Beyond the Basics

This page outlines additional features and configurations available to utilise 2ic Pallets to its full potential. Including those "Did you know you could do this?" kind of functions that'll make co-workers go, "Whoa, how did you do that?"

• Allowed Products
• Allowed Locations
• Apply Custom Glossaries
• Apply Views
• Authorised Products
• Bulk Function
• Cancelled Transactions
• Compare Tool
• Destinations
• Duplicate Filtering for Trading Partners
• Duplicate Filtering for Transactions
• General Accounts
• Incomplete Transactions
• Loscam Thailand Accounts
• Multi-factor Authentication
• Offline Capability
• Pending Transaction Setup
• Product Bundles
• Region
• Receipt Numbers
• Receiver Reference Formats
• Relocation Management
• Relocation Profiles
• Restore Rows
• Rollup Data
• Routes
• Run Sheets
• Selection Count
• Site Details
• Submit Method
• Trading Account Optimisation
• Trading Account Scope
• Trading Account Start and End Dates
• Transaction Alerts
• Transaction Filters
• Unsubmitting & Unconfirming Transactions

Allowed Products link

A trading partner can be limited to one or more products, this displays an alert when a transaction is entered for a disallowed product. Alerts can be configured in Account Settings under "Disallowed product".

1. Expand Reference Data within the navigation menu, open Locations page.
2. Select the trading partner to define allowed products.
3. Tabs will appear at the bottom, open Allowed Products detail grid.
4. Select either Account or Site Location, and the Product.

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This is typically only necessary when the trading partner does not manage their account in 2ic Pallets. When a trading account is managed in 2ic Pallets, it most likely has authorised products assigned. Authorised Products take precedence, however if incorrect, it can be overridden by selecting 'Authorised Product Override' in our Allowed Products detail grid.

Allowed Locations link

We can pre-define our site users sender location and receiver location lists using Allowed Locations. This can be configured as Regions or individually.

1. Expand Reference Data within the navigation menu, open Locations page.
2. To setup Regions, unhide the 'Region' column and name accordingly.
3. Tabs will appear at the bottom, open Allowed Locations detail grid.
4. Define Site Location or Site Region, and the corresponding Location or Location region.
5. Our users defined to that site will receive a notification warning when raising transactions to trading partners that are not included in the Allowed Locations list. Optionally, this warning can be changed in Account Settings under 'Disallowed location.'

Apply Custom Glossaries link

Users need to be assigned a custom glossary to be able to apply it, see assigning custom glossaries.

1. Expand Reference Data within the navigation menu, open Custom Glossaries page.
2. This will display the custom glossaries we are assigned to, e.g. Dispatch.
3. Click the apply button to select the custom glossary, this will turn the button blue.

Apply Views link

Users need to be assigned a view to be able to apply it, see assigning views.

1. Open Transactions grid, and click the blue arrow to open the side panel.
2. Click the View tool to expand view settings.
3. Click on Name to expand the views we are assigned.
4. Click on our view, e.g. Docs Operator to load the view.
5. We are able to move, sort and filter our columns. Remember to use the reset view button to re-apply the selected view.

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Views can be assigned and applied to most grids, and are not limited to transactions.

Authorised Products link

Authorised products are shared with other trading partners that manage their accounts in 2ic Pallets. Users of other accounts will receive a warning if keying a transaction to or from our account with a product that we have not authorised.

Similarly, our users receive a warning if keying a transaction with a product that is not authorised for the account. For example, if our database has multiple CHEP accounts then it likely has several products, as they are shared across all accounts. If one account uses only 'CHEP pallets' then it may be nominated as an authorised product for that account to trigger transaction alerts for other products. Our users also receive warnings when keying transactions based on unauthorised products defined by the other trading partner. To configure:

1. Expand Reference Data within the navigation menu, open Products page.
2. On the existing product row, use the 'Add Authorised Product' button to add the product directly to our Authorised Products grid. This will prompt to add/update the authorised products and open the Authorised Products detail grid.

3. Repeat for additional products. Alternatively, key in manually:
   1. Tabs will appear at the bottom, open Authorised Products detail grid.
   2. Select the Account, which will prefill Supplier Kind.
   3. Select the authorised Product Name, which will prefill Supplier Code.

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If no authorised products are defined for an account, then all products are authorised.

Bulk Function link

Using Shift on our keyboard while mouse clicking on particular buttons will offer to do this action in bulk based on the current grid filters. This is available with the:

• Delete button in all grids.
• Restore button in all grids.
• Optimise Trading Accounts button in Locations grid.

Cancelled Transactions link

It is best to cancel transaction rows rather than to delete. Cancelling and adding a note to the transaction avoids further investigation during the reconciliation process. Commonly, users cancel when:

• The transaction record has been raised in error, and the user does not have permission to delete the row.
• The transaction record was not received, or is different.

Compare Tool link

All compare tools contain a toggle mode that cycles between three options to display differences. These include non-matching fields, column fields, and all fields.

Activity compare link

Each activity detail grid contains the Compare button on either a 'create', 'update', or 'delete' activity row.

1. Open a main grid, e.g. transactions, and click on a transaction row.
2. Tabs will appear at the bottom, open Activities detail grid.
3. Click the 'Compare' button, which will open the Activity Compare tool. This tool compares existing values with the previous values outlined in the activity row.
4. Fields selected in green will be updated. Existing values are initially highlighted green. Switch values accordingly and click Update to save.

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This can be done in any page that has an activities detail grid, and is not limited to transactions.

Link compare link

Link compare allows users to compare the selected values in a main grid to a value in the detail grid. This is typically used in Pending Transactions, where it compares a pending transaction row to an existing transaction row. Clicking 'Is Linked' on a row will open the Link Compare tool.

Row compare link

Row Compare allows users to compare the selected values with another row within the same grid. In the side panel of any Grid, open Row Compare tool. By clicking the pink Compare Row button, it will highlight the selected row pink. Clicking on another row will compare values with those selected.

Destinations link

Different delay days can be setup depending on the "Destination" of the transfer. If a receiver has multiple sets of trading rules, the destination field can be used to distinguish between them, e.g. Woolworths have different delay days across particular Loscam accounts.

1. Expand Reference Data within the navigation menu, open Trading Accounts page.
2. Unhide Destination column.
3. Specify a Destination name against the trading partners account and assign the corresponding trading profile.

1. Expand Operations within the navigation menu, open Transactions page.
2. Unhide Destination column, and key a transfer off with the matching destination name against the trading account. It will alter the effective dates accordingly.

Duplicate Filtering for Trading Partners link

In locations link

1. Expand Reference Data within the navigation menu, open Locations page.
2. Filter Kind field to 'Trading Partner', and set our supplier's Account Number column to 'has a value.' If there are multiple trading accounts associated with the trading partner, ### will be displayed and is unable to be sorted.
3. Click the duplicate filter icon in one or more of the available columns:
   • Name
   • Code
   • Account Number - CHEP
   • Account Number - Loscam
   • Account Number - VPS
4. Review duplicates accordingly.

In trading accounts link

1. Expand Reference Data within the navigation menu, open Trading Accounts page.
2. Filter Account Number column to 'has a value', and any other columns relevant.
3. Sort by Account Number.
4. Click the duplicate filter icon in one or more of the available columns:
   • Name
   • Supplier
   • Account Number
5. Review duplicates accordingly.

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Most columns can be filtered on duplicates.

Duplicate Filtering for Transactions link

1. Expand Reference Data within the navigation menu, open Transactions page.
2. Click the duplicate filter icon in the available columns.
3. Review duplicates accordingly.

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Most columns can be filtered on duplicates.

General Accounts link

General accounts can be used to track customer-owned products. While there is only one 'General' supplier, multiple general accounts, products and service centre locations can be set up.

1. Expand Reference Data within the navigation menu, open Databases page.
2. Tabs appear at the bottom of the grid, open the Accounts detail grid.
3. Key in business name, select General as supplier, and key in a description. Full/External/Internal name will auto-populate.
4. Key in account number, country code, currency code and contact. Account number can be made up, however is recommended to match 2ic Pallets desktop app account number. If multiple general accounts, set Group field to supplier name.
5. Link sites to supplier accounts.
6. Create general products - if multiple general accounts, set Group field to supplier name.
7. Create general trading accounts of trading partners that will trade general products.
8. Create a general service centre location - key in supplier name, select Service Centre as kind, select General as supplier - if multiple general accounts, set Group field to supplier name.
9. Create issue transactions to set opening balances at sites and trading partners.

Incomplete Transactions link

Commonly, transactions are initially marked incomplete due to:

• Issues & Dehires
  • Issues and dehire transactions need to be initially incomplete as the service centre will generate their own docket number. Updating the transaction with the provided docket number will tick the record as complete.
• Pallet Transfer Authorities (PTA)
  • If a receiving trading partner has a PTA policy where they do not accept others' docket numbers, transactions need to be initially incomplete as the receiving trading partner will generate their own docket number. Updating the transaction with the provided docket number will tick the record as complete.
• Relocations
  • Relocations can initially be made incomplete while the user at the receiver site completes it. However, it is better to use the submit & confirm system, where relocation transactions are handled the same as loans and transfers.
• Sent & Received
  • Using the incomplete box for these transactions tend to mean the record is being double-handled. Ideally, a transaction is completely entered, and there is no need to return to it and provide missing information.
  • Instead of using sent & received for a delivery, i.e. keying an incomplete transaction with sent quantity, then updating/completing it with received quantity when the truck returns, record these as separate transactions. This can be done using the 'Add Return Row' button, or the keyboard shortcut of Alt+T to create the new return transaction based on the selected row.

An incomplete transaction will automatically complete when:

• It has a created timestamp at least 5 minutes earlier than now, and one of the following fields are changed:
  • Sending date.
  • Receiving date.
  • Sender location.
  • Receiver location.
  • Carrier.
  • Quantity.
  • Kind.
  • Docket number.

Loscam Thailand Accounts link

Loscam Thailand require each customer to have multiple accounts for different products.

1. Expand Reference Data within the navigation menu, open Databases page.
2. Tabs appear at the bottom of the grid, open the Accounts detail grid.
3. Key in Business Name, select Loscam as Supplier, and key in a description. Full/External/Internal name will auto-populate.
4. Key in Account Number, Country Code, Currency Code and Contact.
5. Repeat for other Loscam accounts. Refer to linking sites to accounts.
6. Create multiple Loscam products.

Multi-factor Authentication link

Multi-factor authentication can be enforced across a database.

1. Expand Reference Data within the navigation menu, open Databases page.
2. Against the database, tick Is MFA Required.
3. Any new user added to this database will have Is MFA Required ticked. Existing users will need to have Is MFA Required manually ticked by a group super user.

Multi-factor authentication can also be enforced for particular users, and is not required to be switched on across the whole database.

1. Expand Permissions within the navigation menu, open Users page.
2. Against the user, tick Is MFA Required.

When that user next signs in, they will be prompted to setup multi-factor authentication. When a user has MFA enabled and setup, Is MFA Enabled will be ticked against their user.

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This function can only be configured by a group super user.

Offline Capability link

2ic Pallets allows printing dockets while offline before rows are saved to the server. Once back online, the mutation queue will submit those changes that were made offline. The below features are to complement this:

Retaining invalid rows link

Invalid rows are incomplete rows that are either missing a required field, or cannot be saved due to an error. Clicking the ! in the status column will display the reason it is not saving. These invalid rows will be retained and moved to the top of the grid when a user sorts or filters. These invalid rows can be removed from the grid by clicking the grid's refresh button in the bottom right corner, or the individual row's refresh button.

Saved rows link

When rows are completely saved, a green tick is added to the status column. If there is no green tick, it means it has not finished saving completely to the server.

Unsaved dockets link

Printed dockets will display '(unsaved)' text at the bottom of the page when there are unsaved changes in the mutation queue.

Unsaved changes link

When a user is offline, and closes a tab with unsaved changes, a dialogue box will appear preventing closing the tab. The user is then able to click 'Leave' to close the tab and discard the offline changes, or 'Cancel' to keep the tab open.

Pending Transaction Setup link

Sites using the web app can submit transfer off or loan sent transactions to another sites pending transactions.

To receive pending transactions:

1. Expand Reference Data within the navigation menu, open Databases page.
2. Tabs appear at the bottom of the grid, open Sites detail grid.
3. Against these sites, tick 'Are submissions Allowed'.
4. The sender site must be linked in the trading partner catalogue. See add/link/sync from the trading partner catalogue.

To submit transactions:

1. In Account Settings, ensure 'Are transfer off transactions submitted automatically' and 'Are loan sent transactions submitted automatically' are ticked. This is ticked by default.
2. The receiver site must be linked in the trading partner catalogue. See add/link/sync from the trading partner catalogue. The Submit Method against this location needs to be marked "Direct to Pending".

Product Bundles link

Product bundles create transactions based on Bundle Quantities. Selecting a product bundle when keying a transaction creates the corresponding row associated with the bundle quantity.

1. Expand Reference Data within the navigation menu, open Products page.
2. Against each product bundle, assign the same name in 'Bundle' field for reference, e.g. 'Keg Bundle'.
3. Against those products, key the associated quantity, e.g. 12 kegs fit on 1 CHEP pallet.
4. Now, when we key a transaction for Kegs, using Alt+P will determine the quantity of pallets required to fit that amount of kegs. It does not necessarily need to be equal, as the amount of CHEP pallets will be rounded up to fit the amount of kegs.
5. Open Transactions page, key a transaction for Kegs, e.g. 20 kegs will fit on 2 CHEP pallets.
6. Use Alt+P to create the corresponding CHEP pallet transaction, e.g. 2 CHEP pallets.

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CHEP require a specific docket format, therefore the account settings for General must comply with these requirements, i.e. same prefix.

Receipt Numbers link

A receipt number is a 6-digit number that is generated for 'on' transactions in the receivers database. It is copied into the corresponding 'off' transaction in the sender's database to provide proof-of-delivery, i.e. it replaces a signature on paper.

When a transaction does not match the receivers database, a ? icon is attached to the row.

Clicking this icon will display either a notification that the receipt number does not match, or a pop-up offering to update the row with the changes if the:

• effective date is up to 30 days difference and not in the senders favour.
• effective date is up to 15 days difference and in the senders favour.
• quantity is up to 10 difference and not in the senders favour.
• quantity is up to 5 difference and in the senders favour.

Receiver Reference Formats link

If trading partners require a specific format of a receiver reference, i.e. a purchase order, a custom format can be setup. If a non-matching receiver reference for a transfer-off is entered, a warning is displayed. The transaction can still be saved.

1. Tick 'Is Receiver Reference Required'.
2. Key in Receiver Reference Description to refer back to.
3. Specify Receiver Reference Format, i.e. a reference 'AD--00123/K' would have format 'AD--#####/?'.
   • '#' for a single numeric character, or the literal # character, i.e. use it in place of [0-9]
   • '?' for a single character, i.e. use it in place of any character

Region link

Region field enables grouping locations together to define configurations.

In submission overrides link

Use the region field to group multiple sites to define submission overrides:

1. Expand Reference Data within the navigation menu, open Databases page.
2. Tabs appear at the bottom of the grid, open Sites detail grid.
3. Against multiple sites, assign Region.
4. Open Submission Overrides detail grid.
5. On a new line, key Trading Partner and Region.
6. Tick 'Are Submissions Allowed'. In the below example:
   • Allow pending transactions from the trading partner "Sample Adelaide",
   • The trading partner "Sample Adelaide" can only submit transactions to the Norwood and Stepney sites (due to Region), and not to the Truganina site,
   • Disallow pending transactions from all other trading partners.

Relocation Management link

Relocations are internal transactions that are sent between sites that belong to the same account. Below is a typical relocation workflow for submitting, confirming and resolving relocations. For steps on particular workflows, see processing pending relocations.

1. Sender creates a relocation transaction, and it is submitted automatically.
2. In pending transactions, unprocessed relocations (those without a confirmed timestamp) are only visible to the receiver.
3. Receiver processes the relocation transaction via accepting/cancelling/updating. When accepting or updating with a greater quantity, it is confirmed automatically. When it is cancelled, or updated with a lesser quantity, it will not be confirmed automatically, will be sent to the senders pending transactions page for approval, and will be removed from the receivers pending transactions page.
4. Receiver clicks the orange delete button against any processed row, which deletes processed relocations.
5. Cancelled and updated (with lesser quantity) relocations from the receiver site will appear in the senders pending transactions page for review.
6. Sender site reviews these changes, and contacts the receiver site separately to resolve discrepancies. Sender clicks the approve button, and this populates the confirmed timestamp.
7. Sender clicks the orange delete button against any processed row, which deletes processed relocations, including those they have approved.

Relocation Profiles link

This use case is common for a retailer that creates relocations to a regional store. For setup, see configuring relocation profiles.

A relocation is keyed from the distribution centre to a store site, and uses Alt + T to create the return transaction. If there is a relocation profile that matches the source transaction, those settings are used.

Relocation profiles can apply to a particular Sender Location, i.e. 'Queensland DC', or the Sender Region may be specified to apply rules to a region of sites, i.e. 'Distribution Centres.'

If 'Is Return Transfer' is ticked, the return transaction will be a transfer off rather than a relocation, and if a 'Return Location' is nominated, i.e.:

• The carrier that has the store delivery contract, then the generated transfer will be to that trading partner.
• The store returns are immediately dehired, then the generated transfer will be to a service centre location.

Restore Rows link

When deleting records, the refresh button on that row will turn into a restore button. When clicking this button, a prompt will appear offering to restore the row. Clicking 'Yes' will re-add the selected row to the top of the grid. Clicking Cancel or off the row will not make any changes.

Rollup Data link

When multiple numeric cells are selected, the status bar displays:

• Average value of all selected numeric cells.
• Count of selected numerical cells.
• Sum of selected numeric cells.

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This feature is not visible on small screens.

Routes link

A route is a transit day assigned to a trading partner. Transit days are used to calculate the receiving date based on the sending date.

1. Expand Reference Data within the navigation menu, open Locations page.
2. Click on a new blank row.
3. Tabs will appear at the bottom, open Routes detail grid.
4. Specify Sender Location as our site and Receiver Location as the trading partner we'd like to add the route to.
5. In the Transit Day column, specify transit days, e.g. 2.
6. Now when we raise transactions based on this setup, the receiving date will populate based on the transit days, e.g. 2 days later.

Optional route configuration link

Optionally, we can specify the transit days from a particular day. This is most common over the weekend, e.g. specifying Friday as a sending day and 3 transit days will mean transactions keyed on a Friday will have a receiving date of 3 days later, on Monday.

1. Ensure we are in the Routes detail grid.
2. Specify Sender Location as our site and Receiver Location as the trading partner we'd like to add the route to.
3. In the Sending Day column, specify a day, i.e. Friday, and specify transit days, i.e. 3.
4. Now based on this setup, when we raise a transaction that falls on a Friday, it will populate a receiving date of 3 days later, on the Monday.

Run Sheets link

Run sheet reports are provided as an alternative to printing separate dockets. They are suitable for a truck driver that is performing multiple pickups and/or deliveries on the same 'run'.

1. Expand Operations within the navigation menu, open Transactions page.
2. Ensure the 'Carrier' column is displayed.
3. Enter a variety of transaction types (loan sent, loan received, transfer off, and transfer on) for the run, and specify the same 'Sending Date' and 'Carrier' for each row.
4. Click the run sheet button for one of the rows to view the report:
   

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'Received' and 'Quantity' fields are printed as empty boxes for Loan Sent rows when 'Sent' is specified and 'Received' is zero. Similarly, Loan Received rows can have empty boxes for 'Sent' and 'Quantity'. The boxes are for the driver to manually record the number of exchanged empty products and the resulting net quantity.

Selection Count link

When multiple cells are selected, the grid status bar will display a count of multiple cells/rows/columns, e.g., when you highlight 4 rows and 2 columns, the selection count will display 4R + 2C.

Site Details link

Our site contact details can be updated. These changes will appear on our dockets.

1. Expand Reference Data within the navigation menu, open Databases page.
2. Tabs appear at the bottom of the grid, open the Sites detail grid.
3. We can edit the following fields:
   • Name
   • Code
   • Contact
   • Email Address
   • Phone Number
   • Address
   • Country

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Updating site locations is limited to group super users.

Submit Method link

Submit Method defines how a transaction is communicated to the receiver.

• Online Docket is equivalent to no submitting. An online docket is automatically created for every transfer off, so this option is always available. Most trading partners and sites will have this set as default.
• Direct to Pending automatically submits and receives to the receivers pending transactions for them to process accordingly. Trading partners that are linked to a catalogue trading partner should have this set as default.
• Print Docket displays the print icon blue, and other methods of submitting can be done.
• Email Docket displays the email icon blue, and other methods of submitting can be done.

Trading Account Optimisation link

1. Expand Reference Data within the navigation menu, open Locations page.
2. Ensure 'Optimise Trading Accounts' column is open.
3. Use the 'Optimise Trading Accounts' button to optimise the row.
4. To bulk-optimise, use Alt when clicking the 'Optimise Trading Accounts' button.

An optimisation tool will run, and a pop-up will appear displaying problems. Auto-fix is offered if applicable.

• Auto fix will delete redundant and/or duplicate trading accounts.
• Auto fix will update when trading accounts can be generalised. Generalising refers to trading accounts that have a specified column that is not required. For example, if there is only one trading account for a supplier and the account column is unnecessarily specified, generalising will remove the unnecessary field.

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This feature is available to group super users only.

Trading Account Scope link

In general, it is best to have trading rules that apply across the whole business, however, trading accounts with different trading rules can be defined by Account, Site or Product scopes:

• Example 1: For users assigned to SA account, when keying any CHEP or Loscam equipment, delays days will be as per profile "Transfer 7 Day Delay."
• Example 2: For users that are not assigned to SA account (including users who are assigned to other accounts), delay days wil be as per profile "Transfer 30 Day Delay."
• Example 3: For specific product and site, e.g., when Melbourne site users key plastic pallet transactions, it will be as per profile "Same Day Transfer." For any other CHEP or Loscam products, the delay days will be as per the profile of "Transfer Off - 30 Delay Days."

Trading Account Start and End Dates link

Specifying a start date and end date against a trading account is most common when our trading partner opens up a new account, but is still trading with the old account temporarily. Specifying these dates allow us to retain existing transactional data, and create transactions to the old account, but still create future transactions to the new account - under the same trading partner.

For example, our trading partner Mango Farms has opened up a new CHEP account effective 01/02/2024. They still have their old CHEP account active for alterations, and for any transactions raised before the new account is live. This means we need to set an end date on the old account, and a start date on the new account.

1. Expand Reference Data within the navigation menu, open Trading Accounts page.
2. Unhide columns Start Date and End Date.
3. Against the old account number, leave start date empty, and key end date, i.e. 31/01/2024.
4. Against the new account number, key start date, i.e. 01/02/2024, and leave end date empty.

Transaction Alerts link

There are different kinds of transaction alerts that can be configured for various functions and are found in Account Settings:

1. (None) - no alert.
2. Highlight warning - row is highlighted orange and saves row.
3. Notification warning - row is highlighted orange with a message in left corner and saves row.
4. Pop-up warning - pop-up appears to click OK or Cancel. Clicking OK saves the row. Clicking Cancel or clicking off the row does not save the row.
5. Unauthorised error - message appears in left corner and does not save the row.

Duplicate alerts link

Duplicate transaction records are identified in the grid if the account settings for either duplicate docket number, duplicate sender reference or duplicate receiver reference alerts are set as notification, pop-up warning or unauthorised error.

These will be coloured blue and are existing saved records. Displaying these duplicates can prevent users from keying the same record again.

Transaction Filters link

Any reference filter link

All Reference columns have an Any Reference button. Searching in either of the five reference fields (carrier reference, sender reference, receiver reference, docket number, internal reference), and clicking the Any Reference button will search this text across all reference columns.

Either location filter link

Sender Location and Receiver Location columns have an Either Location button. Filtering on a location in either the Sender Location or Receiver Location column, and clicking the Either Location button will display results for that trading partner, in either the sender location or receiver location. This replaces the synchronise location filters tool in the side panel. This is available in Transactions and Pending Transactions grid.

Unsubmitting & Unconfirming Transactions link

Unsubmitting is deleting a previously submitted transaction from the receiver's pending transactions grid. This is triggered by:

• Alt+clicking the submit button or,
• Deleting the transaction or,
• Changing the receiver location. This unsubmits from the previous location and re-submits to the new location.

Unconfirming is clearing the confirmed timestamp & receipt number from the corresponding transaction in the sender's database.

• Alt+clicking the confirm button.