Using and setting up the Inventory Tool Follow

This optional tool is designed to help you track and manage stock and other selected Services.

Inventory properties of a Service:

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Getting Ready

Step 1: Turn off the tracking option of all services

The easiest method is to turn off the tracking option of all Services and then selecting the ones you want to track.

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This will open the Inventory Setup/Adjust window and list all Active (not discontinued) services:

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Now, the tracking option is off for all Services. Next, you will select the ones you want to track.

Step 2: Turn-On the tracking Option of the Services you want to track. 

In the scheduler window, select Paper from Departments and then select Setup from the Inventory menu.

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In this window you will set and/or adjust the Inventory Properties of papers. The Setup list includes all active (not discontinued) papers. See Options to set the "Sort Services by Vendor" option.

Inventory Properties

You may edit the following properties in this window or in the "More Properties" window of a Service:

  • SKU: Vendor Specific Code.
  • Minimum Level: Minimum quantity you would like to have in-stock.
  • Ream Quantity: Number of sheets of paper per ream. Printer's Plan will round up the "Order" quantity to this.
  • In-stock: Current quantity you have.
  • On-Order: Current quantity you have ordered but have not received yet.
  • Unit cost: This value is read from the Run Table/First Row/Material Cost Column of service.

The following properties are calculated:

  • Item: Number of times a specific paper is assigned to jobs and not marked as "Done". 
  • Need: Number of sheets of paper needed (not marked as "Done") by jobs.
  • In-stock Cost = Unit Cost x Quantity-In-Stock. In other windows, this column becomes "extended cost" and its value is calculated based on quantity Ordered or Received.

Tip: You may start using/testing this tool without setting up Inventory Properties.

Checking Inventory

In the Scheduler section select Check from the Inventory dropdown menu. This window will display all Services currently in production with all their information such as:

  • Name of Service
  • Size
  • Vendor 
  • SKU
  • Minimum Level
  • Ream Quantity
  • Amount in stock
  • Amount on order
  • How many Items the Service is being used for
  • How many are needed to order
  • Status of Service

The inventory check serves as a mechanism to reserve the inventory for that item.  When you run an inventory check the program is determining if there is enough inventory on hand or if more needs to be ordered.  If there is enough then the service will be tagged as in stock. This will help prevent the inventory from being used on a different job that did not have the material reserved. You will want to run this check when getting prepared for the workday.

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From here and subsequent Inventory windows you can select a Service and select Service Properties to view the properties of that Service and if a Service is used for multiple items you can select Need Breakdown to view what Job and Item numbers that Service is used for.

 

Ordering Inventory

In this window, you will specify what and how many to order.

To open this window in the Scheduler section:

  • a) Select Departments/ Paper from the List Manager, then select Order from the Inventory menu
  • b) Or, right-click on a Service Quantity field and select Selected Job or Selected Service from the popup menu.

To open this window in the Jobs Section:

  • c) In the Job window, click the Inventory button.
  • d) In the Specs window, right-click on a Service and select Check Service Inventory from the popup menu. 

The Order Inventory list includes the papers that are To-Do and the Priority field is not marked as On-Order or In-Stock. See Options to set the "In Order inventory window, include Services of" option.

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After you click OK, Printer’s Plan will:

  1. Update the On-Order property of paper based on the quantity you ordered.
  2. Update Inventory History by adding a record for each paper ordered.
  3. Update the Priority field of Job Services as On-Order or To-Order or In-Stock.

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Receiving Inventory

In this window, you will specify what and how many you received.

To open this window:

  • Select Departments / Paper from the List Manager, then select Receive from the Inventory menu.

The Receive Inventory list includes the papers you ordered. Priority field is marked as On-Order.
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After you click OK, Printer’s Plan will:

  1. Update the In-Stock and On-Order properties of paper based on the actual quantity you received.
  2. Update Inventory History by adding a record for each paper received.
  3. Update the Priority field of Job Services as On-Order or To-Order or In-Stock.

Consuming Inventory

To consume inventory you must mark that Service as Done in the Departments section of the Scheduler tab. You can select by All or by the individual Service.

The default view is by Due Date but you can also sort by any of the columns by clicking at the top of the column.

To mark as Done click on the colored box next to the Category:Service name.

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When you mark a paper as Done, Printer’s Plan will open this window for you confirm the actual stock quantity used. See Options to set the “Open Quantity Used window” option.

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After you click OK, Printer’s Plan will:

  1. Update the In-Stock property of paper based on the Quantity Used.
  2. If you change the Quantity Used, update the Actual Material Quantity and Cost of Job.
  3. Mark the paper as done. The Priority field remains unchanged.

History - List

Select this from the Inventory menu to view the history of what you ordered and received.

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History - XML

Select this from the Inventory menu to view the history using your own query and template. You need the optional XML tool of Printer’s Plan to use this feature.

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Options

In this window, you will set Inventory Tool options, which apply to all computers.

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Inventory Use in a Job Workflow

Once you have set up a Service in Inventory to be tracked you can Check inventory and also Order inventory from within a Job.

Step 1: Create a Job and add Items that are tracked in Inventory.

Step 2: Select the Check Inventory button.

Step 3: Select OK-->Update OnOrder field of Services and Priority field of Job Sercices. To order now make sure the box next to the Order field is checked.

Step 4: When prompted select OK and the amount needed will be updated in all areas of the Inventory and the amount shown in the Order field will be updated in the Order section of the Inventory tool.

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This will show you:

  • Minimum Level
  • Ream Quantity
  • Amount in stock
  • Amount currently on order
  • How many Items the Service is being used for
  • How many are needed for this Job
  • How many are needed to order

Step 4: Once you receive the stock mark it as Received as shown earlier in the Receiving Inventory section.

Step 5: Once the Job is complete mark as Done as explained above in the Consuming Inventory section.

 

 

 

 

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