Root Cause Submission

June 20, 2023

Process Impacted

Manufacturer – Warehouse Processes

Root Cause of Exception - Type

Human Error

Root Cause of Exception - Description

Operator picked the product but didn’t scan and capture the serialization barcode.

What type of exception did/would result from the root cause? - Type

Product, No Data

What type of exception did/would result from the root cause? - Detailed

This results in having the right product with the right quantity shipped but with serialization data missing for some of the product packages where the supplying site missed to scan. If the packages with the missing serial numbers are at the saleable unit level that is inside a case, then wholesaler’s system may not catch this until at the time of their downstream pick/pack process.

How frequently can the root cause be expected to occur if preventive action is not taken?

Moderately Frequent (one or a few times per year)

How broad is the expected impact of the root cause?

Moderately Broad (e.g., likely to cause an exception for a case or tote)

What preventive actions can be taken to reduce the likelihood or impact of the root cause?

Add a system control at the manufacturer/3PL shipping process to automatically compare the total number of serial numbers scanned for the order to the total quantity of the order and make sure they match. And if there is a mismatch, throw an error message and stop the transaction in the system. The same kind of process need to be established at the wholesaler receiving process where there should be an automatic check to see if the number of serial numbers received in the TI matches with the total physical quantity received.