In this blog, I will explain how to use pre-delivery of project stock orders which are sent from a Third-party managed site (3PL site).
It is quite similar but not same to the
pre-delivery of service orders from a 3PL site.
Pre-requisite is that the site is set as a externally-managed location with a warehouse provider assigned to.
When creating the Project stock order from the projects view, you can now use the item type 'pre-delivery' together with a 3PL site.

Create Project Stock Order with pre-delivery item type together with a 3PL site
Be aware that the other item types are not supported with a 3PL site.
The next steps of the initiation of the shipment process up to creation of a released outbound delivery follows the same steps as a normal sales order outbound delivery from a 3PL site.
As a result of a release of the outbound delivery, the quantity is now moved into the custodian stock of the customer and it also relates to the project ID. Owner still remains the company executing the project. Also, the stock type is changed from ‘External Warehouse’ to ‘Pre-delivered’.

Stock Overview with Custodian ID and Project ID
After project execution it might happen, that unused products remain in the custodian stock. In my example only 1 ea of the 2 ea pre-delivered products got used in the project confirmation. So the quantity is reduced by 1 ea and 1 ea remains in pre-delivered custodian stock.

Stock Overview with Custodian ID and Project ID after consumption of 1 EA
To return the remaining 1 ea to the 3PL site, you have to break the link to the project in inventory first with the ‘Change of Pre-Delivered Stock’ Common Task in the Physical Inventory Work Center. Make sure to select the corresponding project ID (this is also described in the
blog product returns from projects)
Secondly, you have to use the common task ‘New Parts Return Notification’ in the ‘Third-Party Logistics’ work center, that will create an inbound delivery notification. This again can be sent to the 3PL service provider via XML message.
Once goods receipt is executed with reference to the notification, the remaining product is moved from custodian to the external warehouse stock:

Stock Overview with no custodian stock after return
The demo captured in a recording you can access
here.