a. Packing method

When computing palletize-first (pack-first) then container-load, an intermediate-packaging stage is involved, and the cargo's packing method must be defined. The packing methods are: free choice of intermediate packaging, designated intermediate packaging, and cargo loaded directly into the container. The software default is direct container loading.

1) Free choice of intermediate container: no restriction on which pallet (or box) each cargo goes on. Add commonly used intermediate packagings on the Intermediate container interface; the software automatically chooses appropriate ones based on the optimization goal (fewest containers, lowest cost, etc.).

2) Designate intermediate container: requires certain cargo to be packed onto a specific pallet (or box). Maintain the designated intermediate containers in the database first; see Container management below.

The packing method can be set on the Cargo interface:

It can also be set in the import template: 0 = load directly into container; 1 = free choice of intermediate container; 2 = designated intermediate container. When entering 2, fill in the container name in the "Designated package container name" column (must match the name in the database).