Pack structure management

Automotive-specific management of pack-structure definitions, item assignments, and their use in purchasing, sales, goods receipt, shipment, and Logistics Supply Chain.

Purpose

This page explains how pack structures are defined, assigned to items and processes, copied into documents, and registered operationally in Automotive. It brings together a topic that, in day-to-day work, is at the same time master data, document logic, and logistics control.

Difference from Handling Unit Management and loading units

The general packaging logic and physical structure of handling units are already described on Handling Unit Management. In Automotive, a second view is added:

which pack structure applies to which item and which process,
how that structure is copied into sales, purchasing, warehouse, or production documents,
when a standard, alternative, or manual pack structure is used,
when the structure is registered and therefore fixed as the binding operational state.

The accounting- and ownership-related view of loading units is additionally described on Loading units and empty returns.

Business value

You define reusable pack structures instead of rebuilding the same packaging logic in every document.
You assign the correct structure per item and process, for example for goods receipt, production, or shipment.
You control consciously whether the standard structure is sufficient or whether an alternative or manual structure is required.
You ensure that the registered pack structure matches the physical goods so that follow-up processes can rely on it correctly.

Why pack structure is so operationally important

The pack structure is not just a description of packaging. In Automotive it directly affects:

which packages are created in goods receipt, production, and shipment,
which packaging materials and quantities are used in downstream checks,
how labels, package entries, and certain EDI or shipping routines are built,
whether mobile or LSC-driven processes find the real physical structure correctly.

That is why the core rule is: the registered pack structure must match the real physical situation.

graph LR;

%% Nodes
A["Pack Structure Definition"]
B["Pack Structure Setup"]
C["Copy into Document"]
D["Standard, Alternative, or Manual"]
E["Registration"]
F["Goods Receipt, Production, LSC"]

%% Flow
A -.- B
linkStyle 0 stroke:#ffffff
B ==> C
C ==> D
D ==> E
E ==> F

%% Classes
class A btProcessTitle
class B,C,D,E,F btProcessActive

Current product state and important rules

Rule	What it means in practice
Maximum of four levels	The current product state does not allow an unlimited hierarchy. Very deep real-world packaging patterns therefore need to be simplified consciously or split into several operational steps.
Pack structure must be valid from a business perspective	Not every created structure is automatically usable. Incomplete or unreleased structures must not run as the standard unnoticed.
A registered pack structure cannot be edited freely	After registration, the structure must first be reset into an editable state if a correction is required.
Standard structure is only a proposal	If the physical delivery or production case looks different, users must consciously switch to an alternative or manual structure.

For quantity logic, this simple rule helps:

Total content quantity = singles per master × number of masters

As soon as this logic no longer matches the real goods, the pack structure is functionally wrong even if the document quantity still looks plausible at first sight.

1. Create the pack structure definition

The general template is maintained through the Pack Structure Definition List. This list can be maintained with or without an item reference.

What you define there

Area	What it is used for
Header	description and, where needed, an item number reference
Lines	actual hierarchy of master, single, and accessory logic
Status	whether the definition is valid and released for real use

For practice, this distinction matters:

general definition: reusable base structure without a fixed item reference,
item-specific definition: structure prepared specifically for one item,
alternative: consciously different structure for a special case inside the same process.

When to work generally and when item-specific

Situation	Recommended approach
Many items follow the same packaging logic	create a general definition and later assign or copy it per item
One item has deviating fill quantities, packaging materials, or special levels	maintain a dedicated item-specific definition
A normal standard structure only occasionally needs a fallback variant	create an alternative for the existing logic

2. Assign the pack structure to an item and process

The real operational assignment happens through Pack Structure Setup. This is where you decide which structure applies to which item and which process.

One item can have several pack structures, for example separated by:

goods receipt,
production,
shipment,
special or alternative case.

When you select a general definition, you can either use it directly or copy it for the current item and then adapt it. This is exactly what keeps pack structure setup manageable in projects: standardize first, deviate deliberately second.

3. Copy into operational documents

As soon as an item is used in a process, Automotive no longer works only with the master-data template. The pack structure is copied into the operational context.

Sales and purchasing documents

For sales and purchasing, the current code shows that pack structures can be copied to new documents or lines, updated later, or rebuilt when required. In practice, this means:

The structure belongs not only to the item but also to the concrete document case.
Changes in item master data do not automatically rewrite already running documents.
Existing orders need conscious update or review when the packaging logic changes.

Goods receipt and shipment

In goods receipt and shipment, users typically work with three paths:

Path	When it fits	Effect
Standard pack structure	the physical goods match the planned master-data case	the structure is built from source document or setup
Alternative pack structure	the process is the same, but the packaging deviates in a controlled way	the user selects a prepared fallback structure
Manual pack structure	extra quantity, special masters, or unplanned deviations must be captured	the structure is deliberately added or changed in the document

This decision matters functionally: a wrong standard structure must not remain in place just because it is faster.

Logistics Supply Chain and production

LSC and production-related processes rely on the same base logic. Here the pack structure becomes especially critical because it runs together with locations, package entries, feedback, and potentially mobile execution.

Examples from the current product state:

LSC can register pack structures in goods receipt and also reset them when required.
Pack-structure validation can be active during production feedback.
Package and physical-inventory processes derive weights and quantities from pack-structure logic.

Example views from the legacy application

Example views for definition, setup, and registration

Pack Structure Definition List

Pack Structure Definition

Pack Structure Setup

Selection and copy of a definition

Pack structure in document assignment

Registration in shipment

4. Weight calculation in the pack structure

Weights in Automotive are first calculated per packaging unit and then summed up through the packaging hierarchy to transport level.

Terms

Term	Meaning
Packed goods item	The wrapped goods article. Represented in the pack structure through Item No.
Loading unit item	The packaging material used, for example a KLT, wire mesh container, or pallet. Represented via Packaging No. or, in the shipment, via LE Item No.
Package	A concrete packaging unit consisting of packed goods and a loading unit, potentially including subordinate packages.
Tare	The dead weight of the loading unit without packed goods.

Weights from the item card

For the packed goods item, the following fields on the item card are used:

Net weight: field Net Weight
Goods share of the gross weight: field Gross Weight (or the already calculated net weight, depending on the calculation path)

The code explicitly loads Net Weight and Gross Weight for the packed goods item and uses them as Single Net Weight and Single Gross Weight respectively. The item card of the packed goods item should therefore have: Net Weight = Gross Weight.

For the loading unit item, the Gross Weight field on the item card is used as the tare. The code loads the item from Packaging No. or LE Item No. to determine the tare.

Weight field	Meaning in the system
Net Weight	Summed weight of the unwrapped packed goods item across subordinate hierarchy levels.
Gross Weight	Summed weight of the unwrapped packed goods item including its packaging across subordinate hierarchy levels.

Filled single package

A filled single line contains a packed goods item and a fill quantity. Net weight and gross weight are calculated as follows:

Net weight (package) = Net Weight (item) × Fill quantity

Gross weight (package) = Gross Weight (item) × Fill quantity + Gross Weight (loading unit)

The loading unit is added once per package as tare.

Example:

Value	Amount
Net Weight of the packed goods item	2.0 kg
Gross Weight of the packed goods item	2.1 kg
Gross Weight of the loading unit (KLT)	3.0 kg
Fill quantity	20 pieces
Net weight of the package	40 kg (2.0 × 20)
Gross weight of the package	45 kg (2.1 × 20 + 3)

Empty loading unit

If a packaging line has no fill quantity, the package contains no packed goods. The code then sets:

Net weight = 0 kg
Gross weight = Gross Weight of the loading unit item

An empty KLT with Gross Weight = 3 kg therefore has net weight 0 kg and gross weight 3 kg.

Master and mixed pallets

For master pallets and mixed pallets, the weights of the subordinate packages are summed hierarchically:

Net weight (pallet) = Sum of net weights of contained packages

Gross weight (pallet) = Sum of gross weights of contained packages + Gross Weight (loading unit pallet)

For a mixed pallet that contains different items, no unique packed goods item is carried at pallet level. The code clears Item No. in this case and marks the package as Mixed. The goods weight of the mixed pallet therefore comes entirely from the subordinate packages.

Example mixed pallet:

Contained package	Net weight	Gross weight
KLT 1	40 kg	45 kg
KLT 2	50 kg	56 kg
Loading unit pallet (Gross Weight)	–	25 kg
Mixed pallet total	90 kg	126 kg

Transition to shipment and transport

In the shipment, the calculated values are stored in BET AUT LE Assignment Shipment as Total Net Weight and Total Gross Weight.

For the overall shipment weights, only the topmost packaging units with Indentation = 0 are summed. The weights of the singles contained within master or mixed pallets are already included there and are therefore not added separately. This avoids double-counting.

The transport subsequently receives a copy of the posted pack structure with the same summed weights.

5. Registration as the business control point

Registration is not a technical side step. It is the business release of the structure for the downstream process.

Before registration, check at least:

Does the structure match the real physical goods?
Do singles, masters, and accessories fit together logically?
Is the selected alternative really approved for this case?
Do label printing, EDI, or package entries need to rely on exactly this structure?

After registration, the structure is considered binding. Changes then only make sense in a controlled way through reset or re-entry.

Recommended work sequence

Create a general or item-specific pack structure definition.
Assign it to the item and relevant process through Pack Structure Setup.
At document creation or process start, decide whether standard, alternative, or manual structure is needed.
Capture or complete the real physical structure in the document.
Register the pack structure only after visual and plausibility checks.
Only then continue with downstream steps such as goods receipt, shipment, LSC follow-up, or feedback.

Control steps

Point in time	What to check
When creating the definition	levels, quantity logic, and reusability fit
During item assignment	correct item and correct process reference selected
Before document testing	standard or alternative structure exists and is functionally released
Before registration	physical goods and system structure match
Before follow-up processes	label, EDI, LSC, or production logic builds on the correct registered structure

Typical failure patterns

Situation	Possible cause	Check
Standard pack structure cannot be built cleanly	no valid pack-structure setup exists for item or process	inspect item, process type, and release status of the setup
Users constantly need manual rework	master data does not represent the normal case correctly	revise the general definition and alternative structure
Registration fails or the downstream process blocks	structure is incomplete, unreleased, or functionally inconsistent	inspect levels, singles, accessories, and structure status
Production or LSC process stops	pack-structure validation, location logic, or packaging-material status does not fit	inspect LSC setup, item, and registered structure together
Wrong labels or shipping data are produced	registered structure does not match the real goods	compare document structure with the physical packing build

Result

You can treat pack structures as a real control object in Automotive instead of only a master-data note.
You know how definition, setup, document copy, and registration work together.
You reduce downstream errors because physical goods, document structure, and follow-up logic are aligned consciously to the same pack structure.