What are design volumes in warehouse planning?

The set of quantities the warehouse is sized for: unit loads, pallet positions, receipts and issues per day and order lines, related to a design year and a design day.

How do you calculate the number of pallet positions?

Unit loads at design stock divided by the occupancy rate. In the app, 18,917 pallets divided by 0.88 gives 21,497 positions.

Why are dock doors not planned for the average day?

On busier days the capacity would not suffice. In the app the average day leads to four doors per side, and capacity falls short on 24 and 33 of 250 days.

Are ABC and XYZ master data?

No. ABC and XYZ are key figures derived from movement and order data. Master data describe items, dimensions and unit loads.

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From Data to Warehouse

About this app

A corrected data chain of master, movement, order and stock data sizes a 3D warehouse: quantity framework for the design year and design day, pallet locations, rack rows, docks and floor area visibly grow. Leave out a data layer and see what can no longer be determined or goes missing. Case DC Neckar.

With explain mode: an AI tutor walks you through the app, points out what matters in the scene and answers your questions.

What data warehouse planning needs

Warehouse planning starts with four data types of equal rank: master data on items, dimensions and unit loads, movement data with receipts and issues per day, order data with orders and lines, and inventory data. Key figures are derived from them, such as ABC/XYZ, turnover, coverage and peak factor. ABC and XYZ therefore belong to the derived figures. With a forecast and assumptions, these give the design volumes for a design year and the daily load on a design day. The layout comes at the end of this chain as its result.

What the app shows

On the left the data chain appears as a corrected pyramid, on the right the building of the fictional distribution centre DL Neckar is built up in 3D. 5,200 items give 15,548 pallets; with 4 % growth up to the design year 2031 there are 18,917. At an occupancy rate of 0.88 the warehouse needs 21,497 pallet positions. With wide aisles and six levels that makes 36 rack rows. Sized for the 95th percentile of daily load, goods in needs five and goods out five dock doors. The building covers 13,019 m².

What you can try

Tap a data level and drop it. Without daily values only the average day is left, and the doors are not enough on some days. Without a forecast the building is planned for today and is full after one year. Without inventory data, pallet positions and racking cannot be determined. Change growth, design year, storage equipment, levels and occupancy rate. The calculation panel shows every formula with the numbers used. The assumptions are marked as teaching values.

Frequently asked questions

What are design volumes in warehouse planning?: The set of quantities the warehouse is sized for: unit loads, pallet positions, receipts and issues per day and order lines, related to a design year and a design day.
How do you calculate the number of pallet positions?: Unit loads at design stock divided by the occupancy rate. In the app, 18,917 pallets divided by 0.88 gives 21,497 positions.
Why are dock doors not planned for the average day?: On busier days the capacity would not suffice. In the app the average day leads to four doors per side, and capacity falls short on 24 and 33 of 250 days.
Are ABC and XYZ master data?: No. ABC and XYZ are key figures derived from movement and order data. Master data describe items, dimensions and unit loads.

Subject: Warehouse planning with AI

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