You can configure the package preferences through packing methods applied to line items in your quotes. Optimal packing methods then will automatically be selected, reducing the time-consuming process of manually selecting appropriate packing methods for each line in a quote.
Admins can set which packing methods users can choose from and select the priority. The packing method will come directly from the catalog feed where their packing methods are defined. There is a description field provided to include details.
To set system packing methods, admins can click on System Settings and navigate to Packing Methods in left navigation bar. From here, as admins you can see different packing methods in this tab depending on what is contained in the catalog table.
There are currently 5 sample packing methods in the CPQ system (Bag, Bulk, CT, DKR, and TR). The current "Packing Methods" table displays:
- Packing Method: The packing method from the part_master feed.
- Display Name: This allows admins to rename any types for display purposes.
- Description: Field to include package details.
- Lock Priority: Admins can specify whether a package type gets locked at a specific order of priority. This way, non-admins are unable to move that from the order shown. Admins can lock and prioritize packing methods available at the top of the list. Packing methods must be locked in sequential order.
- Active: Admins can select and unselect package types from being active versus inactive in the packing methods modal. If the packing_method field in the catalog table is no longer provided, then these will display below the "Packing Methods" table in a separate table titled "Unused Packing Methods".
As a non-admin, once a quote has been uploaded and mapped, you will see the "Packing Methods" in the "Quote Preferences" modal. You can sort the order of packing methods to display but cannot change the methods or re-order any packing methods set by admins.
You can update packing methods within existing quotes in Quote Settings on the Settings tab.
Based on the priority of multiple selected packing methods, the system will choose and apply the packing methods with sufficient stock for the requested quantity. For items that have only one packing method, then the system will default to select this packing method. You can see the "Package" columns in the Catalog Suggestions, External Suggestions and Advanced Search.
If there are packing methods that are only applicable to single items, the system will display these one-off packing methods in a table underneath "Packing Methods" in System Settings.
As is the case with the "Packing Methods" table, you will have the ability to update the display name and description. However, because these are one-off packing methods, they will not appear in "Packing Methods" while uploading or configuring quotes. Therefore, "Lock Priority" and "Active" will not be configurable for these packing methods.
Also, to see individual packing methods, you can click the expanded view button to display the packing methods within the item's metadata section.