Managing Piece Inventory

Overview

In this document, we will cover a feature that can be used for tasks such as managing open boxes of items, cut wire, or other piece inventory. The system gives you a method to replace paper tracking sheets with an electronic method of tracking odd counts of items that you might not normally know you have to sell. This can help you move items that often throw off your perceived stock levels and prevent you from properly replenishing your stock. For example, say you have several reels of 500’ of wire. If you get an order for 300’, you may end up with a 200’ cut remaining. If you end up getting an order for 175’, instead of breaking another 500’ reel, you would want to use the existing 200’ wire cut and ideally sell the 500’ complete or save it for a larger wire cut. This module allows you to put workflow into place that can minimize your piece inventory and maximize your ability to sell as much of your inventory as possible.

**IMPORTANT** This piece inventory list does not directly reflect your total on-hand value for that item. The individual amounts and total piece items are only used as a reference so the warehouse can collaborate with other staff enabling sales to sell the closest match available and the warehouse to select the appropriate piece inventory to fulfill the order.

Managing Piece Inventory

• To access the manage piece inventory feature inside the SO or PO screens, right-click on any item and select “Manage Piece Inventory”

Identifying and Selecting Piece Inventory During Sales Order Entry

• Sales staff can now compare the requested quantity to the pieces that are available.

• To see if the requested quantity can be fulfilled by the available pieces and select the appropriate piece.

• At this point, the salesperson can make a selection from this screen by selecting the item and choosing Select or by double-clicking on one of the rows

  

• Once you select a piece, the qty in the order grid will automatically adjust to the quantity selected in the piece inventory screen.

• Additionally, the printed comment and a line comment will be auto-populated to then be displayed on the pick ticket letting the person know picking the material to pick the proper material.

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Picking Piece Inventory (Warehouse)

• After the warehouse staff determines that a piece inventory is to be used from the comment that is often printed on the pick ticket, it becomes their responsibility to adjust the piece inventory to deplete it and remove it from the available list.

• To do this, they’ll want to open up the order from the pick ticket.

  

• Once the order opens, identify the part number and right-click, then select “Manage Piece Inventory”

  

• Find the piece inventory indicated by the salesperson and select it. Assuming you are picking it or have already picked it, you need to now delete it to deplete that piece inventory from the piece inventory screen.

  

• Confirm Deletion.

Managing, Adding, Deleting Piece Inventory (Warehouse)

• Whenever you need to break a box or cut a wire etc., it is important to add items to the list so sales staff are aware of items that they can offer to clients and assist the warehouse in the picking process.

• If you are working off an existing order, open that order from the pick ticket screen and find the item that you need to break into thus creating a new instance of piece inventory.

• You may want to create a Quote with all of your Piece Cut Inventory and Favorite it in your Basket to keep Piece Cuts up to date.

• As an alternative, you can create a “Piece Inventory” quote that you can continue to use to manage piece inventory over the course of a day by adding and deleting items to the quote. Then just enter the item you wish to manage piece inventory and right-click to select “Manage Piece Inventory” as is shown above.

• Once you get to the Manage Piece Inventory screen, select “Add” “Delete” or Edit existing piece cuts

  

• Finally, enter the amount of piece inventory you are creating, the optional units, and an optional comment. Click “Save”. The new piece inventory will be added to the list.

Summary

The manage piece inventory provides a great way for staff to collaborate on any piece items in your warehouse. This is a great way to have an available list for your sales order entry to move items that you might normally not even be aware are available. It also might clue you in that the amount that you actually need may not actually be available. If the feature is used with a solid internal process and discipline, it can provide a great way for distributors to get the most out of all of their available inventory.