Take time to plan your use of the automated short-buy. Devising a plan will
help you implement this software quickly and efficiently.
Write down your current purchasing flow. Include the steps you actually
take during a normal business day, not the flow as you would like it to
be. This flow needs to include which vendors you buy from, what you buy
from each vendor, when you send orders to each vendor, and how these orders
are delivered (such as wrap-n-label, national drop ship, and so forth).
Determine your exceptions. These are items you do not want to include
on short-buys. They may include direct-buy items, special purchase items,
uncataloged items, and items that are on special quotes.
Determine how you recognize these exceptions. When you review a short-buy
report, how do you know which items are the exceptions? Do you use class,
department, SIC code, specials?
Determine how your inventory database is currently organized: How do
you break down your database? Do you use stock classes, SIC codes, assort
codes, inventory departments? Once they begin working with the automated
short-buy, many dealers find that their database is not as well organized
as it needs to be. You may need to refine your database to get the results
you want. For example, you may want to automatically purchase items in stock
class C, but you find that
this stock class includes some items that can’t go on an automated
short-buy. You’ll need to move those exceptions to another stock class.
List your expectations: How much of your purchasing can you automate
now? How much can you automate in the future? The automated short-buy is
an excellent tool for repetitive purchases, the things you tend to buy every
day. You will still need to buy the exceptions manually, however; the automated
short-buy cannot do all of your purchasing for you.
Determine which items you want to start with, perhaps those from a particular
vendor, or from a specific manufacturer. DDMS recommends that you start
small, and gradually add more items to your automated short-buy.
Practicing the Automated Short-Buy
After completing your setup plan, you’re ready to begin practicing.
To do this, follow these steps:
Determine which limits to use. Using your purchasing flow as a guide,
determine the limits you’ll need. If you purchase items from Sparco
at 10 a.m., for example, you need to determine which limits will produce
a report listing the items you want to include. To identify the items you
want to include, you can use stock classes, item departments, SIC codes,
or assort codes.
Enter the password. The first time you go to the (LFA) Automated Short-Buy
Menu screen, the You Are Not Currently Authorized for Auto-SB Please Contact
DDMS Support for Instructions Press Any Key message appears. When this message
appears, contact DDMS Support for assistance. This feature helps DDMS track
which customers are learning the automated short-buy module. Knowing this
will help us provide the support you need as you learn this new software.
Set the parameters. To get a basic understanding of the parameters involved,
refer to ??
Prevent automatic transmission. While you’re practicing, make sure
that no purchase orders are actually transmitted by doing the following:
Set the Transmit P/O field in the (LFA1) Vendor Call Number screen
to N.
When you set up the automated short-buy program through the [E7] Activities
Scheduler function in the (Z) screen, make sure that it’s set to
Inactive.
Print your parameters. Print a copy of your parameters as a reference
tool. As you refine your automated short-buy, you may need to change the
parameters several times. Having a printed copy to look at will make this
process easier.
To
print the parameters, go to the (LFA) Automated Short-Buy Menu, and select
the [P] Print Parameters action code. In the Printer field, specify the
logical name of the printer you want to use. At the prompt Are You Sure,
type Y. The system will print your global parameters, and also the parameters
for each call you set up.
Test your calls. You can test your parameters by using the [T] Test Call
Number action code in the (LFA) screen. This feature lets you see what would
be ordered if you were actually using the automated short-buy. It produces
the Auto Short-Buy Test Report, which lists the eligible items, and indicates
whether they would be included or not. If an eligible item is not included,
the reason is printed on the report. You can print this report for each
call number you have set up.
To
create an accurate simulation, print the report at the time when you would
create the short buy. If you transmit an order to United at 10:00 a.m.,
for example, print the report at 10:00 a.m.
Review the report for accuracy. Examine the report. Are there items on
it that you don’t want to include on a short-buy? Also look for items
that should be there, but aren’t.
Correct any problems. If you didn’t get the desired results on your
report, you can fix it in one of two ways: change the limits, or change
the way your inventory database is organized (you may need to change your
stock classes, for example).
Reprint the report until you’re satisfied: After changing the limits
or the database, reprint the Short-Buy Test Report until you get the desired
results. (You may need to repeat this entire cycle of steps for different
wholesalers, or for different times of the day.)
Going Live on the Automated Short-Buy
After your simulated reports produce the desired results, you’ll have
a good idea of the limits you need to set. You can now set up the automated
short-buy module, and try it manually to check your settings. To do this,
follow these steps:
Set it to print. Set the PRINT OPTIONS field in the (LFA1) Vendor Call
Number screen so that P/Os and the Automated Short-Buy Exceptions Report
both print. You can then examine the P/O’s to see what items met your
limits. The Report will show you items that met the global limits in the
(LFAØ) screen but did meet the limits for the current line in the
launcher.
Test your automated short-buy. To do this, you’ll need to launch
it manually, using the [L] LAUNCH Now action code in the [E7] Activities
Scheduler. (For instructions on launching manually, see the chapter on viewing
utilities in “Volume 2: Utilities” of Book VII: System Maintenance
and Utilities.) You may have to adjust your limits several times until
you get the results you want.
Going live. Once you’re getting the items you want on the P/Os,
you’re ready to go live, and transmit to your wholesalers. To do
this, set the Transmit P/O field in the (LFA1) screen to Y, and set the
automated
short-buy program in the [E7] function to Active.
To
print the parameters, go to the (LFA) Automated Short-Buy Menu, and select
the [P] Print Parameters action code. In the Printer field, specify the
logical name of the printer you want to use. At the prompt Are You Sure,
type Y. The system will print your global parameters, and also the parameters
for each call you set up.
To
create an accurate simulation, print the report at the time when you would
create the short buy. If you transmit an order to United at 10:00 a.m.,
for example, print the report at 10:00 a.m.
