General FAQs
What operating systems are supported by Inventory Replenishment?
- Windows 7, 8 & 10
- Windows Server 2008 or higher
- Microsoft SQL Server 2012 or Higher
What else do I need to get Inventory Replenishment running?
- Windows Installer 3.1 or later
- Microsoft .NET Framework 4.5.2 or later
- Microsoft SQL Server 2012 or later + login details
- Valid Inventory Replenishment license file
How is Inventory Replenishment different from other Inventory Planning and Forecasting Solutions?
Inventory Replenishment works with any SQL database and is completely flexible. It allows the User(s) to access and modify any of the SQL queries which feed into the grids, source tables and order quantity calculation fields.
How does Inventory Replenishment do forecasting? (Sales Orders, Purchase Orders, Stock Holding, Historical Sales etc)
As Inventory Replenishment can be programmed to include any SQL source data there are numerous ways to forecast, depending on the needs of the business. For example, you could connect the product data to a historical orders database. It would then be up to the User and Partner as to how the forecast might be programmed or calculated but it could take into consideration the last “X” number of years and produce a Suggested Order quantity based on the data it finds.
Inventory Replenishment is completely customisable to the specific forecasting needs of any business.
What security is in place to control placement of orders?
Currently the options around user permissions security are within either the Microsoft settings or within the SQL connections.
A system administrator could use active directory to control who has access to the app. Also, if you are using Windows authentication for SQL connections you could give some Users access to certain replenishment queries and even control what is returned to the app based on the User accessing the data.
How does the software synch with the Accounting?
The software retrieves data straight from the accounting SQL database on start up. If the User wants to update the data while using the app they can click the refresh button.
Is there a Mobile App?
Not at this stage.
Can you export to Excel?
Yes, you can export Job, Manufacturing and Inventory order to Excel.
Can you Trial Inventory Replenishment?
There is a 30-day Unconditional Trial option.
Is there an upfront Software cost?
No. Inventory Replenishment works on a monthly subscription (or quarterly or annual up-front) with no other up-front software cost. And you can cancel anytime – no lock in contracts. There may be some costs from your Partner in terms of set up time, but there is no other software cost.
Does your pricing fluctuate based on Inventory value?
No – we have a set cost effective monthly fee unrelated to your inventory value.
How does Inventory Replenishment deal with Custom Fields in the accounting?
An admin or SQL User could change the database queries to either include or ignore custom fields. These fields could also be used in the final quantity calculation.
Inventory and Ordering FAQs
How does Inventory Replenishment calculate my Re-Order Quantities?
Inventory replenishment can be customised to your specific inventory re-order requirements. The reason a User can customise Suggested Orders to the exact needs of the business is that the software includes SQL scripts which can be modified to take into account your exact inventory order needs.
It can take into account replenishment by location for your entire company, or re-order on a more specific basis. It can take into account demand sources like sales orders, jobs, manufacture orders, min levels, re-order quantities as well as supply sources like purchase orders, manufacture orders & quantity available. It then produces a Suggested Order for your review.
Can I overwrite Suggested Orders?
Yes, the software allows you to amend the Suggested Order before processing.
Does Inventory Replenishment take into account Orders already placed with supplier?
It’s easy for Inventory Replenishment to take purchase orders with suppliers into account by ensuring the SQL script has this included.
Can I restrict or flag ordering on certain stock items?
Yes – you can do this by changing the SQL query or by changing the filter options within the app itself.
Does it take into account my lead times?
Yes, once again this is down to the SQL script. Your Partner can modify the script (if not already included).
Can I see the date of the order placed for stock on order already?
Yes – Each row has an enquiry screen for that Product which can be accessed by double clicking the row. This popup grid can be changed to include any transactions from the database – including current orders.
Can you process orders at the click of a button? What happens exactly?
Once your re-order quantities are set, Inventory Replenishment will aggregate parts by common suppliers and create the purchases orders into your system, waiting for the User to send them to the suppliers. Depending on the Accounting Software Vendor, this Purchase Order will be automatically imported into the accounting software via the Plus Software application Data Automator or via the Software Development Kit (SDK) of the vendor.
Can I see my stock holding real time in every location?
If stock holdings are included in the SQL queries loaded into the app, Inventory replenishment will load the stock holdings into the main grid. It will load it initially on start up with the option to refresh the data once in the app.
Can Inventory Replenishment tell me the optimal stock holding for each item?
This would depend on how the Customer maintains the optimal stock level data. If it’s included in the same database (maybe in a custom field) it could be included.
Can IR Forecast Location based orders and roll them up into a Central Order?
Yes – This could be done in the SQL Query, using SQL features such as Windowed Functions, which allows you do running or group totals.
Can I see which highest margin inventory items that I am out of stock of by value and or number?
Yes – you could include a column which compares the value of two other columns then you could sort or filter by that column to easily see the data.
Can I see which high value/return items are in danger of running out?
Yes – Again if included by the grid/query you sort the data with the items which are running out.
Can you split the requirements per branch by warehouse, then consolidate the ordering process to one specific warehouse from which the stock can be moved to the correct warehouses via Inter Branch Transfer (IBT)?
No, not at this time, in version 1 of Inventory Replenishment.
Jobs FAQs
How does IR cater for replenishment of Job orders?
Inventory Replenishment can create orders based on job estimates for the accounting software Sybiz Vision. The app can create orders straight into Sybiz Vision as ‘job’ lines which link back to the job.
Manufacturing and Assembly FAQs
How does IR help cater for manufacturing/assembly orders?
Currently Inventory replenishment can create manufacture issues or orders which can automatically be imported in Sybiz Vision.
Does IR take into account all items through all levels of by BOM?
It can. This is driven by the queries which feed into the app. You could make a query which iterates through the BOM levels and includes them all in the grid.
Vendor Specific FAQs
Which Vendors does Inventory Replenishment work with?
I R currently works with Sage 100/200 (Evolution) and with Sybiz Vision but will work with any SQL solution as the architecture has been built for such technology. The various Vendor connections still have to be developed and this will occur by Q4 2018.