Configure stock management and scheduled replenishment

The supply stock management and scheduled replenishment features allow you to automate and optimize the supply replenishment process, taking into account actual printer consumption, available stock, and configured safety rules.

This tutorial presents the complete configuration process for these features, from preparing the environment and structuring stock to generating and analyzing scheduled replenishment.

Instructions

1. Grant the necessary permissions

Ensure that the users responsible for the operation have the appropriate permissions.

1. Go to the Administration > Users menu

2. Click on the name of the desired user

3. Click on the Permissions tab

4. Check the permissions you wish to grant:

5. Click the Save button

2. Configure stock management

2.1. Verify printer monitoring

Before configuring stock, confirm that the printers at each delivery location are being monitored on the portal, as instructed at View printer inventory.

If they are not, follow the instructions below to start monitoring:

• Network printers: Start monitoring network printers.

• USB printers: Start monitoring USB printers.

2.2. Verify device delivery locations

Ensure that each printer is associated with the correct delivery location, as instructed at Add or remove devices from delivery locations.

Automatic portal behavior:

• The portal automatically creates a delivery location for each site created.

• Printers are automatically moved between locations as they are moved between sites.

Movement rule:

• By default, devices are linked to the delivery location with Automatic movement.

• If the device is manually moved between delivery locations, the movement will change to Manual and the device will no longer be moved automatically, even if it is moved between sites.

2.3. Register products and link printer compatibility

For replenishment to work correctly, it is mandatory that:

• Products be correctly registered.

• Compatibility between printers and products be correct.

• The printers are linked to products that have Capacity (efficiency) information registered.

There are two ways to register products on the portal:

• Activate the automatic registration of products and compatibilities: supply data is captured from the equipment's internal memory.

• Manually register products and manually link compatibilities: supply data is registered manually.

Required validations:

1. Go to the Supplies > Supplies in use menu

2. Check the Capacity column for the products

3. If the value shows Indeterminate, the product has no linked capacity. In this scenario, we recommend:

   1. Manually register the product, as instructed at Manually register products of printers

   2. Manually link the compatibility, as instructed at Link compatibility between printer and product

   3. Force the product assignment, as instructed at Link compatibility between printer and product, allowing you to manually define the product associated with the printer model

   4. Prioritize the product according to replenishment demand, as instructed at Link compatibility between printer and product, ensuring that, if there is a demand with a different product, the portal considers the product used in the last demand

2.4. Assign the initial level of stock

After configuring the products, you must add them to stock with their respective initial level to:

• Reflect the actual operational scenario.

• Avoid unnecessary replenishments.

• Improve the accuracy of forecasting.

To add products and items to the balance, follow the instructions at Change product inventory for delivery locations. Items added manually to the balance will be processed as safety stock.

After the initial level, the portal will automatically update stock as demands are generated and completed.

2.5. Create safety stock rules

Safety stock rules can be configured:

• In bulk, in the grid of the Supplies > Delivery locations menu.

• Individually, in the properties of each delivery location.

To create safety rules, follow the instructions at Create safety stock rule for delivery locations.

The safety percentage considers:

• The total quantity of devices of the same model at the delivery location; and

• The product type and color used.

Rounding rule:

• The portal always rounds up.

2.6. Change the minimum level for reliable exchanges

The portal can automatically deduct items from stock when it detects a supply exchange on the printer. To prevent incorrect deductions, configure the minimum level of load considered valid for automatic exchange, as instructed at Change minimum supply level for reliable exchanges.

Operation

• If the level is at or above the threshold, the exchange will automatically deduct the item from stock.

• If the level is below the threshold, the exchange will not deduct the item from stock.

Default configuration

• By default, the percentage is 100%, which effectively disables the feature.

Portal alerts

• Two alerts can be triggered during the automatic write-off process:

• To configure them, follow the instructions at Create alerts.

3. Generate the scheduled replenishment

Before generating the scheduled replenishment, it is essential that all previous steps have been completed correctly, ensuring that the replenishment scenario is reflected appropriately.

To generate the scheduled replenishment, follow the instructions at Generate scheduled replenishment for printer supplies.

Defining stock

• Use the advanced filters based on customer, delivery location, city, address, and state to select the desired stock, allowing logistics routing for deliveries.

Defining the period

• Enter the desired quantity of days of coverage, considering:

  • Replenishment days; and

  • Logistics days.

    • The logistics period must be considered to avoid gaps in supply coverage. Thus, the portal calculates replenishment needs while also considering the delivery time.

4. Analyze the scheduled replenishment

4.1. Analyze the view by device

Displays replenishment needs by printer.

Available adjustments:

• Quantity of items.

• Product.

• Average daily production (%).

• Supply efficiency (%).

For more details on the columns and available adjustments, access View scheduled supply replenishment by printer.

4.2. Analyze the view by delivery location

Displays the consolidated replenishment needs by stock.

Available adjustments:

• Quantity of items.

Portal behavior:

• Discounts:

  • Current product balance.

• Takes into account:

  • Safety rules.

  • Existing demands (commitments).

For more details on the columns and available adjustments, access View scheduled supply replenishment by delivery location.

4.3. Difference between adjustments

• Adjustment in the view by device:

  • Changes replenishment items (with a defined origin and linked to the printer).

• Adjustment in the view by stock:

  • Changes safety stock items (without a specific origin).

5. Generate the demands based on the scheduled replenishment forecast

After completing the analysis and adjustments to the forecast, click Generate demands to create the safety and/or replenishment demands displayed on the screen.

At the delivery locations, the items will appear as:

• Receivable, while the demand is active.

• Available balance, after the demand is completed.

Items remain in stock until they are used in the printer.

Traceability:

• In the demand or at the delivery location, you can identify:

  • The device of origin, in the case of a replenishment demand.

6. Export the scheduled replenishment

At any time, the forecast can be exported for external analysis.

Click Export forecast in the desired view.