ServiceDesk 4.5.14 Update 04/21/11

The inventory system has long offered three methods via which to order stock replenishment.  In the F10 form, you may choose to order on the basis of: (1) deficiencies (i.e., where stocked quantities have fallen below planned minimums; (2) recent usage (i.e., simply re-fill based on what was used in a recent/defined period; or (3) simply by picking from the general stock plan the particular items you want to order. 

Our new option concerns what is actually an enhancement to the second method.  It's designed to fulfill a purpose as revealed by user who does a lot of its work for AHS and NEW, under accounts that require ordering all replacement parts via their own particularly-authorized avenues.  To further complicate, this company stocks its trucks very well, and on a high proportion of its jobs  (as performed for these clients) the tech uses a part directly from stock.  Typically, the particular parts as used from stock was not prior-acquired via the authorized channel for the underlying client -- which means, to effectively acquire payment for the part as used, the company must order its replenishment on that part (i.e., its replenishment back into stock) via the client's particularly authorized channel.  This complicates the stock-replenishment scenario vastly, because in general (and until now) it's been designed with the assumption that stock replenishment will be ordered from the vendor who happens at the time to be most "convenient" in terms of pricing and similar factors.  Now, regarding particular items as used, replenishment on those particular items must come from particular vendors, and with the order including, too, provision of the underlying client's SWO Number as attached to job on which the prior part was used. 

In sum, this client has a need -- in regard to re-stocking inventory -- making a situation that very much resembles special-ordering parts, yet the situation nevertheless involves replenishing stocked inventory, and its after job-completion, rather than during the course of it.  In a nutshell, it's a "hybrid" situation: not quite special-order parts, and not just stock inventory, either. 

Our solution of the moment is what this new feature is about.  Again, it's an enhancement on the prior-existing method for ordering stock replenishment on the basis of items recently used.  If you select that option in the F10 form now (i.e., after this update; the series of keystroke-shortcuts to get there is F10, "O", then "R"), you'll see a new sub-option:

While the prior sub-options are designed to print or fax an order request for your vendor, the new one (as its wording implies) creates a file that may be opened in a spreadsheet, and this contains added fields that allow you to see who was the HighVolumeClient (if any) in regard to the prior parts as used, and as connected with each item that now needs ordered for re-stock.  Plus there is a fields for the applicable client's SWO Number on the job where used, and for which tech used the part (and hence, presumably needs re-stocked).  Our thinking is you can use the spreadsheet to determine which parts you have to go through AHS to replenish, which you must go through NEW, etc.  The additional information allows you to frame your orders with needed underlying SWO Numbers, etc.  We think, with creative use of the spreadsheet machinery (particularly if you're a bit adept in using Excel or similar), you can likely make this work very well.