Real-Time Inventory Checking with Multiple Inventory Locations

If you have items you want to use with real-time inventory checking and those items are in multiple locations, you need to use Inventory Chains and Inventory Locations. You need to configure the following before creating inventory items:

• Spaces – Add your inventory locations as spaces. Check the Inventory check box for spaces that are inventory locations. If the space is not a space you would book for an event, uncheck the Bookable check box.
• Inventory Chains – Create an inventory chain to represent each of your inventory locations.
• Inventory Chain Field on Add/Edit Event – Verify the Inventory Chain field is available on the Add/Edit Event screen. 

After you configure the above items, you need to:

• Create Inventory Items
• Create and Post the Inventory Transaction Batch
• Activate Real-Time Inventory Checking
• Assign Inventory Locations to Events

Create Inventory Items

To check a resource’s availability, you must link the resource to an inventory item. The inventory item maintains the available quantities for the equipment or consumable item, not the resource itself. When you add an inventory item, the software automatically creates a matching resource; therefore, the best practice is to create the inventory item first so the resource is automatically created for you.

1. Click the Inventory Items link from the Main Menu. The Inventory Items page opens.
2. Click the Add button. The Add Inventory Item window opens.
3. Enter the following required information:
   • Item Description - Name of item. This becomes the Resource Code Description for the resource.
   • Code - Unique alphanumeric code. Since this creates a matching resource, the best practice is to use the same organizational sequencing used for the other resources.
   • Class - Resource class for the item: Equipment or Consumables. You can connect equipment items to Fixed Assets. When you order an equipment item, it is available as soon as the order item end date is reached. Consumable items are issued from stock. 
4. Expand the Settings section.
5. Select Active from the Status drop-down. Only active items are checked with real-time inventory checking.
6. Uncheck the Non-Stock check box. Only stock items are checked with real-time inventory checking.
7. Enter the number of days before the item is needed for the software to check for conflicts in the Lead Days field. This controls how far in advance of the item's start date the software triggers the real-time inventory check to ensure there are enough of the item available when the item is needed. In most cases, you want to set this to a very large number (for example, 9999) to have the checking occur at the point where orders are typically placed. For example, if Lead Days is set to 7, then only orders entered within 7 days of the item's start date triggers the real-time inventory check. If the order is entered 8 or more days before the item start date, then no real-time inventory check is performed. If Lead Days is left blank or set to zero (0), then the real-time inventory check is not performed unless it is a same-day order. 
8. Select the Locations tab. This contains all the available inventory locations for the item.
9. Click the Add button. The Add Inventory Location window opens.
10. Enter the necessary information:
    • Space - Inventory space for the item.
    • Minimum Units - Minimum number of units allowed in stock. 
    • Reorder Point - Number stock units in this location to require a reorder for the item. 
    • Reorder Units - Number of units to order when inventory reaches the reorder point.
    • Retired - If checked, the inventory location is no longer used.
11. Repeat steps 9 and 10 for each inventory location for the item.
12. Select the Resources tab. This connects the inventory item to the appropriate resource type.
13. Click the Manage Resources button. The Manage Inventory Resources window opens.
14. Select the resource type(s) from the Available panel of the screen. Use Ctrl+Click or Shift+Click to select multiple resource types.
15. Click the single right arrow button to move the selected resource type(s) to the Selected panel of the screen.
16. Click OK. The resource is created for the inventory item for each selected resource type.
17. Click OK.

See Inventory Items for details on the additional available fields on the Add/Edit Inventory Item screen.

Create and Post the Inventory Transaction Batch

Next, you need to create the inventory transaction batch for the beginning inventory balances for each inventory item in each location.  

1. Click the Inventory Transaction Batches link from the Main Menu. The Inventory Transaction Batches page opens.
2. Click the Add button. The Add Inventory Transaction Batch window opens.
3. Select the date for the batch from the Transaction Date field. This date defaults into the Date field for any transactions within the batch.
4. Enter the name of the batch into the Description field.
5. Expand the Advanced section. Check the following check boxes if you want to use transaction batch controls. Transaction batch controls stop you from posting the batch unless the values in the batch match the values entered below.
   • Use Control Units - If checked, a Control Units field is available. Enter the number of units the batch must contain before you can post the batch.
   • Use Control Items - If checked, a Control Items field is available. Enter the number of items the batch must contain before you can post the batch.
   • Use Control Amount - If checked, a Control Amount field is available. Enter the amount the batch must contain before you can post the batch.
6. Click Save (disk). The information saves and the Edit Inventory Transaction Batch window opens.
7. Select the Details tab.
8. Click the arrow next to the Add Issue button. 
9. Select Add Receipt. The Add Receipt Inventory Transaction Detail window opens.
10. Enter the necessary information:
    • Item - Item for the inventory transaction.
    • Space/From - Inventory space where the received item is stored. Defaults to the space selected for the inventory item.
    • Units - Number of units to receive. 
11. Enter any additional information as needed. See the Receipt and PO Receipt Transactions section in Inventory Transactions for details on the available fields.
12. Click OK. You return to the Edit Inventory Transaction Batch with the receipt transaction information displayed in the Details tab.
13. Repeat steps 8-12 for each inventory item and location.
14. Click OK on the Edit Inventory Transaction Batch window when complete. You return to the Inventory Transaction Batches page.
15. Select the transaction batch.
16. Right-click and select Tools -> Validate. The Validate Inventory Transaction Batch Summary window opens. When the validation is complete, the Reason column displays with either a success message or the reason for why the batch is not validated.
17. Click OK.
18. Select the transaction batch.
19. Right-click and select Tools -> Post. The Post Batch Result Summary window opens. When posting is complete, the Reason column displays with either a success message or the reason why the batch is not posted.
20. Click OK.

Activate Real-Time Inventory Checking

After posting your inventory balances, you need to turn on real-time inventory checking for your inventory items.

1. Click the Resources link from the Main Menu. The Resources page opens.
2. Select the inventory item resource.
3. Right-click and select Edit. The Edit Resource window opens.
4. Select the Additional Information tab.
5. Expand the Resource Availability section.
6. Select the type of inventory checking to perform when the item is added to an order from the Real-Time Inventory Check drop-down. If the item added to the order has a lead date that exceeds the current date plus the item lead hours, then no inventory checking is performed.
   • Do not perform a check - No inventory checking is performed for the item.
   • Warn if quantity is exceeded - When adding the item to the order, a warning displays that the inventory for the item is exceeded; however, you can still add the item to the order.
   • Stop if quantity is exceeded - When adding the item to the order, you are stopped from adding the item if the inventory for the item is exceeded.
7. Click OK.

You can also update multiple resources at one time:

1. Click the Resources link from the Main Menu. The Resources page opens.
2. Select the resources to update. Use Ctrl+Click or Shift+Click to select multiple resources. You can also click the left most column to select all resources on the screen.
3. Right-click and select Edit Multiple. The Edit Multiple Resources window opens.
4. Expand the Additional Information section.
5. Check the check box next to Real-Time Inventory Check.
6. Select how to proceed if inventory is exceeded from the Real-Time Inventory Check drop-down.
7. Click OK.

Assign Inventory Locations to Events

The final step in the process is to select the correct inventory location for the event. The inventory chain assigned to the event is what directs the inventory checking process to the desired inventory location for validating and updating the inventory levels for the inventory item as you add it to a service order.

1. Click the Events link from the Main Menu. The Events page opens.
2. Select the event for the inventory location.
3. Right-click and select Edit -> Edit. The Edit Event window opens.
4. Select the inventory location to use from the Inventory Chain drop-down.
5. Click OK.