This chapter provides an overview of mobile par location inventory counts using PeopleSoft Mobile Inventory Management and discusses how to:
Define installation options and user preferences for mobile par location counts.
Perform par location counts using mobile devices.
Perform par location ad hoc counts using mobile devices.
The par location functions in PeopleSoft Inventory enable you to establish stock locations that can be replenished without tracking item on-hand quantities and material movement transactions. The par locations might be stockrooms in a warehouse or on a hospital floor, supply closets, exchange carts, moving carts that contain items, automated point-of-service dispensing machines, or trucks that are equipped with the supplies for handling service calls. You can use mobile devices to conduct periodic inventory counts to determine replenishment needs for each par location.
The following diagram illustrates the par location counting process when using mobile devices and PeopleSoft Mobile Inventory Management:
The process flow for counting the stock in a par location using a mobile device
The sequence of events in the par location count using PeopleSoft Mobile Inventory Management is:
The par locations should be defined in the PeopleSoft Inventory business unit including the items in each par location, the optimal quantity for each item, and how each item should be replenished.
(optional) When you are ready to count one or more par locations, run the Create Par Location File process in PeopleSoft Inventory to generate a counting file and assign a par count ID.
Generating a counting file enables the system to create the count with the parameters that you determined in PeopleSoft Inventory.
Use your mobile devices to count the par locations.
Based on your setup for the par location in PeopleSoft Inventory, you can:
Enter the current item quantity in the par location (count quantity) or enter the quantity needed in the par location (requested quantity).
Count just the items that you choose or those items that are required to be counted.
Accept or adjust an estimated count quantity that can be displayed to save input steps or conduct a blind count by entering each item quantity in a blank field. The default count quantity is calculated by the Calculate Average Usage process in PeopleSoft Inventory.
In PeopleSoft Inventory, run the Create Par Replenishment Requests process to generate orders for items that fall below optimal quantity levels. Based on your par location setup, this process replenishes the par locations using material stock requests, requisitions, or purchase orders.
PeopleSoft Mobile Inventory provides two separate task flows to enter count quantities for par locations as shown in the next example:
PeopleSoft Mobile Inventory Management Par Count task flows
Par count task flows include:
The Par Count task flow that enforces the Count Required check box for each item within the par location. If it is necessary to count all required items in the par location, then use the Par Count task flow. The Count Required check box is defined for each item on the Define Par Location - Line page in PeopleSoft Inventory (Inventory, Replenish Par Locations, Define Par Location, Line). If the Count Required check box is selected, then you must enter a value in the Qty field for this item or an error occurs when you save this page.
The Par Count Ad Hoc task flow that does not use the Count Required check box. It is used only for informational purposes. The Par Count Ad Hoc task flow enables you to count one or more items within a par location without counting all required items in the location.
Both task flows options display the same input screen.
To count par locations using the Par Count page and a mobile device:
On the PeopleSoft Mobile Inventory main menu, select the Par Count task flow or the Par Count Ad Hoc task flow.
On the Par Count page or the Par Count Ad Hoc, verify the Unit field is the correct inventory business unit.
Scan or enter the par location in the Location field.
Click the Fetch button or tab out of the Location field.
Enter the item quantities in the Qty column.
Click the Save button.
The following fields from the PeopleSoft Inventory system can be displayed on the par count pages on the mobile device if you customize your display. The fields are shown with the pages on which they appear in the PeopleSoft system and are provided through the web service.
The par location group defined on the par location (Define Par Location - Header page).
The item's count order and optimal quantity within the par location (Define Par Location - Line page).
The compartment ID where the item is located within the par location (Define Par Location - Line page).
The item's average usage within the par location (Define Par Location - Line Details page).
The count status of the par location count ID (the header level of the Count Par Location Levels page).
The Sufficient Stock, Last User ID, and Last Changed fields of the par location count ID (the line level of the Count Par Location Levels page).
Within PeopleSoft Inventory, you define parameters to determine how PeopleSoft Mobile Inventory Management performs on mobile devices. These parameters include settings and default values defined at an installation level and a user ID level. The following PeopleSoft pages are used to define parameters for the par counts on a mobile device.
This section discusses how to:
Define installation options for par counts.
Define user preferences for par counts.
Page Name |
Definition Name |
Navigation |
Usage |
Setup Component Interfaces |
MIN_CMPINTFC |
Set Up Financials/Supply Chain, Product Related, Inventory Mobile, Setup Component Interfaces |
Define the component interface for the Par Count mobile page and the Par Count Ad Hoc mobile page. |
Setup Mobile Services |
MIN_SERVICES |
Set Up Financials/Supply Chain, Product Related, Inventory Mobile, Setup Mobile Services |
Identify and setup the PeopleSoft Integration Broker services to be used with the Par Count mobile page and the Par Count Ad Hoc mobile page. |
Installation Options – Mobile Inventory |
INSTALLATION_MIN |
Set Up Financials/Supply Chain. Install, Installation Options, Mobile Inventory, and select the Par Count task flow |
At the system level, define options to determine what features are available on the mobile devices and how the mobile page should appear. For the par count pages, use the value of Par Count in the Task Flow field. |
User Preferences – Mobile Inventory |
MIN_USER_TASK_OPT |
Set Up Financials/Supply Chain, Common Definitions, User Preferences, Define User Preferences. Mobile Inventory, and select the Par Count task flow |
For the individual user, define options to determine what features are available on the mobile devices and how the mobile page should appear. This page is optional; the Mobile Inventory Installation page is used when a user ID does not have this page defined or when the Use Installation Values check box is selected. |
Define User Preferences - Overall Preferences |
OPR_DEF_TABLE_FS1 |
Set Up Financials/Supply Chain, Common Definitions, User Preferences, Define User Preferences, Overall Preferences |
Create par locations to be used by the Par Count page in PeopleSoft Mobile Inventory Management. In addition, this page defines the default value for the Default Quantity Option (count quantity or request quantity) in the Options table of the mobile Par Count page. |
Define Par Location - Header |
CART_HEADER_INV |
Inventory, Replenish Par Locations, Define Par Location |
Create par locations to be used by the Par Count page in PeopleSoft Mobile Inventory Management. In addition, this page defines the default value for the Default Quantity Option (count quantity or request quantity) in the Options table of the mobile Par Count page. |
Define Par Location - Line |
CART_REPLEN_OPT |
Inventory, Replenish Par Locations, Define Par Location, Line |
Identify each item located in a par location. Settings for each item that are displayed in the mobile device include unit of measure and the Count Required check box. The Count Required check box is not used in the Par Count Ad Hoc task flow. |
Define Par Location - Line Details |
CART_TEMPLATE_INV |
Inventory, Replenish Par Locations, Define Par Location, Line Details |
Displays the average usage quantity for each item in the par location. This value can be displayed in the Par Count page and the Par Count by Item page. |
Calculate Average Usage |
CART_USAGE_REQ_INV |
Inventory, Replenish Par Locations, Calculate Average Usage |
This process calculates the average usage for items in a par location. The average usage quantity can be displayed on the mobile device by default or by clicking the Use Average button on the Par Count page. |
Access the Installation Options - Mobile Inventory page (Set Up Financials/Supply Chain, Install, Installation Options, Mobile Inventory, and select the Par Count task flow).
The installation options defined on this page apply to the Par Count and Par Count Ad Hoc task flows.
Access the User Preferences - Mobile Inventory page (Set Up Financials/Supply Chain, Common Definitions, User Preferences, Define User Preferences. Mobile Inventory, and select the Par Count task flow).
You use this page to establish individual user preferences for display options on the Par Count and Par Count Ad Hoc mobile pages. The values you define are applied to mobile pages for the specified user and override installation options settings.
Note. You do not have to add a task flow using this page as long as the flow is defined for installation options.
The values on this page are the same as those on the installation options page. Select the Use Installation Values check box to apply the values from the Installation Options – Mobile Inventory page for the Par Count task flow. When you click the check box, the display options on this page are no longer available.
See Also
Defining Mobile Inventory Management Installation Options for Par Counts
This section discusses how to:
Enter Par Count page information and define page options.
Enter item counts for a par location.
Enter a count for a single item.
Use these page to perform par location counts.
Page Name |
Navigation |
Usage |
Par Count |
Mobile Inventory, Par Count |
Enter Par Count page information and define page options. |
Par Count - Item Entry |
|
|
Access the Par Count page (Mobile Inventory, Par Count).
Use your mobile device to count par locations within a PeopleSoft Inventory business unit.
Header |
Click to collapse and expand header details. |
Unit |
Displays the PeopleSoft Inventory business unit where the item stock is located. A default value displays in this field based on your user login ID. This is a required field. |
Location |
Scan or enter the PeopleSoft Inventory par location. This is a required field. |
Fetch |
Click to initiate a search for the business unit and par location combination. The results are displayed below in the Details table. The fetch is also initiated when you tab out of the Location field. |
Lookup icon |
Click the Lookup icon to access the Lookup page where you can search for field values. On the Par Count page, the Lookup icon enables you to search for business units and par locations. |
Count ID |
Displays the par count ID. The system populates the field when you enter a location and click the Fetch button. For more information about the field, see the "Entering Item Counts for a Par Location" section. |
Options |
Click to view display and processing options for par count pages. You can click the Options link at any time to update optional settings, regardless of the transaction you are performing. After updating the options, and clicking the Return button, the system navigates to the page from which you selected the Options link. |
Options
Access the Par Count – Options page (click the Options link on the Par Count page).
Note. Selections that you make on the Options page are immediately applied when you access the Par Count Item Entry or Display All pages. When you navigate away from a Par Count page and return to the page, the system replaces the setting with the option settings defined in the PeopleSoft system-defined settings.
Access the Par Count - Display All page (Mobile Inventory, Par Count).
Use the Par Count – Display All page to count multiple items for a par location count.
Note. You can use the Display All page or Item Entry page to perform par counts. The page that you access depends on whether you select to display a single item or all items in the Detail Display check box for par count options. When you are working with multiple items, the Enter Items link is available. When you are working with a single item, the Display All link is available.
The items are automatically selected for counting when you are creating a new count ID; however, you can select to not include the item in the count. After entering a count location and clicking the Fetch button, you can begin the count transaction.
Access the Par Count - Item Entry page (click the Enter Items link on the Par Count page)
You use the Par Count - Item Entry page to add individual items and counts to a par location count. The page enables you to scan or enter the par location count data using one item at a time. This method is useful when you have a large number of items within the par location and the Par Count page would require you to scroll through many items to find the one you are currently counting.
Also the page enables you to scan the item ID, enter the item quantity, click the Count button, and then move on to the next item. This method requires no searching through lists of items within the par location. Fields and links on this page are similar to those on the Par Count - Display All page.
To count par locations using the Par Count - Item Entry page:
On the Par Count page, verify the Unit field is the correct inventory business unit.
Scan or enter the par location in the Location field.
Click the Fetch button.
Scan or enter the item ID.
Enter or review the quantity for this item within the par location.
Click the Count button.
Scan or enter the next item and repeat the above steps until all items are counted.
When all items have been entered, click the Save button.
Display All |
Click the Display All link to return to the Par Count page where you can view and maintain count information for multiple items within the par location. |
Item |
Scan or enter the PeopleSoft Inventory item ID to be counted. You can use the Lookup icon to locate items that are available in the count ID for this location. After you enter the item, the system displays the item description, count information, and the Count button. |
Qty (quantity) |
Enter or review the quantity for this item within the par location. Based on your entry in the Quantity Option field on the Par Count page, the Qty field displays the current item quantity in the par location (count quantity) or the quantity needed in the par location to meet the optimal quantity for this item (requested quantity). If the count quantity is used, then this field can be populated with the average par location count calculated by the Calculate Average Usage process in PeopleSoft Inventory. This saves input time by reducing the number of items that require an entry on the mobile device. |
Count |
Click to complete the entry of an item count. The item information is moved to the Prior Entry table and the Item Information table is available to enter another item's quantity. The system automatically activates the Count button. After you enter the count and tab out of the field, the system automatically performs the count. You do not have to click the button. |
Save |
Click the Save button to save your entries on this page. If there is not a count ID, then saving this page creates a new ID. When you click the Save button, the system saves the count ID in the PeopleSoft Inventory system. |
Prior Entry |
Displays the last item that was counted. As you count more items, the system updates this section with the last counted item. You can define whether the Prior Entry table appears using the Options link and deselecting the Display Last Updated Caption check box. |
This section discusses how to perform par location ad hoc counts.
Note. The transactions, fields, and values on the par count ad hoc count pages are similar to the ones for par count pages.
You use the Par Count Ad Hoc pages the same as the Par Count pages to perform par location count transactions. The Par Count Ad Hoc menu option does not adhere to the rule provided by the Count Required check box for the Par Count page. This enables you to count a single item in a location even though multiple items might be required. Ad hoc counts also make it possible for an administrator to force one user to count certain items while another user may not be required to do so.
See Also
Performing Par Location Counts Using Mobile Devices