Main

Descriptions of the fields and buttons on the Main screen of the Product Management tab are provided in the following table.

Note: To make changes on the Main screen, you must have the proper security privileges. To make changes at the global product level, the Product Maint (Global) job function needs to be assigned to one of your roles. To make changes at the warehouse product level, the Product Maint (Warehouse) job function needs to be assigned to one of your roles. Roles are assigned to users in the User Maintenance on the Security Maintenance screen of the Vision Configuration tab. For more information, refer to About roles and job functions.

Field or button

Description

Product Number

If you selected an existing product on the Product Lookup screen, this field is a read-only field that shows the product number.

If you are creating a new global product, type the external product number in this field.

The system assigns internal product numbers to every product in your system.

In the Active Data Bar on the Product Management tab, the system displays the internal product number, followed by the product description and the internal product number. If you are viewing a warehouse product record, the warehouse number and name are displayed after the product information.

Superseded By Number

If the selected product should be superseded by a different product, type that exact product number in this field. The system checks to make sure that it is a valid product number.

Then if a customer orders the selected product and if the ordered product does not have enough availability to fill the ordered quantity, the product entered in this Superseded By Number field may replace the ordered product.

For more details, refer to Specify a superseding product.

Note: This field is available only if you are using the Auto flavor of Vision for the automotive parts industry.

This field is available at the global product level only; it is unavailable at the warehouse product level. When this field is modified and saved at the global product level, the change is automatically pushed to all of the warehouse products.

Interchangeable

If the product entered in the Superseded By Number field should be interchangeable, select this check box. If it should not be interchangeable, clear this check box.

To understand the difference, let's consider two different examples and their results:

  • Interchangeable example: Product ABC is superseded by product 123. If customers order ABC, they will receive ABC until its inventory is depleted, and then they will receive 123.

However, if customers order 123, they will receive ABC if quantity is available.

  • Not interchangeable example: Product DEF is superseded by product 456. If customers order DEF, they will receive DEF until its inventory is depleted, and then they will receive 456.

However, if customers order 456, they will always receive 456, regardless of the inventory level of DEF.

Typically, superseded products are not interchangeable.

For more details, refer to Specify a superseding product.

Note: This field is available only if you are using the Auto flavor of Vision for the automotive parts industry.

This check box is available at the global product level only; it is unavailable at the warehouse product level. When this check box is modified and saved at the global product level, the change is automatically pushed to all of the warehouse products.

Product Class

Select the product class to which the product belongs.

This drop-down list is available at the global product level only; it is unavailable at the warehouse product level. When this drop-down list is modified and saved at the global product level, the change is automatically pushed to all of the warehouse products.

Product classes are used throughout the system. They are used for booking amounts to the General Ledger. These amounts are shown on your Daily and Monthly Invoice Register Recap. Product classes are also used in the Customer Activity Analysis by Product Class Report, as well as the Salesman Product Class Analysis.

Your system's product classes are created and maintained through the Product Class maintenance, which is available from the Product Information folder on the System Configuration screen of the Vision Configuration tab. For more information, refer to Field and button descriptions for the Product Class screen.

Product Type

Select the product type to which the product belongs. Product types help you group similar categories of products together.

This drop-down list is available at the global product level only; it is unavailable at the warehouse product level. When this drop-down list is modified and saved at the global product level, the change is automatically pushed to all of the warehouse products.

Your system's product types are created and maintained through the Product Types maintenance, which is available from the Product Information folder on the System Configuration screen of the Vision Configuration tab. For more information, refer to Field and button descriptions for the Product Types screen.

Country of Origin

Type the country where this product is from.

This field is available at the global product level only; it is unavailable at the warehouse product level. When this field is modified and saved at the global product level, the change is automatically pushed to all of the warehouse products.

OE Message Code

If appropriate, select the message that should be displayed during order entry (OE) when this product is added to an order.

This drop-down list is available at the global product level only; it is unavailable at the warehouse product level. When this drop-down list is modified and saved at the global product level, the change is automatically pushed to all of the warehouse products.

Your system's product OE messages are created and maintained through the Product OE Message maintenance, which is available from the Product Information folder on the System Configuration screen of the Vision Configuration tab. For more information, refer to Field and button descriptions for the Product OE Message screen.

Margin Indicator

This field indicates whether the product is a factory product or a special margin item. If this information is available for this product, it is provided by the manufacturer and filled in during the product load process.

The margin indicator is used for reporting purposes only; it is not used in any other areas of Vision.

This drop-down list is available at the global product level only; it is unavailable at the warehouse product level. When this drop-down list is modified and saved at the global product level, the change is automatically pushed to all of the warehouse products.

Catalog Page

Type the page number for this item in your company's main catalog.

This field is available at the global product level only; it is unavailable at the warehouse product level. When this field is modified and saved at the global product level, the change is automatically pushed to all of the warehouse products.

Stocking Indicator

Select the stock status of this product. Valid options are as follows:

  • Stock: If this is a stock product and the warehouse carries this product in its inventory, select this option.

If this product is a stock item, the system calculates its inventory availability. If the product is ordered but it is not in stock, the product is backordered; if the product is ordered and it is in stock, the system commits stock to the order. Stock items are included on reorder reports when the inventory falls below their reorder point (ROP) quantities, their safety stock quantities, or their linepoint quantities.

  • Non-Stock: If this item is not in inventory but it is available through a vendor or wholesaler, select this option. No inventory checks are made on non-stock products.

If your system assumes wholesaler items are received in time to send with the original order (auto-ship), the item is automatically assumed shippable and appears on the wholesaler buying reports.

For non-stocks that are not auto-ship, the system always backorders the item.

  • Special: If this product is not in inventory but it is available through a special vendor, select this option. Special items are automatically backordered. No inventory checks are made on special products.

  • Temporary: This is currently a stock item that you want to sell out and not replenish. Temporary items could be non-stock items returned to you that you cannot return to the vendor, dated merchandise, or stock that you will no longer be carrying.

The system checks inventory levels for temporary items. It allocates the stock as if it were a regular stock item, but it does not include the item on reorder reports.

This drop-down list is available at the warehouse product level; it is also available if you are creating a new global product. It is unavailable at the global product level for existing products.

ABC Code

Select the appropriate option for this product:

  • If the system should calculate the reorder point and related replenishment quantities for this product, select None from this drop-down list.

  • If you would like to manually enter numbers for the reorder point and related replenishment numbers for this product, select Manual from this drop-down list.

  • To assign a particular ABC code to this product, select it from this drop-down list.

Note: This drop-down list is not available if Non-Stock or Special are selected from the Stocking Indicator drop-down list.

If the selected warehouse is not set up to assign ABC codes to its products, you can select the appropriate ABC code in this drop-down list. If the selected warehouse is set up to calculate the ABC codes for its products and you select an ABC code in this drop-down list, the system may change the code in this drop-down list when ABC classification is performed during End-of-Month processing or on-demand classification.

This drop-down list is unavailable at the global product level for existing products; however, it is available if you are creating a new global product.

For information on ABC classification, refer to Specify ABC classification settings for a warehouse and Overview of inventory replenishment.

Miscellaneous Code

Select the appropriate miscellaneous code. This miscellaneous code is used for reporting purposes only; it is not used in any other areas of Vision.

This drop-down list is available at the global and warehouse product levels. The option selected in this drop-down list is copied as the default setting for new warehouse products created from the current global or warehouse product; it can be overridden.

Deposit Product Number

If a deposit fee should be added to an order whenever this product is ordered and shippable quantities are available, type the product number of the deposit fee. The deposit fee must be set up as a product before you can add it to this field.

This field is available at the global and warehouse product levels. The product number entered in this field is copied as the default setting for new warehouse products created from the current global or warehouse product; it can be overridden.

Moore Product Code

If your company uses Moore product updates, type this product's Moore product code in this field.

Each product of the Moore update has its own unique product code. Most likely you will never need to change this code; however, if you do, you can modify the code here.

This field is available at the global product level only; it is unavailable at the warehouse product level. When this field is modified and saved at the global product level, the change is automatically pushed to all of the warehouse products.

NIB Equivalent Product

This field indicates the equivalent product number of the product from the National Industries for the Blind (NIB) if one is available.

NIB products are offered as substitutions for government customers during order entry.

This field is available at the global product level only; it is unavailable at the warehouse product level. When this field is modified and saved at the global product level, the change is automatically pushed to all of the warehouse products.

Discontinued

If the manufacturer has discontinued this product, select this check box. If this is the case, the product can be sold, but it will not be placed on backorder.

If the product is not discontinued, clear this check box.

This check box is available at the global and warehouse product levels. The status of this check box (selected or cleared) is copied as the default setting for new warehouse products created from the current global or warehouse product; it can be overridden.

Note: If you select this check box at the global product level and then click Accept to save your change, the system changes the stocking indicator for the corresponding warehouse products to Temporary. (That is, the option in the Stocking Indicator drop-down list is changed to Temporary automatically.)

Inventory Update

If inventory for this product should be updated, select this check box. The system checks to see if products are shippable at the time of order entry.

If inventory for this product should not be updated, clear this check box. The system assumes that the products are shippable at the time of order entry.

If this product is part of a kit for the Field Services system of Vision Back Office, select this check box.

This check box is available at the warehouse product level only; it is also available if you are creating a new global product. It is unavailable at the global product level for existing products.

Exclude Stockout Purchase from Wholesaler

If this product should be excluded from being filled from the wholesaler when no quantity is available in the warehouse, select this check box. Then if the Purchase Stockouts from Wholesaler check box on the Purchasing screen of Warehouse maintenance for this warehouse is also selected, this product is not purchased from the wholesaler.

For more information, refer to the description of the Purchase Stockouts from Wholesaler check box.

This check box is available at the warehouse product level only; it is also available if you are creating a new global product. It is unavailable at the global product level for existing products.

Recycled

If this product is made from recycled materials, select this check box.

Flagging products as recycled allows you to generate the Minority Company & Dept. Item Usage Report and the Minority Company & Consolidated Item Usage Report. These reports show usage for recycled products.

The usage reports break down a customer's purchases to show product usage through a range of dates, departments, and company levels. You can send the reports to customers so that they can track the various items they buy on a monthly basis.

This check box is available at the global product level only; it is unavailable at the warehouse product level. When this check box is modified and saved at the global product level, the change is automatically pushed to all of the warehouse products.

Drop Ship

If this product is a drop ship item, select this check box. A drop ship product is one that is delivered by your vendor directly to the customer. Please note that drop ships do not affect inventory.

If this product is a stock item and it is not a drop ship item, clear this check box.

This check box is available at the global and warehouse product levels. The status of this check box (selected or cleared) is copied as the default setting for new warehouse products created from the current global or warehouse product; it can be overridden.

Backorder

If you want the system to carry backorders for this product, select this check box. This is the default setting for new global products.

If you do not want the system to carry backorders for this product, clear this check box.

This check box is available at the global and warehouse product levels. The status of this check box (selected or cleared) is copied as the default setting for new warehouse products created from the current global or warehouse product; it can be overridden.

Partial Ship

If you want to allow partial shipments of this product to be sent, select this check box. This is the default setting for new global products.

If you do not want to allow partial shipments of this product to be sent, clear this check box.

This check box is available at the global and warehouse product levels. The status of this check box (selected or cleared) is copied as the default setting for new warehouse products created from the current global or warehouse product; it can be overridden.

Breakroom

If this product is a coffee-related item, select this check box.

If it is not, clear this check box.

This check box is available at the global and warehouse product levels. The status of this check box (selected or cleared) is copied as the default setting for new warehouse products created from the current global or warehouse product; it can be overridden.

Description

The product description is displayed in this field.

This field is available at the global product level only; it is unavailable at the warehouse product level. When this field is modified and saved at the global product level, the change is automatically pushed to all of the warehouse products.

Reorder Point

This is the on-hand quantity that triggers the system to automatically include the product on a pending purchase order for the primary vendor.

If Manual is selected in the ABC Code drop-down list, this field is available at the warehouse product level. If a different option is selected in the ABC Code drop-down list, this field is unavailable at the warehouse product level; in this case, this reorder point quantity is calculated during End-of-Month processing and during on-demand ROP/EOQ recalculations.

This field is always unavailable at the global product level.

For information on how the system calculates the reorder point, refer to Overview of inventory replenishment.

Economic Order Qty

This is the quantity of the product that should be placed on the pending purchase order when the quantity in the Reorder Point field is reached.

If Manual is selected in the ABC Code drop-down list, this field is available at the warehouse product level. If a different option is selected in the ABC Code drop-down list, this field is unavailable at the warehouse product level; in this case, this economic order quantity is calculated during End-of-Month processing and during on-demand ROP/EOQ recalculations.

This field is always unavailable at the global product level.

For information on how the system calculates the economic order quantity, refer to Overview of inventory replenishment.

Safety Stock Multiple

This is essentially the minimum number of days that is used to calculate the minimum stock level necessary to fill orders. The safety stock multiple is used in determining the safety stock quantity and the reorder point during End-of-Month processing.

If Manual is selected in the ABC Code drop-down list, this field is available at the warehouse product level; you can change this number to increase the order quantity for faster moving items or decrease the quantity for slower moving items.

If a different option is selected in the ABC Code drop-down list, this field is unavailable at the warehouse product level; in this case, this safety stock multiple is automatically updated during End-of-Month processing and during on-demand ROP/EOQ recalculations.

This field is always unavailable at the global product level.

For information on how the system assigns the safety stock multiple, refer to Overview of inventory replenishment.

Safety Stock Qty

This is the safety allowance that takes care of reasonable variations in usage or lead time from the averages anticipated. It is the minimum amount of stock necessary to fill orders based on average daily usage and the manufacturer lead time.

If Manual is selected in the ABC Code drop-down list, this field is available at the warehouse product level. If a different option is selected in the ABC Code drop-down list, this field is unavailable at the warehouse product level; in this case, this safety stock quantity is calculated during End-of-Month processing and during on-demand ROP/EOQ recalculations.

This field is always unavailable at the global product level.

For information on how the system calculates the safety stock quantity, refer to Overview of inventory replenishment.

Linepoint

This sets the outside (maximum) quantity limit for including the product on a pending purchase order for the primary vendor.

If Manual is selected in the ABC Code drop-down list, this field is available at the warehouse product level. If a different option is selected in the ABC Code drop-down list, this field is unavailable at the warehouse product level; in this case, this linepoint quantity is automatically updated during End-of-Month processing and during on-demand ROP/EOQ recalculations.

This field is always unavailable at the global product level.

For information on how the system calculates the linepoint, refer to Overview of inventory replenishment.

Per Car Qty

If this is a car part, type the quantity that is used in a car. For example, if the part is a battery, type 1 in this field. However, if the part is a tire, type 4 in this field.

The per car quantity is the quantity multiple in which you want to stock the part. Customers are not required to order this part in multiples of this per car quantity.

This field is available at the global product level only; it is unavailable at the warehouse product level. When this field is modified and saved at the global product level, the change is automatically pushed to all of the warehouse products.

Avg Monthly Usage

The average monthly usage is used to calculate the reorder point, the economic order quantity, safety stock, and the linepoint.

If Manual is selected in the ABC Code drop-down list, this field is available at the warehouse product level. If a different option is selected in the ABC Code drop-down list, this field is unavailable at the warehouse product level; in this case, this average monthly usage is automatically calculated during End-of-Month processing and during on-demand ROP/EOQ recalculations.

This field is always unavailable at the global product level.

The Exemptions screen on the Product Management tab is where exceptions for the average monthly usage calculations can be set up: months with abnormal usage can be omitted from the calculation, or more reasonable monthly usage quantities can be entered manually. For more information, refer to Set up usage exceptions.

For information on how the system calculates the average monthly usage, refer to Overview of inventory replenishment.

YTD Lost Sales

This is a read-only field that indicates the year-to-date quantity of the selected product that was identified as lost sale opportunities during order entry on the Customer Service tab.

Lost sales for the selected product may be noted for sales opportunities that were missed if the warehouse or store did not have the product in stock when a customer requested it. Reviewing the quantity displayed in this field may help you with inventory replenishment.

For more information, refer to Identify lost sales and Lost Sales Report and Update.

Manufacturer

Code

Select the manufacturer of the product from this drop-down list.

This drop-down list is available at the global product level only; it is unavailable at the warehouse product level. When this drop-down list is modified and saved at the global product level, the change is automatically pushed to all of the warehouse products.

The manufacturer codes available on your system are created and maintained through the Manufacturer Abbreviation maintenance, which is available from the Product Information folder on the System Configuration screen of the Vision Configuration tab. For more information, refer to Field and button descriptions for the Manufacturer Abbreviation screen.

Avg Lead Time

The manufacturer's average lead time can be established separately for each warehouse. This lead time is used during End-of-Month processing and during on-demand ROP/EOQ recalculations to calculate the reorder point and the safety stock quantity; it is included on the Replenishment Action Report as the lead time for the product. The vendor's lead time is used to calculate the due date on the purchase order.

If Manual is selected in the ABC Code drop-down list, this field is available at the warehouse product level. If a different option is selected in the ABC Code drop-down list, this field is unavailable; in this case, this manufacturer's average lead time is calculated during End-of-Month processing and during on-demand ROP/EOQ recalculations.

For information on how the system calculates the manufacturer's average lead time, refer to Overview of inventory replenishment.

Popularity Code

This field indicates a code that identifies the manufacturer's ranking for how fast the manufacturer sells this product. Sometimes manufacturers offer special discounts for products based on their popularity codes.

If a popularity code is available for this product, it is provided by the manufacturer; this field is filled in during the product load process.

This field is available at the global product level only; it is unavailable at the warehouse product level. When this field is modified and saved at the global product level, the change is automatically pushed to all of the warehouse products.

Create Date

This is a read-only field that indicates the date that the selected product record that was created.

Last Sold Date

This is a read-only field that indicates the date that the selected product that was last sold in the selected warehouse. This date is not available at the global product level.

Alternate Products

Product Number

To add a product as an alternate, type the alternate's product number in this field and then click Add.

An alternate product is a product that can be offered as a replacement for the one ordered by the customer. If the ordered product has no on-hand quantities available, the alternate, which may have be in stock with available quantity, can be substituted.

If one or more alternates have been established for a product in the Alternate Products area, the alternate image (icon_alternate.gif) is displayed on the Current Order screen and on the Product screen of the Customer Service tab. This signals to the customer service representative that one or more suitable alternative products are available; if appropriate, the customer service representative can place an alternate on the order instead of placing the originally ordered item on the order.

This field is available at the global product level only; it is unavailable at the warehouse product level. When this field is modified and saved at the global product level, the change is automatically pushed to all of the warehouse products.

Add

To add a product as an alternate, type the product number in the Product Number field and click Add.

This button is available at the global product level only; it is unavailable at the warehouse product level.

Remove

To remove a product from the listing of alternates, select the product in the listing and click Remove.

This button is available at the global product level only; it is unavailable at the warehouse product level.

Product Number

This column indicates the product numbers of alternates.

Product Description

This column indicates the descriptions of alternate products.

Accept

Click this button to save any changes that you have made.

Cancel

Click this button if you do not wish to save the changes that you made, and you wish to revert to your previous information.

Warehouse Product Updates

If you change the data in certain fields for a warehouse product record, you can have that data pushed to other warehouses on demand with only a few simple clicks so that you don't have to maintain each warehouse product record individually. The fields that can be updated are:

The data can be pushed to a warehouse only if (1) the inventory class of the warehouse is set to sellable inventory and (2) the selected product record already exists in the warehouse. If the warehouse product record does not exist, you can copy the global product record to the warehouse. For more information, refer to Copy a global product record to a warehouse.

When you click this Warehouse Product Updates button, the Warehouse Product Updates dialog box is displayed. For information about this dialog box, refer to descriptions of the Warehouse Product Updates dialog box.

Note that this button is available only if the following conditions are met:

  • The product record that is displayed must be a warehouse product record, not a global product record.

  • The warehouse must have its inventory class set to sellable inventory. The inventory class of a warehouse is established in the Inventory Class drop-down list on the Main screen of the Warehouse maintenance.

  • If you have made changes to any of the fields in the warehouse product record, you have saved those changes.

 

Related Topics

Sample screen shot

Working with the Product Management tab