Sage ERP X3 Inventory Movement and Control Functions
As was discussed in a previous blog post, warehouse management systems (WMS) / inventory control systems are a great way to leverage ERP system investments with a critical business requirement. A firm can do that by making use of native WMS technology available in SAGE ERP X3. Sage X3’s ADC (Automated Data Collection) platform offers the ability to perform many common WMS tasks and bring real benefits to any company that manages inventory. In this post we will examine basic inventory movement and control functions in Sage X3 ERP, that allow for control of inventory movement and management of stock.
Inventory Movement – Without a doubt the most basic but essential function of any WMS is controlling the movement of inventory from one location to another. Sage ERP X3 allows for this to occur in real time as stock is moved. We can do this in a variety of ways; in its simplest form we indicate to an Sage X3 ADC screen the product we are moving, where we are taking it from, the quantity, and the location it is going to. By allowing these transactions to occur in real time we cut down on the lag in time it takes for the system to know when an inventory amount has moved. This allows us to move the firm towards a goal where the entire inventory is always 100% locatable in the warehouse at all times, a metric that companies will always aspire to.
Inventory Movement with Categorization – A more sophisticated way to move inventory would be via other identifiers. Sage X3 gives us the ability to move stock based on criteria such as the LOT or serial number, an entire location, or any combination of factors that we would like to validate for a transaction. In addition Sage X3 can place one or more items into an identifier or TAG that allows the entire container to be moved with one transaction.
Cycle Counting – Inventory accuracy is also promoted by regular and systematic counting of stock. Many companies are able to forgo annual physical inventories through the use of a regular cycle counting process. Sage ERP X3 allows us to implement a count procedure that takes place in real time, allowing the operator to enter counts in space as they move through a facility.
Basic inventory controls as seen above are a great way to understand the immediate benefit that implementation of a WMS process gives a company. Very quickly a firm will be able see increases in inventory accuracy, decreases in lag of movement reporting, and better controls for downstream distribution and replenishment. All of these benefits in Sage ERP X3 are the building blocks for more sophisticated ERP processes that are run with inventory and without accuracy all will run at less than optimal benefit. Please contact us or a Sage X3 partner for support on maximizing these benefits
