Question/Problem

How do I understand Walmart’s Divert Disposition Codes and Divert Destination Codes?

Environment

• BOSS 3 RTCs at our Walmart locations

Answer/Solution

We utilize Divert Disposition Codes in our divert confirmation messages that we send to Walmart, so that their “MVS” system can interpret the behavior of each item that is inducted onto one of our sorters.  We also utilize Divert Destination Codes in our divert confirmation messages that we send to Walmart, so that their “MVS” system can interpret why an item may not have been assigned to the correct lane.

Divert Disposition Codes

A Divert Disposition Code is comprised of 3 Hexadecimal Digits, with each digit having a specific meaning when it comes to interpreting the behavior of that carton after induction.  Combined together, the Divert Disposition Code shows a general picture of whether or not an item diverted successfully, and what problems that item may have encountered.

For Walmart sites, the explanation of each digit as shown below is found in the 'common_sort_defs.h' file.  Depending on the Walmart site in question, the information below may vary.

The first digit represents whether the carton successfully sorted, failed to sort, or experienced some other issue.  Hexadecimal characters above 9 are also used in this digit.

• 0 = No Error – has not left the sorter.
• 4 = Lost Carton - represents a mistrack of the package
• 8 = MUZ Error (unused)
• 12 (C) = Sorted – successfully diverted on the sorter
• 13 (D) = Divert Inhibit – carton was aborted from its intended destination, and sent to recirculation

The second digit represents whether a physical issue with the sorter led to the package not diverting.

• 0 = No Error – no physical issues impeding carton transit
• 1 = Bad Gap – insufficient carton gap found between this item and the one prior, preventing the divert shoes from firing (without unintentionally dragging the next item into the same divert lane.
• 4 = Divert Failure – a sorter divert switch was unable to push the divert shoes to the intended lane.

The third digit represents whether a logical issue with the package or the sorter led to the package not diverting.  Hexadecimal characters above ‘9’ are also used (albeit rarely) in this digit. 

• 0 = No Error – no logical issues impeding carton transit
• 1 = No Read – Successful message received for item from scanner, but message indicates that scanner did not read the barcode.Item diverted to No Read Lane.
• 2 = Read Conflict – Successful message received for item from scanner, but message indicates that scanner read multiple items at once.
• 3 = Tote – Item is not an actual item, but is instead a tote.Code not typically utilized.
• 4 = Full Lane – The intended destination lane was full, so the item had to go to recirculation instead.
• 5 = 4 + 1 = Full Lane + No Read – The carton was intended to be diverted to the No Read Lane, but that lane was full and thus the item had to go to recirculation instead.
• 6 = 4 + 2 = Full Lane + Read Conflict – The carton was part of a read conflict, but the intended lane of the item was full.Code not frequently utilized.
• 7 = 4 + 3 = Full Lane + Tote – The item was a tote, and was unable to reach its destination due to the lane being full.
• 8 = Jam Lane – The intended destination lane was jammed, so the item had to go to recirculation stead.Code (and below combinations) not frequently utilized.
• 9 = 8 + 1 = Jam Lane + No Read – The carton was intended to be diverted to the Jam Lane, but that lane was full and thus the item had to go to recirculation instead.
• 10 = 8 + 2 = Jam Lane + Read Conflict – The carton was part of a read conflict, but the intended lane of the item was full.Code not frequently utilized.
• 11 = 8 + 3 = Jam Lane + Tote – The item was a tote, and was unable to reach its destination due to the lane being jammed.

   

  Combined together, a 3-character Divert Disposition Code is intended to give Walmart a concise explanation of the divert behavior of each carton, as interpreted through our Divert Confirmation Message sent to their host system. 

  A ‘C00’ is a common successful divert, and is the code we expect to see on the wide majority of inducted items.  Other codes may require research to determine why they occurred.

  A ‘D01’ is a typical carton rejection due to a No Read of the barcode.  The specific barcode of this message will typically be a string of all ‘9’s, and the item will typically be sent to the No Read Lane.

  A ‘D10’ is a typical carton rejection due to a Bad Gap of an otherwise fine barcode.  This item will enter recirculation, with the hopes that normal conveyance activity will help to space out the items the better on the next induction.

   

  Divert Destination Codes

  A Divert Destination Code is a 3-digit numerical code that displays one of two possible results:

1. The 3-digit lane number of the sorter to which an item was diverted, or
2. A 3-digit error code that explains why an item did not have a specific destination.

   The error codes are pre-set to explain specific conditions, and are displayed as follows:

   • 993 – UNKNOWN_UUID – for items that are not provided a UUID by the host system.
   • 995 – NO_CODE_DEST_CODE – for items that do not receive scanner data from the barcode scanner.
   • 996 – NO_READ_DEST_CODE – for items that received scanner data from the barcode scanner, but that data indicates that the barcode scanner did not read a proper barcode.
   • 997 – NOT_IN_TBL_DEST_CODE – for items that were properly scanned, but the store number in the barcode did not correlate to an active destination lane.
   • 998 – MISTRACK_DEST_CODE – for items that were properly scanned / inducted, but mistracked on the sorter and were rejected.
   • 999 – READ_CONFLICT_DEST_CODE – for items that were properly scanned, but the barcode scanner detected more than 1 barcode present of the expected ‘code’ that the scanner would look for when determining an item’s destination.