Stock Transfers between Branches

For Distributed System users with multiple branches the problem of moving stock from branch to branch arises. When this occurs the computer must be informed of the change in stock location. To handle this problem Acumen has a Branch Transfer system.

The Branch Transfer system allows transfers to be treated as a three part process:

• Request - The branch requiring the stock can raise a Transfer Order as a request for stock from another branch. This document is labelled an Internal Order when viewed/printed from the requesting branch.

• Send - When a branch receives a request for stock or if the branch wishes to initiate a transfer of stock away from that branch the stock on hand needs to be reduced.

• Receive - When the requesting branch (or a branch having stock sent to it) receives the stock and wishes to update the stock on hand.

The Request step is optional but in order to correctly maintain stock levels the send and receive portions must be completed correctly. While in optimal circumstances the one document would be used in all three steps and would itself be transferred from branch to branch this may not always be practical. For this reason Acumen allows these steps to take place on separately raised documents where necessary.

Under the normal sequence of events the following will happen:

• The Requesting branch will raise a Transfer Order. This will be seen by them as an Internal Order and will be treated in the same fashion as a purchase order waiting for delivery.

• This order will be sent to the branch from which the stock is to be transferred. This may occur electronically, or via Fax, Mail, Phone, etc.

• In the event that the branch that is sending the stock does not receive a request electronically (either because there is no request or it is not transmitted), that branch must raise its own Transfer Order to record the sending of the stock.

• The sending branch enters the quantities being sent to the column so named and thus reduces its stock on hand figure. It may then produce a delivery document from the order and can deliver the stock. It may also transmit the order document to the receiving branch.

• When the goods arrive at the receiving branch they need to be received in the same manner as purchased goods would be. This means the Internal Order document must be located to allow the entry of the received quantities. If this branch raised a request or if the sending branch transmitted the order the document will already be on file. Otherwise it may be necessary to create a new Transfer (Internal) Order to receive the goods.

• The quantity received is entered to the so named column of the Internal Order and thus updates stock on hand and allocates stock to any waiting customer orders.

It is possible that different quantities may be received and sent. It is also possible that goods received may not be recorded as sent or vice versa. These discrepancies can be picked up by stocktakes but more commonly they are detected by head office reports on transfer totals. These reports show totals of goods received and goods sent between branches and will show where outstanding goods in transit has occurred.