The process of taking inventory includes the current stocktaking of all assets as well as debts. Every merchant or company is obliged to take inventory at the end of a fiscal year, at establishment, at takeover and at closure of a business. The result of the stocktaking process is called inventory. All assets and liabilities are then listed in the inventory. pixi helps you to list your assets based on the current (at the time of execution) inventory or stock value. To take inventory with pixi, there are currently several possible ways. In the following, we will show you the different possibilities in the work process, as well as list the pros and cons for you. How you carry out the stock taking process ultimately is in your hands.
Option 1 - Comparison of the stock values
Via the application pixi Reports, you have the option to receive an up-to-date and precise inventory overview by comparison of two reports.
The first report can be run in pixi Reports > Verzeichnis Logistics > Stock Value by following these steps:
Select the respective Date for the report.
Define the Location of the bin via the drop-down menu.
If you want to limit the report to specific items only, then select the Category of items or a specific Supplier.
Click on Load.
Note: To create the entire report of all articles, leave the Location, Category, and Supplier fields blank.
Use the printer icon to print the report. You can use the disk icon to save the report in various formats:
RTF file (*.rtf)
MS Excel document (*.xls)
HTML document (*.html)
PDF document (*.pdf)
Text document (*.txt)
Now you have an evaluation of the total inventory of your warehouse and thus of the current stock value. If you want to carry out the valuation of stock levels using the historical purchase prices, you can also use the Stock Value FiFo report.
In order to determine the physical inventory of your warehouse, you must first delete your inventory completely and then scan all the items again. pixi Support can do the clearing of the inventory for you. Alternatively, you can also reset the inventory after this functionality has been enabled in the pixi Control Center.
Run the Inventory report again after you have put all items into stock. Now you can compare the first inventory report with the newly created report and thus determine any additional items or any item decrease.
Option 2 – Counting and adjustment of stock
Using the various reports and the active counting and matching of the existing goods, the inventory is monitored.
Step 1 – Select the report "Stock Overview by Bins with TAGs"
In the pixi Reports app, select from folder Logistics > Stock Overview by Bins with TAGs.
Note: Sorting bins by name only works correctly if the bin names are of the same length. Example:
Bin A1, A2 and A10 are sorted as A1, A10 and then A2. For correct sorting, the bins must contain a leading zero: A01, A02 and A10.
pixi Stock Overview by Bins with TAGs
Step 2 – Generating the report
If you are working with multiple storage locations, select the appropriate location from the Location drop-down menu. If you are using multiple locations, you must perform the following steps for each location. If you use multiple locations and generate the report for all locations, then there is no chronological approach possible, because the storage locations are sorted alphabetically.
To generate the report, click when ready on the button Load.
Step 3 – Saving/printing the report
Click the printer icon to print the report. Via a click on the disk icon you can save the report in various formats.
RTF file (*.rtf)
MS Excel document (*.xls)
HTML document (*.html)
PDF document (*.pdf)
Text document (*.txt)
Step 4 – Archiving
File the printed reports and store the previously saved documents securely.
Step 5 –Counting of individual items and matching of inventory
One or more of your warehouse staff go with the printed report Stock Overview by Bins with TAGs through the shelving and count the items per bin. The counted quantity is then matched with the quantity available according to the report. Discrepancies are noted down next to the respective bin compartment and the item name. After the control of one row has been completed, the stock quantities of these bins are reconciled via "Put into stock" and "Take out" features in the pixi Inventory application or the current stock quantity is written to the storage bin via the Change quantity feature. When using the change quantity function, the existing stock of respective item is replaced by the entered one.
pixi Inventory
You can't put items into stock or take them out during the counting in a given row. This may only happen after the stock has been reconciled. Repeat this process until you have reconciled all storage bins. If you are using multiple locations, you must change them over as described in "Step 2 - Generating the report".
Tip: The pixi Mobile app can also be used for the Putting into stock or Taking out as well as to use the Change quantity function.
Step 6 – Generating updated reports
Please proceed as described in steps 1 - 5 of the Section " Option 1 - Printing or saving the report".
Step 7 – Comparing the reports
You are now in a position to compare both reports and thus to determine the accuracy of the first report.
Advantages:
Work flow is only hardly affected.
You have the option to subsequently compare old and new stock quantities.
Stock quantities are corrected.
Disadvantages:
Given possibility of miscounting and incorrect stock quantity.
Items lacking physical stock can't be reconciled (if still available).
High personnel cost.
(Not recommended) Option 3 – Deletion of stock quantities and putting items into stock again
Warning: You should avoid deleting stock and adjust it using put to stock and take from stock instead or with the following functionalities:
- Inventory program in pixi Mobile
- [Recommended] Bin Inventory program in pixi Mobile
- Change Quantity functionality in pixi Inventory desktop application
Step 1 – Select the Inventory report
Please proceed as described in Step 1 - 5 in the section "Option 1 - Printing or saving the report".
Step 2 – Deletion of stock quantities
Please allow the pixi Support a minimum of 2 days ahead of taking inventory, when you want to have the stock quantities completely deleted. At this time, we "empty" the entire warehouse and thereafter all the storage bins are empty and there is no item stored. If desired, we will stop the stock quantity export until the end of the inventory for the items to be still available in the shop.
Step 3 – Counting of stock quantities
Each item in a bin compartment is counted and then stored in the corresponding bin via the Put into stock function in pixi Inventory.
Tip: The pixi Mobile app can also be used for the Putting into stock feature. This way, all existing stock quantities are gradually put into stock across storage bins and items with stock level "0" retain this quantity.
Step 4 – Generating an updated inventory report
Please proceed as described in Step 1 - 5 in the section "Option 1 - Printing or saving the report".
Step 5 – Comparing the reports
You can now go ahead and compare the two inventory reports; thus you can determine the potential level of accuracy the first report would have shown.
Advantages:
The inventory record is all "new".
Correct stock records also for items which show a physical quantity of "0".
Restructuring of warehouse is possible.
Disadvantages:
High personnel cost.
Picking on hold during until inventory process is completed.
If the stock quantity export isn't halted, then the items will only gradually be available in the shop again.