LOCATOR CONTROL IN
ORACLE INVENTORY
Author: Bunny McGovern
Contributor: Clyde Butt
Oracle Corporation
Introduction
The purpose of this paper is to explain
how the locator control feature is used in
Oracle Applications and to explain the
steps of how to implement locator
control. Examples are included of how to
setup locator control that is controlled at
the subinventory level and prespecified.
Subinventory level locator control
requires more setup then other control
levels since a prespecified list of locators
must be created.
Prior to implementing the Oracle
Inventory Application, you must consider
whether or not you will implement
locator control. The locator control
feature is designed to allow some of your
subinventories and items to have locator
control while others do not.
Even if you do not use this feature, you
must still compile the Stock Locators
Flexfield (see the note in step 1 later in
this paper).
If you implement prespecified locator
control in your whole organization or in
a particular subinventory, you must
define stock locators. Locators identify
physical areas within subinventories, such
as aisle/row/bin locations.
How Locator Control Is Used in
Oracle Products
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Oracle Inventory
• Material Transactions: Enter the
locator name for locator controlled
inventory items that you issue,
receive, transfer, reserve, and store
in your organization.
• Locator Restrictions: Restrict items
to specific locators.
• Locator Defaults: Specify default
shipping locators and default
receiving locators for
item/subinventory combinations.
• Inventory Accuracy: Enter locator
information for locator controlled
items when you enter physical
inventory counts and cycle counts.
• Inquiries and Reports: Oracle
Inventory inquiry windows and
reports provide locator information
for all locator controlled items.
Oracle Purchasing
• Receipt Transactions: Enter locator
information for locator controlled
items that you receive from a supplier
or from another internal organization.
• Default Receiving Locator: When
you deliver items to an inventory
location, if the source document does
not have subinventory/locator
information, Oracle Purchasing uses
the default receiving subinventory
and locator that you specify in Oracle
Inventory.
Oracle Order Entry
• Pick Release: If you disable
reservations for your system, Oracle
Order Entry uses the default shipping
subinventory and locator in the pick
release process.
• Pick Release: If you enable
reservations, Oracle Order Entry uses
the locator picking order you specify
in the Pick Release process.
• Shipment Transactions: Enter locator
information for locator controlled
items that you ship to a customer or
to another internal organization.
Oracle Work in Process
• Issues and Returns: Use locators for
issues from inventory to work in
process and for returns from work in
process to inventory.
• Completions: As you complete to
inventory or assembly from a job or
schedule, enter locator information
for locator controlled assemblies.
• Replenishments: You can replenish
supply to subinventories and locators.
Steps to Implement Locator Control
1. Define the Stock Locators Flexfield.
2. Set Locator Control at the
Organization level, or see step 3.
3. Set Locator Control at the
Subinventory level, or see step 4.
4. Set Locator Control at the Item level.
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Note: Locator control at the
organization level overrides locator
control at the subinventory level, and
locator control at the subinventory
level overrides locator control at the
item level.
5. Define Locators.
6. Assign items to Subinventories and
Locators to Items.
7. Restrict Items to Subinventories and
Locators.
STEP 1: Define Stock Locators
Flexfield
To define the Stock Locators Flexfield:
1. Navigate to Inventory > Setup >
Flexfield > Key Segments
(see figure 1)
2. Query on the following:
Application: Oracle Inventory
Flexfield Title: Stock Locators
3. Check the Allow Dynamic Inserts
checkbox if you want to use dynamic
locator control.
4. Choose the Segments button. The
Segments Summary window will
appear.
5. Enter the segment information for the
stock locators you plan to use.
(See example in figure 2)
Note: This step is not required if you
do not plan to use the locator control
feature.
Navigation: Inventory > Setup > Flexfield > Key Segments
(Figure 1)

Navigation: Inventory > Setup > Flexfield > Key Segments > Segments
(Figure 2)

NOTE: If you do not have Oracle Inventory installed or none of your items are locator
controlled, it is not necessary to set up this flexfield, but it must be compiled (see figure 1,

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Compile button). This Key Flexfield supports only one structure. Check that the Stock
Locator Flexfield has been compiled if you get an application error that includes the
following text:

app=401 structure=101 code=MTLL

Stock Locators Flexfield Details:

FLEXFIELD CODE: MTLL

TABLE NAME: MTL_ITEM_LOCATIONS
NUMBER OF COLUMNS: 20
WIDTH OF COLUMNS; 40
DYNAMIC INSERTS POSSIBLE: YES
UNIQUE ID COLUMN: INVENTORY_LOCATION_ID
OWNER: Oracle Inventory
STRUCTURE COLUMN: ORGANIZATION_ID

STEP 2: Setting Locator Control at Prespecified only: locators are

the Organization level selected from a list that you set up.

To set Locator Control at the Dynamic entry allowed: you can

Organization level: define locators at the time of
transaction.
1. Navigate to Inventory > Setup >
Organization > Parameters Determined at subinventory level:
(see figure 3) control will be based on what you
define at the subinventory level.
2. Select a locator control option: (See figure 3).

None: no locator control.

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Navigation: Inventory > Setup > Organization > Parameters
(Figure 3)

STEP 3: Setting Locator Control at the

Subinventory level

To set Locator Control at the subinventory level:

1. Navigate to Inventory Setup > Organization > Subinventory

(See figure 4)

2. Query on the subinventory you want to be locator controlled.

3. Select a locator control option:

None: no locator control.

Prespecified: locators are selected from a list that you set up.
(See example in figure 4).

Dynamic entry: you can define locators at the time of transaction.

Item level: allows you to define locator control at the item level.

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 The example in figure 4 below shows Subinventory Name: Bunny-Pre
with Locator Control: Prespecified.

Navigate to Inventory Setup > Organization > Subinventory

(Figure 4)

STEP 4: Setting Locator Control at the Item level

Setting Locator Control at the item level involves the setup of Item Attribute
Controls at the master or organization level and setting the Locator Control
Inventory Attribute when defining or updating items.

For details, see Oracle Inventory User’s Guide, Chapter 3, Item Setup and Control
and Chapter 4, Items.

STEP 5: Define Locators

To define Locators:

1. Navigate to Inventory Setup > Organization > Subinventory

2. Query on the subinventory you want to define a locator for.

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3. Choose the Locators button (see figure 4 above). The Stock Locators
window appears.

4. Enter the Stock Locator information in the Stock Locator window.

(See figure 5).

Navigate: Inventory > Setup > Organization > Subinventory > Locators
(Figure 5)

STEP 6: Assign Items to Subinventories and Locators to Items

To assign items to subinventories:

1. Navigate to Inventory Setup > Organization > Subinventory

(See figure 4)

2. Query on the subinventory you want to assign an item to.

3. Choose the Item/Subinventory button. The Item Subinventories

window appears.

4. Enter an item to assign to the subinventory. (See figure 6).

Note: You restrict an item to the subinventories you assign here by

setting the Restrict Subinventories attribute when you define the item.

5. Enter a locator to assign to the item in the subinventory.

(See figure 6, Locators for this Item Subinventory zone).

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 Note: You restrict an item to the list of locators you define here by setting
the Restrict Locators attribute when you define the item. This will allow the
locator assigned to the item to be the default locator when you perform a
miscellaneous receipt, for example. If you assign more then one locator to
an item, a list of values of the locators will appear for you to choose from.

Navigation: Inventory Setup > Organization > Subinventory > Item/Subinventory

(Figure 6)

STEP 7: Restrict Items to Subinventories and Locators

To restrict items to subinventories and locators:

1. Navigate to Inventory > Items > Master Items

2. Choose Inventory Alternative Region. The Master Item, Inventory window

will appear.

3. At the bottom of the window, check the checkboxes for; Restrict Subinventories
and Restrict Locators. (See figure 7).

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Navigation: Inventory > Items > Master Items
(Figure 7)

Forms and Tables Used in Locator Setup:

FNDFFMIS - Key Flexfield Segments.

• Used to setup and compile the Stock Locator Flexfield.

INVSDOIO - Organization Parameters.

• Used to set locator control at the organization level

• Base Table: MTL_PARAMETERS

To determine the setting of locator control:

1. Check the column value of:

MTL_PARAMETERS.STOCK_LOCATOR_CONTROL_CODE

2. Check the column value of:

MFG_LOOKUPS.MTL_LOCATION_CONTROL

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 The QuickCodes type MTL_LOCATION_CONTROL has the following
lookup codes:

Code Meaning _

1 No locator control
2 Prespecified locator control
3 Dynamic entry locator control
4 Locator control determined at subinventory level
5 Locator control determined at item level

INVSDSUB - Subinventories

• Used to define subinventories and locators

• Used to set locator control at the subinventory level

• Used to assign items to subinventories

• Used to assign locators to items

• Base Table: MTL_SECONDARY_INVENTORIES

INVIDITM - Master Items

• Used to set locator control at the item level

• Used to restrict subinventories and locators

About the Author

Bunny McGovern is a Senior Technical Analyst

with Oracle Support Services in Orlando, Florida.

Credits

• Oracle Applications Flexfields Guide - Release 10

• Oracle Inventory Application - 10SC
• Oracle Inventory Reference Manual
• Oracle Inventory Release 10SC
• Oracle Inventory Technical Reference Manual
• Oracle Inventory User’s Guide Release 10SC

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