Getting Started with CashierPRO Inventory Management

Overview

CashierPRO keeps track of a number of attributes of each SKU (Stock Keeping Unit) in

the store. Some attributes are required (like SKU# and Description) while others are

optional, but very useful. Some of the optional attributes are UPC code for scanning, unit

price, unit cost, supplier name, department classification, and taxable status. There are a

few attributes that are important for inventory control.

On Hand Qty:

We need to know at any given time how many of a certain SKU we have in stock. We

usually keep track of quantity in terms of simple whole numbers like 13, 6, or 2. We

should never have -2 of an item in stock and this should be rectified immediately.

We need to tell the computer what the on hand quantity (referred to as QTY) is for each

SKU in the store. From that point on, CashierPRO can maintain the number

automatically. Each time an item is sold, CashierPRO takes it out of inventory by

adjusting the QTY lower. When an item is received from the supplier, the QTY is

adjusted higher by the appropriate number.

From time to time, an error is made either at the till or during receiving, or an item is

stolen. In these cases, we need to periodically check the QTY on hand for each SKU to

ensure accuracy. We call this periodic check a “Cycle Count”. We can use paper lists to

do cycle counts, or we can use a mobile device to scan items and correct any on hand

quantity errors.

Cycle Counts:

Cycle counting is a rather simple task, as the computer already knows what should be on

hand for each SKU item in the store. All we have to do, is make sure the computer is

right, and correct any discrepancies.

Retail Locations:

Mobile devices are great little machines, but they are limited by how much they can keep

in memory at one time. For this reason we need to divide the store into smaller parts

called “Retail Locations”. The easiest way to do this is to map the store into a grid.

Label each aisle using a sequential number, and then each four foot section of that aisle a

letter. That way we can load the mobile device with all of the items that belong to that

section without overloading its memory.

Automatic Ordering:

CashierPRO can make life a lot easier for the store manager by suggesting an order when

stock gets low. The computer system is not smart enough to know how much of each

item you would like to keep in stock. We need to specify a minimum stock level, and a

maximum stock level. The computer should be able to suggest an order to keep the

quantity on hand between the minimum and the maximum values. We call these values

the MIN and MAX or Min/Max for short.

Supplier:

When the stock level (QTY on hand) gets to the minimum value, the computer will

generate an order to bring the stock up to the maximum value. The computer needs to

know who the order is going to. We do this by specifying a supplier for the SKU. For

product coming from your head office warehouse this is already taken care of. For items

coming from direct ship suppliers, you need to specify who the supplier is.

Using the Mobile Device:

Many stores, (if not most), use a mobile device to maintain attributes of a SKU. This is

because you can scan a UPC barcode, or a bin label barcode using the mobile device.

Once scanned, you can change some of the attributes of the SKU such as QTY on hand,

Min/Max and Retail Location.

There is a program that we install on your mobile device called CP Mobile.

The first step is to change the ‘retail location’ of the SKU items in the store. We do this

one retail location at a time.

Using the idea is that we start with a mobile device that is “empty”. That means there

isn’t any information in the CP Inventory program on the device.

We start by telling the device what location we are scanning items for. We do that on the

computer, and then download to the device. The device knows that each item we scan

will now belong to the specified retail location in the store.

After we have scanned an item, we have the opportunity to change other attributes as

well, but for simplicity, we are going to focus on the retail location.

Assign Items to a Retail Location:

Begin by clicking on the CashierPRO Inventory icon.

Then click the “Count Inventory” Button

Here is where we are going to create a “count” session. Think of a “count” as a

temporary snapshot of inventory information. We can write on the snapshot and fill in

details, but nothing will happen to the original. In order to keep things simple, we should

have only one snapshot in use at a time. When we are done, we have the computer copy

the changed information back into the original inventory.

This is the main count screen. The top section is a list of “counts” in progress.

Click the wizard button to start a new “count”. The following screen will appear.

For our purposes we want to select the second option “assign Items to a Retail Location”.

Then click “next”.

For this illustration, we want to “Start from Scratch”. Click “next”.

Note that this will empty the mobile device of any items that you have

previously scanned using “CP Inventory”. Select a retail location that you want to

assign SKU items to.

If the retail location does not appear in the list, you can add it by clicking on the “Add a

Location” button.

Supply a short name and a descriptive name. We suggest a two or three digit alpha

numeric as the short name. Then click “OK”.

Select the location you want to assign items to by clicking on the

box to the left of the name of the location.

This is the summary screen.

Click next.

A screen like this will appear. Click Download.

Now put your mobile device in the dock and click connect on the main CP Mobile screen

on the mobile device.

The computer will clear out the mobile device making it ready for you to scan items.

Note that we have created a “count” session, but there are no items in it. We are going to

go to the sales floor and assign items.

Take your mobile device out of the dock and click the View button. You will see an

empty list of items. The list will grow as you scan items.

Now you can scan the UPC or bin label of each item you want to assign to this retail

location. You can scan either the bin label OR the UPC item of a product, but not both.

When you are done scanning all the items (don’t worry if you’ve forgotten some, you can

always add more later) go back to the computer and put the device in the dock again.

Click the “Wizard” button.

The computer will ask you if you intend to create a new count, or work with an

existing count. Select “work with an existing count” and click next.

Now the computer wants to know what we want to do with the existing count. In this

case we want to update the count.

Click next…

Select “From the Mobile Device” and click next. (Note: it may be called CK3 on your

screen).

Click Next again.

Put your mobile device in the dock and click connect. The items will be uploaded to your

computer. Click finish when the upload is done.

Make sure the Location at the right is correct. If any of the items are incorrect, feel free

to change them now. You may also change other columns like “Counted” quantity or

Min and Max.

Click the Wizard button when you are satisfied that everything on screen is correct.

Select “Work with an Existing Count”. Then click “Next”.

The computer will ask you want you want to do with this count. We want to finalize it.

That means the computer is going to copy our snapshot back into inventory. Because the

snapshot “count” is always getting older, you will want to finalize it as quickly as

possible.

Click next.

This screen will give us a chance to change our minds. If we chose to update more than

just the retail location (ie on hand quantity or min/max) we will want to click on the

“update fields” button.

Here we can specify what we want copied back into inventory. If you didn’t update the

on hand quantity after scanning each item, leave the first check box blank. If you did

update the quantity, make sure there is a check mark there, or the values will be ignored.

Click OK.

Then click on “Next”.

Click “Next” past this screen.

That’s it. You have now assigned some items to a retail location. You are ready to count

items in a retail location.

Counting items in a Retail Location.

Start CashierPRO inventory by clicking on the icon on the desktop.

Then click the “Count Inventory” button on the left.

For the purposes of learning how to count, make sure there are no counts in the list on the

top half of the screen. If there are, it would be a good idea to delete them (unless another

staff member created them) by clicking the “Delete Count” button.

When the counts have been deleted click the “Wizard” button on the Count Screen.

The above screen should appear. If you get a screen asking you if you want to “start a

new count” or “work with an existing count”, select “Start a New Count”.

Highlight “Count Product”. Then click Next.

Select Initial Count: and click next. If you are counting a section a second time, you can

select “cycle count” instead of “initial count”.

Select one Retail Location.

Then click Next.

Click Next on the summary screen.

The following screen will appear.

When you see this screen, with your mobile device in the dock open CashierPRO Mobile

and click the connect button.

When the download is complete you scan each item in the retail location. When you are

done scanning items put the mobile device back in the dock.

On the Count Screen click the wizard button.

Select “Work With an Existing Count”.

Select “Update the Count” and click “Next”. (we are instructing the machine to load the

contents of the mobile device to the computer).

Specify that we are updating from the Mobile Device (may appear as CK3) and click

next.

Skip the summary screen by clicking next.

Click upload and you will see the following screen again.

With the mobile device in the dock, click the Connect button from the main screen.

We will now see the blue counted column with the numbers copied from the mobile

device.

Once you have reviewed and corrected any errors, click the “wizard” button.

Select “Work With an Existing Count” and click next. .

Select Finalize the count.

And click next.

Before you finalize the count, you are given a chance to review the columns that we are

updating.

Click the “Update Fields” button and make sure that the “Quantity on Hand”

box is checked. Double check that you have the correct boxes checked. If there is no

check mark, then that column of information will be ignored. If you do have a check

mark then that column will update the corresponding value in your inventory. Quantity

on Hand and Retail Location are the most commonly used columns.

Click OK.

Click Next.

Click next again.

You will then be prompted for an inventory adjustment reason. Every time we adjust the

inventory, we need to specify a reason.

Select Initial Count as the reason.

If you do not see “Initial count” as a reason, you

can add it by click on “Add Reason”.

(If Initial Count is available select it and click OK and skip the next instruction below.)

Click Add. The cursor will appear in the Adjust

Code box. Type in IC and then click on the

Description field. Enter “Initial Count”. Then click Save and Close.

Answer yes to the question “Do you want to apply to all items”.

Click Finish on the following screen and you are ready to move on to another location.

Your count screen should be empty, ready to start a new count session.