How does your company manage inventory?

[ssiegfri]

Hello and good day to you all!

Like most other companies, ours does inventory counts every quarter. We just did ours and it was an absolute nightmare.

Previous inventory counts, what i had done was printed out every tab in our inventory spreadsheet for every vehicle and every department (installation, service and electrical), which is A LOT of paper. So, i tried to simplify things for the inventory we just did by logging into our Sharepoint on everyones tablet and had them all manually input their numbers, but it didnt work out well.

So, i am really curious of how other HVAC companies that do quarterly inventory counts of truck/van stock as well as warehouse counts do theirs.

Do you use any sort of scanning system?

Our next inventory count is in a few months and i want to be prepared to have a very easy and smooth count, so id love to hear any suggestions or info on how others operate!

All the best!!

[michael21]

Two answers now, and after the release of the new inventory modules.

For now, we extract either the inventory or the entire pricebook in ST Code sequence, and then, from the generated spreadsheet, create a count sheet.  The count sheet includes the ST Code, name, and description, but does not include the system's current count as this would reduce the accuracy of the actual count.  When the count is to be performed, a new inventory spreadsheet is extracted for each location to be counted.  This new spreadsheet serves the function of "freezing" the computer's inventory as of the start of the count.  A different set of sheets is created for every inventory location.  People are given the sheets and perform the count, entering their count on the count sheet.  When all counts are entered, the counts are entered on a second copy of the count sheet, (making entry simple as you only need to enter the count).  When the counts are all entered, we update the "frozen" counts from the inventory spreadsheet created above.  For counted items, we can calculate the difference between what we counted and what the computer says is inventory.  We then compare the "frozen" inventory to the counts to see if any items were counted that are not in the inventory file.  Once we have all of the counts compared to computer inventory, we can extract an adjustment template, populate it with any items that need to be adjusted, and update the adjustment to inventory.  This process requires Excel proficiency, so if you don't have it internally, you will make life simpler if you retain a consultant to help.

The second approach is dependent on ST's release of the new inventory modules.  As announced in pre-release documentation, the new modules will support the use of bar code scanning technology in both mobile and office systems.  Using a mobile system in the warehouse will make the warehouse/truck counts much easier and faster.  While this is pre-release information only, I am assuming that the new modules will include physical inventory assistance.  The release information does indicate that the system will support the use of scanners to receive and charge materials and equipment, so if you use that diligently, your inventory accuracy should improve and the counts should be easier.  This, of course, will require you to have bar coded labels either on your individual products or on you bin locations.  You can generate these yourself, first by extracting price sheet information and using that with Avery Labels to print them.

Hope this helps.

[ededonat]

When actual inventory on a truck is less than was accounted for in ST, what is your response? Is it assumed that there was an error made on the tracking side? Are Techs held responsible for any discrepancies?

[ssiegfri]

thanks for your reply! i have no plan, at least not currently, to use ST for inventory purposes. i am looking for outside, 3rd party solutions to help make counting our warehouse and all vans/trucks easier, which is why i had mentioned some sort of scanning system/software.

hopefully someone else can jump in and let me know how they work their inventory counting!

[davidjon · Accepted solution]

Hello there! We use SORTLY. It is a free app and has QR code scanning so you can create and print a label for every item in your inventory, then your employees just scan and choose add or remove, select the qty and save. You can have multiple trucks, warehouses etc, and each of those can have several folders within them. You can invite and set up each employee with a log in. Everything is timestamped and tracked if everyone is using it. Look up this app if you are unaware of it and see if this helps!