Storage aid types describe load carriers and packaging such as cartons or pallets, with dimensions, own weight and capacity. Each type is saved as an **article marked as packaging** (article attribute "pack_type"), the SKU being its article number.

Exactly these articles appear at the packing station under **Choose carton** (*Kartonage wählen*) and as **Default carton** (*Standard-Kartonage*) of a [freight carrier](/warehouse-setup/freight-carriers.md). Without at least one storage aid type there is no carton to choose at the packing station.

![Screenshot: Storage aid types list with Name, SKU, Warehouse, Dimensions (L×W×H), Max. weight, Max. volume and Status](/warehouse-setup/images/storage-aid-types-list.png)

## Before you start
- Your user needs the permission for **Storage aids** (*Lagerhilfsmittel*) and, to create, edit or delete, the matching permissions – ask your administrator.

## Step by step
1. Open **WMS › Warehouse › Storage aids** (*WMS › Lager › Lagerhilfsmittel*).
2. Click **Create new storage aid type** (*Neuen Lagerhilfsmittel-Typ anlegen*).
3. Enter **Name** (*Name*) and **SKU** (*SKU*). With more than one warehouse, choose the **Warehouse** (*Lager*) – or keep **All warehouses** (*Alle Lager*).
4. Optional: **Description** (*Beschreibung*), **Length / Width / Height** (*Länge / Breite / Höhe*), **Weight** (*Gewicht*), **Maximum weight** (*Maximales Gewicht*) and **Maximum volume** (*Maximales Volumen*).
5. Tick **Active** (*Aktiv*) and click **Save** (*Speichern*). You see "Storage aid type successfully created." (*Lagerhilfsmittel-Typ erfolgreich erstellt.*)

![Screenshot: Form "Create new storage aid type" with Name "Carton S", SKU, Warehouse and the section "Dimensions and capacities" filled in](/warehouse-setup/images/storage-aid-types-form.png)

## Fields and options
| Field | Meaning | Required |
|---|---|---|
| **Name** (*Name*) | Name of the carton or load carrier | yes |
| **SKU** (*SKU*) | Article number of the packaging article. The article is created when you save. | yes |
| **Warehouse** (*Lager*) | Warehouse the type is used in. **All warehouses** (*Alle Lager*, empty): every warehouse. Only shown if you have more than one warehouse. | no |
| **Description** (*Beschreibung*) | Free text | no |
| **Length / Width / Height** (*Länge / Breite / Höhe*) | Dimensions, each greater than 0 | no |
| **Weight** (*Gewicht*) | Own weight of the packaging | no |
| **Maximum weight / Maximum volume** (*Maximales Gewicht / Maximales Volumen*) | Capacity, each greater than 0 | no |
| **Active** (*Aktiv*) | Only active types are offered | – |

## Create a storage aid directly in the catalogue
Every storage aid type is an article, so you can also create it like any other article in the catalogue – handy if you keep your cartons and pallets in a category of their own, e.g. "Packaging".

1. Create the article in the catalogue – see [Create an article](/products/create-article.md). Assign it to your packaging category if you like.
2. In the attribute group **Warehouse** (*Lager*), set the attribute **Packaging / storage aid** (*Verpackung / Lagerhilfsmittel*) to **Yes** (*Ja*).
3. Optional: in the group **Dimensions** (*Abmessungen*) enter **Length**, **Width**, **Height**, **Weight**, **Maximum weight (kg)** and **Maximum volume (m³)**, and in the group **Basic Data** (*Grunddaten*) the **Warehouse** (*Lager*; empty = all warehouses).
4. Save the active article. It now appears under **WMS › Warehouse › Storage aids** and at the packing station under **Choose carton**.

The other way round, every type you create under **Storage aids** ends up as an article in the catalogue. If the SKU already exists there, X-Sitter does not create a second article but tells you so – then set **Packaging / storage aid** to **Yes** on the existing article.

!!!
If your catalogue has no attribute **Packaging / storage aid**, create it first as an attribute field with the slug `pack_type` (selection *Yes* = `yes` / *No* = `no`) – see [Attribute fields](/products/attribute-fields.md).
!!!

## Where storage aid types are used
- **Packing station:** selection under **Choose carton** – see [Packing](/outbound/packing.md). A type whose packaging article has the attribute **Is a pallet** (*Ist Palette*, group *Warehouse* in the article) set to *yes* turns the package into a pallet: no parcel label, the order goes to loading – see [Pallets at the packing table](/outbound/packing.md#pallets-at-the-packing-table).
- **Freight carriers:** selection of the **Default carton**, which is preselected at the packing station – see [Freight carriers](/warehouse-setup/freight-carriers.md).
- **Warehouse settings:** the **Default storage aid** (*Standard-Lagerhilfsmittel*) on the tab **Configurations** – see [Warehouse settings](/warehouse-setup/warehouse-settings.md).

![Screenshot: Packing station with the "Choose carton" selection listing the storage aid types](/warehouse-setup/images/storage-aid-types-packing.png)

## Delete a storage aid type
Click the delete button and confirm the question. If the type is still used, the dialog tells you so – the assignment is removed there as well. This action cannot be undone.

## Good to know / Troubleshooting
| Message | Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Please enter a name. (*Bitte gib einen Namen ein.*) | Name is empty. | Enter a name. |
| Please enter a SKU. (*Bitte gib eine SKU ein.*) | SKU is empty. | Enter a SKU. |
| The length must be greater than 0. / The width … / The height … / The maximum weight … / The maximum volume must be greater than 0. | A negative value is entered. | Enter a positive value or leave the field empty. |
| *Ein Artikel mit dieser SKU existiert bereits im Katalog. Bitte dort „Verpackung / Lagerhilfsmittel“ auf „Ja“ setzen, dann erscheint er hier.* (an article with this SKU already exists in the catalogue) | New type with the SKU of an existing article. | Set **Packaging / storage aid** to **Yes** on the existing article – or choose another SKU. |
| Another item in the catalog already has this SKU. (*Ein anderer Artikel im Katalog hat bereits diese SKU.*) | While editing, you chose a SKU another article has. | Choose another SKU. |
| *Dem Katalog fehlt das Attribut „pack_type“ (Verpackung / Lagerhilfsmittel). Bitte zuerst im Katalog anlegen.* (the catalogue has no attribute pack_type) | The attribute field is missing in your catalogue. | Create the attribute field `pack_type` (see the note above). |