Inventory Count Processing

Inventory Count processing is performed using the Count Manager and the Count Query programs, both of which can be accessed from the Warehouse Management, Count Processing Menu.  The Count Manager is used to prepare for the inventory count, enter and edit count records, and to apply the results of the count when you are ready to do so.  The Count Query program is used to produce count worksheets and for variance reporting.  Other queries (accessed from the Inventory Query and BinLoc Query programs) are also used during the count process.

The Count Manager and the Count Query programs also allow you to access the inventory, bin and catalog details associated with each of the count records being processed.

The Inventory Count process is location specific – meaning one count can be performed for each location at the same time.  You may count more than one warehouse location at the same time (teams can count the WHS and RMA locations at the same time), but only one count (cycle or complete) can be in process for each location at the same time.

Inventory Count Processing Overview

The operational procedure for performing an inventory count is as follows.

•      Check for system errors or bad data.  Check for and clean up any invalid data that might complicate the inventory counting process.  You should not normally have the described situations – as they indicate a system or software level problem.

•      Run the Bin/Inventory and Pick/Bin Queries to determine if any inventory items have bin quantities that do not match the on hand  quantity for the item, or if any bins have committed quantities that do not match the pick detail for the bin.  Correct any errors.  Errors can be corrected using the Inventory Quantity Adjustment program (which allows you to adjust the item quantity to match the bin detail for the item), and the Bin detail panel  which allows you to force the quantity for a bin when required (sysop only).

•      Check if any items or bins have negative quantities and correct if found.  Negative items and bins can be fixed using the Inventory Adjustment program and the Bin Detail panel.

Note:  The system will not allow you to apply a count when any of the count records point to items where the item quantity does not match the total of the bin quantities for the item in the warehouse being processed.  You can skip counting these items (by removing any count records for them), or fix the items prior to the count (recommended).  The standard count query will display an “Inventory to Bin QTY out of Synch!!!) message next to any items where the total of the bin quantity does not match the on hand quantity for the item in inventory.

•      Reset any printed picklists or pull tickets for the location to be counted.  This frees up the committed quantity in the bin records in case the bin quantity needs to be adjusted down.

•      Stop operations in the location to be counted.   Inventory should not be received, invoiced, picked or otherwise adjusted while the warehouse is being counted.  If the system sees movement in the bin records for the count records being processed,  you will not be able to apply the count records for the location being processed.

•      Prepare for Count – Select the Count Manager from the menu, confirm or change the warehouse location to the location to be counted, and select the Prepare for Count option  – this clears the count records for the selected warehouse location and moves the current bin quantity into the pre-count-quantity field in the bin records for all bins in the location.

•      Count Inventory and Create Count records - Add records to the count file.  Count records can be created using the following methods.

•      Count Manager Insert Option - You can create count records in the Count Manager using the Insert option.  You may select an existing bin, or if the bin does not exist the system will create the bin with a zero qty.

•      Count Manager Import Option – The Load Count records from file option available from the More Menu in the Count Manager allows you to import a Count file that is in CSV file format

•      RF Blind Count – Scan Bin#, item#, qty.  ESC to finish with a bin.  When bin is scanned all Count records for that bin are deleted.

Note: All of the above methods require that the item and bin being counted exist in the location being counted.  If the item does not exist in the location, you will be warned and will need to create the item in order to continue.  If the bin record does not exist in the location, the bin record will be created automatically when you insert a count record, or load it from file.  Inventory items can be created on the fly during the count process by using the Catalog Detail option in the Count Manager (expand into warehouse detail and use insert to add the item to the warehouse location being counted).

Note: – Only the item and bin combinations that count records are created for will be touched.  A count record with a 0 quantity must be present for any location/bin/item that the system thinks are in stock, that are not found during the count and that you wish to adjust to 0.

•      Run Queries, recount and edit count records in Count Manager.  The variance report can be used to identify any large variances and determine the amount that inventory will be adjusted when the count is applied.  Any large variances can be checked, and the count records adjusted as necessary.  Queries can also be run to identify bins that show a quantity that count records have not been entered for (to tell you if you have missed any bins in the bin or item range being counted).

•      Count Manager Apply Count – Updates the bin records for the count records being processed, creates a JE for each change, updates the bin last count/date, last count quantity, and last count by fields.  Adjusts the inventory record based on the change to the bin quantity.  Once the variance report details are correct, the apply count option is used to apply the inventory change.

•      Check for over-allocated inventory items.  Once you have applied the inventory count, you should run the Over-Allocated Inventory Query (available from the Inventory Query Program).  The query will identify any items where the on hand quantity for the item is less than the quantity allocated for the item (this situation can happen when you reduce an item quantity during the count).  If any items are found, they should be corrected using the Manual Allocation program.

•      Run the Inventory Qty to Bin Qty Reconciliation Query.  The Inventory to Bin qty reconciliation query is available from the BinLoc Query program.  The query checks for any items that have inventory quantities that do not match the bin detail (Inventory To Bin quantity is out of synch).   The apply count process is incremental (it adjusts inventory and bin quantities by the same amount), so items that were out of synch before the count will be still be out of synch after the count.  Items in synch prior to the count should still be in synch after the count.

•      Run the Bin Pick Reconciliation report Query.  The Bin Pick Reconciliation Query is available from the BinLoc Query program and it identifies bins where the bin committed quantity is greater than the quantity in the bin.  The query should normally not show any errors if you have reset any printed pick lists and pull tickets for the location prior to the count (in that case, the committed quantity in the bins should be 0).  If the query does find items that are over-committed, they can be fixed by resetting the appropriate picklists.

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Inventory Count Processing - Stream II