Stocktaking

Aurea CRM’s inventory management includes a stock-taking function. Quantities entered in order item, stock control item, refunding items sample and promotional material records records that affect stocks can be totaled over a specific time period or for archiving purposes, and current stocks can be recalculated or reset.

Stocktaking can be performed for certain reps and stocks and you can restrict the records to be taken into account using conditions.

By default, stocktaking (Stocktaking and Reset options) can only be carried out on the main office. Your administrator can however determine that stock-taking can be carried out on other stations.

Before you can begin stock-taking in Aurea CRM web, your administrator needs to define stock-taking formats in Aurea CRM win. A stock-taking format determines which stocks are taken into account, which reps are affected, which function (count, reset, stocktaking, calculate) should be performed etc. Your administrator can also define conditions applied to this calculation.

When taking stock, select a stocktaking format and restrict the stock-taking time period using the Date from and Date to fields. You can also enter a Text that is entered in the stock control records. You can also specify the rep that stocktaking should be carried out for (not available in Aurea CRM web by default), see To-Do Types (type 4) in the CRM.core Administrator Guide.

Count

The Count inventory type calculates sum totals for the selected data. This allows you to determine stocks for a specific time period ("snapshot").

The results are written to the Stock Control info area. The following records are added:

  • One record for the rep that started the stocktaking process
  • One record for each rep and stock affected by stocktaking: The child item records contain the calculated sum total, i.e. the stocks at the specified time. These item records are flagged as having no effect on stock (Entered in Inventory enabled) as they are purely for informational purposes and do not impact on stocks themselves.

The Count inventory type can be used by reps on any station; the order item, stock control item, refunding item, sample and promotional material records included in the process continue to affect stocks.

Reset

The Reset inventory type removes the selected data from stocks. This allows you to set particular stocks to ‘0’, for example. All order item, stock control item, refunding item, sample and promotional material records taken into account by the process are flagged as having no effect on stock (Entered in Inventory enabled); the corresponding quantities are subtracted from stocks.

The process is documented in the Stock Control info area. The following records are added:

  • One record for the rep that started the stocktaking process: This record’s key is entered records taken into account by the stocktaking process, and any stock control items added as a result.
  • One record for each rep and stock affected by stocktaking: The child item records contain the quantity subtracted from the corresponding stock. These items are flagged as having no effect on stock (Entered in Inventory enabled), as they are purely for informational purposes.

By default, the Reset inventory type can only be carried out on the main office. Use the Take inventory configuration entry (Inventory category) to allow stocktaking on other stations (possibly restricted to certain reps or groups), see CRM.core Administrator Guide.

Stocktaking

The Stocktaking inventory type calculates the sum total for the selected data and adds new records to the Stock Control info area containing these sum totals. All order item, stock control item, refunding item, sample and promotional material records taken into account by the process are flagged as having no effect on stock (Entered in Inventory enabled). This allows you to archive stocks: The affected stocks do not change, stock transactions are summarized in the new (stock-effective) records; "old" order, stock control, refunding, sample and promotional material records can then be archived and removed from the database.

The following records are added to the Stock Control info area:

  • One record for the rep that started the stocktaking process: This record’s key is entered records taken into account by the stocktaking process, and any stock control items added as a result.
  • One record for each rep and stock affected by stocktaking: The sum totals calculated for each item are entered in the corresponding item records. These item records impact on stocks and thus replace the order item, stock control item, refunding item, sample and promotional material records taken into account by the stocktaking process.

The Stocktaking inventory type can only be carried out on the main office. Use the Take inventory configuration entry (Inventory category) to allow stocktaking on other stations (possibly restricted to certain reps or groups), see CRM.core Administrator Guide.

Calculate

The Calculate inventory type recalculates the quantities of the selected stocks based on the data available locally. The results are written to the Quantity Unit (number of units), Target number of packs (number of complete packages) and Target remainder units (remainder units) fields in the affected stock records. No new stock control records are added.

You can only restrict data by Employee, Stock and Item No. (Condition Item Master tab) when using the Calculate inventory type; you cannot enter a Date or Text, >> on page 258.

The Calculate inventory type is purely for informational purposes. It can be used by reps on any station; the order item, stock control item, refunding item, sample and promotional material records included in the process continue to affect stocks.

Reps can compare the results to their actual physical stocks by entering their actual stocks in the Quantity of Counted Basic Units, Number of packages counted and Remainder units counted fields.

Stocktaking Format

Stocktaking formats can only be created in Aurea CRM win. Define the desired settings and save the settings as a format.

To define a stocktaking format:

  1. Switch to the Stock info area.
  2. Select Stocktaking from the context menu.

    The Stocktaking dialog opens.

  3. Select the reps whose stocks should be included from the Employee list, or enable the All check box to include the stocks of all reps.
  4. Select the stocks to be included from the Stock list, or enable the All check box to include all stocks.
  5. Enter the stocktaking time period in the Date pane.
  6. Select the desired Inventory Type:
    • Count: Calculates stocks for the specified time period.
    • Reset: Removes the selected data from stocks.
    • Stocktaking: Writes stocks to stock archives.
    • Calculate: Recalculates stocks.
    Note: Note: By default, stocktaking (Stocktaking and Reset options) can only be carried out on the main office. Use the Take inventory configuration entry (Inventory category) to allow stocktaking on other stations (possibly restricted to certain reps or groups), see CRM.core Administrator Guide.
  7. You can enter information on stocktaking in the Text field. This text is written to stock control records created within the scope of stocktaking.
  8. Use the Condition Item Master tab to define conditions used to restrict stocktaking to certain items or sectors, product groups, brands or grades: Select the desired criteria in the Sector, Product Group, Brand, Grade and Item Master list fields.
  9. Use the Condition tab to restrict stocktaking using conditions applied to the Order, Stock Control, Sample, Refunding and Promotional Material info areas:
    1. Click on (Condition) next to the desired info area.
    2. Define the condition, see Conditions in the Aurea CRM win User Manual.
    3. Enable the Active check box to activate the condition.
    Note: Note: Only conditions defined here are applied when taking stocks. Conditions applied to other info areas, e.g. Order, are ignored.You can only restrict data by Employee, Stock and Item No. (Condition Item Master tab) when using the Calculate inventory type; you cannot enter a Date or Text.
  10. Click on Save to save your settings as a format. Click on Open to load an existing format.
  11. Click on Close to close the Stocktaking dialog.

All criteria (Employee, Stock, Date and any additional conditions) are combined using a logical AND when stocktaking . All order item, stock control item, refunding item, sample and promotional material records that affect stocks and meet the defined criteria are taken into account.

The results of stocktaking are recorded in the Stock Control info area. The following records are added:

  • A record with the Quantity factor ‘0’ for the rep that started the stocktaking process: The key of this record is displayed in the Inventory No. field in the Stocktaking dialog and entered in all items included in the stocktaking or added by the process.
  • A record with the Quantity factor ‘+ Qty’ for each rep and stock affected by stocktaking: the corresponding item records contain the sum totals calculated.
Note: No new stock control records are added when using the Calculate inventory type. If errors occur or the system crashes while stocktaking, causing inconsistent data, the process must be reset and repeated using the Update info area (Maintenance module) to update the affected info areas (Order Item, Stock Control Item etc.) using the Inventory StNo. and Inventory No. fields, see CRM.core Administrator Guide. Stocktaking can be carried out in Aurea CRM web using To-Dos (type 4) assigned to CRM.server, see CRM.core Administrator Guide.