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.

screenshot: inventory-package-enable
menu
Inventory ‣ Configuration ‣ Settings
shows
The Inventory settings page scrolled to the "Operations" section with the "Packages" checkbox enabled.
highlight
The "Packages" checkbox (red frame).
data
Demo company "YourCompany".
module
stock
notes
English UI, light theme, 1440px width, crop to the "Operations" settings block.

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 Inventory app ‣ Configuration ‣ Operations Types and select the desired operation this feature will apply to (may have to set it for multiple).

On the operation type page, in the Packages section, tick the Move Entire Packages checkbox.

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.

screenshot: inventory-package-detailed-operations-icon
menu
Inventory ‣ Transfers ‣ (a delivery order)
shows
The Operations tab of a transfer, with the bulleted-list (detailed operations) icon at the end of a product line.
highlight
The bulleted-list icon on the product line (red frame).
data
Delivery order WH/OUT/00001 with one line for "Acoustic Bloc Screen".
module
stock
notes
English UI, light theme, 1440px width, crop to the operation 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….

screenshot: inventory-package-destination-package
menu
Inventory ‣ Transfers ‣ (a delivery order) ‣ (detailed operations icon)
shows
The "Detailed Operations" pop-up for a product, with one line whose "Destination Package" is set to PACK0000001 and "Done" quantity is 12.
highlight
The "Destination Package" cell (red frame).
data
Twelve units of "Acoustic Bloc Screen" assigned to package PACK0000001.
module
stock
notes
English UI, light theme, 1440px width, crop to the pop-up. Caption to convey: 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.

See also

Ship one order in multiple packages

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.

screenshot: inventory-package-put-in-pack
menu
Inventory ‣ Transfers ‣ (a transfer)
shows
A transfer after the "Put in Pack" button was clicked: a new package was created and set as the "Destination Package" of every operation line.
highlight
The "Put in Pack" button and the "Destination Package" column (red frames).
data
Batch transfer BATCH/00003; the created package is PACK0000002.
module
stock
notes
English UI, light theme, 1440px width, crop to the button and the operation lines. Caption to convey: Put in Pack created PACK0000002 and assigned all items to it.

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.

See also

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.

screenshot: inventory-package-package-type-form
menu
Inventory ‣ Configuration ‣ Package Types ‣ (a package type)
shows
A package type form with Package Type name, Size (Length/Width/Height in mm), Weight, Max Weight, Barcode, Company, Carrier and Carrier Code filled in.
highlight
The "Size", "Weight" and "Max Weight" fields (red frame).
data
A package type for a 25 kg carrier box; use a generic carrier name, not a real carrier brand.
module
stock, delivery
notes
English UI, light theme, 1440px width, crop to the form.

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.

screenshot: inventory-package-enable-batch
menu
Inventory ‣ Configuration ‣ Settings
shows
The Inventory settings page scrolled to the "Operations" section with the "Batch Transfers" checkbox enabled.
highlight
The "Batch Transfers" checkbox (red frame).
data
Demo company "YourCompany"; the "Packages" checkbox is enabled as well.
module
stock
notes
English UI, light theme, 1440px width, crop to the "Operations" settings block.

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.

screenshot: inventory-package-form
menu
Inventory ‣ Products ‣ Packages ‣ New
shows
A package form with Package Reference, Package Type, Shipping Weight, Company, Location, Pack Date and the "Package Use" field set to "Reusable Box".
highlight
The "Package Use" field (red frame).
data
Package PACK0000003 at location WH/Stock, no package type set.
module
stock
notes
English UI, light theme, 1440px width, crop to the form. "Package Use" only appears when Batch Transfers is enabled.

See also

Using cluster packages

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.

screenshot: inventory-package-kanban
menu
Inventory ‣ Products ‣ Packages
shows
The Packages kanban view with packages grouped in columns by their current storage location.
highlight
None.
data
Three or four packages spread over the locations WH/Stock and WH/Packing Zone.
module
stock
notes
English UI, light theme, 1440px width, full kanban view.