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In WOS, an Item Alias is an alternate identifier for the item. The Item Number can always be used to identify the item. Aliases can also be used to provide multiple ways to identify the same Item. WOS supports associating the same alias to multiple Items, referred to as Duplicate Aliases.


Item Alias

An Alias is an alternative way of identifying an Item. The most common Alias is a barcode, but alternate SKUs or other identifiers can also be added.


For example:

        The item "Bananas" exists in the system with an Item Number "200102". 

        The packaging of the Item has a UPC barcode of 123456
        The Item Alias "123456" is added to the Item "Bananas"


        When using the WOS Operations app for picking, Inventory Management, or any other function that requires an item number, entering either "200102" or "123456" will find the item "Bananas"


Note: Item Aliases are not required to scan an Item into the tablet. The Item Number can also be barcoded and scanned into the tablet to identify the Item.


Create an Item Alias

  1. Go to Maint -> Items
  2. Click on an Item Number
  3. Click on Aliases 
  4. Click Create New and fill out the form
  5. Click Create 


Item Aliases can also be added through the API as part of the add or update functionality.

Item Alias in CSV Upload

Item Aliases can be added to an item by uploading a CSV file through the Import / Export page.


If the Item has more than one Alias, it requires a different configuration in the CSV file. Each Alias associated to the Item must have its own line in the CSV file.

If an Item has 3 aliases, then the CSV would contain 3 duplicate lines in the CSV file. The only unique value across all 3 lines is that each Alias gets its own line for the designated Item.

All of the Aliases for the Item must be contained in the same CSV file. Any Alias not submitted when the CSV file includes Aliases will be assumed as no longer active and will be removed from the Item.


Duplicate Alias

In WOS, a Duplicate Alias occurs when two different Items happen to have the same barcode. A typical example would be, two (2) vendors/manufactures happen to have a product with the same UPC barcode.


For example:

Item: 2000102 – Bananas -- may have a UPC barcode – 123456

Item: XG-TU-P– Pink Tutu—may also have a UPC barcode – 123456

In this case, both items would be configured to have an Alias of 123456


Depending on the function being performed, the system uses different techniques for resolving a scan of a Duplicate Alias. For example:

  • During Picking, the User is directed to a specific Item and Location. Scanning a Duplicate Alias does not require any other verification because it can be reasonably assumed that the User has found the Item they were directed to find
  • During an Inventory Put, it will be unclear which Item the User is working with. When a Duplicate Alias is scanned, a popup will ask the User to identify which of the Items associated with that Alias is the correct one. 



Note: 
1. WOS does NOT support duplicate Item Numbers
2. An Alias ONLY exists when associated with at least one (1) item.
3. It is highly recommended that two (2) items with the same alias NEVER be stored in the same location. This is not enforced by the system, but by the User.