Catch Unit

General Information

Catch unit is a unit of measure parallel to the inventory unit of measure, primarily used to make a correct price conversion based on the current catch quantity, e.g., weighted weight. For certain products, a fixed conversion rate between the inventory unit of measure and the price unit of measure is not possible to use because the conversion factor varies too much. To overcome this, the catch unit of measure feature can be used. This requires you to, for instance, update the picked quantity in both the inventory and the catch unit of measure to maintain an accurate conversion rate.

A typical example where the catch unit is used would be for frozen chicken, which are stored in pieces (the inventory unit of measure), but priced in kilograms (the price and catch unit of measure). Each received lot/batch is reported in pieces and kilograms. When the lot/batch is sold, the system will use the pick reported weight to calculate the price.

Note: Even though chicken is likely to be handled using the lot/batch feature, the lot/batch feature is not required to use the catch unit. 

The catch quantity entered will always be accepted by the system even though the quantity may not be realistic. The catch unit feature that enables the parallel unit of measure, also facilitates the tracking of two different units of measure per transaction. These two units of measure however, cannot be converted from one to the other using a standard unit of measure. While the parallel unit of measure enables pricing of both standard and non-standard items, it must be noted that it is not possible to use the catch quantity for inventory revaluation, which only can be done for inventory quantity.

Purpose and Area of Use

The catch unit feature is beneficial to companies operating in industries such as fresh food, beverage, or dairy where the use of catch unit enables keeping track of the product in two different units of measure. Such companies benefit from the catch unit feature in terms of accuracy, visibility, and profitability.

Where service levels play an important part in a company in any industry, the catch unit provides the opportunity to view the available quantity on hand expressed in two parallel units of measure. Thereby, efficiently enabling to match the supply with the customer demands, and to improve customer satisfaction.

Basic Data for Catch Unit

Prior to using the catch unit, you must have entered some basic data.

• An inventory part must be entered in the Inventory Part window, and the Negative On hand Allowed check box must be cleared on the Inventory Part/Misc Part Info tab.
• On the Inventory Part/General tab enter the catch unit of measure and then select the Catch Unit Enabled check box in the Part/General tab.
• A corresponding sales part for the inventory part must be entered in the Sales Part window, and the price unit of measure must be equal to the catch unit of measure.

Note: It is not possible to remove or modify the entered catch unit of measure code in the Inventory Part window. However, you can enable or disable the catch unit feature as and when required, unless a quantity exists in transit, which will result in an error.

Catch Unit – Hints and Limitations

• Reservations are always made in the inventory unit of measure, except in Production Schedule.
• When issuing, the system can identify the catch quantity, but only when the whole quantity at a location is used.
• When issuing more than the catch quantity that exists at the location, the issuing of the catch quantity is accepted without any warning message. (However, you cannot issue more than the inventory quantity than exists at the location).
• A particular part may exist on more than one site. You can define either the same or a different unit of measure for it on each site as long as they have the same base unit of measure.
• If the catch quantity goes to zero or less than zero, while the inventory quantity is greater than zero, the catch quantity will have no value, and will be erased.
• If the inventory quantity goes to zero, the catch quantity will be set to zero.
• When receiving, the catch quantity at the location must have a value. If not, a counting is needed.
• When receiving serial parts that are also catch unit enabled, note that each part must be received individually with the entered catch quantity.

Catch unit enabled parts are not intended to be used in the following processes. For some of the processes mentioned below, you may be forced to turn off the catch unit feature to complete the activity.

• Project
• PDM Configuration
• MRO Shop Orders
• Kanban
• Ship Supply Material
• Dispatch Advice
• Transport Tasks

Catch Quantity – Issue

For all the activities where the catch unit enabled parts can be issued, the issued quantity has to be expressed in both the inventory unit of measure and the catch unit of measure. The catch quantity entered can be any positive value, and the system will accept this be it realistic or not. The only exception is when the full inventory quantity at a location is issued, the corresponding catch quantity is used.

Automatically performed material issues are accepted, provided the full inventory quantity at a certain location is used. In cases where you try to automatically issue just a portion of the quantity on a location, the background job will fail as the system cannot determine which catch quantity to use. Resolve the problem by using a manual procedure.

With regard to issuing a quantity pertaining to processes and activities where the catch unit is not fully supported, the following must be noted:

• You can manufacture a catch unit enabled part using Project Delivery, since Project Delivery uses the normal Manufacturing flow. Once the part is manufactured, you need to issue it to the project. Since the part is catch unit enabled, this will only work if the full quantity on a specific location is issued. If not, you will receive an error message and be forced to either issue all excess parts at the location, or to turn off the catch unit feature. Note that the automatic issuing procedures require the full inventory quantity to be issued, else the system will prevent you from continuing and an the background job will display an error message.

When performing an issue, a message on part uses catch unit and therefore you must enter the catch quantity may be displayed, to which you have the following options:

• If the catch quantity can be entered in the window,  just enter the catch quantity and continue.
• If the catch quantity cannot be entered in the window, use the Move Inventory Part window to move the required inventory quantity to the desired location. As the system will automatically identify the catch quantity when the full quantity at a location is moved, the activity can be performed without error.
  Alternatively, you can clear the Catch Unit Enabled check box on the Part/General tab, and proceed in the normal way.

Note:

• Disabling the catch unit for a part will not erase existing catch quantities, but the next time the quantity on a location is modified, the catch quantity will be erased.
• In situations where you just issue a portion of the quantity on a location using an automatic procedure, the background job will fail. Resolve the problem by using a manual procedure. 

Catch Quantity – Receipt

For all activities where the catch unit enabled parts can be received, the received quantity has to be expressed in both the inventory unit of measure and the catch unit of measure. The catch quantity entered can be any positive value and the system will accept this be it realistic or not.

As long as the catch quantity at the location has no value for catch unit enabled parts, you will have to perform a counting, and enter the catch quantity before any receipt transaction is allowed for that location. This is true even in situations when receiving from transit.

If you disable catch unit handling for a part to be able to issue the part to a project, and later on re-enable catch unit handling, you cannot un-issue the part since the project is not intended to use the catch unit feature. To un-issue in this case, you have to turn off the catch unit feature.

However, if you have issued a catch unit enabled part to a project (or any of the above stated processes where limitations exist), you can perform an un-issue of the whole quantity issued.

When performing a receipt, a message on catch unit is enabled and catch quantity must be defined on the location to allow any transaction and therefore perform counting may be displayed, to which you have the following options: 

• Perform Counting in Inventory.
• Clear the Catch Unit Enabled check box on the Part/General tab..

In situations where you just receive a quantity on a location using an automatic procedure, the background job will fail. Resolve the problem by using a manual procedure.