📦 Understanding Clustering in Canary7
🔗 What is Clustering?
Clustering in Canary7 is a two-step system that groups individual jobs (usually shipments) into clusters for more efficient processing.
It helps warehouse operatives pick multiple orders simultaneously, each into a designated container or Cluster Position.
🔄 How Clustering Works
🧠 Cluster Job Creation Master
Defines the logic for clustering, including:Job Types
Max/Min Cluster Positions
Sorting rules
📋 Cluster Planner
Applies your clustering rules to selected jobs and generates optimised cluster jobs for execution.
🧱 Cluster Job Creation Master
This module defines how jobs should be grouped into clusters.
Each Cluster Position represents a tote or container (e.g., Cluster 3 = Tote 3).
📌 Note: This Job Creation Master does not include a WHERE tab, unlike others.
Add Cluster Job Creation Master
Click on the Red Action Button
, this will bring up a drop-down menu, and select "Add"
📝 General Tab – Required Fields
| 🔹 Field | 📘 Description |
|---|---|
| Name | A descriptive name for the clustering setup |
| Job Type | Select the Job Type this clustering applies to (e.g., “B2C Amazon Clustering”) |
| Maximum Cluster Position | Max number of positions (e.g., 10 totes = 10 positions) |
| Minimum Cluster Position | The fewest positions required for a cluster to be created |
🔄 Job Type Tab
Primary Selection – Tick the Job Type selected in the General tab
Additional Job Types – Optionally include others if clustering needs to handle multiple job types
Click Submit to continue editing.
🔢 Order By Tab
Click on Order by Tab
To access:
Locate your Cluster Job Creation
Click the ⋮ Three Dots > ✏️ Edit
Open the Order By Tab
Drag fields such as:
Location Code
Pick Walk Sequence
This controls the sequence of instructions within each cluster.
📋 The Cluster Planner
🗂️ Job List Tab
Shows all current jobs (e.g., shipments)
Users tick jobs to include in a plan
Open the Ellipsis menu and click “To Plan” to move selected jobs forward
🔧 Plan Creation
Create a new plan or select an existing one
📝 Provide:
Plan Name
Cluster Job Creation configuration
📘 Plan Tab
This tab manages your cluster plans:
| ⚙️ Action | 📘 What It Does |
|---|---|
| View | View plan details and grouped jobs |
| Run | Applies the clustering logic to generate cluster jobs |
| Delete | Remove plans no longer needed |
🧾 Summary
✅ Use Cluster Job Creation Master to define the structure
✅ Use Cluster Planner to select, group, and plan jobs
✅ Execute plans to generate optimised, efficient cluster jobs
📦 Cluster Picking – Executing the Job
Here is an example of a typical Cluster Picking execution
Note: This may change depending on the number of verifications you have selected on your Shipment Picking Profile
🧮 Scan From Location Check Digit
🔍 Verify Item Code
🔢 Verify Quantity
✅ Scan the Label of your Cluster Tote
Note: If you run out of space in your initial Cluster Position Tote, you can scan another Container in, this will associate a secondary container to that Cluster Position
Once you have selected and entered the required fields, click on the submit button.png)
to add.