Lenta Retail Chain (Kleverens: Kirovka)

2021: Kleverens in China, or how the Lenta federal trading network was preparing for the mandatory labeling of the light industry

Detailed description

Since 2019, it has become possible to track the "life path" marked goods - from the manufacturer to the buyer, from entering DataMatrix codes into circulation to writing off or withdrawing from circulation - in the "" system. And HONEST SIGN if a company sells goods a foreign one, productions marked it must control whether the products are correct on its own. At first glance, it is RUSSIAN FEDERATION to shops easy to order marking codes, send them to the factory, glue products, import goods into, check KM at customs, take them at the warehouse and distribute them to. But performing all these operations manually is accompanied by errors and takes a lot. time

The process of labeling products at factories in China for the LENTA federal network took place in this mode and dragged on for a week. For example, 40 thousand boxes with shoes had to be pasted with 40 thousand labels with a standard ShK. And the manufacturer had only 2 options for applying barcodes:

• observe the principle of "slide" - when a dimensional row of shoes of the same color is packed in one box;
• assemble shoes in the box of the same color and the same size in the required quantity.

Without errors, it is simply impossible to assemble such a volume of goods manually, even despite the convenience of keeping records in. In SAP ERP one delivery, the number of incorrect marking codes could reach 60%. All work on the part of the accounting system SAP ERP and the work on the order of stamps on the part of "Honest Sign" for "LENTA" was performed by a large one. integrator NOVARDIS

Tasks

Employees of many companies imagine working with DataMatrix codes as something simple. But in the process of ordering and applying CM, LENTA had important questions:

• How will the order get to China, with what?
• Which servers will the data be uploaded to?
• How will the interaction take place?
• Data Base common or separate for each factory?

The global goal of the federal trading network was to label clothes and shoes in China and import goods into Russia with codes already applied to DataMatrix packaging. Several additional ones have "grown" out of this task:

• prepare a technical project for data exchange with ERP;
• Create a multi-vendor entry point mechanism from SAP PI to Kleverens
• organize secure access via secure VPN channels from factories and from SAP PI to Databases in the Data Center;
• Reduce data upload time several times and optimize data transfer from SAP PI
• at to test software the supplier in the factory;
• finalize Kleverens in accordance with the requirements of business processes;
• add the ability to work with LEGPROM as a new commodity category;
• refine existing operations and develop new ones;
• give a conclusion on the compatibility of Zebra TC26 data collection terminals with the Mobile Application;
• finalize the exchange of data of the Kleverens and ERP PI systems in the Batch Loading technology;
• Check for integration with Mobile SMARTS for mobile equipment
• provide 24-hour daily technical support from Cloverens.

Decision

If you know "from which side to approach," then you can easily configure the software remotely, and select the equipment. Since all the "iron workers" provide the most detailed reviews on mobile computers and even shoot videos. It was this approach that allowed the LENTA federal trading network to reduce material and time costs for the project.

In 2020, LENTA announced a tender for improvements to the Kleverens software and conducted all communications with the developer at the initial stage through the Smart Service company. The main task set by the federal network was the labeling of goods in China. This meant that "Kitka: Overseas Warehouse" had to be prepared for work in Chinese factories. The entire cycle of operations from code printing to shipment was not planned to be performed in Russia.

LENTA and Kleverens have already entered into a cooperation agreement, but it turned out that it would not be possible to upload factory data to the Mobile SMARTS server, as this would require a complete reconfiguration of SAP and the creation of special tables. The most rational solution was to make improvements to the software for data collection terminals.

Шаблон:Quote 'author = told Vladimir Udalov.

Kleverens actually became the LENTA operator in China to support the entire labeling system. To do this, the developer had to specially configure a message with OMNI so that the software works like a clock, and describe in detail the process of starting a new factory: factory number, name, number of shipping documentation, "Kleverens" licenses and VPN licenses, communication with a specific database, which software to use, from where to download it, manual for installation, etc.

The main requirement that is imposed on such projects in China is to implement on the spot in real time. Only Cloverens had a similar positive experience - with CROCS and BURBERRY. LENTA itself could not send representatives to the Celestial Empire at that time, so they decided to work remotely.

Our previous projects in China were much easier: marking codes were applied not on task, but in fact. The software itself was almost not finalized - only to reflect the name of the manufacturing country. Data Base was one. And the type "Kitty" was enough, shared past experience Vladimir.

Shipping documentation is a separate part of the story: devices released in China and Russia are different equipment with different firmware. It was not possible to purchase terminals in China, bring to the Russian Federation, test, integrate with Mobile SMARTS and freely put into operation - as was the case in previous projects. Sending equipment from Russia to China did not work either. And the factories had to independently purchase mobile computers in the Celestial Empire.

Cloverens specialists and LENTA partner in China tested shipping documentation over a remote connection for several days. And based on the results of successful tests , the Zebra TC25 and Zebra TC26 data collection terminals were chosen.

The federal trade network cooperates with 8 factories and uses 15 shipping documentations in operation: 1, 2, 5 terminals per factory - depending on its capacity and size. And due to the fact that some factories operate seasonally, LENTA considered the possibility of moving mobile computers between factories: in May 2020 to the first, in October 2020 to the second in February 2021 to the third. A kind of saving on equipment.

Since they are not used in factories in China printers for, seals LENTA employees send them to the e-mail factory in advance - with PDFfile marking codes that are printed in the printing house. Packers can only cut out the CM and glue the goods with them.

Only after that you can start working with Cloverens: each DataMatrix code applied to shoes or clothes is scanned by the operator using shipping documentation and software "Kika: Foreign Warehouse." Then it performs one of 2 aggregation types:

1. "Box aggregation" is classic. Suitable for "large" shipments if the order needs to be collected piecemeal. The required number of boxes with goods is combined into one order (Invoice), which during shipment is collected from parts - in practice, about 100 boxes each.

Scheme: (Operator) "Box aggregation" - > "Shipment" (final Invoice is generated from Invoice parts) - > (Administrator) "Invoice closing" - > (Inspector) "Inspection"

2. Aggregate Invoice-Linked Box (Invoice). This type is used for "small" shipments when the number of boxes is the same as the number of shipments. The order is automatically generated immediately for all boxes combined in this session. In this case, the transaction "Shipment" is not used, since the Invoice is already generated automatically.

Schema: (Operator) "Aggregation of Invoice-Linked Box" (Invoice Ready Automatically) - > (Administrator) "Invoice Closing" - > (Inspector) "Inspection"

The developers also implemented a mechanism for transferring large packets through web services, bypassing the content filtering system (packet data transfer). Data exchange is initiated by an external system. In this case, the external system initiates data upload/download via the REST API based on the OData protocol. The Mobile SMARTS mobile application - a passive part of the system - does not issue operating commands towards SAP PI, but receives and processes data, sets the status of processing documents and tables.

SAP PI - the active part of the system - transmits data, takes data from the Mobile SMARTS MP, based on the results of surveys of the set statuses in the Mobile SMARTS MP.

The factory receives a kind of "assignment." For example, assemble red boots of size 35 or green boots of size 39 into a box. "Kleverens" does not check this task, and the operator performs the assembly in fact - from the sheet with the task. And the manager controls the correctness of the execution.

The job is delivered to the operator from SAP via a batch load. And it can include up to 40 thousand positions. The factory receives 3-6 such parallel tasks at the same time. The maximum tested task with Cloverens is 200 thousand goods.

But at the same time, "Kirovka: Foreign Warehouse" allows you to track crossing tasks. For example, if three tasks have boots of the same size in blue, then the marking codes can be shifted. If the desired product is not in the task, the software will not allow you to complete the operation. An error notification appears on the shipping documentation screen and prompts you to find another tag.

After shipment, LENTA and the factory manager receive a report by mail: which shipment, invoice and aggregation have been completed. A factory employee can form a packing list from Excel, which is additionally sent to Russia with the delivery of goods, and provide additional control of shipment.

Operation Inspection is another way of checking: a manager at a factory can open any box and check the contents. If it does not meet the order by 5% or more, the entire batch is sent for re-assembly. At the initial stage, the main task of the inspector was to record errors that Kleverens software could miss. After the developers completed all the improvements, the software bugs were completely gone, but flaws in the operator's work became visible. For example, there was no information whether the goods got into the box after it was scanned by a factory employee, and the program counted. The inspector checked the actual presence of the scanned item in the ready-to-ship order.

Results

The result of the introduction of the Kleverens software was the complete absence of errors in the assembly of a batch of 13 thousand pairs of shoes by one employee in 2 days. The register of stamps was also issued without a single error.

The process of collecting an order at a Chinese factory is as follows:

• LENTA creates a stamp selection request in SAP ERP based on the pre-order,
• next, a request is sent to the State System for Monitoring Goods for the CM to be put into circulation,
• Further, the data on goods from SAP ERP is uploaded to the software "Badging: Foreign Warehouse" through SAP PI,
• Kleverens accepts and processes data, sets the processing status of documents and tables,
• SAP PI transfers and retrieves data from the software "Badging: Foreign Warehouse," based on the statuses,
• each new stamp request is assigned an individual number,
• requests that did not have time to be hired can be changed,
• The operator only works with active queries for its factory. And he has no access to the requests of other factories and the ability to make changes to them through "Kleverens,.
• Information on the readiness of the order and the completeness of the shipment is reflected in "Noir: Foreign Warehouse,"
• SAP PI requests information about the invoice's scheduled availability. And in the presence of ready-made documents it transfers to the marking system,
• then updates the status of the request, informs about it and assigns a number to the invoice document, which receives the status "Confirmed,"
• the item can be shipped on request only after receiving the confirmation status,
• If errors occur in the integration processes, SAP PI sends an e-mail to the responsible employees.

LENTA lost several tens of millions a year due to incorrect labeling of goods in China. The introduction of the Kleverens software made it possible to optimize the process of labeling clothes and shoes, reduce the number of incorrectly labeled products, avoid difficulties in acceptance and reduce errors in the CM to almost zero. In the future, representatives of the federal trading network plan to expand work with labeled goods for dairy products, bicycles and water. Now it takes 2 days to mark instead of a week.