Pre-shipment blocks

QUALITY -> Pre-shipment blocks

Pre-shipment blocks provide a way to manage inspections for markets such as USA and Japan.

There a several types of blocks (detailed later) but they essentially fall into two categories:

• Packhouse sampled blocks where carton product lines are allocated to a block during packing;
• Coolstore sampled blocks where entire pallets are allocated to the block.

These differ in the respect that there may be mixed packhouse sampled blocks on any given pallet (with mixed pass/fail status), whereas coolstore sampled pallets will only be on one block. If failed packhouse blocks are mixed on a pallet with passed blocks, the resulting pallet will be unsuitable for that market (ie worst-case wins).

Currently there are only two supported packhouse sampling methods: IQP and random carton sampling - both for USA.

Adding a block

• Code - the block code is often a formal identifier for the block and is important for the relevant assurance programme.
• Description - description for your purposes.
• Type - block types include:
  • Australia - Pre-clearance
  • End-point inspection
  • Japan - Cold treatment and inspection
  • Japan - Fumigation block
  • USA - Coolstore sample
  • USA - Packhouse IQP sample
  • USA - Packhouse random carton sample
• Status
  • 1. Building
  • 2. Waiting inspection - changing to this state takes a formal snapshot of the product in the block (for reporting) and items can no longer be added.
  • 3. Passed - passing a block will update the relevant market declarations.
  • 4. Failed - failing a block will make the product unsuitable for the relevant market.
  • 5. Release` - releasing the block has no affect on market declarations.
• Start time - for cold treatment blocks this is the time treatment began. It is optional for other blocks.
• Finish time - date of the inspection (decision) or time cold treatment finished.
• Inspection ref - reference number for the inspection (eg fumigation certificate #).
• Active - if block no longer required.

Required

• Pallets - only applies to coolstore sampled blocks.
• TCEs - only applies to packhouse sampled blocks.

Who to charge

• For building - vendor to charge for building the block.
• For inspection - vendor to charge for the block inspection.

How to charge

• For building - the charge schedule to apply for building the block (from ADMINISTRATION -> Charge schedules).
• For inspection - the charge schedule to apply for the block inspection (from ADMINISTRATION -> Charge schedules).

Items tab

For coolstore sampled blocks you can add items by clicking the Add items button, alternatively, you can use a handheld scanner Scanner -> Add to pre-shipment block. Cartons (product lines) are added automatically during packing for packhouse sampled blocks.

The main area on this page provides a pivot table of the product in this block. This allows you to drill into and rearrange the displayed information to provide whatever level of detail you need.

Samples tab (USA packhouse only)

For packhouse sampled blocks snapPacking records the individual cartons taken as samples. This tab provides a pivot table of the detail.

Pallets tab (Japan cold treatment only)

For Japan cold treatment blocks you can add pallets by clicking the Add pallets button. Pallets listed show the previous fumigation block and options for recording post-storage inspection results. After inspection, pallets may be passed or failed which updates the relevant market declarations.

Adding inspection samples

Expand the pallet to see the sample information, or press Add a sample to add a new sample. Add samples as per QUALITY -> Storage Lots.

Set pallet status

Expand the pallet and select the Set pallet status menu, select the relevant status.

Summary tab (Japan cold treatment only)

Shows sample dates and pallets passed in graphical form.

Reports

• Block pallet report - this report shows the pallets in the block. Once the block has finished building this will be a snapshot of the block contents at the time the block changed to the Waiting for inspection status. Optionally you can include the current pallet number - which may differ from the pallet the cartons were on at the time of inspection. The report provides both pallet numbers as assurance for traceability.
• Samples by production site - This report summarises the production sites in the block along with confirmation that the necessary samples have been taken from those areas (for packhouse blocks). If the necessary samples have not been taken, a list of pallets are provided (with locations) so a sample may be obtained.

Other extracts are available from the REPORTS/EXTRACTS menu.