Inventory Logistics Console

From the Inventory menu, select Inventory Logistics Console to open the Inventory Logistics Console window.
Note: The Inventory Logistics Console window opens with a list of all inventory items that have been added to the queue and have not yet been moved out of the queue to transfer orders or purchase orders.

You use the Add to Queue window to populate the list on the Analyze stock tab with the inventory items you need to purchase or to transfer from one location to another.

Using the Sources region, you specify the areas of the system you want the system to analyze for inventory needs. You can have the system:

Search Sales Orders for drop-ship, special order, and/or back-ordered items.

Search Service Calls for items needed to complete calls.

Search Inventory Requests for requested items.

Identify items needed based on Warehouse Restock Levels.

You can limit the search for sales order inventory needs to one or more specific sales orders, and you can limit the search for service call inventory needs to one or more specific services calls.  Additionally, for all the sources from which you include inventory needs, you can further limit the items to add to the Analyze stock tab by applying item, warehouse, bin, and/or branch filters.

For any items this process adds to the Analyze stock tab with an Action of Purchase..., you can indicate if you want the system to list the item's preferred vendor as the vendor for the purchase order action.

If you anticipate using the same settings for adding needed inventory items to the Analyze stock tab again in the future, you can save your settings.

To add items to the queue, do the following:

Verify that the Analyze Stock tab displays. If not, click the Analyze Stock tab to bring it forward.

Click [Add to Queue] to open the Add to Queue window.

In the Sources region, do any of the following to select the sources from which you want to populate the Analyze stock tab with inventory needs:

To draw items from sales orders into the Analyze stock tab, 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 the following:

Check the Filter sales orders checkbox.

Do one of the following:

To filter for a specific sales order, in the Sales Order field, use the lookup to select the sales order.

To use the advanced filter, do the following:

Check the Use advanced filter checkbox.

Click [Advanced Filter] to open a sales order QuickSearch window.

Enter the parameters for which to search.
Note: You can use the Unfulfilled filter or any of the QuickSearch fields for your search. For more information on using QuickSearch functionality, see the Using the QuickSearch topic.

Click [Go] to initiate the search.

When the window displays the sales order(s) from which you want to include drop-ship, special order, and/or back-ordered items based on the checkboxes selected above, click [OK] to close this window and to return to the Add to Queue window.

To draw items from service calls into the Analyze stock tab, do the following:

Check the Query service calls checkbox.

Do one or more of the following:

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:

Check the Filter service calls checkbox.

Do one of the following:

To filter for a specific service call, in the Service call field, use the lookup to select the service call.

To use the advanced filter, do the following:

Check the Use advanced filter checkbox.

Click [Advanced Filter] to open a service call QuickSearch window.

Enter the parameters for which to search. For more information on using QuickSearch functionality, see the Using the QuickSearch topic.

Click [Go] to initiate the search.

When the window displays the service call(s) from which you want to include items with a Status of Needed, click [OK] to close this window and to return to the Add to Queue window.

To draw items from inventory requests into the Analyze stock tab, check the Query inventory requests checkbox.

To draw items from warehouse restock levels into the Analyze stock tab, check the Query warehouse restock levels checkbox.

In the General filters region, do any of the following to further limit the needed inventory items to display on the Analyze stock tab inventory needs from the sources you selected in the Sources region.
Note: The General filters function as an "AND" filter with the Sources region. If you do not select any sources in the Sources region, the system will not return any results because there will be no sources from which to filter items.

To limit the items to include from the selected source(s) based on item number, do the following:

Check the Filter by item checkbox.

Do one of the following:

To filter for a specific item, in the Item field, use the lookup to select the item.

To use the advanced filter, do the following:

Check the Use advanced filter checkbox.

Click [Advanced Filter] to open an item QuickSearch window.

Enter the parameters for which to search. For more information on using QuickSearch functionality, see the Using the QuickSearch topic.

Click [Go] to initiate the search.

When the window displays the item(s) to which you want to limit the needed inventory items to add to the Analyze stock tab, click [OK] to close this window and to return to the Add to Queue window.

To limit the items to include from the selected source(s) based on warehouse, do the following:

Check the Filter by warehouse checkbox.

Do one of the following:

To filter for a specific warehouse, in the Warehouse field, use the lookup to select the warehouse.

To use the advanced filter, do the following:

Check the Use advanced filter checkbox.

Click [Advanced Filter] to open a warehouse QuickSearch window.

Enter the parameters for which to search. For more information on using QuickSearch functionality, see the Using the QuickSearch topic.

Click [Go] to initiate the search.

When the window displays the warehouse(s) to which you want to limit the needed inventory items to add to the Analyze stock tab, click [OK] to close this window and to return to the Add to Queue window.

To limit the items to include from the selected source(s) based on bin, do the following:

Check the Filter by bin checkbox.

Do one of the following:

To filter for a specific bin, in the Bin field, use the lookup to select the bin.

To use the advanced filter, do the following:

Check the Use advanced filter checkbox.

Click [Advanced Filter] to open a bin QuickSearch window.

Enter the parameters for which to search. For more information on using QuickSearch functionality, see the Using the QuickSearch topic.

Click [Go] to initiate the search.

When the window displays the bin(s) to which you want to limit the needed inventory items to add to the Analyze stock tab, click [OK] to close this window and to return to the Add to Queue window.

To limit the items to include from the selected source(s) based on branch, do the following:

Check the Filter by branch checkbox.

Do one of the following:

To filter for a specific branch, in the Branch field, use the lookup to select the branch.

To use the advanced filter, do the following:

Check the Use advanced filter checkbox.

Click [Advanced Filter] to open a branch QuickSearch window.

Enter the parameters for which to search. For more information on using QuickSearch functionality, see the Using the QuickSearch topic.

Click [Go] to initiate the search.

When the window displays the bin(s) to which you want to limit the needed inventory items to add to the Analyze stock tab, click [OK] to close this window and to return to the Add to Queue window.

In the Auto assign region, check the Auto assign preferred vendor checkbox to have the system automatically assign an item's preferred vendor as the vendor from whom to purchase the item.
Note: All three tabs of the Inventory Logistics Console list an Action column. When an item needs to be purchased, the Action column lists Purchase : ([Vendor Number] to [Warehouse]). If you check this box and a preferred vendor is listed for the item on the Vendors tab of the Item record before the item is added to the queue, the system lists the preferred vendor's Vendor Number in this column, assigning the vendor to the pending purchase order. If you leave this box unchecked, the system lists ?? (two question marks) in place of the Vendor Number in this column. You can use options on the Analyze stock and Assign vendors tabs to add, change, or remove vendor assignments.

To save all of your configured settings and filters so you do not have to recreate them the next time you open the Add to Queue window, check the Remember these settings checkbox.

Click [OK] to query your inventory needs based on your filters and settings. The system displays a message indicating how many records were added to the queue.

Click [OK] to acknowledge the added records. The Analyze stock tab displays the inventory items, source, and other information.

When items are added to the Analyze Stock tab, the system checks your Over allocation setting in Tools > Options > Inventory.  If Over allocation is set to Do not warn before over allocating inventory, then the system provides no warning if a row listed on the Analyze stock tab would cause inventory to be over allocated. If Over allocation is set to Warn before over allocating inventory or to Do not over allocate inventory and a row listed on the Analyze stock tab would cause inventory to be over allocated, then the system adds the prefix "Qty>Alloc!" to the message in the Action column for that row. This prefix blocks the row from being moved from the Analyze Stock tab to the Create orders tab. If Over allocation is set to Warn before over allocating inventory, then the table's right-click menu includes a option Clear over allocation block option. Clicking this right-click menu option will remove the "Qty>Alloc!" block from the Action column of the row(s) selected in the table at the time you clicked this right-click menu option. If Over allocation is set to Do not over allocate inventory, then no right-click menu option will be available to remove the "Qty>Alloc!" block and you will not be able to move any blocked row from the Analyze Stock tab to the Create orders tab.
Note: To resolve blocked rows when your system does not allow you to over allocate inventory, you will need to add sufficient inventory to the source warehouse or select a different source warehouse with sufficient inventory to complete the transfer.

In addition to checking your system's Over allocation setting, e-automate makes a purchase or transfer decision based on your current inventory. You can change the auto-assigned decision on the Analyze Stock tab. You can change a purchase action to a transfer action, change a transfer action to a purchase action, or change a purchase or transfer action to no action by deleting the item from the queue.  You can assign an action to one or to multiple items by selecting the items you want to assign and then using right-click. If you want to change an action, you MUST select an item or items to act upon. Items with actions assigned can be processed onto the subsequent tabs by clicking [Process] (see step 5 below).

To select item(s) to which you want to assign an action, do one or more of the following:

Use the QuickSearch to filter the items.

In the QuickSearch field, use the drop-down menu to select a field in which to filter. Once a field is selected, e-automate displays the field operators.

Select the appropriate operator: Contains, Is the same as, Ends with, Begins with, Less than, Greater than, In the range, NOT the same as, NOT in the range, Before, After, Yes/No, etc.
Note: Depending on the kind of field you select, e-automate displays the appropriate operator.

Once you have selected a field and an operator, e-automate displays an additional field for you to enter your criteria. Enter your filter criteria.

Click [Go] to filter the list.
Note: You can add criteria by using the unlabeled button on the end of the row. Use And or Or to create a more complex search.

Select a range of items using SHIFT+ Click.

Select the first item in the range of items.
Note: You can sort the list by values contained in the list prior to selecting a range. Sort by clicking on a column header. Click once to sort either ascending or descending and again to reverse the sort order.

Hold down the SHIFT key and click on the last item in the range. The entire range of items is selected by e-automate.

Select various items by using CTRL + Click.

Select the first item by clicking on the item.

Hold down the CTRL key and click on the next item.

Click on additional items while holding down the CTRL key.
Note: You can select in any random order you choose.

Select all items in the list by clicking [Select All].
Note: You may want to use the Select All feature after you have filtered the list with a QuickSearch filter.

Deselect all by clicking [UnSelect All].

To view inventory item location, select an item from the list. Use the item information to assist you in your decision to assign an action of purchase, transfer, or delete. In the Item Locations region, e-automate displays your warehouses, the item quantities in each type of bin, the number allocated, the number on purchase orders, the number on transfer orders, and the quantity available. If there is no information about the item the region remains blank.
Note: You can rearrange these columns as necessary.

Before items leave the Analyze Stock tab they must be assigned an action. An action is assigned by e-automate, but you can modify the action as necessary. You must either perform a purchase, a transfer, or delete the item from the queue. You can assign actions to inventory items in a variety of ways. This step covers assigning an action by right-clicking on an item. If you right-click on an item and only one item is selected in the console, the action you defined is only assigned to the one item selected. If you right-click to assign an action and there are multiple items selected, the action is assigned to all items selected. Below is a list of all actions that can be assigned using the right-click menu as well as other functionality available using right-click. Do one or more of the following to assign actions:

To purchase the item(s), right-click and select Purchase. The purchase action is assigned by e-automate. The Action column is update by e-automate with the available purchase information. The Action column displays "Purchase: (Preferred vendor to Warehouse)". If during the Add to Queue process you checked the Auto-assign preferred vendor checkbox, e-automate automatically assigns the preferred vendor from the inventory item profile, if defined. If there is not a preferred vendor or you did not check the Auto-assign preferred vendor checkbox, e-automate displays "??" in place of the preferred vendor. Before you can create a purchase order you must replace "??" with an assigned vendor.

To assign the vendor, right-click on the item(s) and select Assign Vendor. The Assign Vendors window opens.

To select a specific vendor, select the Use the following vendor radio button and use the lookup to select a vendor.

To have e-automate select a vendor based on Preferred status, Lowest cost, or Shortest lead time, select Auto select vendor based on and select your choice.
Note: To use the auto-select option you should have previously identified lead time, cost, and preferred status on your inventory item vendor profiles.

Click [OK] to assign or auto assign the vendor based on your selections.

In addition to the assigned vendor, e-automate displays the ultimate receiving warehouse for the purchase order you will create. This information comes from the linked transaction or the warehouse restock level.

If there is no vendor assigned, you can assign the vendor by right-clicking and selecting Assign Vendor, or you can wait to assign the vendor on the Assign Vendors tab.

To purchase the item(s) and drop-ship to a customer, select Purchase: drop-ship customer. The purchase action is assigned by e-automate, and specifies the item is to be drop-shipped. This tells e-automate that when the purchase order is created there must be one purchase order with a ship-to address that matches the customer’s address. If you have multiple items that should be drop-shipped, e-automate will add all the items to the same purchase order sharing the same drop-ship address.

To purchase the item(s) and ship to a specific warehouse, select Purchase: ship to warehouse. For example, you could ship an item to a technician’s warehouse (home address) or to a customer’s warehouse (customer’s address).
Note: Be sure to configure your warehouses (technician or customer) as appropriate. See the topic, Configuring a Warehouse.

To transfer the item, select Transfer. The transfer action is assigned by e-automate and identifies the destination warehouse from the transaction or warehouse restock level. Choosing this option does not assign the source warehouse. The Action column is updated by e-automate with the available transfer information. The Action column displays "Transfer: (Source warehouse to Destination warehouse)". The destination warehouse is determined by the transaction associated with the item(s) or the warehouse restock level. If no transfer source warehouse has been defined, e-automate displays "??" in the source warehouse area.

Assign the source warehouse by right-clicking and selecting Assign Source Warehouse. The Source Warehouse window opens.

In the Warehouse field, use the lookup to select a source warehouse.

Click [OK] to assign the warehouse. The "??" is replaced by e-automate with the source warehouse in the Action column.
Note: You can also select the item from the Analyze Stock tab. The inventory availability information is displayed by e-automate in the Item Locations region. Double-click on the warehouse to be assigned as the source warehouse. The warehouse is entered by e-automate in the Action column.

To transfer the item(s) and drop-ship to a customer, select Transfer: ship to customer. The transfer action is assigned by e-automate, and specifies the item is to be shipped to the customer.
Note: Use this action if you have a customer warehouse configured or for a service call.

To transfer the item(s) and ship to a warehouse, select Transfer: ship to warehouse. The transfer action is assigned by e-automate, and specifies the item is to be shipped to the destination warehouse.
Note: Use this action if you have a customer warehouse configured or for a service call.

To delete an item(s) from the Analyze Stock tab and the Inventory Logistics Console, right-click and select Delete. If you are sure you want to delete the item(s) from the console, click [Yes]. If you decide to leave the item(s) in the console, click [No].

To edit or view the inventory item profile, right-click on an item and select Edit Item or View Item. The Edit or View Inventory Item window opens.

To view the Item Availability window for an item, right–click and select Item Locations. The Inventory Availability window opens.

If the item is linked to a sales order, you can view or edit the sales order from within the Inventory Logistics Console window. To edit or view the sales order, select Edit Sales Order – sales order number or View Sales Order – sales order number.

If the item is linked to a service call, you can view or edit the service call from within the Inventory Logistics Console window. To edit or view the service call, select Edit Service Call – service call number or View Service Call – service call number.

In addition to the above methods for assigning actions, you can click [Purchase] or [Transfer] once you have selected inventory item(s). These buttons assign the default, Purchase or Transfer, from the right-click menu. If you want to drop-ship to a customer or warehouse, you must use the right-click menu.

Once you have assigned all the desired actions, select the items you want to process and click [Process] to move these items to either the Assign Vendors or the Create Orders tab. Purchase action items with no vendor assigned are moved to the Assign Vendors tab. Purchase action items with vendors are moved to the Create Orders tab. Transfer action items must have a source warehouse defined before they can be processed off the Analyze Stock tab to the Create Orders tab. If you attempt to process them anyway, e-automate will do nothing.
Note: All selected items will be processed. If you have not selected all items and have only one item selected you will only process one item.

You use the [Manage Queue] button to transfer items that have been placed in the Inventory Logistics Console by one or more users. Items in the console are linked to an individual user and only that user can act upon items they have placed in the queue.

To transfer items in the queue to another user, click [Manage Queue]. The Manage Queue window opens.

To clear a user’s queue and allow others to repopulate, select the user and click [Clear]. If you are sure, acknowledge by clicking [Yes]. If not, click [No] to return to the Manage Queue window.

To reassign a user’s queue to another e-automate user, select the user currently assigned and click [Reassign]. The Reassign queue to window opens. In the User field, use the lookup to select another user and click [OK]. Acknowledge by clicking [Yes]. Click [No] to return to the Manage Queue window without reassigning.

Click [Close] to close the Manage Queue window.

Click the Assign vendors tab to bring it forward.

If necessary, use the QuickSearch as described earlier to filter the items or select the items to which you want to assign the same vendor.

Click [Assign Vendor]. The Assign Vendors window opens.

To select a specific vendor, select the Use the following vendor radio button and use the lookup to select a vendor.

To ask e-automate to select a vendor based on Preferred status, Lowest cost, or Shortest lead time, select Auto select vendor based on and select your choice.
Note: To use the auto-select option you should have previously identified lead time, cost, and preferred status on your inventory item vendor profiles. You can also create a QuickSearch for vendors that are acceptable to you and then allow e-automate to choose from your QuickSearch list of vendors. To create a QuickSearch, check Use advanced vendor filter and click [Advanced filter]. Define your QuickSearch.

Click [OK] to assign or auto assign the vendor based on your selections.

If you have not assigned a vendor to all items, repeat Steps 2 through 6 until you have assigned vendors to all items.
Note: You can use the right-click menu to access the Assign Vendors window.

To use the additional functionality on the Assign vendors tab do one or more of the following:

To process the assigned vendor items, select them and click [Purchase queue]. All selected items with vendors assigned to the Create orders tab are moved by e-automate.

To move items back to the Analyze stock tab, select the items and click [Move to analyze]. The selected items are moved by e-automate to the Analyze stock tab.

To view vendor information associated with an inventory item, select the item. The item’s vendor information is displayed by e-automate in the Item vendors region.

The Create orders tab has three views from which you can select by choosing the appropriate radio button. Detail items displays all items you have added to the Create orders tab with their associated actions. Purchase orders queue allows you to see the purchase orders that can be created and the detail associated with each potential purchase order. Transfer orders Qqueue allows you to see the transfer orders that can be created and the items associated with each transfer order.

Do one or more of the following to create purchase orders, create transfer orders, or return items to the Assign vendors or Analyze stock tabs for changes:

To create purchase orders:

Select the Purchase orders queue radio button.

Review the detail associated with each potential purchase order by selecting each row. The potential purchase order details are displayed by e-automate in the Item details region. Also displayed are the ship-to name and ship-to address associated with each potential purchase order.

To make vendor assignment changes, select the potential purchase order and click [Move to assign]. The items associated with the potential purchase order are moved by e-automate to the Assign vendors tab so you can reassign the vendor.

To make action changes, select the potential purchase order and click [Move to analyze]. The items associated with the potential purchase order are moved by e-automate to the Analyze stock tab so you can make changes.

To create purchase orders, select the potential purchase order(s) and click [Purchase orders]. The Create Purchase Orders window opens. To print the purchase orders created, check the Print purchase orders checkbox. Click [OK] to create the purchase orders. The purchase orders are created by e-automate and placed in the Purchase Orders list window. Click [Cancel] to cancel the purchase order creation.
Note: To view purchase orders, from the Purchasing menu select Purchase Orders to open the Purchase Orders list window.

To create transfer orders:

Select the Transfer orders queue radio button.

Review the detail associated with each potential transfer order by selecting each row. The potential transfer order details are displayed by e-automate in the Item details region. Also displayed are the source warehouse and the ship-to name, if applicable.

To make action changes, select the potential transfer order and click [Move to analyze]. The items associated with the potential transfer order are moved by e-automate to the Analyze Stock tab so you can make changes.

To create transfer orders, select the transfer order(s) and click [Transfer orders]. The Create Transfer Orders window displays.

To print a picking list or a packing list, check Print picking list or Print packing list, respectively.

If you want the transfer order created and transferred immediately, check Transfer now. When Transfer now is checked, e-automate creates the transfer order and then transfers the items on the transfer order when you complete the following step.

Click [OK] to create the transfer orders (transfer if chosen). The transfer orders (transfers) are created by e-automate and placed in the Transfer Orders List window or Transfers window. To cancel the transfer order, click [Cancel].
Note: If you did not check the Transfer now box in Step 2.f., you can view the created transfer orders from the Inventory menu. Select Transfers > Transfer orders to open the Inventory Transfer Orders list window. From this window, you can transfer orders that have not previously been transferred.
If you did check the Transfer now box in Step 2.f., the system checks your Negative inventory setting in Tools > Options > Inventory. If Negative inventory is set to Do not warn before allowing inventory to go negative, then the system provides no warning when creating an order for a row listed on the Create orders tab that causes the item's inventory quantity to be negative. If Negative inventory is set to Warn before allowing inventory to go negative and creating an order for a row listed on the Create orders tab would causes the item's inventory quantity to be negative, then the system displays the message, "This transfer would cause the inventory quantity for [item] to be negative [quantity]. Do you wish to proceed?" If you click [Yes] to the prompt, the system creates the order and causes the item's inventory quantity to be negative. If Negative inventory is set to Do not allow inventory to go negative and creating an order for a row listed on the Create orders tab would causes the item's inventory quantity to be negative, then the system displays the message, "Your system setup does not permit this transfer because the resulting inventory quantity for [item] would be negative [quantity]." To create orders for rows when your system does not allow your inventory to go negative, you will need to add sufficient inventory to the source warehouse or select a different source warehouse with sufficient inventory to create the order.