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Savanna.NET System

Contents

From Westfalia Technologies, Inc., the Savanna.NET warehouse execution system runs an automated series of picking and palletizing equipment used to quickly and efficiently process high-volume products. The Savanna system integrates with eoStar’s existing picking workflows, including electronic, voice, layer, and zone picking.

Note

The instructions below cover installing eoStar’s Savanna API and configuring the eoStar backend platform to communicate with the Savanna.NET system.

It does not cover the installation or configuration of the Savanna.NET system. You will need to work with Westfalia to obtain instructions/assistance for setting up Savanna.NET.

Feature Information

  • Functional Area: Operations
  • Roles Impacted: Warehouse Staff
  • Platforms: eoStar Backend
  • Plugins: Savanna Automation Plugin, WMS Plugin, WMS Ops Plugin

Install

eoStar’s Savanna API is required for eoStar and Savanna.NET to communicate. A separate deployment is required for each warehouse that utilizes Savanna.NET for picking.

Deploy eoStar's Savanna API in IIS

The Savanna API must be set up as a new website with a unique Application Pool in IIS.

  • The Savanna.NET system must be installed and available on the server or workstation where the API is deployed.

When the API has been set up, you will need to make it’s IP Address or URL accessible over your local intranet (it does not need to publicly accessible); which often involves updating your network’s firewall settings to allow traffic to the website’s port. Due to the large amount of possible network and firewall configurations, eoStar recommends consulting your firewall’s documentation and/or support avenues for assistance on this step.

Prerequisites

Before you set up the API you will need to do the following:

  • The Savanna API will be provided by your CSM as a .ZIP file.
  • Create a new webpage in Internet Information Services Manager (IIS):
    1. Open IIS.
    2. Right-click Sites > Add Website.
    3. Enter Savanna as the Site Name (it will also be applied to the Application Pool).
    4. Click the ellipses to set the Physical Path.
      1. Expand This PC > Local Disk and select inetpub.
      2. Click Make New Folder.
      3. Name the folder Savanna and click OK.
      4. Select the new folder and click OK again.
    5. Set the binding Type, IP Address, and Port.
      • The Type must be HTTPS if you are using SSL and a Host Name, set it to HTTP if you are using an IP Address.
      • Leave the IP Address as All Unassigned.
      • Any open port can be used for the new webpage (the default port for HTTPS is 443 and the default for HTTP is 80).
    6. Enter the Host Name for the website.
    7. Verify all the binding options are cleared:
      • Require Server Name Indication
      • Disable TLS 1.3 over TCP
      • Disable Legacy TLS
      • Disable OCSP Stapling
      • Disable QUIC
      • Disable HTTP/2
    8. Verify Start Website Immediately is enabled.
    9. Click OK.
  • Check the Advanced Settings for the Savanna Application Pool and verify the following:
    • .NET CLR Version = No Managed Code
    • Enable 32-bit Applications = False
    • Identity = ApplicationPoolIdentity
    • Idle Time-out (Minutes) = 0
  • Stop IIS.
  • Right-click and Edit Permissions for the Savanna website and make sure the IIS User has Full Control.
  • Copy the files in the .ZIP archive to the website folder:
    1. Extract the files in the archive to a folder on the desktop.
    2. Open the folder and drill into it until you find the Out folder.
      • Each level only has a single folder in it, so just keep going until you see the Out folder.
    3. Copy all the files in the Out folder.
    4. Paste the files into the website folder: C:\inetpub\[WebsiteName]
  • Connect the API to the eoStar database:
    1. Open the appsettings.json file.
    2. Enter the connection information (replace the highlighted brackets and text):
      1. Server name
        • The name of the server where your eoStar database located.
          Note


          The server IP address can also be used here.

      2. Database name
        • The name of your eoStar database
      3. Server User ID
        • Username for accessing the server.
      4. Server Password
        • Password for the User ID.
      5. WhseRecKey
        • eoStar RecKey of the warehouse this API is for.
      6. SavannaUser
        • Username for accessing the Savanna.NET system.
      7. SavannaPass
        • Password for the SavannaUser.
      8. IncomingUser
        • Username Savanna.NET must use when contacting this API.
          Incoming Credentials


          The IncomingUser and IncomingPass can be whatever you want. Once you decide what to use, work with Westfalia to add these credentials to Savanna.NET in the appropriate place.

      9. IncomingPass
        • Password Savanna.NET must use when contacting this API.
    3. Save the file.
      Note


      Only Administrator users can save updates directly to this folder.

      Non-admin users will need to save the updated file to the desktop and move it into the folder, replacing the existing version of the file.

  • Start IIS to apply all the changes.
  • Validate the API is operational by accessing the website at: http://localhost:[yourIPaddress]/index.html
    • If the API is functioning, the Swagger API definition page will appear.

If there are issues accessing the website, some recommended things to check are:

  • Firewall settings
  • Windows Event Log
  • Internet Blocked Files

Setup

These setup steps must be performed for each warehouse that utilizes the Savanna.NET system.

Create Savanna Picking EmployeeSetup Savanna Zone PicksConnect eoStar to Savanna.NET

eoStar must have an employee it can use for picks sent to the Savanna.NET system.

eoStar Support recommends creating a new employee record named Savanna Picks – [Warehouse Name] (or similar) so it is obvious what the record is used for and to make it easy to identify picks sent to Savanna.

However, you can name the employee record whatever makes sense for your operation (or even use an existing record).

Picks for Savanna.NET flow through eoStar’s existing Zone Picking process.

If you are not currently using zone picking, you will need to enable it for the warehouse(s) that will utilize Savanna.NET.

Depending on the WMS license you have, configuring the Savanna zone is a little different. Make sure you follow the instructions for your WMS license.

Basic & Midsize WMS
  • Create a new WMS Zone for Savanna.
    • Assign it to the Warehouse using Savanna.NET.
    • On the Setup Panel, select Used for Voice/Electronic Pick.
    • On the Savanna Panel:
      • Select the Savanna Picking Employee you created earlier to Record Automated Picks As.
  • Assign the products that will be picked by Savanna.NET to the Savanna zone.
  • Assign the Savanna Picking Employee to the Savanna zone.
Enterprise WMS
  • Create a new WMS Zone for Savanna.
    • Assign it to the Warehouse using Savanna.NET.
    • On the Setup Panel, select Used for Voice/Electronic Pick.
    • On the Savanna Panel:
      • Select the Savanna Picking Employee you created earlier to Record Automated Picks As.
  • Create a new Warehouse Area for Savanna.
    • Assign it to the Savanna zone.
  • Create a new WMS Location for each Savanna pick slot.
    • Assign each location to the Savanna warehouse area.
    • On the More Panel of each Savanna location, select Picking as the location's Usage.
      Note


      You can also set up a parent location to group the Savanna pick locations, which can be helpful for reporting, counting, etc., but it isn't required.

  • Assign the Savanna Picking Employee to the Savanna zone.

The connection from eoStar to Savanna.NET is managed on the warehouse’s Savanna Panel in eoStar.

  • Enter the access URL for the Savanna.NET system as the Connection URL.
    • Click Test to verify the connection is successful.
    • If the test fails, confirm the access URL was entered correctly, the Savanna API was installed and configured correctly, and that there are no firewall or network settings blocking the connection.
  • Click Send Master Data to push product information from eoStar to Savanna.NET.
    • The Product Name and RecKey is sent for all active, sellable products in eoStar.
    • Additional data is sent for products in locations that are part of the Savanna zone:
      • Case UPC
      • Height, Length, Width, and Weight
      • Cases per Layer
      • Layers per Pallet
  • Click Send Inventory to push inventory levels for products in the Savanna zone to Savanna.NET.
    Inventory Re-sync


    If the inventory levels in eoStar and Savanna get out-of-step, validate/correct the levels in eoStar, then Send Inventory to Savanna to re-sync the two systems.

    CAUTION: Re-syncing inventory levels will completely override all levels in Savannah and replace them with the current levels in eoStar. This feature should be used with care and only when truly needed.

  • Select Enable picking by Savanna system to dispatch picks in the Savanna zone to the Savanna.NET system.

Enter the Savanna Location Names. These are the locations Savanna.NET will direct pickers to as layer pallets enter, move through, and exit the system.

Layer Picks


All layer picks are processed through Savanna.NET, even if the pallet has no Savanna picks.

  1. When a layer pick is completed, the pallet is taken to the Savanna Inbound Staging Location.
  2. Depending on the other picks required for the pallet, it is taken to one of the other three locations:
    • Layer pallets requiring Savanna picks are taken to the Savanna Downlane Location.
    • Layer pallets only requiring top-off picks are taken to the Savanna Outbound Staging Location.
    • Layer pallets that are complete as-is are taken to the Savanna Loading Location.

Dispatching Savanna Picks

Picks that are sent to Savanna.NET flow through the WMS Pick Dispatcher, just like any other pick in eoStar. However, there a few differences between how picks for Savanna are handled compared to normal picks.

  • Once a pallet with Savanna picks on it has been enqueued, it cannot be de-queued, even if no picks have been performed.
  • Unlike other products, products picked through the Savannah.NET system are flagged as out of stock on the Out of Stocks tab. (Only available with the Savanna plugin)
    • Flag a Savannah product as out of stock:
      • Use the selector to choose the product that’s out of stock. (only Savanna products are listed)
      • Click Mark Out of Stock to flag it as Out of Stock in Pick Dispatcher.
    • While flagged as Out of Stock, all Savanna picks for that product will be shorted.
      • All currently enqueued Savannah picks for that product will be shorted and new picks will be shorted as the pallet is enqueued.
    • Once the product has been replenished, select the product in the Out of Stocks tab and click Mark Selected In Stock to resume picking that product.
      • Picks that were already enqueued when the product is marked as In Stock will remain shorted.
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Savanna Control Center

The Savanna Control Center contains logs of all the communication that occurs between eoStar and Savanna.NET. If any issues occur with Savanna picks, you can check the logs to zero-in on exactly where and when the issue occurred.

Updated on July 29, 2022

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