RF BARCODE RECEIVING

VSS has developed a series of programs to allow for purchase order receipts using RF Terminals.

These hand held terminals are actually simply telnet sessions into the Mark System computer. Of course various screens and options have been added to accommodate the small screen and to add options that make the flow of work quick and convenient. However, behind the scenes your existing Mark Software is being used. What this means is that your existing programs and any modifications that you've made to them remain intact.

Costs: $2800/RF device + charger + battery + spare battery

RF access points approx $1000/access point (estimate 5 for 100,000 SF)

$3500 VSS software, installation & training

FEATURES

Ability to receive a batch of purchase orders simultaneously or to receive one PO at a time.

Ability to scan a barcode number or, if necessary, type or scan the actual product number

Ability to record damaged items in receiving screen

Ability to receive items not on the purchase order

Items received but not ordered are automatically added to the purchase order (with an order quantity of zero) and an email automatically sent to the buyer

Ability to print labels simultaneously while scanning products

Ability to display the warehouse locations of an item during the scanning process.

Ability to review/display/change all items that have been scanned so far.

Ability to display/receive all items that have not yet been received with a prompt for the quantity received.

Ability to have a default quantity (generally 1) to be assumed whenever a quantity is not entered.

Ability to enter barcode numbers which then immediately update the product-master and the cross reference file.

Ability to have more than one barcode number per product.

Ability to re-print putaway listings before or after the purchase order has been updated

Ability to exit from processing a batch of purchase orders and then return later to finish without re-entering the purchase order numbers again.

Index to allow a user to immediately return to the batch he was working on without having to remember the batch transaction number.

GENERAL PROCESS & SCREENS

The general procedure for receiving is:

1. Enter the PO numbers being received

2. Scan the items, enter quantities, damaged items, print labels, etc.

3. Review any back-orders, over-receipts, damaged items, items received not ordered.

4. print labels, reports, post

Logging In:

First, the user identifies himself and selects the Receiving or Putaway option.

ENTERING PURCHASE ORDER NUMBERS

Once the user has logged in and selected the "receiving" option, he will enter the purchase order numbers being received. (more purchase orders may be added to the batch later during the actual receiving process)

It isn't necessary to enter the back-order portion of the PO number..if PO 12345 is entered and the open purchase order is 12345-18 then that PO will automatically be assumed to be the actual purchase order number.

. Once he's finished entering purchase order numbers he will type "B" to begin receiving.

RECEIVING ENTRY

If a barcode number or product number is entered then the product number and description are shown on the screen. The quantity due among all of the entered purchase orders is show (due 97) and the quantity received so far for this product is shown.

If no quantity is entered and instead another barcode number is scanned then the quantity is assumed to be 1.

If "P" (putaway) is entered then the putaway screen is displayed showing the various bin locations for this item. The user is then returned to this screen.

If "M" (more description) is entered then another 32 characters of the product description & vendors description are shown.

If "L" (label) is entered then the user is asked for the number of labels to print.

To enter the "display mode" (shown below) the user enters "D"

To enter the "zero mode" (shown below) the user enters "Z"

If a damaged product is received that is entered by entering a D after the quantity. For example, to enter a damaged quantity of 1 the user would enter 1D.

Receiving an item that wasn't ordered:

If the user scans a product that isn't on any of the purchase orders in the transaction then:

1. He is asked to enter the purchase order number

2. If it is not one of the P.O.s in this transaction then that P.O. will automatically be added to the transaction.

3. If the product isn't on the specified P.O. then it will be added to the P.O. with an order quantity of zero and an email will be sent to the buyer.

In the ZERO MODE the user does not enter/scan the barcode/product numbers. Instead the program displays, one-by-one, each item that has not yet been received.

The user can enter a quantity or <enter> to ignore the item. If a quantity is entered then he may also enter a barcode number. In this case the product-master and product cross referencing files are immediately updated.

In the DISPLAY MODE each item that has been received is displayed. The total quantity received so far is shown as well as the total quantity due. The user can <enter> to accept the quantity or change it.

Once "I" (ignore) is entered the user is returned to the regular receiving entry mode.

Once the user enters R (for Review) a summary EXCEPTION screen is displayed.

This shows the number of items not received completely and the number where more was received than originally ordered.

These exceptions must be "resolved" before the updating screen can be entered.

RESOLVING EXCEPTIONS - BACKORDERS

Once the user selects "B" (backorders) he will be offered the choice of backordering all, accepting all as complete, or reviewing each individually and deciding on a line by line basis.

In any case where the decision is ambiguous then the user will be asked to make the decision. For example, if there are two purchase orders that include the same item, but the total quantity received isn't sufficient to cover both, then the user will be prompted to make the decision of which quantities to apply to each of those purchase orders.

REPORTS/POSTING/LABELS:

Once all exceptions are handled then the final "posting" screen is displayed:

UPDATING SCREEN

Once all exceptions have been resolved the updating screen is automatically displayed.