Container onboarding

Container onboarding puts items into a container. Agents scan the items that go into the container and complete the event, and nShift records the contents. Items can be shipments, packages, or other containers, so containers can be nested; for example, a pallet on a trailer.

Content in this article:

• When to use this
• Create a Scan App event for container onboarding
• Show the Containers tab in Scan App
• Put items into a container
• Add a reusable container
• Assign a container to yourself
• Container rules
   

When to use this

Use container onboarding when items travel together, for example on a pallet or a trailer. Once items are in a container, you can check the contents with container validation or send one event for the whole container.
 

Key concepts

• Container – a group of items. Items can be shipments, packages, or other containers. Every agent in the Action Center can see the contents.
• Reusable container – a named container that agents fill again and again, such as Shipments to EU. Everyone who picks it from the list adds to the same load.
• Assigned container – a reusable container that an agent has assigned to themselves, so the load stays with that agent.

Create a Scan App event for container onboarding

Create an event that asks agents to select a container, so they can put items into containers in Scan App. This task is for Action Center admins.
 

Steps

1. Go to Track > Action Center > Settings > Scan App events in nShift Portal.
    

2. Select New at the bottom of the list of events.
    

   

3. Enter a name for the event, for example, "Loaded in container".
    
4. Select Container is required so that agents select a container when they use the event.
    
5. Make sure all Related info options are disabled.
    

6. Select Save
    

   

Show the Containers tab in Scan App

Add the Containers tab to the Scan App navigation so agents can open containers. This task is for Action Center admins.
 

Steps

1. Go to Track > Action Center > Settings > Appearance in nShift Portal.
    

2. Add Containers under Navigation order.

   

Put items into a container

Scan the items that go into a container and complete the event. Choose a reusable container, or search for a container by barcode.
 

Steps

1. Open the Containers tab.
    
2. Select the container onboarding event.
    

3. Select a reusable container, or enter or scan a container barcode or name in Search by container barcode. The search finds a container only by its full barcode or name. If no container matches, select Create to create a container with that barcode.

   

    

4. Scan or enter the barcodes of the items to put in the container.
   Note:  You can remove an item again before you complete.

   

    

5. Select Complete.
    

Result

Scan App confirms with Event registered successfully. Without a connection, the event waits in the Outbox and is sent later.

What happens when you complete

• Shipments and packages that nShift recognizes are linked to the container. For a shipment, its packages are recorded as expected in the container, so they can be validated later.
• A barcode that nShift doesn’t recognize is added as an item of its own. If Create unknown shipments is turned on for the Action Center, the barcode is registered as a new shipment instead.
• An item that was in another container is moved into this one, unless it has already been validated.
• The onboarding event is recorded on the shipments.

Add a reusable container

Add a named container that agents fill again and again, such as Shipments to EU.
 

Steps

1. Open the Containers tab.
    
2. Select the container onboarding event.
    
3. Select Add new container.
    

4. Enter a name of 3 to 50 characters

   

Assign a container to yourself

Assign a reusable container to yourself to keep a load to yourself. Without an assignment, a reusable container is shared, and everyone who picks it from the list adds to the same load.
 

Steps

1. Open the Containers tab.
    
2. Select the container onboarding event.
    
3. Enter or scan the container barcode or name in Search by container barcode.
    
4. Open the container from the search results
    
5. Select Assign to me.
    

6. The container is assigned to you, and the button reads Yours.

   

Container rules

• Barcodes must be 3 to 50 characters and match the barcode rules of the Action Center.
• The same barcode can’t be added twice in one session.
• If you leave the container screen with items added, Scan App asks whether to discard them.
• Containers can’t be deleted, only closed. A container whose items have all been moved out is closed automatically.
   

Related topics

Container validation – check the contents of a container item by item