Setting Product User Control Parameters

Use the Product User Control Parameters dialog box to enter specialized product-level inventory parameters, to:

• Estimate product demand for a new branch

  When you have a new branch that has no product history, use the Min, Max, Exp Date, and Calc Dmnd fields to define minimum and maximum stocking levels for the products until there is sufficient product history for the demand calculation to take over.

  You can estimate the minimum and maximum stocking levels for a new product until the product accrues enough demand history for the system to begin forecasting. As the system monitors a product's demand, you can set an expiration date after which the system will stop using estimated minimum and maximum levels for suggested purchasing, and begin forecasting demand for regular product order points and line points.

• Add service stock to the demand

  Use the Service Stock and Serv Stock Exp Date fields to add service stock, to the product's order point and line point calculations. This adjustment, also known as manual safety stock, is a quantity of stock above your normal stocking level that you have committed to keep on the shelf at a branch for a set period.

  For example, assume the following it true:

  • You run a promotion on an item, guaranteeing that you will have it in stock.

  • A contractor requests that you keep an item in stock in case he or she needs one in an emergency.

  • Your branch utilizes items for its own maintenance and you do not want your use of the items to count towards the item's demand.

  When you assign service stock, the system assigns the additional quantities to the order point and line point calculations. When you reach the expiration date of the service stock the system removes the additional quantities from the order point and line point calculations.

  You can set service stock for a branch or for a customer at a branch using the Product User Control Parameters dialog box.

  Use the Customer Service Stock menu option to add customer service stock to the product's normal demand. Customer service stock is a quantity of stock above your normal stocking level that you have committed to keep on the shelf for a set period, as a courtesy to a customer. After entering customer service stock information for a product, the total requirements display in the CusServ Stock field. The system adds the additional stock requirements to the product's order point and line point calculations.

The following procedure is a manual process for a single product. Use the Mass Load program to enter inventory parameters to groups of products.

To set User Control Parameters for a product:

1. From the Maintenance menu, select Product to display the Product Maintenance window.

2. Display a product record.

3. From the Inventory menu, select Primary Inventory Maintenance to display the Primary Inventory Maintenance dialog box.

4. From the Edit menu, select User Controls to display the Product User Control Parameters window.

5. Do one of the following:

6. From the File menu, select Hierarchy to display the Product User Control Parameters dialog box. In the Enter hierarchy branch field, enter the branch or territory ID.

7. From the File menu, select Add Branch. In the Enter Branch field, enter the branch or territory ID you want to view.

6. Click OK to display user control parameters for the selected branch in the Product User Control Parameters dialog box.

7. For each branch or territory, complete the User Control Parameter columns, as needed.

   Field	View	Description
   Min (ea)	All	The estimated minimum quantity to stock: Purchasing branches use this quantity in place of a calculated order point until the expiration date. When the Respect Item Min/Max For Suggested Transfers control maintenance record is set to Y, child branches use this quantity in place of a calculated transfer point until the expiration date. Enter 0 (zero) if the branch does not stock the item, or enter the actual quantity that should ever be stored at the child branch when using this field with the Calculate Demand field.
   		If a product has a min setting but no max setting, the order point and the line point quantity are equal to the value in the Min field unless the system calculated line point quantity is greater than the minimum. In this case, the system uses the calculated line point quantity. Any child branches inherit the minimum only setting.
   		Note: If you use vendor managed inventory and generate EDI 852s, the MIN only should only report if it is greater than the OP. If it is greater than the order point, it should net to the Available and report the difference between the MIN and the available as the quantity reserved (QD). If the order point is 10 and MIN only is 15 and available is 5, then report 10 as quantity reserved (QD). If the order point is 10 and MIN only is 15 and available is 20, then report nothing, as the product has enough available to cover the MIN only.
   Max (ea)	All	The estimated maximum quantity to stock: Purchasing branches use this quantity in place of a calculated order point until the expiration date. When the Respect Item Min/Max For Suggested Transfers control maintenance record is set to Y, child branches use this quantity in place of a calculated transfer point until the expiration date. Enter 0 (zero) if the branch does not stock the item, or enter the actual quantity that should be stored at the child branch when using this field with the Calculate Demand field.
   		If a product has a min setting but no max setting, the order point and the line point quantity are equal to the value in the Min field unless the system calculated line point quantity is greater than the min. In this case, the system uses the calculated line point quantity. Any child branches inherit the minimum only setting.
   Expiration Date	All	The date after which the values in the Min and Max fields are no longer valid. We recommend that you use an expiration date six months from the current date.
   Calculate Demand	All	To calculate demand from dependent selling branches for use at purchasing branches, select the check box in the selling branch rows; otherwise, leave it empty. If you use a minimum-only order point for your newer products, ensure that the Calculate Demand field is deselected.
   Service Stock	Service Stock	The quantity of the product to reserve as service stock.
   Service Stock Expiration Date	Service Stock	The date the system stops adding the service stock quantity to the product's order point and line points.
   Customer Service Stock	Service Stock	The system populates this field with the total quantity of service stock reserved for selected customers. The total quantity only includes those quantities within their respective effective date and expiration date. The effective and expiration dates are for reporting purposes only and do not affect automated purchasing or automated transfers. For more information, see Customer Service Stock Report. When a branch or territory appears on the User Inventory Control window without a value in the CusServ Stock field, this indicates that a customer contract stock quantity is set. For more information, see Viewing Customer/Vendor Specific Part Number Details. This field is view-only.
   Product Lifecycle	Service Stock	Select the product lifecycle to classify the product you are adding. For information about product lifecycles, see Creating Product Lifecycles in Product Maintenance.
   Vendor Return Allowed	Product Returns	Select one of the following: Always - Allow returns regardless of return type. RGA - Allow returns only if customer has Return Goods Authorization number provided by the vendor. Users must be assigned the SOE.RGA.REQUIRED authorization key to return any products without an RGA number, but flagged with this setting. Never - Disallows all returns from this vendor. This setting can be used for items like remnants that you cannot take back into inventory. Products flagged as non-returnable are not included in the Suggested PO Return Queue. Users must be assigned the SOE.NONRETURN.PROCESS authorization key to return any products with this setting.
   Customer Return Allowed	Product Returns	Select one of the following: Always - Allow returns regardless of return type. Defective - Allow returns only if product is broken or otherwise defective. Never - Disallows all returns from this customer. Users must be assigned the SOE.ALLOW.NONRETURN authorization key to return any products with this setting.
   Economic Amount	Product Returns	Enter the amount below which the system recommends not returning items to inventory. If the value of the item being returned falls short or below this amount, the system recommends the item not be returned to inventory because the processing costs outweigh the actual value of the item. For more information, see Determining the Economic Return Amount in the Purchasing documentation.
   Auto Generate Return?	Product Returns	Indicate if you want to allow the system to automatically generate a return.
   Auto Return Ship Via	Product Returns	Select the ship via that the system should use when automatically creating a return for products.
   Auto Return Status	Product Returns	Select the order status that the system should use when automatically creating a return for products.
   Auto Return Days for Ship Date	Product Returns	Select the number of days allowed for the customer to return the selected product.

8. Save the information and exit the dialog box.

Changes take effect when you exit Product Maintenance.

More Options for the Product User Control Parameters Dialog Box

The Product User Control Parameters dialog box also offers these options:

See Also:

Adding Customer Service Stock

Order Points and Line Points Overview

Viewing Product Availability and Inventory Information