How to Cycle Count LPNs Using ShipHero Mobile

Cycle counting with LPNs lets your team verify inventory at the container level while counting the items inside each LPN. An LPN, License Plate Number, is a barcode ShipHero assigns to a container, such as a pallet or carton, so everything inside it can be tracked as a unit. LPN support in Cycle Count covers counting standalone LPNs, nested LPNs, and loose items, and reporting missing or unexpected LPNs found during the count.

Before You Begin

• The LPN feature must be enabled for your account.
• You must have access to Cycle Count in the ShipHero Mobile app.
• A Cycle Count task must already be created and assigned.
• If your team will report missing LPNs, set up a non-sellable location for missing LPNs in Cycle Count settings. This is the location where ShipHero moves LPNs marked as not found once the discrepancy is confirmed.

Table of Contents

• Start a Cycle Count Task with LPNs
• Count Items Inside an LPN
• Count Nested LPNs
• Finish an LPN Count for a Location
• Save an LPN Count with Discrepancies
• Mark an Expected LPN as Not Found
• Count an Unexpected LPN
• Review LPN Discrepancies

Start a Cycle Count Task with LPNs

1. In ShipHero Mobile, open Inventory > Cycle Count.
2. Select a Cycle Count task.
3. Go to the assigned location.
4. Scan the location barcode.

After scanning the location, ShipHero opens the location count screen and shows the instruction Scan everything you see. Scan every loose item and LPN you find, even items not shown in the expected list.

When ShipHero expects LPNs in that location, each LPN appears as a card, even on a Blind Cycle Count.

Count Items Inside an LPN

To count an LPN listed in the location:

1. Scan the LPN barcode.
2. ShipHero opens the LPN count screen.
3. Scan the items physically inside the LPN.
4. Continue scanning until all items inside the LPN are counted.
5. Tap Finish LPN count.

When you scan an LPN, you are counting inside that LPN, not directly at the location level. The breadcrumb at the top of the screen shows the current context.

As items are scanned, ShipHero updates the counted SKU and unit totals for that LPN.

Count Nested LPNs

If an LPN contains other LPNs, scan the parent LPN first.

1. From the location count screen, scan the parent LPN.
2. ShipHero opens the parent LPN count screen.
3. Scan the nested LPN barcode.
4. ShipHero opens the nested LPN count screen.
5. Scan the items inside the nested LPN.
6. Tap Finish LPN count when the nested LPN is complete.
7. Return to the parent LPN level and finish the parent LPN count when all nested contents have been counted.

For example, if a pallet contains a carton, scan the pallet first. Then, from inside the pallet count screen, scan the carton and count the items inside it.

Finish an LPN Count for a Location

After all LPNs and loose items in the location are counted:

1. Return to the location-level count screen.
2. Review the counted LPNs and totals.
3. Tap Finish location count.

You can also tap Save progress if you need to pause and come back later.

ShipHero only shows Finish location count at the location level. When you are inside an LPN, finish the LPN count or go back until you return to the location screen.

Save an LPN Count with Discrepancies

If the counted quantity does not match the expected quantity, ShipHero shows a confirmation message: Save with discrepancies? Count does not match expected quantity.

You can choose:

• Recount: Go back and count again.
• Save with discrepancies: Save the count and record the discrepancy.

This prompt can appear when finishing an LPN count or when finishing the location count. Use Recount when you want to verify the physical count before saving. Use Save with discrepancies when the physical count is correct and the variance should be recorded.

Mark an Expected LPN as Not Found

If an expected LPN is listed in the count but is not physically present:

1. Find the LPN card on the count screen.
2. Tap Mark as not found.
3. ShipHero tags the LPN as Not found.

You can mark an LPN as not found at the location level or inside a parent LPN. Use this option only when the LPN is expected in that location or parent LPN, but you cannot find it physically.

When the discrepancy is confirmed, ShipHero records the missing LPN discrepancy at the level where it was reported. If configured, ShipHero moves the missing LPN to the non-sellable missing LPN location.

Count an Unexpected LPN

When you find an LPN that is physically present but not listed in the expected count, scan the LPN. ShipHero adds it to the count list and tags it as Unexpected.

• When an unexpected LPN is scanned at the location level, ShipHero shows a message that the LPN was not originally assigned to that location.
• When an unexpected LPN is scanned inside a parent LPN, ShipHero shows a message that the LPN was not originally assigned to that LPN.

After the unexpected LPN is added:

1. Scan the unexpected LPN.
2. Count the items inside it.
3. Tap Finish LPN count.
4. Return to the parent LPN or location level.
5. Finish the count when all contents are complete.

ShipHero reports unexpected LPNs as discrepancies at the location or parent LPN level where they were found.

If an LPN is scanned by mistake and added as unexpected, tap Remove on the LPN card before finishing the count. Use this when the LPN was accidentally scanned from the wrong location or wrong parent LPN.

Review LPN Discrepancies

After the count is saved, LPN discrepancies are visible in the Cycle Count details. Discrepancies can include:

• Item quantity differences inside an LPN
• Expected LPN marked as not found
• Unexpected LPN found at a location
• Unexpected LPN found inside a parent LPN
• Nested LPN discrepancies

When reviewing the count, check the location and LPN where the discrepancy was reported. ShipHero ties missing and unexpected LPNs to the level where the counter recorded them.

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