Packages

A package is a physical container holding one or more products. Packages can also be used to store items in bulk.

Packages are commonly used for the following purposes:

  1. Grouping products to move them in bulk.

  2. Shipping to customers: configure package types to align with shipping carriers’ size and weight requirements, streamlining the packing process, and ensuring compliance with carrier shipping specifications.

  3. Storing items in bulk.

Package use is a field on the package form in Odoo that is only visible by enabling the Batch Transfers and Packages features (Inventory app ‣ Configuration ‣ Settings).

By default, the Package Use field on a packages form is set to Disposable Box. Change this field to Reusable Box only when configuring packages for cluster pickings.

Package type is an optional feature used for calculating shipping cost, based on real shipping weight. Create package types to include the weight of the package itself (e.g. boxes, pallets, other shipping containers) in shipping cost calculations.

Note

While packages are commonly used in the three-step delivery route, they can be used in any workflow involving storable products.

Configuration

To use packages, first go to Inventory app ‣ Configuration ‣ Settings. Under the Operations heading, activate the Packages feature. Then, click Save.

Activate the *Packages* setting in Inventory > Configuration > Settings.

Pack items

Products can be added to packages in any transfer by:

  1. Clicking each Detailed Operations icon on the product line.

  2. Using the Put in Pack button to place everything in the transfer into a package.

Detailed operations

On any warehouse transfer (e.g. receipt, delivery order), add a product to a package by clicking the ⦙≣ (bulleted list) icon in the Operations tab.

Show "Detailed Operations" icon in the product line.

Doing so opens the Detailed Operations pop-up window for the Product.

To put the Product in a package, click Add a line, and assign the product to a Destination Package. Select an existing package, or create a new one by typing the name of the new package, then select Create….

Assign a package to "Destination Package" field.

Twelve units of Acoustic Bloc Screen are placed in PACK0000001.

Then, specify the quantity of items to go into the package in the Done column. Repeat the above steps to place the Product in different packages. Once finished, click Confirm to close the window.

Put in pack

Alternatively, click the Put in Pack button on any warehouse transfer to create a new package, and place all the items in the transfer in that newly-created package.

Important

The Put in Pack button appears on receipts, delivery orders, and other transfer forms with the Packages feature enabled in Inventory app ‣ Configuration ‣ Settings.

Image of the "Put in Pack" button being clicked.

In batch transfer BATCH/00003, the Put in Pack button was clicked to create a new package, PACK0000002, and assign all items to it in the Destination Package field.

Package type

Create package types by navigating to Inventory app ‣ Configuration ‣ Package Types, in order to set custom dimensions and weight limits. This feature is mainly used to calculate package weights for shipping costs.

On the Package Types list, clicking New opens a blank package type form. The fields of the form are as follows:

  • Package Type (required): define the package type’s name.

  • Size: define the dimensions of the package in millimeters (mm). The fields, from left to right, define the Length, Width, and Height.

  • Weight: weight of an empty package (e.g. an empty box, pallet).

Note

Odoo calculates the package’s weight by adding the weight of the empty package plus the weight of the item(s), which can be found in the Weight field, in the Inventory tab, of each product form.

  • Max Weight: maximum shipping weight allowed in the package.

  • Barcode: define a barcode to identify the package type from a scan.

  • Company: specify a company to make the package type available only at the selected company. Leave the field blank if it is available at all companies.

  • Carrier: specify the intended shipping carrier for this package type.

  • Carrier Code: define a code that is linked to the package type.

Package type for FedEx's 25 kilogram box.

Cluster packages

To use cluster packages, first navigate to Inventory app ‣ Configuration ‣ Settings, and activate the Batch Transfers feature, located in the Operations section. Doing so makes the Package Use field become visible on a package form.

Activate the *Batch Transfers* feature in Inventory > Configuration > Settings.

Add new packages by going to Inventory app ‣ Products ‣ Packages. Then, click New, or select an existing package. Doing so opens the package form, which contains the following fields:

  • Package Reference (required): name of the package.

  • Package Type: used for configuring shipping boxes to ship to the customer.

    Note

    Package Type is unnecessary for configuring packages for cluster pickings.

  • Shipping Weight: used to input the weight of the package after measuring it on a scale.

  • Company: specify a company to make the package available only at the selected company. Leave the field blank if the package is available at all companies.

  • Location: current location of the package.

  • Pack Date: the date the package was created.

  • Package Use: choose Reusable for packages used for moving products within the warehouse; Disposable for packages used to ship products to customers.

Display package form to create a cluster pack.

View packages

To view all packages go to Inventory app ‣ Products ‣ Packages. By default, packages are shown in Kanban view, in their current storage location.

Tip

Drag-and-drop packages to move them between internal locations.

Packages dashboard.