Module overview
Reference summary of the Locations module: its tabs, records, identifiers, key concepts and where account-wide Location settings live.
This reference describes the Locations module in Wholechain: its screens, records, table columns, fields, accepted values and the actions available on each. Use it to look up what a field means, which values it accepts, what is required and what each action does. Step-by-step instructions are in the Locations user guide, starting with Get started with Locations.
Conventions
- Bold text is the exact label shown in Wholechain.
- Req. marks required fields. In field tables it shows Yes, No or Conditional (with the condition stated).
- Editable shows whether a value can be changed after the record exists.
- Cross-references use page and section names, for example (see Rules and restrictions).
Purpose
The Locations module holds the places where product is held, handled or changed, such as farms, processing plants, warehouses, landings, vessels and offices. A Location is the reference record for one such place: its name, identifiers, type, contact details and address. Events, lots and shipments refer to a Location, so it must exist before it can be used in a traceability record. Every Location belongs to exactly one Trade Partner; the Trade Partner must exist first (see Trade Partners).
Location
Master Data > Locations in the left-hand navigation bar.
Opening Settings. Click the gear icon at the top of the Locations page (or open Settings with the gear icon at the bottom of the left-hand navigation bar), then go to Master Data Settings > Location.
Account-wide settings. The External Identifier Manager, the account-wide alias bulk upload, the download of all Location master data, the Vessels switch, archived Locations and data policies are not part of this module. They are documented in the Settings help docs: Master Data Settings, Data elements and policies, Archived (Master Data Settings > Archived) and Account settings (Organization Settings > Account, where data policies are switched on by an Admin).
Tabs
| Tab | Contents |
|---|---|
| Locations | Every active Location in the account, including Locations that belong to other Trade Partners, with search, filters, column settings and bulk actions. The number beside the tab is the count of Locations listed. See Locations list. |
| Location Groups | The groups used to manage Locations together, with group creation, bulk linking and deletion. See Location Groups. |
Records in this module
| Record | What it is | Relationships |
|---|---|---|
| Location | A physical place such as a farm, plant, warehouse, landing or office. | Belongs to exactly one Trade Partner; can have aliases and documents; can belong to a Location Group. |
| Location Group | A named set of Locations managed together. | Contains Locations; does not own them. |
| Alias | Another identifier for the same Location. | Belongs to one Location. |
| Document | A file attached to a Location. | Belongs to the Location it was added to. |
| Share | Access granted to a connected Trade Partner for a Location of your own company. | Many per Location, each with a permission level (Viewer or Editor). |
Key concepts
| Concept | Description |
|---|---|
| Self Trade Partner | Your own company's Trade Partner record. Locations that belong to your own company are attached to it. |
| Location Identifier | The identifier you use for the Location in your own systems, such as an ERP site code. Also called the external identifier; it is entered as External Identifier when you add a Location. |
| Owner | The Wholechain account that holds the Location record. The owner is the account that can edit it and decide who it is shared with. |
| Owner Location Identifier | The Location Number or ID used in the Wholechain account of the Trade Partner that owns the Location. Listed for reference when the Location came from a connected Trade Partner. |
| Network Status | Self for your own company's Locations; External for Locations that belong to other Trade Partners. |
| Alias | An additional identifier of the same Location. The alias types for Locations are External Identifier, URN and GLN. In a bulk upload, the Alias Type column accepts External Identifier, GLN or URN. |
| GLN | Global Location Number, a GS1 identifier for a physical Location. Wholechain checks the number and rejects an invalid value. |
| DUNS | A nine-digit company identifier issued by Dun & Bradstreet. Wholechain checks the number and rejects an invalid value. |
| Shared Location | A Location of your own company shared with a connected Trade Partner as Viewer or Editor. It can be used as an origin on a Receive event and as a destination on a Ship event. |
| KDE and data policy | A KDE (Key Data Element) is a named piece of information to record. A data policy lists the KDEs expected for Locations and how strongly. Data policies must be switched on for the whole account in Organization Settings > Account (Admin only). A policy set in Settings is universal, for all Locations; a policy for a Location Group is a sub-group of it, managed on the Location Groups sub-tab of Master Data Settings > Location, and also in the Data Policy tab of the group drawer; a policy for one Location is set only on that Location's details drawer. Values are always entered on the individual Location. |