Frequently Asked Question

What are the system Purchasing Parameters?
Last Updated 3 months ago

parameters maintenance

Screen 1: Systems Default

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1. last used p.o. #
2. highest used line #
3. first deleted line #
4. last work order #
5. next receipt p.o. # 

These fields are set up at the time of installation and are not accessible by the user.

6. standard weight unit
7. prefix on p.o.

These fields are used for printing purposes only.

8. fax number

Enter in the company fax number as a 10 digit number. No formatting is required, a number entered as 6044302861 will be printed as 604-430-2861.

9. gst number
10. sst number

Enter the company’s GST and PST registration numbers. These fields should not be altered after installation unless absolutely necessary.

11. internal supplier

If involved in manufacturing, enter the internal supplier/vendor number (your own company). This field is used when creating work orders from suggested orders rather than purchase orders to outside vendors.

12. currency code
14. source price level

This is normally set to 6. Your AMS representative will have discussed this during installation and this field should not be changed subsequent to that.

15. update last cost?

Should the price level 6 be updated with the last cost. This is normally set to [N], since price level 6 is usually updated with price changes from jobber and the multipliers set up in inventory control à pricing maintenance.

16. reprint after update?

A response of [Y] will reprint the outstanding items on a PO forms after receiving is complete and the update is done.

17. common average cost?

In a multiple branch situation, is the average cost to be used across all branches.

18. final text

This is a default comment that will print at the bottom of the last page of the purchase order.

19. update history?

This flag must be set to [y] before the purchase history option is made available.

20. history enquiry seq

Select with by d]ate or I]nvoice number. The invoice number must be unique for each receiving, as the invoice number is the key and the quantity received will be lumped into one entry if the same invoice number is used for multiple receivings. If no invoice number, enter a packing slip number, or use a combination of the purchase order number and the vendor number.

21. default disposition

This flag determines what happens with outstanding items after the order has been received, c]ancel the backorder or K]eep the backorder. If [c], then as the receiving is updated, the purchase order is deleted and the quantity on order set to 0 on the product master record in inventory control à file maintenance. If [k], then the purchase order will remain on file until all of the products listed have been fully received, or until the purchase order is manually deleted.

22. history by supplier

This is a second history file, by supplier number

23. price on p.o.

If this flag is set to [Y], then the unit and core prices will print on the purchase order, as well as the extension for each line. If this flag is set to [n], then the space where those fields would normally print will be blank.

24. show branch info?

If this is set to [Y] the PO will not consolidate lines where the product is the same, but will show the same product on separate lines for each branch the item is being ordered for. The branch number will print at the end of each line separated by brackets [].

25. print only new POs?

Can be altered at the time of printing the purchase orders. If a PO has already been printed, then during the batch printing, it will not be selected for printing even if the range of purchase order numbers contains that particular PO.

26. print remarks?

Should the remarks be printed on the PO.

27. print purch qty?

A response of [Y] will print the purch qty from the item record on the PO, while a response of [N] will print the actual ordered quantity. The system always attempts to buy in multiples of the purch quantity.

If the purch qty is 10, when ordering 3 with this flag set to [Y], then the printed PO will say 3 boxes or cases or whatever the type field is on the item record. If this field is [N] then the printed PO will say 30 and assumes each. Regardless of what is printed, the receiving will need a quantity of 30 in order to be correct.

28. print prices?

Should prices be printed on the PO or not.

29. use source or cost

Normally set to [S], this can assist with foreign currencies.

30. show -ve totals?

Print the cumulative category totals on the PO.

31. show category?

Print the category on the PO.

32. print unit totals?

Print a total number of units on the PO.

33. separate W/O per sku?

Used in manufacturing situations, when the WO is created (as opposed to the PO to an outside vendor), should there be one WO per item.

34. Sort P/O Lines? (A/N)

This defines the sort sequence of a po, A will sort by parts alphabetically and N will sort by parts numerically

35. Alternate Suppliers?

If this is set to a Y, the alternate suppliers feature is enabled

36. Update from Receipts Input?

If set to a Y, you will be able to trigger a PO update directly from the PO receipts input screen instead of having to run the update separately via the menu

37. New Product Default Lock

This is the default value that will be placed in the Product Master field  30 on creation of a new part.

38. Required Date

This is used when creating a Purchase Order

  • T - Time
  • L - Lead Time: Suppliers Lead time is added to current date to determine PO required date


Screen 2: System Configuration

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1. Double space S/O
2. sort sequence S/O
3. new page on cat S/O

Controls the printing of the suggested order

4. show surplus on S/O

In a multi-branch situation, if one branch has more on hand than the minimum, the SO will advise then you can order (stock transfer) from branch to branch

5. double space RC Jnl

Controls the printing of the report.

6. calc. S/O by branch

For use in multiple branch situations to determine if this branch will buy for individual branches or only the home branch.

7. Cross Dock PO?

This will allow the ability to cross-dock purchase orders. This is a process where an order for multiple branches is placed in one branch. Then, on receipt of product, stock transfers are created to move product to the branches.

8. Vary Split?

9. prod link/alpha seq

How to display the products, either alphabetically, or linked according to the category record.

10. distribution centre
11. d.c. safety stock

For use in multiple branch situations to indicate which is the head office or warehouse distribution centre.

12. Allow Below DC Minimum?

13. Allow Beow DC Req'd Qty?

14. Branch Replenishment From

17. clearing a/c number
18. exch account number

These accounts are used to record the value of good received from a purchase order. The clearing account is normally a balance sheet liability account. It could also be called the un-invoiced receivings account as this account’s value on the balance sheet will act as an accrual for those products which have been placed on the shelf (or in the warehouse), but have not yet been billed by the vendor/supplier. The exchange account is used if the goods are purchased in a foreign currency.

21. order destination
22. default source br.

Both of these set up by AMS personnel and should not be altered without consultation.

23. Write CSV File?

If set to a 'Y', a .csv copy of a PO will be created in the /usr2/motd/html/po1 directory for any PO that is printed.

24Main Buying Group
25.Alternate Buying Group

These codes are set by AMS and help determine which vendor codes are shown in category maintenance, as well as within the warehouse lookup function in the invoicing screen

27. Return Email Address for

This email address (along with the system defined '@domain.com') will be used as the 'reply-to' address on any emailed Purchase Orders

28. Include Committed in Available

This will set the system to include any committed quantities in the available amount when creating a suggested order

30. Suggested Order Months
32. No. of Months with Sales
34. Months Weighting

These are used in the suggester order calculations:

Suggested Order Months and Months Weighting - If these parameters are not set the default 12 is used. This is the maximum number of months of sales activity that will be used in the suggested order calculation. If the part is less that this number of months old the sales from the first received date are used.

Products that do not have sales activity in more than the No. of Month with Sales value will have the sales for that location excluded from the suggested order calculation

35. Minimum Transfer Value

The minimum value to be used when determining whether to transfer branch surplus

36. Landed Report Low
37. Landed Report High

Used in Purchase Order Receiving. Items received with cost value either below low percentage or above high percentage are reported in PO Receipts Stocking report.

38. Show Bin Loc on PO

If set to 'Y', the bin location will print on the PO

39. Print PO in Bin Loc Seq

If set to 'Y', the PO will print in bin location sequence

40. EOQ/ROP Rounding

Used in nightly suggested order/ purchase detail creation in determining AVAILABLE quantity.

  • U - Leadtime quantity is rounded
  • N - Leadtime quantity is NOT rounded

42. Br Sugg Order from DC

This is used in Purchase order / suggested order creation

  • Supplier setting overrides it
  • N - purchase order not created by branch
  • Y - suggested order created by branch (unless split has been set and it's the branch is the distribution centre)

43. Corporate or DC ROP

Nightly process to create suggested orders

  • C - Corporate
    • For non split / direct branch(s) purchase quantity calculation
    • Purchase order quantities based on corporate values
    • Use items corporate ROP to determine requirement
    • Use corporate EOQ as order quantity
  • D - Not Corporate
    • Maximum value used as base for order quantity
    • EOQ value product maintenance field 28

44. Booking Update on Order

45. Special Update on Order

These are global parameters for a branch to control the display of On Order quantities for all Suppliers.

The options are:

  • Y – Always update the part on order quantities
  • N – Never update the part on order quantities
  • D – Only update the part on order quantities when the PO required date is within the suppliers lead time in days.
    • A nightly update is run to check the Booking and Special purchase orders, if the D setting is used and the conditions are met the on order for the part will be updated

Screen 3: S/O Defaults and Smoothing

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** All Suggester Order default settings also have an accompanying setting to allow that default to be modified or not. A 'Y' in the allowed to change field will allow that value to be modified. An N will force that value to be used.

1: Include Special Orders?

Option to include (Y), exclude (N), or only (O) include Special Orders entered through the Point of Sale system which have not already been ordered.

3: All Branch Special Orders?

If Include Special Orders is Y or O then the Special Orders for all locations can be included (Y) or only the locations selected in Branches to Buy (N).

5: Include Backorders?

Option to include (Y), exclude (N), or only (O) include Customer Backorders entered through the Point of Sale system which cannot presently be filled by quantities on hand or on order by the locations selected in Branches to Buy.

7: All Branch Backorders?

If Include Backorders is Y or O then the Backorders for all locations can be included (Y) or only the locations selected in Branches to Buy (N).

9: Include Lost Sales History?

Lost Sales recorded through the Point of Sale system are to be included as demand in the suggested order calculation (Y) or not (N).

11: Include Non-Stocked Items?

Sales of Non-Stocked parts from the Point of Sale system are to be included in the suggested order calculation (Y) or not (N).

13: Ignore Negative Available?

If the part presently has a negative on hand the suggested order calculation should view this as Zero on hand (Y) or buy the negative quantity to bring the part back to zero on hand (N).

15: Exclude Current On-Order?

To include the present on-order quantity as part of the available inventory (N) or to ignore the present on-order quantity (Y). This option is typically used when there is an outstanding purchase order which has a long delivery time and inventory needs to be replenished prior to its arrival.

17: Use Maximum?

Have the suggested order calculation buy to the Maximum if it is set (Y) or to ignore the maximum and buy based on sales movement (N).

19: Use Minimum?

Have the suggested order calculation buy to the Minimum if it is set (Y) or to ignore the minimum and buy based on sales movement (N).

21: Branch Surplus:

  • Parameter by location for a minimum transfer threshold value.
    • An individual parts surplus value [(On Hand – Required Quantity) * Cost ] in the branch would have to exceed this amount to be considered for transfer back to the DC.
  • This option will accept one of 5 indicators:
    • T = Transfer branch surplus quantities back to the DC where the value exceeds the minimum transfer value parameter and order any additional products required.
    • O = Only include items where the branch surplus is in excess of the minimum transfer value to allow transfers to be created back to the DC. No items would be included for ordering.
    • I = Ignore All surplus available quantities in all locations EXCEPT the main branch where the order is being run. This would only apply if the order is being run for multiple locations.
    • V = Ignore surplus available quantities up to the minimum transfer value parameter in all locations EXCEPT the main branch where the order is being run. This would only apply if the order is being run for multiple locations.
    • A = Include any branch surplus in the available quantity (As the calculation worked in previous versions of COUNTERPOINT).

23: Include (N)o Reorder Products?

Inventory parts numbers with reorder allowed set to an “N” are not to be included in the suggested order calculation (N) or they are to be included in the calculation (Y).

25: Cross Dock Purchase Orders

Treat this Suggested Order as a cross dock order, where parts will be brought into a primary branch and stock transferred out on receipt

27: Freight G/L Account

The GL account to which freight charges will be posted

30: Brokerage G/L Account

The GL account to which brokerage charges will be posted

33: Other G/L Account

The GL account to which 'other' charges will be posted

36: Duty G/L Account

The GL account to which duty charges will be posted

39: A/P Invoice Cost Variance

The GL account to which all A/P cost matching variances will be posted

40: Use Smoothing

This determines whether the system will use smoothing parameters when creating a suggested order

41: Internal Review

Used in Reorder re-order points - vendor and DC

Internal value added to lead time

42-62: Smoothing Parameters

This smoothing can be done using up to 8 different average monthly sales values assigning different percentages to each value. The smoothing calculation uses the number of month specified on screen 2 of the parameters for Months Weighting and averages the sales for the location over those months and then calculates an allowable range using the percentages entered here. Actual monthly sales quantities which are outside the range specified are replaced with the average monthly sales in the suggested order calculation.

65: Purchase receipts PIN

This PIN is required when adding a line on a PO.

66: S/O Top Up

Percentage used as a base to increase a branch's  suggested order value

  • If order value is within vendor's minimum order requirement, an option to create a direct PO rather than split from DC is given

67: Print Splits

Entering 'Y' here will print package qty splits on a PO


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