Packaging

Once your production / job has been completed, the items will need to be packaged before being sent to the client. If this step is left out of the costing model, Estimating could potentially be below what the operating costs are.

Identifying the types of Packaging, who the Suppliers are, and the cost per parcel is paramount to ensuring accurate, efficient Estimating.

Packaging performs five basic functions:

Protection - To keep your product safe during delivery or shelf life.
Containment - To protect your food from picking up contaminants.
Information - To add instructions or information that will help the buyer use or assemble your product.
Utility of use - This packaging includes dispensing devices, prepackaged hot metals, disposable medical packaging .
Promotion - You can use attractive colours, logos, symbols and captions to promote the product that can influence customer purchase decision.

There are a multitude of packaging types that can be added to BOS, depending absolutely on your business and the nature of your product and packaging needs.

Discover Packaging

Packaging Data Grid

Navigation

Main menu > Setup > Packaging

Description - This shows the package lookup description.
Supplier/Cost Center - The shows the Cost Centre or name of the Supplier if outsourced.
Qty/Parcel - This shows the quantity of items per parcel.
Kg/Parcel - The weight of the parcel in kilograms.
Parcels/hr - This indicates the amount of parcels that can be packed per hour.
Cost/Parcel - The shows the cost per parcel.

Note

Remember to first setup the following:

Packaging Setup

Navigation

Main menu > Setup > Packaging > New/Edit

Lookup - This lookup field is where the description of the Packaging item is added, and acts like a code that can be used to lookup Packaging items during the Estimating process.
Quote - This is what will appear on the Quote.
Parcel specification - This provides functionality to calculate how many parcels are needed for the job, based on the weight (Kg/parcel) or quantity (qty/parcel) limits of the parcel.
Cost Centre - If the packaging is produced in house, specify which Cost Centre the Packaging item will be costed against.
- Rate/hr - This determines what the hourly rate will be, based on the Cost Centre.
Supplier - If the packaging is purchased, specify the Supplier that will provide the Packaging.
Production time/cost - This is where the hourly rate is specified for the labour required to pack the parcels.
Parcels/hr - This is where you enter the number of parcels that can be packaged per hour.
Cost/parcel - This field is used to capture the cost of the parcel, if it is not listed as a Material Item.
Material - The Packaging item can be added as Material, so that the cost comes from Material item, in which case the Cost / parcel would be left empty.
Setup Qty - This is where you enter the amount of materials needed to prepare for packaging.
Unit Qty - This is where you enter the amount of materials needed to make up one parcel.

How to Set-Up Packaging

Watch this short video on how to set-up Packaging:

Packaging in Estimating / Quoting

Packaging lookup - This is where can select the type of packaging for this Estimate.
Destination - You can select a delivery destination.
Option - Here you can select the Delivery Option for the selected destination. The delivery options are created in Main Menu > Setup > Despatch > New/Edit. Click here for more on Despatch.
Packaging data grid - This shows what packaging has been listed, with Provider, Qty, weight, number of parcels, and costing details.
Delivery data grid - This shows the delivery details with Provider, Qty, weight, number of parcels, and costings.
Summary - You'll see that the packaging value is automatically added to the Costing Summary for easy reference and accurate costing.

Note

Despatch must first be set-up before Packaging can be added to an Estimate.

Typical types of packaging

See below a short explanation of the following typical types of packaging:

Paper packaging
Clamshell packaging
Blister packaging
Flexible packaging
Box packaging
Seal packaging

1. Paper packaging

There are four major types of paper packaging:

Corrugated boxes - Corrugated boxes are commonly used to carry heavier products such as appliances, electronic goods, wine, fruit and vegetables. They are frequently used as a bulk shipper, delivering many similar products in the same box.
Boxboard or paperboard cartons - This is the thin, lighter weight carton commonly used to carry a single item such as breakfast cereal, shoes, crackers, a toy. It does not have the wavy middle layer (corrugating medium) to add box strength
Paper bags - These are the paper bags used to carry groceries and/or retail items.
Paper - This is when basic brown paper is used to wrap a finished product / job.

2. Clamshell packaging

Clamshell packaging is one of the most common types of packaging for fresh food products that don’t have a long way to travel. The packaging provides easy-to-lock clips, but the plastic is too flimsy to be packed and stored.

3. Blister packaging

Blister packaging is among the more common types of packaging found for pens, medicines, and other packaged dry goods. The blister itself refers to the convex shape of plastic that is usually glued to a cardboard backing to create a seal. For example, any pens that you buy in bulk are sealed in a “blister” and then opened by tearing away the cardboard.

4. Flexible packaging

Flexible packaging comes in many forms and types of packaging, but is most commonly used as for chips and candies.

Other types of packaging that qualify as flexible include plastic seals on bottles or jars, the wrapper around multiple packs of gum, and cookie packagin

5. Box packaging

Box packaging refers most specifically to boxes whose lids are an extension of the length of the box.

The idea with box packaging is to not lose the lid or the contents within the box.

6. Seal packaging

Seal packaging refers to self-sealed packages that one usually finds with dry goods such as rice. Pasta, rice, candies, and coffee beans usually come in sealed packaging, which is also usually a clear plastic. The idea with seal packaging is to keep the dry goods fresh and prevent any premature drying out or expiring

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