RF Cycle Counts

Overview

The newest version of the RF cycle counts take into consideration multiple bin locations and provide more tools from within the menu.

The new cycle count desktop routines can be found in 6. Inventory > 6. Physical Counts > 3. RF Cycle Counts

Cycle Count Parameters

The cycle count parameters can be viewed via 6. Inventory > 6. Physical Counts > 3. RF Cycle Counts > 1. Cycle Count Parameters

The two parameters that will come into play with the cycle counts are:

12. Variance Count Threshold - The user will be notified with an audible beep of any variances between the current onhand and the entered amount that exceed this number. This is to alert when possibly scanning a barcode from the wrong field.

20. Allowable Update Variance Percentage - When running the final count update, a variance percentage of the total count value that is higher than this percentage will not be allowed. The update process will instead return an error

Reports

All Cycle count reports are saved off to a branch/date specific directory

Z:/html/ip1/CycleCounts_[BRANCH#]_[Date]

Count Files

During the count file create process, a couple of different reports are saved.

• Count Sheets.
  This will be saved off as a by-product of creating the count files. The file will be saved as COUNTNAME_COUNTFILE_CYC_TIME_LOGIN.csv. This report will have the following info:
  • Category
  • Part
  • Description
  • Location
  • On Hand
  • Warning (Multiple Bins Available)
  • Counted Qty
  • Variance Qty
  • Variance %
  • Last Cost
  • Avg Cost
  • Date Scanned
  • Scanned By
  • Terminal used
  • Updated/Verified?
  • Count #

• The counts by bin. his will be saved as COUNTNAME_BINCOUNT_CYC_TIME_LOGIN.csv
  • Category
  • Part
  • Description
  • On Hand Qty
  • Counted Qty
  • Variance Qty
  • Variance %
  • Variance Dollars
  • Bin 1 Location
  • Bin 1 On Hand
  • Bin 1 Counted Qty
  • Bin 1 Variance
    • These bin locations are then repeated up to 12 times.

Edit Lists

As you proceed, if you require an update on where the count is currently at, an Edit List can provide this.

6. Inventory > 6. Physical Inventory > 3. RF Cycle Counts > 4. RF Count Edit List

Here you can assign the following parameters:

• Optionally select a category (enter to select all)
• Required to define if you want only variances (Y/N)
• Optionally select a starting bin to report on
• Optionally select an ending bin to report on

• The count edit list.
  This will be saved as COUNTNAME_EDITLIST_CYC_TIME_LOGIN.csv. This report lists the following info:
  • Category
  • Part
  • Description
  • Location
  • On Hand
  • Warning (Multiple Bins Available)
  • Counted Qty
  • Variance Qty
  • Variance %
  • Last Cost
  • Avg Cost
  • Date Scanned
  • Scanned By
  • Terminal used
  • Updated/Verified?
  • Count #

• The counts by bin. his will be saved as COUNTNAME_BINCOUNT_CYC_TIME_LOGIN.csv
  • Category
  • Part
  • Description
  • On Hand Qty
  • Counted Qty
  • Variance Qty
  • Variance %
  • Variance Dollars
  • Bin 1 Location
  • Bin 1 On Hand
  • Bin 1 Counted Qty
  • Bin 1 Variance
    • These bin locations are then repeated up to 12 times.

Count Update

• Update Journal.
  This will be saved off as a by-product of creating the count files. The file will be saved as COUNTNAME_UPDJRNL_CYC_TIME_LOGIN.csv. This report will have the following info:
  • Category
  • Part
  • Description
  • Location
  • On Hand
  • Warning (Multiple Bins Available)
  • Counted Qty
  • Variance Qty
  • Variance %
  • Last Cost
  • Avg Cost
  • Date Scanned
  • Scanned By
  • Terminal used
  • Updated/Verified?
  • Count #

• The counts by bin. his will be saved as COUNTNAME_BINCOUNT_CYC_TIME_LOGIN.csv
  • Category
  • Part
  • Description
  • On Hand Qty
  • Counted Qty
  • Variance Qty
  • Variance %
  • Variance Dollars
  • Bin 1 Location
  • Bin 1 On Hand
  • Bin 1 Counted Qty
  • Bin 1 Variance
    • These bin locations are then repeated up to 12 times.

• GL Update Journal
  This will be saved as COUNTNAME_GLJRNL_CYC_TIME_LOGIN.txt and is just a copy of the printed GL Summary Journal, showing the change in inventory value.

Count Files

Before starting your cycle count, you will need to generate a count file to work from. With the cycle count routine, these are generated via the menu option 6. Inventory > 6. Physical Counts > 3. RF Cycle Counts > 2. Count File Creates > 1. Cycle By Bin Location

The first item to enter into this screen is a name to assign to the count file. This can be anything you like, but needs to be unique and will be used by the person scanning inventory to select from within the RF menu.

Within this screen you have 2 options on how to create the file. 

1. Along the top (as shown in the red box) is an option to select a range of categories to run. This will create a count file for all bins between the 'From' and 'To' bins you enter
2. Along the lower portion of the screen are a number of fields where you can manually enter the various bins you wish to count

During this process you can not create a count file for all items, so you must choose one of the above methods using a selected range or group of bins.

When creating these files, the system will review all parts within the bins selected and include all secondary locations for the items as well. This ensures a complete count of all items when running the cycle count file

When running the initial count file, you will also have a copy of the initial edit list, with information included as described in the 'Reports' section of this documentation

The process of creating count sheets should be done right before you begin the count. You should try your best to count as soon as you have created the sheet as any delay between count file creation and counting can cause discrepancies.

Releasing Count Files

If, for any reason, you need to release a count file, you can do so through the desktop menu via 6. Inventory > 6. Physical Counts > 3. RF Cycle Counts > 7. Release Count Files

This will present you with a listing of available count files. Select the corresponding line number for the file you wish to delete.

Counting on the RF Gun

Once you have the count file created, you can continue on to the count process on the RF gun. Log into the gun as normal and select the Cycle Count menu option

The first screen you will see is a listing of the available count files. Each file starts with a prefix of 'IT', and then the unique name that was assigned at the time of creating the file. Choose the file that was created for the count you are doing by selecting the corresponding line number.

Once you have selected the file, you will be presented with a complete listing of all bins left to count. The listing is sorted by bin and will list the outstanding number of items to still count

Reminder, this listing of bins may include bins you did not select in the count file create. This is because items within those bins had a secondary location which was added into the count file.

From here, press the 'S' key to select a shelf, and scan the shelf barcode of the first shelf you wish to work on.

Once you have selected a shelf/bin, you will be shown a similar list, but of the outstanding parts to count within that shelf/bin

You will see 2 counts listed here, the current onhand and the current 'count' amount. Again, the cycle count is done as a variance count and not a blind count, so the system will assume the same onhand if an item is not counted. For this reason, the current bin onhand shows in this list.

As you scan each item, they will be removed from this list until you have completed the entire shelf/bin. 

Items with a zero onhand will not show on this list as to keep the list at a reasonable length. However, you can scan an item that may not be listed here and enter a valid count.

Press the 'S' key to start scanning SKUs, or you can key the part manually

Once you have selected the part, you can key in the current onhand. Once you have entered the onhand, you will be returned to the part listing, the part you just scanned will be removed from the listing and you will be in the active 'SKU' mode to continue scanning parts

** If there has been any activity on the item since the creation of the count file, there will be a notice posted next to the part onhand. This will indicate activity at any location of the item in order to try and address any items assumed to be in a bin where they may not. i.e. put-away process has not yet been completed.

Continue through the process of scanning all items until the bin/shelf is complete and continue on to the remaining bins/shelves.

Adding an item to count file

During the count process, when you are in 'S'ku scan mode, you can also scan/enter a part number that is not listed in the 'outstanding parts' listing. 

If the number you scan/enter is not already associated with the bin you are currently counting, you will see a 'New bin for part?' prompt

Entering 'Y' here will create a new association between the part entered and the bin you are currently working on. Then, it take you into the count entry screen to key a count for that item.

Count Sheets

If you wish to process the count via the old 'count sheet' method, you can opt to print the count sheets via 6. Inventory > 6. Physical Counts > 3. RF Cycle Counts > 2. Count File Creates > 2. Print Cycle Count Sheets

Count Input

If you elect to count with printed sheets, you can enter the counts through 6. Inventory > 6. Physical Counts > 3. RF Cycle Counts > 3. Cycle Count Input

When entering this screen, you will need to enter the count file name that you are working with (including the 'IT' prefix)

Once the file is loaded up, you can select a part to begin with and key in your count variances.

Count Update

Once the count is completed and entered (if using count sheets), you can move on to the update phase. 

The count update screen will list the available files and allow you to select one to update. The update will confirm that the variance is within the allowable threshold and update if it is.