Smallpack packaging formats

Smallpack packaging formats allow you to define reusable templates of stock items (components) for specific container type and pack size combinations. Instead of manually assigning the same stock items to every multipack product that uses a particular container type and quantity, you can create a packaging format once and have Breww automatically apply it to all matching products.

For example, if every 24-pack of 330ml cans uses a cardboard tray, you can create a packaging format for "24 × 330ml Can" with a cardboard tray as a component. Breww will then automatically add that stock item to any 24-pack product using 330ml cans, and keep it in sync if you later change the format.

How packaging formats fit into stock item assignment

Breww provides three ways to assign stock items that are consumed during packaging:

1. Container type defaults -- Stock items used every time you package into a specific container type (e.g. 1 × can lid per 330ml can). These are multiplied by the pack size automatically.
2. Smallpack packaging formats -- Stock items used for a specific container type and pack size combination (e.g. 1 × cardboard tray per 24-pack of 330ml cans). These are applied once per multipack product.
3. Directly assigned to the product -- Stock items unique to a specific product (e.g. a branded sleeve for a particular beer's 12-pack).

Packaging formats sit between container type defaults and product-level assignments. They are ideal for stock items that depend on the pack size but not on which specific beer or drink is being packaged.

For more details on the other two assignment methods, see Assigning stock items to products or container types.

Where to find smallpack packaging formats

You can access smallpack packaging formats from two places:

• Containers dashboard -- Go to Containers and select Smallpack packaging formats
• Settings dashboard -- Go to Settings and under the Production section, select Smallpack packaging formats

Creating a packaging format

To create a new packaging format:

1. Navigate to Containers -> Smallpack packaging formats
2. Click Add new packaging format
3. Select the Container type (only smallpack container types are available, e.g. "330ml Can", "500ml Bottle")
4. Enter the Pack size (must be greater than 1, e.g. 6, 12, 24)
5. Add one or more components -- these are the stock items that should be used when packaging into this format

For each component, you will need to specify:

• Stock item -- The stock item to be consumed (e.g. "Cardboard tray", "Shrink wrap")
• Quantity -- How many of the stock item to use per pack (the unit of measurement is determined by the stock item's tracking type)
• Use when directly packaged -- Whether this stock item should be consumed when the multipack is packaged directly from a vessel
• Use when assembled -- Whether this stock item should be consumed when the multipack is assembled from individual smallpack singles
• Return to stock when disassembled -- Whether this stock item should be returned to stock when the multipack is disassembled

Applying to existing products

When creating a packaging format, you have the option to Apply to existing products. If you check this option, Breww will look for all existing multipack products that match the container type and pack size and automatically add the format's stock items to them. If a matching product already has one of the format's stock items assigned manually, that stock item will be converted to be managed by the format.

If you do not check this option, the format will only be applied to new products created after the format is set up.

How formats are automatically applied to new products

When you create a new smallpack multipack or mixed-pack product, Breww will automatically check whether a packaging format exists for the container type and pack size you have chosen. If a matching format is found:

• The format's stock items will be shown during the product creation wizard, so you can see what will be automatically added
• Once the product is created, the format's stock items will be applied to the product automatically
• You do not need to manually add these stock items to the product

When creating products from the beer/drink page (using the auto-create products feature), any multipack sizes that have a corresponding packaging format will be marked with a Smallpack packaging format badge, so you know which sizes will have format stock items applied automatically.

Viewing a packaging format

The packaging format detail page shows:

• The components (stock items) defined in the format, including their quantities and usage options
• A list of linked products that are currently using this format

From this page you can edit the format, delete it, or navigate to the linked products and stock items.

Editing a packaging format

To edit a packaging format, navigate to its detail page and click Edit. On the edit page you can:

• Add new component stock items
• Remove existing component stock items
• Change quantities and usage options for existing components

The container type and pack size cannot be changed after a format is created. If you need a different container type or pack size, create a new format instead.

How format-linked stock items appear on products

When a product has stock items that come from a packaging format, they are displayed in a separate section on both the product detail page and the product edit page, labelled Assigned to smallpack packaging format used in product. These stock items are clearly distinguished from manually assigned stock items.

Format-linked stock items are read-only on the product -- they cannot be edited or removed from the product directly. To change them, you need to edit the packaging format itself, and the changes will propagate to all linked products.

Manually assigned stock items on the product (those not from a packaging format) can still be added, edited and removed as normal.

Deleting a packaging format

To delete a packaging format, navigate to its detail page and click Delete. You will be asked to choose what should happen to the stock items that this format has assigned to products:

• Keep this format's assigned stock items on the associated products -- The stock items will remain on each product but will no longer be managed by a format. They will become regular manually assigned stock items that you can edit individually on each product.
• Remove this format's assigned stock items on the associated products -- The stock items that were added by this format will be removed from all associated products.

You must confirm that you understand the action cannot be undone before proceeding.

Validation rules

Breww enforces several rules to prevent conflicts between packaging formats and container type default stock items:

• A stock item that is already configured as a default stock item on a container type cannot be added as a component of a packaging format for that same container type. This prevents the same stock item being consumed twice during packaging.
• Conversely, a stock item that is already in a packaging format for a container type cannot be added as a default stock item on that container type.
• Each stock item can only appear once within a single packaging format.
• Only one packaging format can exist for each container type and pack size combination.

Example setup

Here is an example of how you might set up packaging formats alongside container type defaults:

Container type: 330ml Can

• Default stock items (assigned to the container type):
  • 1 × 330ml Aluminium Can
  • 1 × Can Lid 330ml

Packaging format: 6 × 330ml Can

• Components:
  • 1 × 6-Can Clip Strip (use when directly packaged, use when assembled)

Packaging format: 24 × 330ml Can

• Components:
  • 1 × 24-Can Cardboard Tray (use when directly packaged, use when assembled)
  • 1 × Shrink Wrap Sheet (use when directly packaged only)

With this setup, when you package a 24-pack of 330ml cans of any beer, Breww will automatically use:

• 24 × 330ml Aluminium Can (from the container type default, multiplied by pack size)
• 24 × Can Lid 330ml (from the container type default, multiplied by pack size)
• 1 × 24-Can Cardboard Tray (from the packaging format)
• 1 × Shrink Wrap Sheet (from the packaging format, only when directly packaged)

Any additional stock items unique to a specific product (such as a branded outer sleeve) would still be assigned directly to that product.