Quick Summary: Container Builder optimizes container packing by balancing volume, weight, and business priorities, enabling efficient transport and improved cost control.
What is Container Builder?
Container Builder is designed to take your recommended order and automatically pack it into shipping containers in the most efficient way possible.
It evaluates both volume and weight for every product and determines how best to fit them into containers based on your selected constraints.
Why It Matters
Ordering the right quantity is only part of the decision. How that order fits into containers directly impacts transport cost, efficiency, and operational practicality.
Without optimization:
Containers may ship partially empty
Freight costs increase per unit
Working capital is tied up inefficiently
With Container Builder:
Orders are aligned to real-world container constraints
Space and weight are used effectively
Ordering decisions become faster and more informed
This ensures that replenishment decisions are not only accurate but also practical to execute.
How Container Builder Works
Once an order is created:
Products are allocated into containers based on volume and weight
Remaining capacity is clearly displayed
You can set a target number of containers
The system will increase or reduce the order based on your selected strategy
The result is a containerized order that is ready for review, adjustment, and execution.
Key Concepts to Understand
Container Definitions
Standard containers such as 20 foot and 40 foot are preloaded
Each container includes:
Maximum volume
Maximum weight
You can also create custom containers to match supplier requirements
Usable Capacity
In reality, containers are not filled to 100 percent.
To reflect this:
Volume utilization percentages are applied
Weight utilization percentages are applied
This ensures recommendations reflect real-world packing limitations rather than theoretical maximums.
Default Containers
Suppliers and locations can be linked to a default container.
This allows:
Faster decision-making
Consistent container usage
Immediate container estimates during ordering
Container Estimates
On the Orders page, the system shows:
Estimated number of containers required
This updates dynamically as:
Look forward days (LFD) change
Order quantities adjust
How To Use Container Builder
Step 1: Open Container Builder
Navigate to the Orders page
Create a new order or select an existing one from Saved orders. For more information on using the Orders screen, see: Understanding Order Creation and Review
Open the Container Builder view
Step 2: Containerize the Order
Select a Container size from the drop-down list
Adjust the usable capacity for volume and weight. In reality, containers are not filled to 100 percent
Click Containerize
Review how the order is split into containers
Step 3: Set a Container Target
Enter a container target, for example:
1.0 for a single container
2.0 for two full containers
The module also allows for filling partial containers, such as 0.5 or 2.5.
Step 4: Select a Source
Select a Source. The Source setting determines where additional quantities come from when filling containers.
Look Forward: Pulls in future demand to help fill containers and align orders with expected needs.
Top-up: Adds items from the supplier with sufficient stock to get it back to the order up to level.
➜ For more on this topic, read: Look Forward Days Explained and Top-Up Orders Explained
Step 5: Select a strategy
Select how the system should prioritize products when adjusting the order.
Available strategies include:
Minimize time in excess: Prioritize faster moving items
Maximize revenue, minimize excess: Focus on high value and high demand products
Minimize cost and excess: Favor lower cost items
Maximize margin: Prioritize the most profitable items
Use smaller products: Optimize for volume efficiency
Use lighter products: Optimize for weight constraints
The selected strategy applies to quantity increases and reductions, in addition to adding and removing products.
Step 6: Optimize the Order
Click Optimize
Review how quantities change:
Products are added and/or quantities increased when rounding up to the suggested container quantity
Products are removed and/or quantities decreased when rounding down from the suggested container quantity
Step 7: Review Items
Open the Items tab
Use the Items tab to:
Review container assignments
Adjust quantities if needed
Move items between containers
Any manual quantity changes made will always be preserved by the system.
Step 8: Apply Changes
Click Apply
The updated order is saved. A purple container icon indicates that the order has been containerized.
Understanding the Results
Container Status Indicators
Each container is visually represented with a status. The color coded percentages are based on usable capacities.
Green
Between 80 percent and 100 percent, idealOlive
Below 80 percent, under-filledRed
Above 100 percent, over capacity
Alerts
A red exclamation point indicates that the containers selected cannot be filled. Consider reducing the number of containers, or increasing the look-forward days.
Finalizing and Sending Orders
Once applied:
Automatic Order Splitting
The default setting is one order per container.
Most (but not all) ERP integrations will create a separate order for each container by default. Alternatively, the order can be exported as a single order.
This ensures alignment between:
Planning
Supplier execution
How to Change Order Splitting
Navigate to Settings > Configuration
Open the Orders tab
On the Container builder panel, select / unselect whether each container is a separate order
Click Update to save your changes
File Naming
Each container file is clearly labeled
Example, po_265_container_1.csv
Locally downloaded order files will have an extra column showing the container number. This ensures your supplier and ERP system can easily identify which items belong to each container.
Managing Containers
Container Builder uses predefined container sizes, but you can also create and maintain your own to match supplier or operational requirements.
How to Add a Container
Navigate to Settings > Containers
Click Add container
Enter the following details:
Name
Max volume
Max weight
Click Add to save
How to Edit a Container
Navigate to Settings > Containers
Locate the container
Click the Pencil icon
Update the required fields
Click Update to save your changes
How to Delete a Container
Navigate to Settings > Containers
Locate the container
Click the Delete button
Confirm the deletion
Link a Default Container to Suppliers and Supplying Locations
Suppliers and supplying locations can be linked to a default container.
The container volume and weight utilization percentages are customizable for each supplier and supplying location.
When a default container is linked to a supplier or supplying location, the Orders page displays an estimated number of containers required for a recommended order.
How to Link a Default Container to a Supplier
From the left-hand navigation pane, click Suppliers
Locate the supplier to review by scrolling or sorting the table
Click the Pencil icon to open the Supplier edit page
Select a Default container size from the drop-down list
Adjust the volume and weight utilization percentages as needed
Click Update to save your changes
How to Link a Default Container to a Supplying Location
From the left-hand navigation pane, click Locations
Locate the supplying location
Click the Pencil icon to open the Location edit page
Select a Default outbound container size from the drop-down list
Adjust the volume and weight utilization percentages as needed
Click Update to save your changes
Frequently Asked Questions
Click to expand FAQs
Click to expand FAQs
Can I use different container types for a single order?
No. Each order is packed into a single container type. If different container types are required, products must be separated into different orders.
Does the system consider shipping costs or supplier location?
No. The module focuses solely on volume and weight utilization and does not optimize for cost or geography.
Does the system show how to physically pack or stack items?
No. The system calculates capacity usage only and does not model physical arrangement inside the container.
Can I use Container Builder for redistribution orders?
No. It is designed only for supplier and distribution center orders.
What happens if I use a different unit of measure?
If you use a non-standard unit of measure, such as cubic centimeters or pallets, container capacities must be manually adjusted to match.
Why did Optimize not fully fill my container?
The system may not have enough suitable products to add, or constraints such as minimum order quantities or order multiples may prevent further filling.
How can I see which products were added or removed?
In the Items tab:
Added products will show a current quantity of zero
Removed products will show a new quantity of zero
Will the system override quantities I manually changed?
No. User-adjusted quantities are always preserved, even if they exceed container capacity.
Can a product be split across multiple containers?
No. Each product line must be placed into a single container.
Does the strategy apply to both adding and reducing quantities?
Yes. The selected strategy determines how products are prioritized for both increases and decreases in quantity.
Does the system group similar products together?
No. The system prioritizes container utilization over grouping similar items.
What happens if a single product exceeds container capacity?
The system will place it into its own container. Optimization may reduce the quantity if allowed by order constraints.
What happens if products have no volume or weight data?
They are treated as taking up no capacity and will be flagged in the Items tab for review.
⚠️ Watchouts
Data Accuracy: Missing volume or weight data results in products being treated as taking up no space, which can lead to unrealistic container plans
User Overrides: Manually adjusted quantities are always preserved, even if they exceed container capacity
Products from Other Suppliers: Any products moved from one order into another may have their quantity reduced to zero during Optimize. Such products may require manual adjustment once to freeze their quantity.
UOM Consistency: Product and container units of measure must align to ensure accurate calculations
💡 Tips
Start with Defaults: Assign default containers to suppliers and locations to streamline decision making
Use Estimates Early: Monitor container estimates while adjusting look-forward days to guide ordering decisions
Review Before Apply: Always validate the Items tab to understand how the system adjusted your order
Adjust Strategically: Choose a strategy that aligns with your business priorities, not just container fullness
Forget about these 👇 😞 😐 😃 Have your say here!