Inventory transactions

Owned by Timothy Hitchcock
Last updated: Nov 06, 2023 by Chris Phillips
5 min read

Users can create inventory transactions via the desktop application or the mobile application. However, managing inventory in a warehouse becomes significantly more advantageous with the use of the Crows Nest mobile app over its desktop counterpart, primarily due to the enhanced mobility offered by iOS and Android devices. The Crows Nest mobile app provides warehouse managers and employees the freedom to access real-time inventory data on-the-go, allowing for swift and efficient inventory management. With mobile apps, they can instantly update stock levels, track items, and make critical decisions right from the warehouse floor. This mobility not only improves the accuracy of inventory tracking but also boosts productivity by reducing the need for manual data entry and the risk of errors. Furthermore, mobile apps can utilize device features like cameras and barcode scanners, simplifying tasks such as item identification and entry, making the inventory management process more seamless and responsive. In sum, the mobility of the Crows Nest mobile apps on iOS and Android devices revolutionizes inventory management in warehouses, enhancing efficiency, accuracy, and adaptability in today's fast-paced business environment.

 

 

Inventory Transactions via the Mobile Application

  1. Once logged-in to the Crows Nest Mobile App, tap Inventory from the menu.

     

  2. Tap the Select button or tap Scan, to scan an inventory barcode or QR code to select a record.

     

  3. If you tapped the ‘Select’ button in step 2, enter search criteria to narrow your search. In this example, we are searching for ‘Laminate’. As you type, the list narrows down to match your search criteria.

     

  4. If there isn’t currently any inventory of the item you’ve selected, you can tap the message
    “No Current Inventory - Tap to Add New Inventory” to open the ‘Add New Inventory’ option.

     

  5. Enter at least a quantity. Optionally, you may select a project, a phase (work order), set a location, enter the price paid for the item(s), or add a note for this transaction.

  6. Tap the green ‘checkmark’ button to accept the changes.

     

  7. When returned to the inventory record, you’ll now see the quantity Available and On-Hand, as well as the price of the inventory item.

  8. Tapping any inventory record with a quantity on-hand brings up additional options to Clear Allocation, Reallocate, Move Location, Consume, Add New Inventory, Adjust Qty, and Verify.

     

The Clear Allocation menu option appears if you tap on an item that is currently Allocated. It's hidden if the inventory is already unallocated.

 

Inventory Transactions via the Desktop Application

Transactions Tab

This tab lists every transaction that has ever taken place with a particular inventory item, providing the date and time of the action, the type of transaction, and changes to project, phase, location, and price.

  1. Navigate to the Inventory form by clicking on the Inventory icon in the ribbon menu.

  2. Select the Inventory sub-tab on the Inventory form.

  3. Choose the desired inventory item.

  4. Select the Transactions sub-tab.

  5. Right click anywhere in the transactions list to open a pop-up context menu where you can choose an action to Insert New Transaction, Delete Transaction, or Change Price.

Detail Tab

  1. Navigate to the Inventory form by clicking on the Inventory icon in the ribbon menu.

  2. Select the Inventory sub-tab on the Inventory form.

  3. Choose the desired inventory item.

  4. Select the Detail sub-tab.

  5. Right click anywhere in the Detail list to open a pop-up context menu where you can choose of the inventory actions listed below.

The detail tab groups transactions by matching Price, Project, Phase, and Location.

 

 

Inventory Actions

Inventory Actions

Clear Allocation

Inventory items that are partially, or fully allocated to one or more projects can be unallocated, thus freeing them up, making them ‘Available’. Once unallocated, the items can be subsequently allocated to a different project.

On the Mobile App, the Clear Allocation menu option appears if you tap on an item that is currently Allocated. It's hidden if the inventory is already unallocated.

Reallocate

Use ‘Reallocate’ to assign an inventory item from one project to another (i.e., from Project-A to Project-B (or to a different project/phase combination.

Prior to reallocation, this inventory item would NOT have been ‘Available’. Post-reallocation, the item still will not show as ‘Available’, as it has simply been reallocated to a different project, not freed-up as with ‘Clear Allocation’.

Move Location

Crows Nest provides a user-defined list where you can create your own 'Locations’. Think of ‘Locations’ as aisles and bins in a big-box warehouse.

(i.e., Moving a bunk of sheet goods - From: Aisle-1, Rack-1, Shelf-B, to: Aisle-2, Rack-3, Shelf-A.

Consume

As items come in from vendors, inventory numbers increase. To maintain the integrity of inventory quantities of items ‘On-hand’ and ‘Available’, items being cut, machined, assembled, or shipped must be ‘Consumed’, because they are leaving inventory. The inventory quantities are therefore reduced.

Add New Inventory

When setting-up your inventory database initially, this option gets used quite extensively. Sort of like moving banking from one bank to another, you would start off a new bank account with a ‘Beginning Balance’. If you wanted to create inventory with a balance, without having to dig-up purchase orders and add them to Crows Nest, just to create your starting balance, use the option to 'Add New Inventory.

Adjust Qty

This option allows you to adjust the current quantity of an inventory item by entering either a positive value or a negative value to reconcile/balance an actual hard count to what is currently being reported as on-hand.

Useful when the discrepancy in quantity is neither due to the number received-in, nor the number consumed, but rather damage or shrinkage.

Verify

This option allows you to record a transaction record with a date/time stamp indicating that someone has literally done a hard count and verified that the quantity of the item is correct.