AUTOMATION OF THE INVENTORY /STOCK MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
The automation solution for the inventory /stock management system is based on their identification, by scanning the bar code inscribed on each stock /inventory item or each type of packaging, by using special devices further on named as bar codes readers.
At its entry in the managed stock, a label will be attached to each stock item, label containing the assigned bar code, as well as the values of the characteristic features defining in a unique manner that stock item.
An example of characteristic features, which may be assigned to the Sewing Thread stock item, may be:
• The Color
• The Length
• The Bar Code
When this item is entered in the managed stock by means of a reception - entry note, the information related to the values of these characteristics will be inserted in addition to the basic information, namely: White - for the color, 1000 linear meters - for the length. In this way, we will be able to know at any moment the total sewing thread quantity, as well as a breakdown per characteristic’s values.
By means of the bar code, we will have access to the following information:
• Bar code reader
• Product Code
• Product
• Measurement Unit
• Lot
• Validity Date
• Section (Line) where it was manufactured
• Date of fabrication launching (Date, hour, minute, …)
• Date of execution completion
• Shift
• Team
• Etc…
The entry of stock items in the managed stock is performed in Synchron ERP, via the options:
• Supply | Invoices | Supply Invoices
• Production | Delivery Notes | Delivery Notes
• Production | Transfer Notes | Transfer Notes
Upon its saving, a bar code will be assigned to each stock item in the reception - entry note. The bar code issued will be in the status: Initial. The label containing the bar code and ancillary assigned information will be printed by means of a specialized label printing method. Upon the printing of a label, the bar code status will change to: PRINTED. From this moment on, the access to the possibility of amending the stock item in the supplier invoice, respectively in the reception – entry note (NIR) will be blocked.
A unique production order will be issued for each product launched in execution, order in which there will be budgeted: all the raw materials, materials and labor consumptions, according to a pre-defined recipe containing the unit norms for consumption. For each product launched in fabrication, all the mandatory characteristic features required by the system will be filled in. At the end of the fabrication cycle, the products obtained must receive all the information that are necessary for following-up and traceability, as well as in order to be able to issue the bar code label. In this respect, we will design a specific module, which will receive the name: “Complete/final products labeling”. The complete /final products labels will be issued taking into account the values of the characteristic features assigned to the product, in such a manner as to make at any moment possible the access to precise information relative to execution date, production line, lot, number of the product in the lot, shift, team, etc. When a labeling session is saved, no more amendments are possible, only label cancellation is permitted. We will design a distinct module named “Labels cancellation” which will have as function the cancellation of issued labels, mentioning the cause and issuing the reversal accounting notes and stock transactions marked with “-”(storno) followed by the change of the label status. Each label issued will have a status field, which may show the following values:
• Initial
• Printed
• Cancelled – only the items/products having labels with Initial or Printed status may be cancelled
• Delivered – only the printed labels may be delivered to the complete/final products managed stock of the unit.
To provide as effective as possible control, it is necessary to define a complete/final products managed stock for each section, and it will be possible to have a record of the products made in the section that are not yet delivered, as well.
Therefore, the accounting notes and stock transactions will be issued automatically upon saving a labeling session (based on the pre-defined accounting analysis) for the labeled production of the section that will further be delivered to the managed stock for unit’s complete/final products. The issuance of the delivery note by the section will pass the delivery note to the status “from labeling” and the outcome will be the reduction of the products from the managed stock for complete/final products of the section. The stock administrator makes the issuance of transactions in the unit’s managed stock for complete/final products, and in case all the criteria for the reception in the managed stock are ascertained as fulfilled, this person will push the “ACCEPT” button. If the conditions for the reception in the managed stock are not met, the stock administrator will cancel the delivery note from labeling, that action having as result the cancellation of the delivery to the section recordings, the labels will be replaced in the “Printed” status. For a delivery note, the “ACCEPTED” or “CANCELLED” status is a final one, meaning that no more changes are possible via the Synchron ERP even with administrator rights.
Transfers of stock items between managed stocks maintain the bar code and the values of the characteristic features as they were received at the entrance in the managed stock. After adding a transfer note, this document receives a “Work in progress” status, and the initiating person can still perform changes until the transition to the “Source Transfer” state is made. At this moment the consumption note will be issued/printed, containing besides the standard information a bar code required for the direct takeover of the transfer note on the source and destination managed stock readers. The source managed stock administrator will scan the bar code on the transfer note and then will go to the managed stock in order to identify the stock items afferent to the scanned transfer note, for loading them in view of their transfer to the destination managed stock. If all the items in stock are scanned then the stock administrator will action ACCEPT on the terminal, this being translated in the change of transfer note status in “Destination Transfer”. At this moment, the destination managed stock transactions will be issued. The administrator of the destination managed-stock will scan the bar code on the transfer note and then the stock items afferent to the transfer note, in order to validate them for acceptance in the destination managed-stock. If all the stock items are validated, then the stock administrator then the stock administrator will action ACCEPT on the terminal, this being translated in the change of transfer note status in “ACCEPTED”. At this moment, the destination managed stock entrance transactions will be issued. In case one of the stock administrators denies the release (missing stock) or the receipt (inconsistent materials) of the stock items in the managed stock, then the transfer note will receive a “CANCELED” status and this will lead to the deletion of the transactions issued until that moment. The “ACCEPTED” or “CANCELLED” status is a final one, meaning that no more interventions through changes or deletions are possible.
The deliveries of stock items from the managed stock are made in Synchron ERP, by means of the options:
• Production | Consumption notes | Consumption notes
• Production | Transfer Notes | Transfer Notes
• Sales | Packing lists/delivery notes | Packing lists/delivery notes
The consumption of stock items out of the managed stocks is made based on consumption notes. The consumption notes will have a Status field featuring the following values: Work in progress, In stand by, Approved, Accepted, Cancelled. After the consumption note is saved, it receives the “Work in progress” status. The person that initiates the consumption note may still perform changes to it until the moment when it is passed in the “In stand by” status, waiting for approval. From this moment on, the document is sent on the approval flow and cannot be amended anymore. The Synchron ERP system sends automatically an e-mail to the first approval responsible in the list, the e-mail having the subject configured upon the approval flow definition and containing a link to the image of the consumption note to be approved. When that link is accessed the person will be automatically lead to a web site where, after logging in with username and password, the user can see the consumption note image. Within the web site, the user can either Approve or Deny the consumption note. If the note is denied, the circuit stops here, the note initiator and the other users in the approval flow being notified via e-mail about the note denial and on reasons of same. If the first Approval responsible approves the note, the system sends an e-mail containing a link to the following approval responsible. The system will continue until the list is completely covered. In case all the approval responsible persons approved the note, the note will be passed to the Approved status. The consumption-note initiating person will print it and will go to the managed stock to take-over the approved stock items. The printed consumption-note will contain a bar code in addition to current information. The stock administrator will scan the bar code on the consumption-note and then identify, through scanning, the stock items afferent to the received consumption-note. If all the stock items are scanned, then the stock administrator operates on the terminal ACCEPT, and this action will be translated in the change of consumption-note status to “ACCEPTED”. At this moment, the managed stock discharge transactions will be issued as well, with the stock items scanned by the stock administrator. If there are differences between the approved quantity and the deliverable one (absence of stock) and the initiator does not agree to perform the take-over under these conditions, then the stock administrator will deny the consumption note and will inscribe the reason of this refusal, the consumption note receiving the “CANCELLED” status.
The automation of the stock items sale process implemented in the Synchron ERP by means of bar code readers starts from the order launched by the client. This order is recorded/input in the Synchron ERP and it contains in addition to the basic information: Client, delivery address, offer type, etc. and the list of stock items requested by the client. Several delivery notes may be issued for each order. For each delivery note the information existing at the order level are taken over and in addition there will be recorded information relative to managed stock, vehicle, bar code reader, delegate, respectively whether invoice will be issued or not. On the details level, the details of the order will be transferred and the user has the possibility to change the quantities required. The printed delivery note will have a bar code displayed in addition to the standard format, bar code which will provide the information needed for the identification of the stock items to be delivered. The stock administrator receives the delivery note from the client, scans it and if the data corresponds, then the details of the delivery note and the afferent book inventory stock will be recorded/input on the reader. From this moment on, the stock administrator will start scanning the stock items for the delivery note. When the scanning is completed, the stock administrator has the possibility to validate the ACCEPT and in this case the stock items according to the scanned quantities are sent to the database, the status of the delivery note being transformed in ACCEPTED. At this point, the “Packing list issuance” button is activated, its function being the issuance of the packing list. At the same moment with the issuance of the packing list, the accounting notes and the stock transactions are issued, and the button is changed in “Packing list printing”. In case the stock administrator refuses the delivery note, then it will receive the “Denied” status as a final status and by this, the quantities on the level of the order will be released, thus being available for a new note. Everything continues after that in accordance to the specifications.
The option “Stock inventory differences Lists” in Synchron ERP allows for the preparation and printing of a stock inventory checking session per managed stocks, at a given date. We will transfer in the preparation and printing format for stock inventory differences the book inventory stocks for all the managed stocks. Upon the saving of the stock inventory list, its status is changed in “To be taken over”. The automation of stock inventory checking operation through the use of bar code readers is made by loading in the reader the book inventory stocks at the date of the stock checking, for a certain managed stock. The stock administrator will scan the stock items within its managed stock, marking in this way the actual inventory stock. In case of finding a bar code not present in the book inventory stock, this will be automatically marked as additional inventory, plus difference. The bar codes remained un-scanned at the end of the stock inventory checking become automatically missing inventory, minus difference. The transfer of information from the reader in the database is made by pushing the “ACCEPT” button. In this way the plus and minus stock inventory differences are automatically recorded in the database.