Operations Menu

Operations contains the operating parts of your system where you will process goods receipts and the despatch of stock. It also contains stock management functions to enable you to manage stock you have in store.

Receipts

The receipts option is where you enter the information about stock you are receiving into your store or warehouse. Once you have recorded the details you can perform a putaway i.e. move the stock from a Goods In area (marshalling zone) to a permanent storage location (storage zone).

Orders

The Orders option is where you record the details of customers or other orders (i.e. internal transfers of stock to other depots) in order to commence the process of despatching your stock.

Movements

Movements is a specific function to confirm all movements of stock within the system, whether this is for received stock (a putaway) ordered stock (a pick) or the internal movement of stock (a transfer).

Transfers

A transfer is an operation you perform when you want to move stock from one location within your warehouse to another.

Adjustments

An adjustment is an operation you perform when you need to change the quantity of stock you store for any reason other than receiving or despatching it. It also allows other operations including changing the stock status and creating new stock.

Stocktakes

A stock take is an organised count of some or all of the stock you store to verify the physical quantity held, and compare with the system’s own figures. This is something you may do occasionally, or be required to do (e.g. for audit purposes) on a more regular basis.

Despatch

Despatch is the final step in the order process. It confirms that stock has left your store and allows you to generate despatch paperwork.

Reports

The reports function provides information about all the stock you currently hold. It tells you where it’s stored and any other relevant information you have recorded about it. It also allows you to track all stock movements from the point of receipt to despatch, including all order and despatch details.

Charging

The charging option stores the details of all charges that have been calculated based on any third party charging data set up against an owner, or an owner’s individual product. The calculated charges can be viewed for the charge period you have selected. A PDF invoice print and CSV download option are available, and integration between ProSKU and an external accounts system can be provided.

 

More About ProSKU Functions

About Putaway

The system is designed to allow flexibility in the way it handles putaway of product to locations. Both manual, i.e. user selected putaway and a system-automated putaway process are available.

Manual putaway is done at the point of booking in your receipt. This is because you have either:

  • Already physically located the goods and are recording this after the event, or;
  • You have yet to put the goods away but wish to select the locations manually as you record the receipt.

Automatic Putaway works according to definable rules to determine where the product will be put away, as follows:

In its simplest form you can select a single Zone containing one or many locations into which your goods will be automatically placed. The system will look for space within this zone in a numeric sequence i.e. from the lowest number to the highest.

At a more advanced level you can select a Location Group consisting of several zones or locations into which your goods will be automatically placed. You can choose individual blocks from a zone, individual locations, or select locations by level or column to add to your group. The system will look for space within this zone in a numeric sequence i.e. from the lowest number to the highest.

The third option is to create a Location Rule. This is a sequenced set of locations which can include either zones or location groups, and creates a preferred sequence for product putaway. Once you have selected the zones or location groups for your rule you can apply a sequence to them that the system will use to find space to place your goods into.

With all of the automatic options above the facility to ensure priority putaway to a pick face is allowed.

 

About Picking

The system has the option to use advanced picking rules to determine how the system selects stock to be picked. The reason for using picking rules is to optimise stock handling and space utilisation or if possible, both. It does this by determining the location and configuration (i.e. full pallets/locations, part pallets/quantities) to pick from according to the way the rules are set.

However the picking rules will only apply to products which have a designated pick face. This is due to the added complexity of the options when a pick face is in use.

For products without pick faces there is a system setting which enables you to choose between two options:

  • To optimise handling
  • To optimise space utilisation

If you choose to ‘optimise handling’ the system will optimise picking to incur the minimum number of tasks. However this is likely to increase the number of residual quantities of stock in store. These could be either part pallets taking up a pallet space, or small quantities of loose items left in locations.

If you choose to ‘optimise space utilisation’ the system will ensure that residual stock quantities are used first as part of the picking process, but this is likely to increase the number of individual tasks.

About Replenishment

If you are using pick faces the system will operate a process of automatic replenishment. This means the system will identify when stock is required in a pick face in order for a pick to be completed. It will then generate a ‘replenishment movement’ in which stock is transferred from another location into the pick face so the pick can be completed.

Using Check Digits

A check digit is a unique reference based on the location identity which is used to confirm to the system that an operative is at or picking from the correct location. The check digit will normally be a printed label on the location, either man-readable or bar-coded. This can be used in the confirmation process or [depending on available functionality] scanned during movements to and from the location.

Check digits can be switched on or off at depot level, and used for putaway and pick confirmation, transfers and replenishments from and to locations, and stock checking.

 

Using Serial Numbers

The system has the facility for you to record serial numbers for products at both receipt and picking (for despatch), or at despatch only. Serial numbers can only be recorded for either loose item products, or for secondary units of measure held on an individual putaway unit.

 

CSV Data Import

The system has the facility to import and export certain data using CSV format files. This could be data provided from external systems or shared internally between depots.

Orders and pre-receipts (ASN’s) can be imported, while Suppliers, Hauliers, Delivery addresses and products can also be exported.

Using Bar-code Scanning In ProSKU

As a general rule you can enter data into the ProSKU system with a scanning device wherever there is an input box to enter a code. Scanning, typically via a wired (keyboard wedge) or Bluetooth scanner is simply an alternative to using a keyboard. This includes instances where codes are entered at product set-up, receipts, orders, adjustments and transfers.

Scanning is used as an essential part of the scan at pack function (one of the options within despatch) and a scanning function using the movement list (see below) can also be used to perform a rapid despatch confirmation for other types of despatch.

Scanning is also available as part of the putaway and picking processes. In the case of putaway this enables location check digits to be scanned as part of the putaway confirmation.

For the picking process different scanning options are available depending on system set up and the data you need to capture at the point of pick. There are three scanning options you can use:

  • Scanning a check digit or location bar-code to confirm the correct picking location
  • Scanning a product bar-code to confirm that the product being picked is correct
  • Scanning a serial number to confirm despatch of serial numbered stock

More information about these functions can be found in the Orders section of the User Guide.

Bar-code Logon Function

ProSKU allows the creation of a unique bar-code ID for each system user, which allows an individual user to access the system by scanning, rather the conventional user and password logon. This can be done by using the ‘Create Bar-code’ option in User set up. Bar-codes can be created and deleted as required.

 

About Custom Fields

Custom fields are a means to create additional fields on a data record in order to increase the ways of identifying that record. Custom fields can be set up for the static data records of owners, products suppliers and delivery addresses. They can also be set up for receipt and order records.

To create a custom field click the ‘Custom Fields’ button at the top right of the screen. Any existing custom fields will be displayed. If there are no current Custom Fields setup ‘No Custom Fields Defined’ will be displayed. To create a new custom field click “Add Custom Field”.

The system will display a form containing three input fields:

  • Field Type: this is a mandatory field (see below for details)
  • Name: this is a mandatory field for the description of your custom field
  • Default Value: this is an optional field for you to add a default input against your custom field

For ‘Field type’ there is a drop down list with five options. Several data type options are available to choose from, the option you use depends on the desired use, as follows:

Text

This means you can enter up to 255 characters of data against the custom field. So, typically you might have a custom field for owner called ‘Business Type’. Against this you could enter a 250 character (if needed) description of the business type.

Number

This means you can enter any whole number against the custom field. For example you could have a custom field for owner called ‘Maximum spend value’ against which you could enter an integer e.g. 5000.

Y/N

This means you can enter a ‘binary’ type answer against the custom field. Most typically this would be a Y/N question. For example you might have a custom field for owner called ‘Permanent customer?’ to which the answer could be Yes or No.

Decimal

This is similar to ‘Number’ above except the answer allows input of a decimal, rather than an integer. For example you might have a custom field for owner called ‘Maximum package despatch weight – Kilos’ which might require a decimal number as an answer.

Date & Time

This means you can enter a date and time against your custom field. For example you might have a Custom field for owner called ‘Next rate review date’ to which the answer would be a date/time input.

Once you have completed the field type, name and default value (if required) fields, click “Create Custom Field”.

The new custom field will be displayed. A delete button is available if the custom field is no longer required