Working with Automated Inventory Transactions (WAIT)
Automated inventory transactions allow you to process inventory transactions across companies. This is useful if you use Inventory Sharing (A69) and you wish to move inventory from the sharing company (which uses inventory located in another company) to the shared company (where you actually maintain the inventory). However, you can still process automated inventory transactions without using inventory sharing.
In this chapter:
• Types of Automated Inventory Transactions
• Automated Inventory Transaction Processing
• Automated Adjustment Transactions
• Automated Transfer Transactions
• Automated Return To Vendor Transactions
• Automated Inventory Transactions Screen
• Automated Transaction Errors
Types of Automated Inventory Transactions
You can process the following types of inventory transactions using automated inventory transaction processing.
• A (adjustment): The system decreases the available inventory in a specified From company, warehouse, and optionally, location. Optionally, the system places the inventory in its primary primary location in a specified To company and warehouse. See Automated Adjustment Transactions for processing information.
• T (transfer): The system decreases the available inventory in a specified From company, warehouse, and optionally, location and places the inventory in its primary primary location in a specified To company and warehouse; see Automated Transfer Transactions for processing information.
• V (return to vendor): The system decreases the available inventory in a specified From company, warehouse, and optionally, location; see Automated Return To Vendor Transactions for processing information.
• any user defined inventory transaction, as specified through Work with Inventory Transaction Codes (WITC).
When processing an automated inventory transaction, the system decreases the available inventory in the Item Location table for the From company and warehouse, using the following calculation:
• If the item location Pending trans qty is a negative quantity: Item location on hand quantity + Item location pending trans qty - Item location printed quantity = Available inventory.
• If the item location Pending trans qty is 0 or a positive quantity: Item location on hand quantity - Item location printed quantity = Available inventory
Example: The table below indicates the available inventory the system will move from the From company, warehouse and location, based on inventory quantities in the Item Location table.
On hand qty |
Pending trans qty |
Printed qty |
Available inventory |
20 |
-5 |
2 |
13 The system moves 13 units from the item location, leaving the: On hand qty = 7 Pending trans qty = -5 Printed qty = 2 |
20 |
5 |
2 |
18 The system moves 2 units from the item location, leaving the: On hand qty = 2 Pending trans qty = 5 Printed qty = 2 |
20 |
0 |
2 |
18 The system moves 2 units from the item location, leaving the: On hand qty = 2 Pending trans qty = 0 Printed qty = 2 |
20 |
0 |
0 |
20 The system moves 20 units from the item location, leaving the: On hand qty = 0 Pending trans qty = 0 Printed qty = 0 |
What if part of the quantity is reserved? If part of the quantity in the From item/location is currently reserved, the automated transaction will “unreserve” it. In this situation, the system removes any pick slip preparation that has been applied to the order and then reevaluates the order for pick slip preparation; see Preparing Orders for Pick Slip Generation.
Example: The current on-hand quantity of item 999A in the From item/location is 20, of which 11 is currently reserved to open orders. When you process a one-sided adjustment (A) transaction for this item/location, the system will move 20 units of inventory from the item/location. The 11 units that were reserved on open orders are now in a backorder status.
What if the Item Location is frozen? The system does not prevent the automated transaction from processing if the item location is currently frozen because of a location freeze (the Freeze flag for the item location is selected).
In order to process an automated transaction, you must perform the following setup.
• The inventory transaction code must be a valid code in both the From - Company and To - Company. In addition, the Effect on inventory field must contain the same value in both companies.
• The inventory transaction reason code must be a valid code in both the From - Company and To - Company.
• The item/SKU must exist in both the From - Company and To - Company.
• The To - Warehouse must be the item’s primary primary warehouse in the SKU table.
• A location in the To - Warehouse must be the item’s primary primary location in the SKU table.
Correct setup example: An example of how to correctly setup inventory for automated inventory transactions is displayed below.
From company 555 |
To company 554 |
Inventory transaction code A (adjustment) Allowable = Y Reason required = Y Effect on inventory = + |
Inventory transaction code A (adjustment) Allowable = Y Reason required = Y Effect on inventory = + |
Inventory transaction reason 1 (returns) |
Inventory transaction reason 1 (returns) |
Item 999A Primary primary warehouse: 999 Primary primary location: 9990101 Available quantity: 10 |
Item 999A Primary primary warehouse: 123 Primary primary location: 1230101 Available quantity: 0 |
You process the following automated inventory transaction: Transaction code: A Transaction reason: 1 From - company: 555 From warehouse: 999 From location: 9990101 To - company: 554 To warehouse: 123 Results: In this example, the system moves 10 units of item 999A from company 555, warehouse 999, and location 9990101, and places the 10 units in company 554, warehouse 123, location 1230101. |
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Automated Inventory Transaction Processing
Before processing automated inventory transactions, make sure:
• The background Async jobs are active, especially the Evaluate Backorders job (EBO_ASYNC), to ensure that the correct available inventory amount is reflected in the From - Warehouse.
• A Pick Slip Generation job (WSPS) is not active; otherwise, the Active Procedure Warning window opens. You should not submit the automated transaction job until the other job completes because both jobs affect inventory.
Select Accept to process an automated inventory transaction. The system:
1. |
Displays an Error Message window if you did not define a From - Location, indicating ALL available inventory, across locations, in the specified From - Company and From - Warehouse will be decreased in the automated transaction process. Select OK to continue; otherwise, select Cancel to return to the Automated Inventory Transactions Screen where you can enter a From - Location. |
2. |
Displays an Error Message window if you did not define a To - Company and To - Warehouse for an A (adjustment) transaction code, indicating that the system will decrease ALL available inventory from the specified From - Company, From - Warehouse, and optionally, From - Location and will not place the inventory into any other company/warehouse. Select OK to continue; otherwise, select Cancel to return to the Automated Inventory Transactions Screen where you can enter a To - Company and To - Warehouse. |
3. |
For the specified From company, warehouse, and optionally, location, the system determines the Available Inventory of each Item Location record. • If the item location Pending trans qty is a negative quantity: Item location on hand quantity + Item location pending trans qty - Item location printed quantity = Available inventory. • If the item location Pending trans qty is 0 or a positive quantity: Item location on hand quantity - Item location printed quantity = Available inventory |
4. |
If the available quantity for the item location record is greater than 0, the system removes the available quantity from the item location record. |
5. |
If a To - Company and To - Warehouse have been defined, the system: • Verifies that the inventory transaction code is a valid code in the To - Company. • Verifies that the inventory transaction reason code is a valid code in the To - Company. • Verifies that the item/SKU associated with the item location record exists in the To - Company. • Verifies that the To - Warehouse is the item’s primary primary warehouse in the SKU table. • Verifies that a location in the To - Warehouse is the item’s primary primary location in the SKU table. • Updates the inventory in the item/SKU’s primary primary location for the To - Company with the available inventory from the From item location. |
If no errors occurred during processing, the automated transaction job processes the transaction and makes the same updates as when you process a transaction through Working with Inventory Transactions (WITI). For example, it updates:
• inventory levels in the Item Warehouse and Item Location
• Item Transaction History
You can review the transactions processed in the Display Inventory Transaction History (DITH) menu option. Inventory transactions associated with automated inventory transaction processing contain AUTOTRANS in the Identification # field.
Automated transaction errors: If the transaction is in error, the automated transaction job creates a record in the Item Transaction Error table. See Automated Transaction Errors. You can correct the error and reprocess it, or just delete the error record in the Working with Inventory Transaction Errors (WITE) menu option. An inventory transaction error can occur in either the From company or To company; make sure you check for inventory transaction errors in both companies.
• If the inventory transaction error occurs in the From company, the system has not yet moved the inventory from the From item location. You will need to correct the error in order to process the inventory transaction.
• If the inventory transaction error occurs in the To company, the system will have already moved the inventory from the From item location, but will not have placed the inventory in the To item location. You will need to correct the inventory transaction error in order to update the inventory in the To company.
For more information: For automated transaction examples, see:
• Automated Adjustment Transactions
• Automated Transfer Transactions
• Automated Return To Vendor Transactions
Automated Adjustment Transactions
An automated adjustment transaction (transaction code A) decreases the available inventory in a specified From company, warehouse, and optionally, location. Optionally, the system places the inventory in its primary primary location in a specified To company and warehouse.
To process an automated adjustment transaction, make sure you have completed Automated Transaction Setup and then enter a value in the following fields at the Automated Inventory Transactions Screen:
• Transaction code: Enter A (inventory adjustment).
• Transaction reason: A reason code is required if you are using an inventory transaction code with the Reason required field selected: Transaction Reason required.
• From - Company: Enter a code for the company from where the available inventory will be decreased.
• From - Warehouse: Enter a code for the warehouse from where the available inventory will be decreased.
• From - Location: Optionally, enter a code for the location from where the available inventory will be decreased. If you do not define a location, the system decreases available inventory from ALL locations for the From warehouse.
• To - Company: Optionally, enter a code for the company where the inventory will be increased to its primary primary location.
• To - Warehouse: Optionally, enter a code for the warehouse where the inventory will be increased to its primary primary location.
See Automated Inventory Transaction Processing for additional processing information.
Possible adjustment transactions: The table below provides examples of the types of automated adjustment transactions you can perform, based on the values you enter on the Automated Inventory Transactions Screen.
From company |
From whs |
From location |
Results |
||
555 |
999 |
|
|
|
The system decreases the available inventory for all items/SKUs in all locations for warehouse 999 in company 555. |
555 |
999 |
90101 |
|
|
The system decreases the available inventory for all items/SKUs in location 90101 for warehouse 999 in company 555. |
555 |
999 |
|
554 |
123 |
The system decreases the available inventory for all items/SKUs in all locations for warehouse 999 in company 555 and places the inventory in the items/SKU’s primary primary location for warehouse 123 in company 554. |
555 |
999 |
90101 |
554 |
123 |
The system decreases the available inventory for all items/SKUs in location 90101 for warehouse 999 in company 555 and places the inventory in the items/SKU’s primary primary location for warehouse 123 in company 554. |
Automated Transfer Transactions
An automated transfer transaction (transaction code T) decreases the available inventory in a specified From company, warehouse, and optionally, location and places the inventory in its primary primary location in a specified To company and warehouse.
To process an automated transfer transaction, make sure you have completed Automated Transaction Setup and then enter a value in the following fields at the Automated Inventory Transactions Screen:
• Transaction code: Enter T (inventory transfer).
• Transaction reason: A reason code is required if you are using an inventory transaction code with the Reason required field selected: Transaction Reason required.
• From - Company: Enter a code for the company from where the available inventory will be decreased.
• From - Warehouse: Enter a code for the warehouse from where the available inventory will be decreased.
• From - Location: Optionally, enter a code for the location from where the available inventory will be decreased.
• To - Company: Enter a code for the company where the inventory will be increased to its primary primary location.
• To - Warehouse: Enter a code for the warehouse where the inventory will be increased to its primary primary location.
See Automated Inventory Transaction Processing for additional processing information.
Possible transfer transactions: The table below provides examples of the types of automated transfer transactions you can perform, based on the values you enter on the Automated Inventory Transactions Screen.
From whs |
From location |
To company |
To whs |
Results |
|
555 |
999 |
|
554 |
123 |
The system decreases the available inventory for all items/SKUs in all locations for warehouse 999 in company 555 and places the inventory in the items/SKU’s primary primary location for warehouse 123 in company 554. |
555 |
999 |
10101 |
554 |
123 |
The system decreases the available inventory for all items/SKUs in location 10101 for warehouse 999 in company 555 and places the inventory in the items/SKU’s primary primary location for warehouse 123 in company 554. |
Automated Return To Vendor Transactions
An automated return to vendor transaction (transaction code V) decreases the available inventory in a specified From company, warehouse, and optionally, location.
To process an automated return to vendor transaction, make sure you have completed Automated Transaction Setup and then enter a value in the following fields at the Automated Inventory Transactions Screen:
• Transaction code: Enter V (inventory return to vendor).
• Transaction reason: A reason code is required if you are using an inventory transaction code with the Reason required field selected: Transaction Reason required.
• From - Company: Enter a code for the company from where the available inventory will be decreased.
• From - Warehouse: Enter a code for the warehouse from where the available inventory will be decreased.
• From - Location: Optionally, enter a code for the location from where the available inventory will be decreased.
Possible return to vendor transactions: The table below provides examples of the types of automated return to vendor transactions you can perform, based on the values you enter on the Automated Inventory Transactions Screen.
From company |
From whs |
From location |
To company |
To whs |
Results |
555 |
999 |
|
|
|
The system decreases the available inventory for all items/SKUs in all locations for warehouse 999 in company 555. |
555 |
999 |
90101 |
|
|
The system decreases the available inventory for all items/SKUs in location 90101 for warehouse 999 in company 555. |
See Automated Inventory Transaction Processing for additional processing information.
Automated Inventory Transactions Screen
Use this screen to process an automated inventory transaction. You can enter the following types of inventory transactions:
• Automated Adjustment Transactions
• Automated Transfer Transactions
• Automated Return To Vendor Transactions
How to display this screen: Enter WAIT in the Fast path field or select Work with Automated Inventory Transactions from a menu.
Field |
Description |
A code to identify the type of transaction. You can process the following types of inventory transactions across companies: A (adjustment): The system decreases the available inventory in a specified From company, warehouse, and optionally, location. Optionally, the system places the inventory in its primary primary location in a specified To company and warehouse. See Automated Adjustment Transactions for processing information. T (transfer): The system decreases the available inventory in a specified From company, warehouse, and optionally, location and places the inventory in its primary primary location in a specified To company and warehouse; see Automated Transfer Transactions for processing information. V (return to vendor): The system decreases the available inventory in a specified From company, warehouse, and optionally, location; see Automated Return To Vendor Transactions for processing information. Any user defined inventory transaction, as specified through Work with Inventory Transaction Codes (WITC). |
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Note: The inventory transaction code you enter must exist in both the shared company (where you actually maintain the inventory) and the sharing company (that does not contain the actual inventory) and must be set up the same way. Otherwise, you will receive an inventory transaction error (WITE): Invalid Transaction code. An error message indicates if you enter an inventory transaction code other than A, T, V or user defined: Transaction Code invalid. Valid values: A, T, V or user defined. Inventory transaction codes are defined in and validated against the Inventory Transaction Code table. The system defaults the transaction code that was last entered in this field, but you can override it. Alphanumeric, 1 position; required. |
A code that represents a reason to perform an inventory transaction. A reason code is required if you are using an inventory transaction code with the Reason required field selected: Transaction Reason required. Note: The inventory reason you enter must exist in both the shared company (where you actually maintain the inventory) and the sharing company (that does not contain the actual inventory) or you will receive an inventory transaction error (WITE): Invalid Transaction reason. Inventory transaction reasons are defined in and validated against the Transaction Reason Code table. The system defaults the transaction reason that was last entered in this field, but you can override it. Numeric, 2 positions; required based on transaction code. |
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A code for the company where the inventory is taken from. Company codes are defined in and validated against the Company table. Numeric, 3 positions; required. |
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A code for the warehouse in the specified From company where the inventory is taken from. Warehouse codes are defined in and validated against the Warehouse table. Numeric, 3 positions; required. |
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A code for the location in the specified From company and warehouse where the inventory is taken from. If you do not define a From location, the system includes all locations for the warehouse in Automated Inventory Transaction Processing. Location codes are defined in and validated against the Location table. Alphanumeric, 7 positions; optional. |
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A code for the company where the inventory is updated to its primary primary location. The To company must be different than the From company or an error message indicates: To Company and Warehouse cannot be same as From Company and Warehouse. You cannot enter a To company if you enter a V (return to vendor) in the Transaction code field: To Company and Warehouse are not allowed with the Transaction code of "V". You must enter a To company if you enter a T (transfer) in the Transaction code field: To Company and Warehouse are required with the Transaction code of "T". Company codes are defined in and validated against the Company table. Numeric, 3 positions; required if you enter a transfer transaction. |
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A code for the warehouse in the specified To company where the inventory is updated to its primary primary location. The To company must be different than the From company or an error message indicates: To Company and Warehouse cannot be same as From Company and Warehouse. You cannot enter a To warehouse if you enter a V (return to vendor) in the Transaction code field: To Company and Warehouse are not allowed with the Transaction code of "V". You must enter a To warehouse if you enter a T (transfer) in the Transaction code field: To Company and Warehouse are required with the Transaction code of "T". Warehouse codes are defined in and validated against the Warehouse table. Numeric, 3 positions; required if you enter a transfer transaction. |
Screen Option |
Procedure |
Process the automated inventory transaction |
Select Accept. The system submits the automated inventory transaction has for processing. See Automated Inventory Transaction Processing. |
Use the Working with Inventory Transaction Errors (WITE) menu option to review and work with errors that may occur during automated transaction processing. An automated transaction error can occur in either the From company or To company; make sure you check for inventory transaction errors in both companies.
• If the inventory transaction error occurs in the From company, the system has not yet moved the inventory from the From item location. You will need to correct the error in order to process the inventory transaction.
• If the inventory transaction error occurs in the To company, the system will have already moved the inventory from the From company, but will not have placed the inventory in the To company. You will need to correct the inventory transaction error in order to update the inventory in the To company.
You can identify inventory transaction errors that occurred as a result of automated transaction processing by reviewing the Identification # field. This field is set to AUTOTRANS if the transaction went through the automated transaction process.
Possible errors include:
Error Code |
Error Message |
Displays in WITE for the... |
Reason |
D |
Invalid Transaction Code |
The transaction code entered in the Transaction code field does not exist in the To - Company. |
|
E |
Invalid Reason Code |
The transaction reason code entered in the Transaction reason field does not exist in the To - Company. |
|
I |
Invalid Item/SKU |
You perform an adjustment (A) transaction and the item number does not exist in the Item table and/or the SKU code does not exist in the SKU table for the To company. |
|
L |
Invalid To location |
You perform a transfer (T) transaction and the primary primary location for the item/SKU does not exist in the To - Warehouse. |
|
O |
Invalid From location |
You perform an adjustment (A) transaction and the primary primary location for the item/SKU does not exist in the To - Warehouse. |
