Package Geometry

Package Geometry helps you plan how items from a sales order fit inside boxes before you pack them. Using the dimensions and weight of your items, it visually shows how they can be arranged inside the boxes you have.

You can evaluate package geometry to pack items more efficiently and accurately. By simulating the packing process, it helps you reduce unused space inside boxes, avoid using unnecessary boxes, and ensure items are packed safely.

This feature is powered by Zia, Zoho’s in-house AI.

How Can You Evaluate Packing Geometry?

To evaluate packing geometry, you should first set the measurement units for item dimensions and weight. Then you can create a package from a sales order and then click Evaluate Packing Geometry. After adding the box types you have along with their size and weight limits, the system computes how the items can be arranged. You can review the 3D view, confirm the arrangement, and create package slips for each box.

Scenario: Patrica manages packaging operations for a manufacturing unit that supplies electrical control panels, circuit breakers, and power cables to distributors. A distributor places a single sales order that includes wall-mounted control panels (large and heavy), Miniature Circuit Breakers (small and lightweight), and coiled power cables (long but flexible).

Before dispatch, she needs to decide how many boxes are required, which items can be packed together, and how to place the heavier panels so they do not damage the smaller components during transportation.

Patricia now uses Evaluate Package Geometry to simulate the packing process. The system shows that the control panels require separate heavy-duty boxes, while the circuit breakers and cables can be packed together in medium-sized boxes. Based on this arrangement, Package Geometry creates separate package slips for each box, allowing you to pack accurately and proceed with shipping without trial-and-error.

Set Measurement Units

Goods support dimensions and weight. To compute package geometry for an order, you need to set the measurement units for your goods. Here’s how:

Click the Gear icon in the top right corner.
Navigate to General under Module Settings and click Items.
Select the units to measure your item dimensions and weight from the dropdown under the General tab.
Click Save.

Pro tip: You can also change the units when you create or edit an item, under the Fulfilment Details*.

Enter Item Dimensions

You can enter item dimensions to calculate the space each item holds in your package. Here’s how you can enter the dimensions for the existing items:

Go to Items in the left side bar and click Items in the module bar.
Select the item for which you want to enter dimensions.
Click the Edit icon at the top of item details page.
Scroll down to Fulfilment Details in the Edit Item page.
Enter the dimensions and weight of your item.
Click the units dropdown in the respective fields to change measuring units.
Click Save.

Insight: You can also fill these details at the time of computing package geometry or while creating a new item.

Compute Package Geometry

Here’s how you can compute packing geometry for your items when you create a package from a sales order:

Go to Sales in the left side bar and click Sales Orders in the top module bar.
Select the sales order for which you want to create a package.
Click Create Package in the sales order details page.
Fill in the details and add items to your package in the New Package page.
Click Evaluate packing geometry.

You can simulate how your items will be placed in the boxes you possess to create the package. Here’s how:

Enter the dimension and weight details for your items.
Enter the box name or type. For example: Large Card board Box.
Enter the dimensions of the box and the maximum weight it can hold.
Click + New Box to add another box.
Click Compute.

Note: Make sure that the dimensions and weight holding capacity of the box is greater than the items. Each box type should be entered only once. The system generates as many boxes required from each given type to pack all the items compactly.

The boxes and its contents will be projected in 3D.
Click + Add option to place the items into the box.
Click Remove to remove the added items.
Click the box number at the top to navigate to the next box and add the desired contents to it.

Pro tip: You can also hold and drag the 3D image in any direction to view the items in different perspectives.

Click View Summary after adding the items.