Getting Started with CashierPRO Inventory Management

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1 Getting Started with CashierPRO Inventory Management Overview CashierPRO keeps track of a number of attributes of each SKU (Stock Keeping Unit) in the store. Some attributes are required (like SKU# and Description) while others are optional, but very useful. Some of the optional attributes are UPC code for scanning, unit price, unit cost, supplier name, department classification, and taxable status. There are a few attributes that are important for inventory control. On Hand Qty: We need to know at any given time how many of a certain SKU we have in stock. We usually keep track of quantity in terms of simple whole numbers like 13, 6, or 2. We should never have -2 of an item in stock and this should be rectified immediately. We need to tell the computer what the on hand quantity (referred to as QTY) is for each SKU in the store. From that point on, CashierPRO can maintain the number automatically. Each time an item is sold, CashierPRO takes it out of inventory by adjusting the QTY lower. When an item is received from the supplier, the QTY is adjusted higher by the appropriate number. From time to time, an error is made either at the till or during receiving, or an item is stolen. In these cases, we need to periodically check the QTY on hand for each SKU to ensure accuracy. We call this periodic check a Cycle Count. We can use paper lists to do cycle counts, or we can use a mobile device to scan items and correct any on hand quantity errors. Cycle Counts: Cycle counting is a rather simple task, as the computer already knows what should be on hand for each SKU item in the store. All we have to do, is make sure the computer is right, and correct any discrepancies. Retail Locations: Mobile devices are great little machines, but they are limited by how much they can keep in memory at one time. For this reason we need to divide the store into smaller parts called Retail Locations. The easiest way to do this is to map the store into a grid. Label each aisle using a sequential number, and then each four foot section of that aisle a letter. That way we can load the mobile device with all of the items that belong to that section without overloading its memory.

2 Automatic Ordering: CashierPRO can make life a lot easier for the store manager by suggesting an order when stock gets low. The computer system is not smart enough to know how much of each item you would like to keep in stock. We need to specify a minimum stock level, and a maximum stock level. The computer should be able to suggest an order to keep the quantity on hand between the minimum and the maximum values. We call these values the MIN and MAX or Min/Max for short. Supplier: When the stock level (QTY on hand) gets to the minimum value, the computer will generate an order to bring the stock up to the maximum value. The computer needs to know who the order is going to. We do this by specifying a supplier for the SKU. For product coming from your head office warehouse this is already taken care of. For items coming from direct ship suppliers, you need to specify who the supplier is. Using the Mobile Device: Many stores, (if not most), use a mobile device to maintain attributes of a SKU. This is because you can scan a UPC barcode, or a bin label barcode using the mobile device. Once scanned, you can change some of the attributes of the SKU such as QTY on hand, Min/Max and Retail Location. There is a program that we install on your mobile device called CP Mobile. The first step is to change the retail location of the SKU items in the store. We do this one retail location at a time. Using the idea is that we start with a mobile device that is empty. That means there isn t any information in the CP Inventory program on the device. We start by telling the device what location we are scanning items for. We do that on the computer, and then download to the device. The device knows that each item we scan will now belong to the specified retail location in the store. After we have scanned an item, we have the opportunity to change other attributes as well, but for simplicity, we are going to focus on the retail location.

3 Assign Items to a Retail Location: Begin by clicking on the CashierPRO Inventory icon. Then click the Count Inventory Button Here is where we are going to create a count session. Think of a count as a temporary snapshot of inventory information. We can write on the snapshot and fill in details, but nothing will happen to the original. In order to keep things simple, we should have only one snapshot in use at a time. When we are done, we have the computer copy the changed information back into the original inventory.

4 This is the main count screen. The top section is a list of counts in progress. Click the wizard button to start a new count. The following screen will appear. For our purposes we want to select the second option assign Items to a Retail Location. Then click next.

5 For this illustration, we want to Start from Scratch. Click next. Note that this will empty the mobile device of any items that you have previously scanned using CP Inventory. Select a retail location that you want to assign SKU items to. If the retail location does not appear in the list, you can add it by clicking on the Add a Location button. Supply a short name and a descriptive name. We suggest a two or three digit alpha numeric as the short name. Then click OK.

6 Select the location you want to assign items to by clicking on the box to the left of the name of the location. This is the summary screen.

7 Click next. A screen like this will appear. Click Download.

8 Now put your mobile device in the dock and click connect on the main CP Mobile screen on the mobile device. The computer will clear out the mobile device making it ready for you to scan items.

9 Note that we have created a count session, but there are no items in it. We are going to go to the sales floor and assign items. Take your mobile device out of the dock and click the View button. You will see an empty list of items. The list will grow as you scan items. Now you can scan the UPC or bin label of each item you want to assign to this retail location. You can scan either the bin label OR the UPC item of a product, but not both. When you are done scanning all the items (don t worry if you ve forgotten some, you can always add more later) go back to the computer and put the device in the dock again. Click the Wizard button. The computer will ask you if you intend to create a new count, or work with an existing count. Select work with an existing count and click next.

10 Now the computer wants to know what we want to do with the existing count. In this case we want to update the count. Click next

11 Select From the Mobile Device and click next. (Note: it may be called CK3 on your screen).

12 Click Next again.

13 Put your mobile device in the dock and click connect. The items will be uploaded to your computer. Click finish when the upload is done.

14 Make sure the Location at the right is correct. If any of the items are incorrect, feel free to change them now. You may also change other columns like Counted quantity or Min and Max. Click the Wizard button when you are satisfied that everything on screen is correct.

15 Select Work with an Existing Count. Then click Next. The computer will ask you want you want to do with this count. We want to finalize it. That means the computer is going to copy our snapshot back into inventory. Because the snapshot count is always getting older, you will want to finalize it as quickly as possible. Click next.

16 This screen will give us a chance to change our minds. If we chose to update more than just the retail location (ie on hand quantity or min/max) we will want to click on the update fields button. Here we can specify what we want copied back into inventory. If you didn t update the on hand quantity after scanning each item, leave the first check box blank. If you did update the quantity, make sure there is a check mark there, or the values will be ignored. Click OK.

17 Then click on Next. Click Next past this screen.

18 That s it. You have now assigned some items to a retail location. You are ready to count items in a retail location.

19 Counting items in a Retail Location. Start CashierPRO inventory by clicking on the icon on the desktop. Then click the Count Inventory button on the left. For the purposes of learning how to count, make sure there are no counts in the list on the top half of the screen. If there are, it would be a good idea to delete them (unless another staff member created them) by clicking the Delete Count button. When the counts have been deleted click the Wizard button on the Count Screen.

20 The above screen should appear. If you get a screen asking you if you want to start a new count or work with an existing count, select Start a New Count. Highlight Count Product. Then click Next.

21 Select Initial Count: and click next. If you are counting a section a second time, you can select cycle count instead of initial count. Select one Retail Location. Then click Next.

22 Click Next on the summary screen. The following screen will appear.

23 When you see this screen, with your mobile device in the dock open CashierPRO Mobile and click the connect button. When the download is complete you scan each item in the retail location. When you are done scanning items put the mobile device back in the dock.

24 On the Count Screen click the wizard button. Select Work With an Existing Count.

25 Select Update the Count and click Next. (we are instructing the machine to load the contents of the mobile device to the computer). Specify that we are updating from the Mobile Device (may appear as CK3) and click next.

26 Skip the summary screen by clicking next. Click upload and you will see the following screen again.

27 With the mobile device in the dock, click the Connect button from the main screen. We will now see the blue counted column with the numbers copied from the mobile device.

28 Once you have reviewed and corrected any errors, click the wizard button. Select Work With an Existing Count and click next..

29 Select Finalize the count. And click next. Before you finalize the count, you are given a chance to review the columns that we are updating.

30 Click the Update Fields button and make sure that the Quantity on Hand box is checked. Double check that you have the correct boxes checked. If there is no check mark, then that column of information will be ignored. If you do have a check mark then that column will update the corresponding value in your inventory. Quantity on Hand and Retail Location are the most commonly used columns. Click OK.

31 Click Next. Click next again.

32 You will then be prompted for an inventory adjustment reason. Every time we adjust the inventory, we need to specify a reason. Select Initial Count as the reason. If you do not see Initial count as a reason, you can add it by click on Add Reason. (If Initial Count is available select it and click OK and skip the next instruction below.) Click Add. The cursor will appear in the Adjust Code box. Type in IC and then click on the Description field. Enter Initial Count. Then click Save and Close.

33 Answer yes to the question Do you want to apply to all items. Click Finish on the following screen and you are ready to move on to another location. Your count screen should be empty, ready to start a new count session.

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