Inventory Management (On Premise)
The Inventory Management Task is a task you set to run on a specified schedule in e-agent that automates the same processes performed by the Inventory Logistics Console. See the e-automate online topic, Inventory Logistics Console. It analyzes inventory needs in the system and makes purchase or transfer decisions and carries out those transactions. It has the same functionality as the logistics console except it goes one step further and automatically creates the purchase orders and/or performs the inventory transfers for you. The Inventory Logistics Console simply provides you with what information you need to manually perform those transactions. The Inventory Logistics Console allows you to collect inventory needs throughout the day and repeatedly analyze and add to pending purchase orders before you create all purchase orders or transfer orders needed at the end of the day. The Inventory Management Task takes the same data collected by the Inventory Logistics Console and creates the purchase orders and inventory transfer orders and/or performs the inventory transfer at the time(s) you have scheduled the task to run in e-agent.
The task begins with analyzing your inventory needs. The task examines the following four areas:
Sales Orders: You can configure the task to look for items on sales orders that are drop ship items, special order items or back ordered items.
Service Calls: Searches for service calls containing materials that are needed (back ordered) to complete calls.
Restock Levels: Examines your warehouse stocking levels and determines what items are needed to reach your configured stocking levels.
Inventory Requests: Queries any requests for inventory items.
You can also configure a filter or filters that overall restrict items that can be drawn from sales, service, stocking, and inventory requests. You can configure one filter or apply multiple filters to meet your inventory needs. For example, you can restrict the Inventory Management Task so that it can only order supply and part items and leaves the equipment and accessories up to you. You can basic filter or advanced filter by:
Inventory items
Warehouses
Bins
Branches
You can decide whether you want e-automate to simply create transfer orders or create the transfer orders and perform the transfer based on your existing stock. You can also choose for e-automate to automatically print a picking list, packing list, or both on a specified printer for the number of copies you specify.
You can also provide e-mail addresses where you want detailed information sent regarding the Inventory Management tasks you have set up. The e-mail not only notifies you that the task has completed, but also includes what actions the task has taken and identifies which purchase orders and transfer orders were affected.
Task Operation ProcessTask Operation Process
The transactional items are addressed first before the restock levels. When e-automate adds an item to a transaction, it associates a warehouse and bin for that item to the transaction. Once the transactional needs are addressed, e-automate can replenish the inventory stock levels for children warehouses (typically technicians). E-automate attempts to transfer from the parent warehouse to replenish children warehouses before placing items on purchase orders. Once children warehouses are replenished, e-automate replenishes parent warehouses. You can determine if the e-agent task performs replenishment or not.
For transactional inventory the task first looks to see if there are any items that are drop-shipped, special ordered or back ordered. The task then identifies the warehouse and bin associated with that transaction. For restocking levels the system evaluates the restock quantity. After identifying the warehouse and bin or evaluating the restock quantity, the task checks to see if the warehouse has a parent warehouse. If it does have a parent then it checks to see if the parent warehouse has the item in stock. If the parent warehouse does have the item in stock and you have set the task to perform transfers, the task automatically creates the transfer order and performs the transfer. The task then automatically prints the picking list, packing list or both, if you have defined the task to do so. If the parent warehouse does have the item in stock and you have set the task to create transfer orders only, the task automatically creates the transfer order and prints the picking list, packing list or both if you have defined the task to do so. You must then manually perform the transfer.
If there is not a parent warehouse or the parent warehouse does not have the item in stock, the task checks to see if there is an un-received PO with that item on it. If there is, it links the needed item to the available item on the PO. For example, if a customer wants to order 20 of an item on a sales order and there is an un-received PO with 30 of the item, the task reserves 20 of that item for the back ordered sales order. When the PO with 30 items is received the items are be allotted to the appropriate sales order transaction.
If the transaction is for a drop-ship item, special order item or back ordered item on a sales order, the task then automatically changes the sales order status from Backordered to Open. If the transaction is for items needed on a service call the task then automatically changes the service call status from On hold (Waiting for parts) to On hold (Parts available).
If there are no un-received POs with that item on it, the task checks to see if the item has a default vendor. If it does not have a default vendor then you must manually create a PO for the item and the Inventory Management Task stops for that item. If the item does have a default vendor then the task checks for any unlocked POs, POs that have not been printed or emailed to the vendor. If there are no unlocked POs associated with the default vendor, it creates the PO, adds the line item and links the item to the original transaction. If there is an unlocked PO associated with the default vendor the task then checks to see if the needed item is on the PO. If it is not, the task automatically adds a new line item to the PO for the needed item and links the item to the original transaction. If the needed item is on the PO to the default vendor the task automatically adds the needed quantity to the line item on the PO and links the item to the original transaction.
Creating the Inventory Management TaskCreating the Inventory Management Task
General Task InformationGeneral Task Information
From the e-automate Tools menu, select E-agent to open the E-agent - Tasks window.
From the e-agent toolbar, click [New]. E-agent opens the new task window.
From the list, select Inventory management.
Click [OK]. E-agent displays the E-agent - Edit Task (Inventory Management) window.
In the Task name field, leave the default name or enter a new name for the task.
Note: All tasks must have a unique name. If you are using multiple tasks for a variety of reasons, each task must have its own, unique name. You can schedule all tasks at different intervals.
In the Task engine field, use the drop-down menu to select the task engine on which you want to run the task.
In the Task user field, use the drop-down menu to select the user under which e-agent is to run this task.
To make this task operational, check the Enabled checkbox.
Verify the Settings tab is forward. If it is not, click the Settings tab to bring it forward.
Concerning transfers, do one of the following:
To have the system generate transfer orders for any necessary transfers but leave the transfer orders for you to review and complete, select the Create transfer orders radio button.
Note: If you select this option, remember to review the transfers orders and complete any transfers you want to complete.
To have the system generate and automatically complete transfers for any necessary transfers, select the Create transfers radio button.
In the Printer field, use the drop-down menu to select the printer on which you want the system to print the transfer orders or transfers, picking lists, and/or packing lists.
In the Copies field, enter the number of copies of the transfer orders or transfers you want the system to print automatically.
To automatically print a picking list when this task is run, select Print picking list.
To automatically print a packing list when this task is run, select Print packing list.
Click the Sources tab to bring it forward.
On the Sources tab, do any of the following to select the sources you want the system to analyze to determine inventory needs:
To draw items from sales orders, do the following:
Check the Query sales orders checkbox.
Note: The options in this region function as follows. If you do not check the Filter sales orders checkbox, the system performs an "OR" search using your selections for the Drop-ship items, Special order items, and Back ordered items checkboxes. For example, if you check the Drop-ship items and Back ordered items checkboxes, the system will include any items that are drop-ship items or back-ordered items from all sales orders. If you check the Filter sales orders checkbox, the system performs an "AND" search between the filtered sales order(s) and your selections for the Drop-ship items, Special order items, and Back ordered items checkboxes. For example, if you check the Drop-ship items, Back ordered items, and Filter sales orders checkboxes, the system will only include any items that are drop-ship items or back-ordered items from the filtered sales order(s).
Do one or more of the following:
To include drop-ship items on sales orders, check the Drop-ship items checkbox.
To include special order items on sales orders, check the Special order items checkbox.
To include back-ordered items on sales orders, check the Back ordered items checkbox.
To specify one or more sales orders from which to include drop-ship, special order, and/or back-ordered items based on the checkboxes selected above, do one of the following:
To draw from all sales orders, verify the system is displaying an Include all (no filter) link to the right of the Filter sales orders field. If the system is displaying a Filtered link to the right of the Filter sales orders field, do the following:
Click the Filtered link to display the Sales Orders window.
Click the [Clear] button to clear the filter.
Click the [OK] button to close the Sales Orders window and return to the Sources tab. The system should now be displaying an Include all (no filter) link to the right of the Filter sales orders field.
To draw from one or more specific sales orders, do the following:
Click the link to the right of Filter sales orders. If no filter has been applied, the system displays an Include all (no filter) link to the right of the Filter sales orders field. If a filter has been applied, the system displays a Filtered link to the right of the Filter sales orders field. The system opens the Items window.
Enter your filter criteria. For information on using QuickSearch functionality, see the Using the E-agent QuickSearch (On Premise) topic.
When the Sales Orders window displays the sales order(s) you want the system to include, click the [OK] button to close the Sales Orders window and return to the Sources tab.
To draw items from service calls, do the following:
Check the Query service calls checkbox.
To include items with a Status of Needed on service calls, check the Technician's 'needed' items checkbox. To specify one or more service calls from which to include items with a Status of Needed, do the following:
To draw needed items from all service calls, verify the system is displaying an Include all (no filter) link to the right of the Filter service calls field. If the system is displaying a Filtered link to the right of the Filter service calls field, do the following:
Click the Filtered link to display the Service Calls window.
Click the [Clear] button to clear the filter.
Click the [OK] button to close the Service Calls window and return to the Sources tab. The system should now be displaying an Include all (no filter) link to the right of the Filter sales orders field.
To draw needed items from one or more specific service calls, do the following:
Click the link to the right of Filter service calls. If no filter has been applied, the system displays an Include all (no filter) link to the right of the Filter service calls field. If a filter has been applied, the system displays a Filtered link to the right of the Filter service calls field. The system opens the Service Calls window.
Enter your filter criteria. For information on using QuickSearch functionality, see the Using the E-agent QuickSearch (On Premise) topic.
When the Service Calls window displays the service call(s) you want the system to include, click the [OK] button to close the Service Calls window and return to the Sources tab.
To draw items from inventory requests, check the Query inventory requests checkbox.
To draw items from warehouse restock levels, check the Query warehouse restock levels checkbox.
Click the Filters tab to bring it forward.
To identify the items to include in the task, do one of the following:
To include all items, verify the system is displaying an Include all (no filter) link to the right of the Filter by item field. If the system is displaying a Filtered link to the right of the Filter by item field, do the following:
Click the Filtered link to display the Items window.
Click the [Clear] button to clear the filter. Click the [OK] button to close the window and return to the Filters tab. The system should now be displaying an Include all (no filter) link to the right of the Filter by item field.
To limit the items to include in the task, do the following:
Click the link to the right of Filter by item. If no filter has been applied, the system displays an Include all (no filter) link to the right of the Filter by item field. If a filter has been applied, the system displays a Filtered link to the right of the Filter by item field. The system opens the Items window.
Enter your filter criteria. For information on using QuickSearch functionality, see the Using the E-agent QuickSearch (On Premise) topic.
When the advanced filter window displays the item(s) you want the system to include, click the [OK] button to close the window and return to the Filters tab.
To identify the warehouses to include in the task, do one of the following:
To include all warehouses, verify the system is displaying an Include all (no filter) link to the right of the Filter by warehouse field. If the system is displaying a Filtered link to the right of the Filter by warehouse field, do the following:
Click the Filtered link to display the Inventory Warehouses window.
Click the [Clear] button to clear the filter. Click the [OK] button to close the window and return to the Filters tab. The system should now be displaying an Include all (no filter) link to the right of the Filter by warehouse field.
To limit the items to include in the task, do the following:
Click the link to the right of Filter by warehouse. If no filter has been applied, the system displays an Include all (no filter) link to the right of the Filter by warehouse field. If a filter has been applied, the system displays a Filtered link to the right of the Filter by warehouse field. The system opens the Warehouses window.
Enter your filter criteria. For information on using QuickSearch functionality, see the Using the E-agent QuickSearch (On Premise) topic.
When the advanced filter window displays the warehouse(s) you want the system to include, click the [OK] button to close the window and return to the Filters tab.
To identify the bins to include in the task, do one of the following:
To include all bins, verify the system is displaying an Include all (no filter) link to the right of the Filter by bin field. If the system is displaying a Filtered link to the right of the Filter by bin field, do the following:
Click the Filtered link to display the Inventory Bins window.
Click the [Clear] button to clear the filter. Click the [OK] button to close the window and return to the Filters tab. The system should now be displaying an Include all (no filter) link to the right of the Filter by bin field.
To limit the items to include in the task, do the following:
Click the link to the right of Filter by bin. If no filter has been applied, the system displays an Include all (no filter) link to the right of the Filter by bin field. If a filter has been applied, the system displays a Filtered link to the right of the Filter by bin field. The system opens the Inventory Bins window.
Enter your filter criteria. For information on using QuickSearch functionality, see the Using the E-agent QuickSearch (On Premise) topic.
When the advanced filter window displays the bin(s) you want the system to include, click the [OK] button to close the window and return to the Filters tab.
To identify the branches to include in the task, do one of the following:
To include all branches, verify the system is displaying an Include all (no filter) link to the right of the Filter by branch field. If the system is displaying a Filtered link to the right of the Filter by branch field, do the following:
Click the Filtered link to display the Branches window.
Click the [Clear] button to clear the filter. Click the [OK] button to close the window and return to the Filters tab. The system should now be displaying an Include all (no filter) link to the right of the Filter by branch field.
To limit the items to include in the task, do the following:
Click the link to the right of Filter by branch. If no filter has been applied, the system displays an Include all (no filter) link to the right of the Filter by branch field. If a filter has been applied, the system displays a Filtered link to the right of the Filter by branch field. The system opens the Branches window.
Enter your filter criteria. For information on using QuickSearch functionality, see the Using the E-agent QuickSearch (On Premise) topic.
When the advanced filter window displays the branch(es) you want the system to include, click the [OK] button to close the window and return to the Filters tab.
You can choose to schedule the e-agent task so that it runs on an interval and/or you can run the task manually whenever you choose.
To manually run the task, see the "Manually Running Tasks" section of the Task Functionality topic.
To schedule the task to run on a defined schedule, do the following:
Click the Schedule tab to bring it forward.
In the Recurrence pattern region, select Hourly, Daily, Weekly, Monthly, Last day of month, or No recurrence to indicate the frequency with which you want e-agent to process this task.
If you selected Weekly in the previous step, e-agent displays a Run on region with a checkbox for each day of the week. Check the box for each weekday on which you want e-agent to process this task.
In the Start recurrence field, enter (or use the drop-down calendar to select) the date and time you want this schedule to begin.
Note: This field is not available if you set Recurrence pattern to No recurrence.
In the End recurrence region, do one of the following:
Note: The options in this region are not available if you set Recurrence pattern to No recurrence.
To have e-agent process the task indefinitely using the specified Recurrence pattern, select No end date.
To have e-agent process the task only a specified number of times using the specified Recurrence pattern, do the following:
Select End after __ occurrences.
In the End after __ occurrences field, enter the number of occurrences.
To have e-agent process the task through a specified end date and time using the specified Recurrence pattern, do the following:
Select End by __.
In the End by __ field, enter the date and time by which processing of this task is to end.
Completing the TaskCompleting the Task
In the Notification e-mail field, enter the e-mail address(es) of the person or persons the system should notify each time e-agent completes processing of this task. To notify multiple recipients, separate each e-mail address using the delimiter associated with your e-mail program (e.g., if your e-mail program accepts a semicolon as a delimiter, you could enter janedoe@company.com; johndoe@company.com; joe@company.com to have the system send notifications to three e-mail addresses each time e-agent completes processing of this task).
Click [OK] to save the task settings.
Non-supported ReleaseNon-supported Release
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