System Profiles - Stock Control

System Profiles hold parameters that define how the application is to work. More than one application program may need to know about the profile for a specific application – for example if Stock set to allows ‘forward transactions’ then this affects the sales/purchase ledgers, invoicer and the order processing systems as well as stock control.

System Profiles therefore hold parameters that relate to the application as a whole and its links with other applications as opposed to, say, the Application User Facilities that primarily relate to specific options within the application.

On selection of this option you are asked to select the application you wish to amend – select Stock Control to amend the Stock System Profiles. The Stock System Profiles allow three screens of parameters to configure your stock system (one screen only in Compact).

Stock System Profiles (1/3)

Period Title for "USAGE/LEAD” Time

The lead-time when buying stock is usually expressed as so many days, or weeks, or whatever.Similarly, stock usage (being the quantity of stock is issued to sales) is usually expressed in a similar period.You enter here the description of this period of time – it does not define how to calculate usage or lead-time quantities. Typically you would enter ‘weeks’ or ‘months’.

The divisor to use when the system calculates (estimated) usage is a factor you enter as part of the run-time prompts when running the ‘Calculate Estimated Usage’ process.

Excess stock number of periods

This parameter is used by the Excess Stock report. For this report the program divides the quantity of physical stock by the estimated usage figure for each stock item, to derive the number of periods for which you should have enough stock to last.

The stock holding of any item is deemed to be excessive if you have more than would last for the number of time-periods entered here. The time period in question (days/weeks) is as defined by the period title above.

Slow moving stock period number of days

Stock is defined as slow moving if no transaction has occurred for at least the number of days recorded here. This parameter is used by the Slow Moving Stock report to compare to the number of days since the date of the last transaction.

Default issue price 1-9 (0-cost)

You can keep up to nine selling prices for each stock item, plus one cost price. Enter the price number most frequently used to issue stock, or reply ‘0’ if you want to record issues at cost price. The price selected is offered when transactions are entered through stock control, but this can be altered when you input stock issues.

Average stock cost values

Or use the latest cost price

The unit cost for stock items is normally recalculated as goods are received. When new goods arrive they may have cost more or less than previous deliveries. If you select the ‘Average Stock’ question the program calculates an average cost based on the quantity/cost of the stock left and the quantity/cost of the stock received.

Example of Average Cost

Alternatively, you may prefer to value your stock at its current replacement cost – in this case select the latest cost question. In the above example the cost would become £2.30 – the cost of the most recent purchase.If you don’t want the program to change your cost price do not select either question.

Use the purchase order cost

Or the goods received cost

If set to update cost these prompts control the time at which costs are to be updated – at the time the order is placed or the time at which the order is received. You might decide to update cost at the time the order is placed if you frequently take sales orders against goods that have been ordered but not yet received. This ensures that any cost figures that you may copy into the sales reservations reflect the expected cost, rather than the old cost.

If you don’t select either question the cost is not updated by either transaction.

Note

Omit update of average cost if i/p zero (excluding Compact)

Select if you want to avoid zero-cost items changing the average cost of items in stock. This can occur where items are received on a FOC basis or are returns added back to stock through goods received process.When set this ensures this receipt does not reduce the stock cost. Note that unlike the above prompts this setting is applied to goods receipt transactions through POP and Invoicer.

Remove transactions at each period end (excluding Compact)

For many companies there may be no need to retain stock transactions on file after the end of the period – much depends on your enquiry needs. Stock transactions largely duplicate records in the sales/purchase ledgers and the order processing systems. You need to analyse whether your information needs would require historic transactions or not – as a guide you should analyse if you use the stock ledger enquiries ‘TRANS’ option with any frequency.

Select to clear transactions as part of the period end process. By default this removes all current transactions but additional options, below, allow you to retain by date or a set number of periods to keep a minimum transaction history.

If remove, retain by date (excluding Compact)

If you have asked to remove transactions as part of the period-end routine then you have the option to remove only those transactions earlier than a date that you specify as part of the period end. Select if you wish to be prompted for the date filter. If you are removing transactions and do not set this option (or the ‘retain by period’ option on screen 3) then all transactions are removed.

Use FIFO for stock costing (excluding Compact)

The FIFO (first in, first out) feature allows the stock system to manage up to nine ‘batches’ for each stock item. If you want to use the FIFO feature select this option. FIFO is primarily used for the stock valuation report allowing you to report for valuation the costs of the items remaining in stock as received rather than at the current cost price, however, it is also used in issues in stock control to calculate the cost of sale. Note that issues from other applications are at the cost price on file.

Number of cost prices retained (max 9) (excluding Compact)

If you are using the FIFO feature, then specify here the number of batches you wish to manage for each stock item. Each batch records the quantity, cost and, optionally, the date of receipt meaning that three data items are required on the stock file for each FIFO cost retained.If retain nine cost prices then up to 27 items are required on the stock to record the FIFO details – therefore, depending on the other items required, you may wish to reduce this. Typically you would not need history for the last nine goods receipts – as your current physical holding is likely to be only made up of the last 2/3 receipts although this will depend on your circumstances.Note that a maximum of 5 FIFO ‘batches’ can be recorded on Professional systems.

Re-calculate costs for stock valuation (excluding Compact)

As you approach the period-end the pressure of transaction generation often means the entry of purchase information lags behind the entry of sales details. If updating costs on an average basis this affects the calculation of cost price, and thus the resulting period end stock valuation.This option allows you to maintain brought forward and period-end quantity and cost values to help with period end reconciliation, reprocessing the transactions in date order, rather than entry order, to obtain a ‘true’ month end valuation.

4 decimal place quantities (excluding Compact)

Select if using four decimal places for stock quantities – note that you must ensure that the data item types in the stock files for quantities are amended to ‘M’ types which allow the recording of 4 decimal place values.

4 decimal place Assembly quantities(excluding Compact)

Typically if using 4 decimal place quantities in general you would also use in assemblies. However you may wish to use 2 decimal places in general but for assembly requirements you require 4 decimal places to record component quantities. Select if you require this. Again note that data items for quantity on the component file would need to be ‘M-type’.

Delimiter for entering pack quantities (excluding Compact)

Datafile Software has a facility to express an issue or receipt quantity in terms of packs and units.The number contain in a pack is held in a ‘pack quantity’ data item recorded on the stock record. Note: That quantity for reporting/enquiry is always held in units, however.

You specify here the character that separates packs from units in data entry. For example, if you use a forward slash ‘/’ for this then a quantity entered as ‘12/5’ is interpreted as 12 packs and 5 units. If the ‘/’ is absent you are assumed to be entering units – exactly eight packs would be entered as ‘8/0’.

You may use any keyboard character as the separator other than numbers 0-9, the full-stop or the hyphen.

Title for ‘User 1’ header item

Title for ‘User 2’ detail item

You have the option to enter two additional items – one header and one detail – when entering stock transactions through the stock system. A ‘header’ item is used where the same text/value is to be recorded against all details on this transaction; a ‘detail’ item is used where this value will differ. You specify here the prompt that is to appear for each when entering transactions, if left blank then no data is requested.

Stock System Profiles (2/3)

The options from this point on are not available on DatafileCompact

New Stocks: Usual Tax Code

Default EC Tax Code

Sales Analysis

Sales Nominal

Purchase Analysis

Purchase Nominal

Here you can set default values to use for these items when creating new stock records.

Multi-Location use of Stock Control

If you want to use the stock system multi-location facility select this – if you select this option you also need to complete then next few prompts.

Auto F4 Locations

Stock locations within Datafile are prefixed at the start of the stock code and you select the location first and then the stock code. Selecting this option allows the ability to select the stock record and then select the location within specific options. These options are the sales/purchase order entry and the stock ledger enquiry.

Notes

Length of Location Id at start of stock

Give the number of characters at the front of the stock code to reserve for the location code, stock codes must be created for each location at which they are stocked.

Main Location Code (default code)

Enter here the default (main) location.

Alternative title for Location

Plural

Short

Some companies prefer to use ‘Branch’, ‘Warehouse’ or ‘Shop’ rather than location – if so enter the name you want to use here together with its plural (Branches) and a short name (BRN).

Include non-stock items in stock report

Non-Stock items hold no stock but can hold demand and cost values. If you want to include non-stock items on stock reports then select this option, to exclude leave blank.

Automatic Stock Take Adjustments

The stock take options determine the discrepancy between the physical quantity at a certain date and the quantity actually counted. Typically you would select this and therefore perform these adjustments automatically – so that an adjustment transaction is created for the difference but some people prefer to enter the adjustment manually.

Show compare quantity during stock-take

Some people prefer to see what the system records that they had in stock when entering the counted quantity, other people prefer not to be distracted by this value – select to see the quantity being compared.

Cost/Sale Price change via transaction

For some companies price changes are a highly sensitive issue. If you select this option then the option to amend prices within the ‘Maintain Stock’ options are disabled and instead an extra option is available on the ‘Stock Transactions’ menu to change prices therefore recording when prices changed.

Validate Currency codes on Stock Record (Diamond and Premier only)

If configured for foreign currency you may define stock codes with a specific currency cost (one currency per stock item). In this case you can attach a currency code to the stock record – adding a data item for this. This question determines whether this code is to be validated against the currency file.If you are recording currency cost details then setting this is recommended

Stock System Profiles (3/3)

Use Stock Assemblies

Select to enable use of stock assemblies within stock control

Specify Alternate Stock during Assembly

If building an assembly and a component has insufficient stock then you have the option to replace with another component. If choose this option and select another item then this is saved as an alternate for this stock item and suggested next time the assembly is built and the component is out of stock.

Maximum Alternate Stock Items

If saving alternate details then this asks for the maximum that can be saved, up to 10 alternates can be set but this relies on the alternate stock data items being configured on the component file to hold these details.

Omit Update of Cost Price during Assembly

If your stock system is configured to update costs at point of goods receipt then this applies not only to purchases but also to assembly builds. If you wish to omit the update of cost price for builds then you can select this option.

Expand Sub-Assembly Components during Assembly

This prompt allows you to set how components that are sub-assemblies are processed. The options are:

0 Expand Manually, if a sub-assembly is out-of-stock then you have the choice of building the sub-assembly as a separate job in addition to the other out-of-stock options such as replace, let stock go negative, etc.

1 Auto Expand if Insufficient Stock, if a sub-assembly is out of stock then it is built automatically – issuing the sub-assembly components and building the sub-assembly.

2 Auto Expand Always, regardless of the physical stock level of the sub-assembly component the sub-assembly is always built from its components.

Default Which Stock Level to Compare Against

When building stock assemblies the component issue quantity is validated against the component stock items physical quantity. This assumes the component is only ever used within an assembly and not as a saleable item in its own right – this option allows you to change the level to compare against.

0 Physical – compares quantity required against physical.

1 Free Stock – compares quantity against physical plus reserved less on-order.

2 Available – compares quantity against physical less reserved.

Default Action when Component is Out of Stock

Set default action to be suggested when a component is out of stock. When building an assembly this option is highlighted for you to select, when building a sub-assembly this option is automatically selected for you.

0 No Default, when building an assembly/sub-assembly no default option is offered and the operator elects to build as required.

1 Ignore Component, the component that is out of stock is omitted from the build

2 Let Quantity Go Negative, the stock is issued regardless of whether physical will end up negative (note this is not an option when stock items are batch/serial-tracked).

3 Alternate Stock – if any alternates specified then the first alternate with available stock is issued.

Combined Report including Sub Assemblies

Not applicable if expanding sub-assemblies, where a combined report is printed regardless, if expanding manually this option can be set so that only one build report is produced rather than a separate report for each assembly and sub-assembly.

Maximum Number of Assembly Levels

Asks you to set the number of assembly levels in use from 1 to 10 (0 applies the system limit of 10).Although you could leave this as 0 this value is used when determining the stock code printing size in reports and documents when indenting the stock code for sub-assemblies. Setting this limit will release space on reports.

Default Assembly Level to De-Kit back to

When building assemblies then if a component is a sub-assembly then that sub-assembly can be always built or only built where insufficient stock exists.When breaking down, or de-kiting, an assembly back to it’s component parts then there is no way of the system knowing whether a sub-assembly was built or issued from stock – therefore when entering a negative quantity the system, by default, breaks the assembly down one level only. This option allows you to set a default level other than one to de-kit back to.

Use Forward Stock Processing (Diamond and Premier only)

Stock Control has historically been less strict with regards to period control – any movements always being updated into the current period regardless of the date of the generated transaction. Setting this option maintains forward values for the movement in demand, cost of sales and sales value so you can have more accurate period totals.

Write On-Order/Reserved Transactions

Setting this option maintains an audit trail for how the stock reserved (sales) and on-order (purchase) quantities are updated in the same manner as issues etc provide an audit trail for how physical is updated. Setting this will likely mean that for every sales/purchase order detail a minimum of three transactions will be generated – increase of reserved/on-order on order entry, decrease of reserved/on-order on delivery and the actual issue/goods receipt transaction – this should be taken into consideration when setting the auto-expand limits later.

Include Forward Postings in Stock Reports(Diamond and Premier only)

When setting this option stock reports will include the effect of forward transactions by default.This can be amended at run-time on individual reports so this option should be set according to the most common requirement.

On stock reports this affects the reporting of physical, reserved, on-order and free stock quantities – these data items include the effect of forward transactions but if printed this can be removed when not including forward transactions. On stock transaction reports this transaction ‘up to’ date is set to the end of this period or the forward period according to this flag.

Period End – Prompt to Save into Which Period(Diamond and Premier only)

If set then the period end prompts for which series of period values to update for current demand etc.Normally this is not set and the system updates for the active period automatically.

Period End – Prompt to Overwrite Period Values(Diamond and Premier only)

If set above then can also configure whether the period values are to overwrite any existing values in the period values or whether the current values are to add to them.Normally this is not set and the system overwrites the period values automatically.

How Many Periods to Keep Transactions for(Diamond and Premier only)

If set to remove transactions at period end (screen 1) then this prompt asks for the number of periods to retain transactions before they are removed.