Hello
Objective - Control stock carried by mobile engineers. Priority is to ensure sufficient quantities are carried at all times. All engineers inventory value should be similar, working to stock levels set on SKU cards.
NB items follow repair cycle, e.g. Engineer replaces faulty item on site with van stock, returns faulty item to repair centre, repaired items go into Field Service warehouse location. Engineer demand supplied from field service location. Few specific items are non repairable.
All purchased (new) items held for sales orders in different warehouse location. Engineers require new items less frequently.
So far I have Hit many challenges during discovery of various current ways of working. The system is not used to its full potential and manual daily processes cause delay in end to end engineer replenishments in addition to unnecessary surplus items carried by engineers cause concern with fluctuating high values.
I have had no formal training and have been restricted to tailored role menus. You have no idea how frustrating that is! Anyway, my knowledge is self learned, including impact of various steps on other departments.
Set up I have completed so far:
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Set up transfer routes between relevant locations returns>repair>field service>all individual engineer locations. This ensures repair items follow logical, visible cycle.
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Set up transfer route from purchased items location to field service location.
I need advice on completing the flow because current users are telling me how it should be done as per their own roles. Nobody seems to get that engineer replenishments need planning parameters set differently to purchasing replenishment.
Please can you help to confirm correct SKU set up? My thoughts are to set up SKU cards in Field service location and individual engineer locations.
Engineer SKU card - Transfer from Field Service to individual engineer locations, Transfer replenishment field selected. Should I use maximum inventory for this set up? Maximum qty less safety qty = calculates demand?
I have set up test with safety qty field set as level at which to send engineer replenishment part.
Also, I have set up test with safety qty field set as min qty to be held for items in field service location.
I think maximum inventory replenishment needs to be used, but I need to be sure of set up. Is it logical to assume Repair will look at field service location demand on repair items, ensure Qtys do not fall below min or safety qty levels, should purchasing look at demand of new items in field service location, transfer qty from new item location to field service location?
Main points for clarification-
purchasing run planning worksheet - demand for new items in field service shows as supply from purchased item location.
Repair centre - should repair centre run planning worksheet filtered to field service location?
Warehouse shipping - should warehouse guys run planning worksheet to show demand in individual engineer locations? No option to run planning worksheet filtered to transfer replenishment, therefore run calculation filtered on transfer from field service location
SKU cards set up with Max and safety Qty fields completed. Will this trigger demand once safety qty has been breached e.g. Safety qty is 1, when 1 is used 1 will show to be sent to engineer?
Any help is gratefully received. I know what should happen, need to set up correctly.
thank you [emoticon:44a8a53ad3364ea78a16c5a3229f75bb]
Key point to add- engineers replenishment items are shipped on next day delivery. Therefore, once surplus items used, replenishment item will be shipped only when safety qty is breached. Daily stock replenishment has been considered when setting safety Qtys. Items in short supply, engineers carry X1 . Safety qty should be 0 to trigger replenishment for next day? Qty of items engineers should have in vans range from 1 to 6 depending on usage and customer service level agreements.
Also, engineers currently have limited user access for timesheets and expenses. Once SKU’s are set up correctly, the engineers will have view only access their own SKU list. Safety qty is not a column option in SKU list, therefore limits engineers to see qty in their inventory only. Ideally, we need engineers to see qty items in their inventory, safety Qtys and variance qty. (qty difference between inventory and safety qty). Is this possible?
