17.3 Step Detours Configuration and GS1 Barcode Scanning Implementation

17.3 Step Detours Configuration and GS1 Barcode Scanning Implementation

Quick Answer: Mobile device step detours enable contextual branching within the Warehouse Management mobile app, allowing an operator to temporarily navigate away from an active work task (e.g., sales picking) into an auxiliary menu item (e.g., Location inquiry, Item inquiry, or Inventory status change) without cancelling the work order. Data is shared seamlessly across flows via Field value pass-through (sending active work fields to the detour) and Return value mapping (pasting detour selections back into the work step). Concurrently, modern scanning leverages GS1 barcode parsing, utilizing standardized Application Identifiers (AIs)—such as AI (01) for GTIN, AI (10) for Batch number, and AI (17) for Expiration date—to ingest multiple tracking dimensions and quantities in a single physical scan.

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1. Mobile Device Step Detours: Architecture and Concepts

In traditional warehouse management systems, if a material handler encounters an exception while executing work—such as arriving at a pick face only to find it depleted, discovering a torn pallet barcode, or encountering damaged goods—the operator is forced to abort the work order, exit back to the root menu, locate an inquiry or movement menu item, resolve the issue, and then attempt to re-acquire the original work.

Mobile device step detours solve this operational friction by providing contextual branching. While remaining within the active work transaction, the worker can tap a promoted button to "detour" into a secondary menu item. The system preserves the state of the primary work order, passes relevant contextual data into the detour, executes the auxiliary task, and seamlessly returns the worker to the exact step where they branched, optionally returning updated values.

Core Components of a Step Detour

1. Mobile Device Step: The specific step within a work flow (e.g., ItemPick, ScanLicensePlate, PutLocation) where the detour button is exposed.
2. Target Menu Item: The indirect or work menu item that is launched during the detour (e.g., Location inquiry, Item inquiry, Print label, Movement).
3. Field Value Pass-Through (Send from Main Work): Maps field values from the active work step directly into the target detour screen, eliminating redundant scanning.
4. Return Value Mapping (Paste back to Main Work): Takes values generated or selected during the detour and writes them back into the active work step (e.g., returning an alternate picking location).

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2. Configuring Step Detours Step-by-Step

Configuring step detours involves linking mobile device steps to menu items and defining data pass-through rules.

• Navigation: Warehouse management > Setup > Mobile device > Mobile device steps.

┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                    Step Detour Configuration Flow                    │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

  Step 1: Open Mobile Device Steps
  ┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
  │ Step ID: ItemPick (or ScanLocation, PutLocation)       │
  └───────────────────────────┬────────────────────────────┘
                              │
  Step 2: Add Promoted Detour Options
  ┌───────────────────────────┬────────────────────────────┐
  │ Menu Item: Sales Picking  │ Detour: Location Inquiry   │
  └───────────────────────────┴────────────────────────────┘
                              │
  Step 3: Configure Field Value Pass-Through (Send)
  ┌───────────────────────────┬────────────────────────────┐
  │ Source Field (Main Work)  │ Target Field (Detour)      │
  │ Location (e.g. BULK-01)   │ Location                   │
  └───────────────────────────┴────────────────────────────┘
                              │
  Step 4: Configure Return Value Mapping (Paste)
  ┌───────────────────────────┬────────────────────────────┐
  │ Source Field (Detour)     │ Target Field (Main Work)   │
  │ Selected Location         │ Location (Override)        │
  └───────────────────────────┴────────────────────────────┘

Step-by-Step Configuration Procedure

1. Open Warehouse management > Setup > Mobile device > Mobile device steps.
2. Locate the Step ID corresponding to the operational prompt where the detour is needed (e.g., select ItemPick for item picking steps).
3. In the Promoted detour options FastTab, add the mobile device menu item that executes the work (e.g., Sales picking).
4. Under Select detours, choose the auxiliary menu item that the worker should access (e.g., Location inquiry).
5. Select Field value pass-through:
   • Add a line: Send from Sales picking -> set source field to Location -> Paste in Location inquiry -> set target field to Location.
   • When the picker detours to Location inquiry, the mobile app automatically populates the current bin location without requiring the worker to scan it.
6. Select Return value mapping (if applicable):
   • If the detour allows the worker to select an alternate location or a new target license plate, specify the source field from the detour to map back into the primary work step.

3. Practical Detour Use Cases and Walkthroughs

Step detours transform common warehouse floor bottlenecks into streamlined, zero-abort workflows:

Use Case 1: Empty Pick Face Investigation and Alternate Location Sourcing

• Scenario: An order picker is directed to pick 10 eaches of an item from PICK-01-A. Upon arrival, the bin is empty due to an unrecorded inventory discrepancy.
• Detour Execution:
  1. The picker taps the Item inquiry detour button directly on the ItemPick screen.
  2. The system passes the Item ID into the inquiry automatically. The screen displays that 50 units exist in adjacent reserve location BULK-04-B.
  3. The picker returns from the detour. Because the worker profile has Allow override location enabled, the worker enters BULK-04-B, confirms the pick, and completes the sales order line without supervisor intervention.

Use Case 2: On-Demand Pallet and Shipping Label Printing

• Scenario: A forklift operator is executing purchase order putaway. During pallet transport, the physical license plate label is torn or smudged by the forklift mast.
• Detour Execution:
  1. On the PutLocation step, the driver taps a detour for Print label.
  2. The system passes the active License Plate ID into the label printing menu item.
  3. The print request triggers document routing, producing a replacement ZPL barcode label on the mobile forklift printer.
  4. The driver affixes the new label, closes the detour, and completes the putaway.

Use Case 3: Damaged Stock Quarantining

• Scenario: A picker notices that three cartons of liquid detergent on a picking shelf are leaking.
• Detour Execution:
  1. From the pick step, the worker launches a detour configured for Inventory status change.
  2. The worker transfers the 3 damaged cartons from status Available to Damaged (which applies an inventory blocking disposition).
  3. The worker returns to the pick step to pick undamaged units from the remaining balance.

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4. GS1 Barcode Parsing Architecture and Application Identifiers

Traditional 1D barcode scanning requires multiple physical scans: scan the item barcode, scan the batch lot barcode, scan the serial barcode, and manually type the received quantity. GS1 barcode parsing consolidates these steps into a single physical scan.

┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                     GS1-128 Barcode Architecture                     │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

  (01)00614141999996(10)LOT-2026-X(17)261231(30)50
   │                │             │        │
   │                │             │        └─ AI (30): Quantity = 50
   │                │             │           (Variable len, up to 8 digits)
   │                │             └─────────── AI (17): Expiration Date = Dec 31, 2026
   │                │                         (Fixed length, 6 digits: YYMMDD)
   │                └───────────────────────── AI (10): Batch Number = LOT-2026-X
   │                                          (Variable length, terminated by <FNC1>)
   └────────────────────────────────────────── AI (01): GTIN = 00614141999996
                                              (Fixed length, 14 digits)

Standard GS1 Application Identifiers (AIs)

GS1 standards define standardized two- to four-digit prefixes enclosed in parentheses called Application Identifiers (AIs) that tell the parser what type of data follows:

Fixed-Length vs. Variable-Length AIs and the FNC1 Delimiter

• Fixed-Length AIs: Fields such as AI (01) (always 14 digits) and AI (17) (always 6 digits) have predefined lengths. The D365 SCM parser knows exactly how many characters to ingest before evaluating the next AI.
• Variable-Length AIs: Fields such as AI (10) (Batch number) and AI (21) (Serial number) can vary in length. When a variable-length field is followed by another AI in a combined barcode, GS1 requires a special termination character: the Function 1 Symbol Character (FNC1) or Group Separator (<GS>, ASCII character 29 / ). The parser uses the FNC1 delimiter to identify where the batch string ends and the next AI begins.

Configuring GS1 Parsing in D365 SCM

1. Define Application Identifiers:
   • Navigate to Warehouse management > Setup > Mobile device > Bar code setup > GS1 application identifiers.
   • Verify standard AIs (01, 10, 17, 21, 30) or create custom identifiers. Define length, data type (String, Numeric, Date), and decimal placement.
2. Configure Generic Barcode Setup:
   • Navigate to Warehouse management > Setup > Mobile device > Bar code setup > Bar code generic.
   • Create a barcode parsing policy and link it to the configured GS1 Application Identifiers.
3. Assign to Mobile Device Scanning Profiles:
   • Under Warehouse management > Setup > Mobile device > Mobile device scanning profiles, link the GS1 parsing policy to the scanning profiles utilized by warehouse worker devices.

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5. Barcode Scanning Optimization in the Mobile App

Optimizing scanning mechanics ensures high transaction throughput and eliminates operator keystroke bottlenecks:

• 1D vs. 2D Symbologies: While linear 1D barcodes (Code 128, GS1-128) are widely used, high-density 2D GS1 DataMatrix and GS1 QR codes can store extensive concatenated data (GTIN, Batch, Expiry, Serial, Quantity) in a compact footprint that fits on small medical vials or electronic components.
• Hardware Scanner Wedges: Industrial scanners (Zebra, Honeywell) should be configured to transmit scanned data via an Android Intent or optimized hardware wedge rather than basic keyboard emulation. Basic keyboard wedges can strip non-printable ASCII delimiters like the FNC1 <GS> character, causing GS1 parsing to fail.
• Scan Validation and Check Digits: Enable check digit validation on locations and GTINs to catch transmission drops before the app submits transactions to D365 SCM.

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6. Implementation Scenarios and Exam Traps

[!IMPORTANT] Exam Tip — Step Detour Pass-Through Matching: When configuring field value pass-through for step detours, the data types and conceptual targets must align. For example, if detouring from an ItemPick step to a Location inquiry, you must pass the Location field from the picking step to the Location field of the inquiry. Passing the Item ID into a Location inquiry will cause the inquiry screen to fail or prompt the worker to overwrite the input.

[!WARNING] Exam Trap — Missing FNC1 Delimiters: If warehouse workers report that scanning a composite GS1-128 barcode successfully captures the GTIN but fails to parse the batch number or returns corrupted batch text that includes subsequent AI codes, inspect the physical scanner's barcode wedge profile. The scanner hardware is dropping the hidden ASCII 29 (<GS>) FNC1 delimiter, preventing D365 SCM from parsing variable-length fields.

[!TIP] Best Practice — Promoting Detours: Always configure detours under the Promoted detour options FastTab rather than burying them inside standard overflow menus. Promoted detours render as prominent, colored action buttons on the mobile interface, enabling material handlers to trigger exception workflows with a single touch.