Explanation of the functioning of the batch server

Introduction

In version 140 the management of stocks in ADONIX X3 is managed around the notion of stock lines.

A stock line is the smallest group of products in stock that can be physically identified (that is to say, that can be identified from the point of view of its physical or location characteristics).

Unlike in version 130 where the notions of quite complex aggregation to be managed and controlled existed, in version 140 the stock management lies in the natural aggregation of the physical criteria of the stocked problems.

This signifies for example, if two groups of identical products (not identified by serial number, having the same lot number, the same status and all the other characteristics being identical) stored in two different locations are moved to a single location the result will be a single stock line. Conversely, if a part of the products in the stock line change status, the stock line will be automatically split into two lines.

A stock allocation, once it is detailed, will identify the stock lines concerned and will allocate line by line the corresponding quantities.

The definition of a stock line can be made by listing the essential information that is attached to it :

The following points will be noted :

    Two different serial numbers occupy two different stock lines.

    The Identifier 1 and Identifier 2 fields are two free fields, that can be entered or used by specific/custom processes in order to physically differentiate the two stock lines. The simple fact that it is entered and different is sufficient to differentiate the two stock lines.

    The coefficient (when it is variable) is also sufficient to differentiate the two stock lines, which is perfectly normal : if, all other things being equal, there is a product placed in two identical boxes, but in one case these boxes contain 10 products and the other case 8, it is possible to physically differentiate between the two.

   A single lot can be split into sub-lots (with a numbering in the form of a number). Each sub-lot then constitute a separate stock line. The lot characteristics and notably the supplier lot are store in the lot table (it is therefore not possible to have two different supplier lots in a single stock line).

    A stock line that is the object of a partial analysis request is split into two stock lines, because the analysis number is considered to be part of the differentiating physical criteria for the products. In other words, the products that have been controlled are physically distinguished (for example by use of a label).

Any physical (receipt, issue, movement) or logical (lot, sub-lot or packaging change) movement of goods is made on clearly identified stock lines (this is also the role of the detailed allocation that identifies these lines, the global allocation only verifies if the stock level is sufficient to respond to the request). This explains why the following are found in the stock journal :

   all the elements identifying the stock line affected by the movement (without necessarily having a pointer to a unique identifier which does not make sense, the line can have been purged between times if the stock has been emptied).

    a pointer to the source document (packing slip, receipt note, stock movement note…).

On the other hand, a pointer to the source document that created the line will not be found in the stock line. This has no benefit, because several movements can have lead to the makeup of a given line.

In addition, all the physical movement is explained by a document (header and lines). Each document line can move several stock lines (to manage this case, a detail window is opened in which the stock lines concerned are entered). In the stock journal the the line by detail is found, each line pointing to the source document and the line number in this document.

Example

At this stage it is useful to give an example of the fashion in which the stock lines are managed by the system.

Either a product where the stock unit is metre, for which it a packaging unit exists : the roll. Suppose that a receipt to stock is made of 10 rolls of 20 metres, where 6 have the status A1 and 4 have the status A2, all for lot L1 in location E1 (no sub-lot or serial number having been defined elsewhere). This receipt is made in the receipt note 23 on line 1000.

In addition in this example the product corresponding to the receipt is not present in location E1 before the receipt.

The receipt to stock will therefore be created :

    two stock lines numbered automatically by a sequence number counter (for example for lines 735 and 736). The following information is found :

   two receipt lines in the stock journal. Each of these lines carries a pointer to the document in the form of the movement type, the document number (23) and line (1000), and all the descriminating for the corresponding lines. It should be noted unlike in version 130, a link from the journal to the line no longer exists (nor in the opposite direction).

The decision is then made to deliver 10 metres to of this product (on Del note 45, line 2000), the detailed allocation is made on stock line 736. The stock issue is not made up of an entire number of packages, a parameter linked both to the unit and the product is used to define what will happen. 3 outcomes are possible :

    either the stock line is unpackaged : on the 4 rolls of 20m, there remain 3 rolls of 20m and 10m loose. In this case, a new stock line is created (for example line 825) and stock line 736 is replaced by :

    or split units are created : for the 4 rolls of 20m, there remain 3 of 20 and 1 of 10. In this case, there will also be the creation of a new stock line (for example line 825), and the stock line 736 is replaced by :

    or a division of the units is carried out : the 4 rolls of 20m become 3.5 rolls of 20m. The stock line is then modified without creating an additional line :

In the 3 cases, the corresponding stock issue is found in the stock journal, pointing to the packing slip 45, line 2000.

In the cases were a new line has been created by unpackaging or a unit change, there are two movements linked to this change in the stock journal : the issue from the source line and the receipt in the destination line. These movements of the Splitting type, are signed (negative on issue, positive on receipt), and non valued.

Tables used