the main task, and brings back the information that is required to complete the main task.

Sample scenario 2: Item inquiry with movement and adjustment detours

This scenario shows how to configure movement and adjustments as multiple detours in the location inquiry task flow. This capability can be useful in situations where a worker arrives at a location, finds that the inventory in the location differs from what is registered in the system, and must therefore adjust or move goods.

You can replace the location inquiry with a license plate inquiry or an item inquiry as you require.

Enable sample data

To use the specified sample records and values to work through this scenario, you must use a system where the standard demo data is installed. You must also select the USMF legal entity before you begin.

Create a menu-specific override and configure the detour for scenario 2

In this procedure, you configure a detour for the Sales picking menu item in the license plate step.

1. Go to Warehouse management > Setup > Mobile device > Mobile device steps.

2. Find and select the step ID named LocationInquiryList.

   Note

   To use an item inquiry instead of a location inquiry, select a row where the step ID is named ItemInquiryList. To use a license plate inquiry, select a row where the step ID is named LPInquiryList.

3. On the Action Pane, select Add step configuration.

4. In the drop-down dialog, use the Menu item field to find and select Location inquiry.

5. Select OK.

6. The details page for the override that you just created appears. On the Available detours (menu items) FastTab, select Add on the toolbar.

7. In the Add detour dialog, select Movement as the detour that the Warehouse Management mobile app makes available.

8. Select OK.

9. On the Available detours (menu items) FastTab, select the detour that you just added, and then select Select fields to send on the toolbar.

10. In the Select fields to send dialog, specify the information that you send to and from the detour. In this scenario, workers look for license plate–controlled locations. Therefore, it helps to copy the license plate from the inquiry to the Movement detour. In the Send from sales picking section, select Add on the toolbar to add a row to the grid. Then set the following values for the new row:

    • Copy from Location Inquiry: Location
    • Paste in Movement: Loc / LP
    • Auto submit: Cleared (no auto update occurs)

    In this detour, you don't expect any information to be copied back, because the main flow was an inquiry where no additional steps are required.

11. Select OK.

The detour is now fully configured. A button to start the Movement detour appears on the license plate step for the Location inquiry menu item.

Do a location inquiry on a mobile device and use the detour

In this procedure, you use the Warehouse Management mobile app to do a location inquiry. You then use the detour to complete a movement of goods.

1. Open the Warehouse Management mobile app, and sign in to warehouse 24. (In the standard demo data, sign in by using 24 as the user ID and 1 as the password.)
2. Select the Inventory menu, and then select the Location inquiry menu item.
3. Enter a location to inquire about, such as FL-001.
4. When the list appears, select and hold one of the cards in it to show the available detours.
5. Select Movement.
6. Notice that the license plate is copied from the card that you selected. Confirm the value.
7. Follow the standard task flow to complete the movement. After the work is completed, open the actions menu, and select Cancel.
8. You're returned to the Location inquiry page. The values aren't automatically updated. Therefore, you must manually refresh the page to see the changes from the movement detour.

Sample scenario 3: Movement by template with a data inquiry detour

This scenario shows how to configure movement by template with a data inquiry detour.

Enable sample data

To use the specified sample records and values to work through this scenario, you must use a system where the standard demo data is installed. You must also select the USMF legal entity before you begin.

In this procedure, you configure a data inquiry detour for the Movement by template menu item in the Scan location or license plate step.

Configure an Item data inquire mobile device menu item for scenario 3

To create the Item data inquire mobile device menu item, follow these steps:

1. Go to Warehouse management > Setup > Mobile device > Mobile device menu items.

2. On the Action Pane, select New to add a mobile device menu item.

3. Set the following values for the new menu item:

   • In the Menu item name field, enter Item data inquire.
   • In the Title field, look up the inventory dimensions by items.
   • In the Mode field, select Indirect.

4. On the General FastTab, set the following values:

   • In the Activity code field, select Data inquiry.
   • In the Use process guide field, ensure that Yes is selected. (Yes is the default value.)
   • In the Table name field, select InventSum, because you want to look up inventory dimensions from this table.

5. Select the fields that appear on the cards on the Inquiry list page. On the Action Pane, select Field list.

6. On the Field list page, set the following values:

   • Display field 1: ItemId (This field appears as the header for each card.)
   • Display field 2: InventColorId
   • Display field 3: InventSizeId
   • Display field 4: WMSLocationId

7. On the Action Pane, select Save.

8. Close the page.

Create a menu-specific override and configure the detour for scenario 3

1. Go to Warehouse management > Setup > Mobile device > Mobile device steps.

2. Find and select the step ID named LocOrLP.

3. On the Action Pane, select Add step configuration.

4. In the dropdown dialog, in the Menu item field, select Movement by template.

5. Select OK.

6. The details page for the override that you just created appears. On the Available detours (menu items) FastTab, select Add on the toolbar.

7. In the Add detour dialog, select Item data inquiry as the detour that the Warehouse Management mobile app will provide.

8. Select OK.

9. On the Available detours (menu items) FastTab, select the detour that you just added.

10. In the Bring back from Items data inquiry section, select Add on the toolbar to add a row to the grid. Then set the following values for the new row:

    • Copy from Items Inquiry: Item number
    • Paste in Movement by template: Item
    • Auto submit: Yes

11. Select Add on the toolbar to add another row to the grid. Then set the following values for the new row:

    • Copy from Items Inquiry: Size
    • Paste in Movement by template: Size
    • Auto submit: Yes

12. Select Add on the toolbar to add another row to the grid. Then set the following values for the new row:

    • Copy from Items Inquiry: Color
    • Paste in Movement by template: Color
    • Auto submit: Yes

13. Select Add on the toolbar to add another row to the grid. Then set the following values for the new row:

    • Copy from Items Inquiry: Location
    • Paste in Movement by template: Loc / LP
    • Auto submit: No

14. Select OK.

The detour is now fully configured. A button to start the Item data inquiry detour now appears in the Scan location or license plate step for the Movement by template menu item.

Create a new product master item T-Shirt and add on-hand for scenario 3

Create a new T-shirt product master item that has size and color variants. Add one on-hand entry for one specific size and color of this item for warehouse 24.

Do a movement by template on a mobile device and use the detour

In this procedure, use the Warehouse Management mobile app to do a movement by template. Then, complete the movement by using the detour to find the item, color, size, and location.

1. Open the Warehouse Management mobile app, and sign in to warehouse 24. (In the standard demo data, sign in by using 24 as the user ID and 1 as the password.)
2. Select the Movement by template menu item.
3. In the first step that contains the text Scan location or license plate, select Item data inquiry.
4. The detour starts, and the first detour step is Item number. Specify T-shirt, and then confirm the entry.
5. Select the card that contains information about the location, color, and size of the existing on-hand entry. You're returned to the movement by template flow and receive a "Work completion" message.

The detour is configured to auto-submit only the item, size, and color. The system also auto-populates the location and quantity. This behavior occurs because the system can determine the size, location, and quantity from the specified color, based on the on-hand data distribution. The detour contains three auto-submit controls that correspond to three OK buttons. Because a default location and a default quantity are entered after the return from the detour, they're automatically confirmed.