[ADD] inventory: compare packs and uom

Author: Felicious

content/applications/inventory_and_mrp/inventory/product_management/configure.rst

@@ -1,9 +1,166 @@
-:nosearch:
+:show-content:
+:hide-page-toc:
+
+.. |UoM| replace:: :abbr:`UoM (Unit of Measure)`
+.. |UoMs| replace:: :abbr:`UoMs (Units of Measure)`
+
 
 =================
 Configure product
 =================
 
+A group of products in Odoo can be further defined using:
+
+- :doc:`Units of measure (UoM) <configure/uom>`: a standard quantity for specifying product amounts
+  (e.g., meters, yards, kilograms). Enables automatic conversion between measurement systems in
+  Odoo, such as centimeters to feet.
+
+  - *Ex: Purchasing fabric measured in meters but receiving it in yards from a vendor.*
+
+- :doc:`configure/package`: A physical container used to group products together, regardless of
+  whether they are the same or different.
+
+  - *Ex: A box containing assorted items for delivery, or a storage box of two hundred buttons on a
+    shelf.*
+
+- :doc:`configure/packaging`: groups the *same* products together to receive or sell them in
+  specified quantities.
+
+  - *Ex: Cans of soda sold in packs of six, twelve, or twenty-four.*
+
+Comparison
+==========
+
+This table provides a detailed comparison of units of measure, packages, and packaging to help
+businesses evaluate which best suits their requirements.
+
+.. list-table::
+   :header-rows: 1
+   :stub-columns: 1
+
+   * - Feature
+     - Unit of measure
+     - Packages
+     - Packaging
+   * - Purpose
+     - Standardized measurement for product units (e.g., cm, lb, L).
+     - Tracks the specific physical container and its contents.
+     - Groups a fixed number of items together for easier management (e.g., packs of 6, 12 or 24).
+   * - Product uniformity
+     - Defined per product; saved as one |UoM| in the database.
+     - Allows mixed products.
+     - Same products only.
+   * - Flexible
+     - Converts between vendor/customer |UoMs| and database |UoM|.
+     - Items can be added or removed from the container.
+     - Quantities are fixed (e.g., always packs of 6, 12 or 24).
+   * - Complexity
+     - Simplest for unit conversions.
+     - More complex due to container-level inventory tracking.
+     - Simpler; suitable for uniform product groupings.
+   * - Inventory tracking
+     - Tracks product quantities within the warehouse in the specific |UoM| defined in the product
+       form.
+     - Tracks package location and contents within the warehouse.
+     - Tracks grouped quantities but not individual items' locations.
+   * - Smooth barcode operations
+     - Not available.
+     - Requires scanning both the package and individual items for reception. (even if there are 30
+       items in a package). Can enable the :ref:`Move Entire Packages
+       <inventory/product_management/move-entire-pack>` feature to update the package's contained
+       items' locations, when moving the package
+     - Scanning a packaging barcode automatically records all included units. (e.g., 1 pack = 12
+       units).
+   * - Product lookup
+     - Not available.
+     - Scanning a product's barcode identifies its typical storage location in the Odoo database
+     - Barcode identifies grouped quantity, not storage location.
+   * - Unique barcodes
+     - Not available.
+     - Unique barcodes for individual packages (e.g., Pallet #12).
+     - Barcodes set at the packaging type level (e.g., for a pack of 6).
+   * - Reusability
+     - Not applicable.
+     - Can be disposable or reusable, configured via the :ref:`Package Use
+       <inventory/warehouses_storage/cluster-pack>` field.
+     - Disposable only.
+   * - Container weight
+     - Not applicable.
+     - Weight of the container itself is included in the *Shipping Weight* field of a package
+       (:menuselection:`Inventory app --> Products --> Packages`).
+     - Weight of the container is defined in the *Package Type* settings.
+   * - Lot/serial number tracking
+     - Requires manual adjustments to track |UoMs| via lots. (See :ref:`use case
+       <inventory/product_management/lots-uom>` for details)
+     - Applies only to contained products.
+     - Applies to both contained products and the container.
+   * - Custom routes
+     - Routes cannot be set.
+     - Routes cannot be set.
+     - Routes can define specific warehouse paths for a particular packaging type.
+
+Use cases
+=========
+
+After comparing the various features, consider how these businesses, with various inventory
+management and logistics workflows came to their decision.
+
+Pallets of items using packaging
+--------------------------------
+
+A warehouse receives shipments of soap organized on physical pallets, each containing 96 bars. These
+pallets are used for internal transfers and are also sold as standalone units. For logistical
+purposes, the pallet's weight must be included in the total shipping weight for certain deliveries.
+Additionally, the pallet requires a barcode to facilitate tracking, and individual bars of soap must
+be tracked as they are removed from the pallet.
+
+After evaluating various options, **packaging** was the most suitable solution. Packaging allows a
+barcode to be assigned to the pallet, indicating it is a "pallet type" containing 96 soap bars. This
+barcode streamlines operations by automatically registering the grouped quantity. However, there are
+important distinctions:
+
+- **Tracking individual items within packaging**. Once items are removed from the pallet, each bar
+  of soap retains its individual product barcode for separate tracking.
+- **Packaging barcodes are type-specific, not unique**. While a barcode can be assigned to represent
+  a "pallet of 96 soap bars," it does not uniquely identify individual pallets (e.g., Pallet #1,
+  Pallet #2).
+- **Less flexibility for mixed products**. Packaging treats the 96 bars as a single product, which
+  works well for uniform shipments but does not accommodate mixed or variable quantities.
+
+Capturing product information using barcode
+-------------------------------------------
+
+An Odoo user expects the Barcode app to display the typical storage location of a product by
+scanning a barcode for a container.
+
+**Packages** was the most suitable. When the :ref:`appropriate setting is enabled
+<inventory/warehouses_storage/enable-package>`, scanning a package barcode displays its contents in
+the Barcode app. Packages represent physical containers, enabling detailed tracking of the items
+they hold. Scanning a package provides visibility into its contents and facilitates operations like
+inventory moves.
+
+.. _inventory/product_management/lots-uom:
+
+Tracking different units of measure in storage
+----------------------------------------------
+
+A fruit juice distributor tracks multiple |UoMs| for their operations:
+
+- Fruits are purchased in tons.
+- Juice is produced and stored in kilograms.
+- Small samples are stored in grams for recipe testing.
+
+**Unit of Measure** was most suitable. Odoo automatically converts tons to kilograms during
+receipts. However, since Odoo tracks only one |UoM| per product in the database, the company uses
+lot numbers to differentiate |UoMs|:
+
+- LOT1: Grams (g)
+- LOT2: Kilograms (kg)
+
+Manual inventory adjustments are required to convert between lots, such as subtracting 1 kg from
+LOT2 to add 1,000 g to LOT1. While functional, this workaround can be time-consuming and prone to
+errors.
+
 .. toctree::
    :titlesonly:
 

content/applications/inventory_and_mrp/inventory/product_management/configure/package.rst

@@ -45,6 +45,20 @@ the :guilabel:`Operations` heading, activate the :guilabel:`Packages` feature. T
    :align: center
    :alt: Activate the *Packages* setting in Inventory > Configuration > Settings.
 
+.. _inventory/product_management/move-entire-pack:
+
+When moving packages internally, the *Move Entire Packages* feature can be enabled on an operation
+type to update a package's contained item's location upon updating the package's location.
+
+To do that, go to :menuselection:`Inventory app --> Configuration --> Operations Types` and select
+the desired operation that this feature will apply to. (May have to set it for multiple)
+
+On the operation type page, in the :guilabel:`Packages` section, tick the :guilabel:`Move Entire
+Packages` checkbox.
+
+.. image:: package/move-entire.png
+   :alt: Activate the Move Entire Packages setting.
+
 .. _inventory/warehouses_storage/pack:
 
 Pack items