Packaging Specification 
Definition
A packaging specification is master data. The packaging specification defines all the necessary packing levels for a product in order, for example, to put away or transport the product. For a product, a packaging specification mainly describes in which quantities you can pack the product into which packaging materials in which sequence.
Use
● In printed form, a packaging specification is a set of instructions for the employee in the warehouse. More specifically, the work steps that you enter in a packaging specification are intended as information for the employee. In this way you can, for example, give the employee exact instructions as to where to place the label on a box, or how a product should be stacked onto a pallet.
● The system can determine packaging specifications during various processes (see below). Processes that determine packaging specifications use only parts or specific attributes from the packaging specification.
Structure
● Header
Attributes such as the name of the packaging specification, user name of the creation user, status, and so on.
● Contents
A packaging specification contains a product. However, some packaging specifications contain more than one product, or refer to other packaging specifications.
● Level
You can map various packing levels in a packaging specification. Each level contains a target quantity, which defines how many times you can pack the previous level into this level.
● Element group
For each level there is exactly one element group. However, you can reuse element groups in several packaging specifications.
● Elements
Elements consist of a packaging material and/or a work step.
● Step
A text with an identification, which you can use in one or more packaging specifications.
● Packaging material
A product that is defined with a packaging material type in the product master.
Example for a Packaging Specification and Its Structure:
Header: Name: PS1, Status: New
Contents: product A, 1 piece
Element group EG1:
● Element E1: packaging material ‘Small box’, work step ‘Place 1 piece upright in each box’
● Element E2: additional packaging material ‘Label’, work step ‘Place label on upper left’
Level 2: Target quantity 50, shift quantity 10, element group EG2
Element group EG2:
● Element E3: packaging material ‘Pallet’, work step ‘Place boxes layer by layer onto pallet’
Integration
The following figure shows which processes use the packaging specification, and using which components:
In both the Inventory Collaboration Hub (ICH) and in Extended Warehouse Management (EWM), you can use the same packaging specification for an inbound delivery or an ASN that you then use for the process Automatic Packing .
Example
Palletization data in EWM
In your warehouse, you put away product A onto pallets for 50 pieces. Create a packaging specification with a level that contains the main packaging material Pallet and the contents Product A. For this level, enter the target quantity 50.
In the process ‘Putaway’ for the inbound delivery, the system splits the quantity in the inbound delivery across multiple warehouse tasks, due to this packaging specification. For example, if a quantity of 100 pieces is delivered, then the system creates two warehouse tasks for 50 pieces.
Functions of the Packaging Specification
The following functions are possible for packaging specifications:
● Create, copy, and activate (see also: Creation of Packaging Specifications)
● Search (see also Packaging Specification Determination)
● Distribute into multiple systems.