Stock Take - Stock Control

The Stock Take facility allows you to record and analyse stock takes. These options would normally be used at the end of a period or year but can be run at any time.

The first stage in the stocktaking process is to save the current physical stock values for later comparison. This allows you to continue your day-to-day operations on the computer whilst you are taking stock. You can choose to omit stock codes from the stock take procedures – non-stock items are omitted automatically.

When you’ve taken physical stock then you must record the stock-take quantities onto the stock system.You can add to, or overwrite stock take values during this stage. If any stock items are batch/serial tracked then you are prompted to record these details as well.

Next, print a report showing then stock take values compared to the physical stock values on the computer at the time of stock take. You may now need to investigate any discrepancies and decide by how many you are in fact going to adjust stock. Finally, record stock-take differences through the stock-take adjustment facility.

Initialise Stock Take

Running this option saves the present value of physical stock as a ‘compare’ quantity for later use.On selection of this option you will be asked for the type of initialisation:

1. All Stocks – sets the compare quantity for all stock items excluding those flagged as non-stock items or those flagged to be ignored from the stock take.

2. List of Stock Codes – sets the compare quantity for the specific stock items required. <F4-Select> is available as needed.

3. Use Selection Criteria – the third option allows you to use selection criteria to initialise a range of items – you may for example want to process a single stock location at a time.
   

Enter Stock Take Details

This option allows entry of the counted details.

The layout of the screen is as per standard transaction entry screens, although in actually no transactions are generated through this process and the stock file is updated as the entry line is input.

In common with transaction entry you are prompted for the date and reference in the transaction header.If batch tracking in use, you are prompted for both the stock reference and the batch reference if configured.After entering the reference you are able to enter the counted details.

Stock Code

Enter the stock code you wish to enter the counted quantity for; <F4-Select> is available if required.If you enter a code for which a quantity has already been entered you will be prompted if you wish to add to the existing quantity, if respond ‘No’ you will be prompted to replace the existing counted quantity.

Quantity

Enter the counted quantity.

Qty-Comp

This (optional) display item shows the quantity the system was recording as physically available at initialisation. Some users prefer not to see this item as it unduly influences the quantity you are entering. Stock System Profile parameters allow control over whether this quantity is displayed.

Qty-Diff

This display item shows the variance between the quantity counted and the comparison physical quantity.

Description

This display item shows the first line of the stock description

Batch Details

For batch/serial tracked details there are two methods of entering stock take details – if entering by stock code you are prompted for the batch record after entering the quantity as you would for normal stock transactions. If you enter a batch code that doesn’t exist you are warned but you have an <F7-Option> key available to create the batch serial record entered if that is the code required.

A second method of entering stock take details for batch tracked items is to change the primary input to be the batch code rather than the stock record – as batch details are entered the counted quantities on the associated stock item are incremented for you. To switch to ‘batch entry’ mode you can press <F7-Option> on the stock code input.

Report Stock Take Values

The Stock Take report lists all items which have been initialised for stock take. It shows the counted and compare quantities together with the differences between them. For batch or serial tracked items the system lists the batch details following each item.The run-time parameters have the standard reporting options of selection criteria etc. but also include:

Report Only Stock Discrepancies

When set only those stock items where a discrepancy exists between the counted quantity and the compare quantity are reported.

Enter Stock Take Adjustments

The Stock Take Adjustments process generates a ‘stock take adjustment’ transaction (type 8) for the discrepancy between the counted quantity and the compare quantity. The adjustments can either be processed manually or, if set in Stock System Profiles, automatically.

Again a similar style of screen to transaction entry is displayed with prompts in the ‘header’ area for Date, Reference and Adjust-Type. These are the same prompts as in the standard ‘Adjustment’ transaction entry screens.

Automatic Adjustments

Select Criteria

If using the automatic stock take process you will be asked to enter ‘Selection Criteria’ – typically the minimum criteria you would enter is that the stock take status is equal to ‘E’ for ‘Entered’ (the other status codes are I-Initialised and ‘ ‘ for uninitialised / complete (i.e. was never processed for stock take in the first place or the adjustment has been processed). You may also restrict further by entering additional criteria.

Manual Adjustments

If entering the adjustments manually you enter each stock code in turn that you wish to adjust.

Stock Code

Select the stock code you wish to enter the adjustment for. <F4-Select> is available if required.

Quantity

The quantity defaults to the discrepancy between the compare quantity and the entered counted quantity, confirm this quantity.

Description

Enter a description for the stock take adjustment.

Batch Details

As with entry of the counted quantity the batch details can be entered in two separate ways. If entering by stock code after confirming the description you are asked for batch details related to the confirmed quantity (the system defaulting to the appropriate code). Alternatively, pressing <F7-Option> on the stock code switches to ‘Batch/Serial’ mode allowing selection of the batch codes and accumulating the adjustment details for the appropriate stock code.

Stock File Updating

When the stock files are updated the following actions occur for each item adjusted:

The physical stock level is increased by the adjustment quantity (so if the adjustment quantity is negative it is in fact reduced)

The last transaction date is updated

If FIFO in use then the FIFO table is updated where the quantity is increased – the cost being as per the latest FIFO receipt

A stock take adjustment transaction is written to the stock transaction file

The cost written to the stock adjustment transaction is the cost price on the stock record unless FIFO in use where a negative adjustment issues at the oldest cost in the FIFO table and a positive adjustment at the latest cost price

When batch/serial stock items are adjusted the following actions occur:

The physical stock level is increased by the adjustment quantity

A stock take adjustment transaction is written to the batch transaction file