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Viewing Hierarchical Results for Inventory and Usage

You can view detailed inventory and usage information on products, product classes, and product groups for an inventory location. Medical Handheld tracks this relationship using a product hierarchy approach. You can view results for all products in the product hierarchy through explorer type views that let you go down and up various levels in the product hierarchy.

About Product Hierarchies

A product hierarchy is a grouping of products. It is a way to track relationships between products, product groups, or product classes. A product hierarchy is similar to a family tree on which you have root parent product, parents and child products, and leaf-level products. Your company can track many product hierarchies for a certain inventory location.

Your administrator defines this product hierarchy as part of the product administration process. Your administrator also defines which products are being tracked for an inventory location and up to what level of the product hierarchy will be tracked on the handheld.

About Usage Calculations

Sales representatives can use the Medical Handheld to analyze usage behavior on consigned inventory. They can compare Average Usage (Field called 'Use' in the Inventory Detail views) and Historical Average Usage (Field called 'Avg' in the Inventory Detail views). Average Usage is the quantity used over a pre-defined number of days based on the last two cycle counts performed. The Historical Average Usage is the quantity used over a pre-defined number of days based on all cycle counts ever performed for that product. By comparing these two calculations, you will be able to determine whether there are any significant changes to usage behavior for a certain product. You can use this information to identify cross-sell and up-sell opportunities.

For details on how Usage is calculated, please refer to Administering Siebel Medical Handheld for Consignment Inventory Management.

NOTE:  Usage is calculated when Sales Representatives tap 'Count Complete' button as they complete a cycle count. It will only be calculated for products that are counted during that cycle count. Also, Usage numbers will not be calculated during the first time that a cycle count is performed on an inventory location. Usage calculations need a reference cycle count, since it is the first cycle count, the application will not be able to calculate meaningful numbers.

To access hierarchical inventory and usage results

1. Navigate to Inventory.

   The Inventory Locations screen appears.

2. Select the inventory location from the Inventory list.
3. From the Show drop-down list, select Inventory Detail.

   NOTE:  You can also be automatically navigated to the Inventory Details view after completing a cycle count.

4. Tap Roll up.

   NOTE:  Tapping Roll up ensures that inventory and usage is calculated using the latest cycle count results and aggregates these values up through the product hierarchy

5. Tap on the Inventory list, and tap the any product record's hyperlink.

   The Product Hierarchy view appears. The top list applet shows top-level products. The bottom applet lists all child products for product that is selected on the top list applet. The following table lists the information which is available for the top and bottom lists applets.

   Field	Comments
   Product	Name of the product.
   Part #	Product part number.
   Min	Contracted minimum level of inventory required for that product in the inventory location. This is the minimum inventory that this customer agreed in return for pricing benefits.
   Level	Flag to identify whether this product is consigned to the inventory location.
   Qty	Current level of inventory.
   Delta	Calculated. Difference between Min and Qty. If negative, this is the amount less then the minimum level required.
   Use	Calculated. Average Usage. Average Usage is the average quantity used within a pre-defined number of days based on last two cycle counts. Please refer to About Usage Calculations for details.
   Avg	Calculated. Historical Average Usage. Historical Average Usage is the average quantity used within a pre-defined number of days based on all cycle counts performed for that product.

6. Select a different product in the top list applet to show it's child product information in a subordinate list.
7. Navigate down the product hierarchy to show next level parent and child product information. See To navigate product hierarchy for more information.

To navigate product hierarchy

1. In the Product Hierarchy view, tap Down.

   Both lists refresh to show second-level parent and child products.

2. Continue to tap Down to navigate down the product hierarchy until you reach leaf-level products, or do the following:
   • Tap Up to navigate up the product hierarchy.
   • Tap the Back button to go back to the Inventory Detail view.