Setting Up the Automated Short-Buy

Practicing the Automated Short-Buy

After you complete your setup plan and set your ASB parameters, you’re ready to begin practicing.

1. Determine which limits to use. Using your purchasing flow as a guide, determine the limits you need. If you purchase items from Sparco at 10 a.m., for example, you need to determine which limits produce a report listing the items to include. To identify the items to include, you can use stock classes, item departments, SIC codes, or assort codes.

2. If you have not yet set the parameters, do so now. See Setting Up ASB Parameters.

3. Prevent automatic transmission. Make sure that no purchase orders are actually transmitted while you practice 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. See Setting Up the Activities Scheduler.

4. 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 makes this easier. To print the parameters, in the (LFA) Automated Short-Buy Menu, type P in the Action field. In the Printer field, specify the logical name of the printer to use. At the prompt Are You Sure, type Y. Your global parameters, and the parameters for each call you set up, print.

5. 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 prints on the report. (For complete information on the test report, see Using the Auto Short-Buy Test Report.) You can print this report for each call number you set up.

Note: To create an accurate simulation, print the report at the time when you would create the automated short-buy. If you transmit an order to United at 10:00 a.m., for example, print the report at 10:00 a.m.

6. Review the report for accuracy. Examine the report. Are there items on it that should not be included on an automated short-buy? Also look for items that should be there, but are not.

7. Correct any problems. If you did not get the desired results on your report, you can fix it by changing the limits, or changing the way your inventory database is organized (you may need to change your stock classes, for example).

8. Reprint the report until you’re satisfied. After changing the limits or the database, reprint the Auto 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.)

9. Clear the call's status code. When you're actively using the ASB, the Status field in the (LFA2) Short-Buy Launcher screen is cleared every night at midnight. However, when you're practicing, you have to clear the Status field yourself. See Clearing a Call's Status in the Launcher.