Overview

The NorthScope Inventory module Transfer transaction allows the user to record the transfer of inventory items from one site to another. In addition, the user can record the transfer of inventory items via an in transit site using the same transaction. The transfer of items using this transaction also allows the user to track warehouse lots and product ownership. Before the transaction is posted, it will updated the available lot balance of the item(s). Once the transaction is posted, it will update the on-hand lot balance of the item(s). Once the transaction is posted, it integrates to the host system as an Inventory Transfer transaction if integration is turned on.

Prerequisites

Required Prerequisites

• Site Setup
• Item Setup

Optional Prerequisites

• Set the Inventory Preference for "Default Owner"
• Carrier Setup
• Production Lot Setup

Understanding the data flow

An Inventory Transfer transaction can be used to transfer inventory items' balance from one site to another. If the item is lot tracked and the production lot entered does not already exist, a new production lot will be created by the transaction. If the site is warehouse lot tracked and the warehouse lot entered does not already exist, a new warehouse lot will be created by the transaction. When the transaction is saved in a status less than Ready to Post, it will reduce the available balance of the From Site and will increase the available balance of the To Site. If a Ship  Via site is selected, making this a two-part transfer, the Ship Via site will act as the To Site until the transaction is posted. Once the transaction is posted, the From Site's On Hand balance will decrease and the To Site's On Hand balance will increase. If a Ship Via site is selected, making this a two-part transfer, a second transfer will be created to account for the transfer between the via site and the to site. This second transfer will be open, causing the Via Site's On Hand balance to increase and the Ship Via site's Available balance to decrease while the To Site's Available balance will increase. Once the second transfer is posted, the Ship Via site's On Hand Balance will decrease and the To Site's On Hand balance will increase. Once the transaction is posted, it will be sent to the host system as a Transfer transaction if the integration is turned on. 

Step 1: Entering the Transaction in NorthScope

To create a new Transfer transaction in NorthScope, first expand the Inventory module. Then, click Transactions. This will open the Transactions list view. From the Transactions list view, click the New toolbar icon and select Transfer. This will open a new Transfer record view for the user to enter the transaction. 

Completing the header fields

To view the description of each of the Transfer's header fields, click here. 

• Carrier
• From Site: This is the site from which the items are being transferred. Therefore, select the site where you would like inventory to decrease. 
• Ship Via: This is the site via which the items are being transferred. This site acts as the transporter of the items. Therefore, if this site is selected the transfer becomes a two part transfer that will initially transfer the items from the From Site to the Ship Via site and then a second transfer will be created upon the posting of the first transfer that will transfer the items from the Ship Via site to the To Site. 
• Status
• To Site: This is the site to which the items are being transferred. Therefore, select the site where you would like inventory to increase. 
• Transferred On: This is the date on which the transfer took place. 

Adding line items

Once the header values have been entered, click Save. Saving will populate the grid for data entry. By default, five blank line items will open. However, more than five items can be added. Enter the information for each item being transferred.

To view the description of each Transfer transaction grid field, click here. 

• From Owner: This is the owner of the lot from which the item is being transferred. Therefore, this field is only editable when the corresponding item is lot tracked. 
• From Production Lot: This is the production lot from which the item is being transferred. Therefore, enter the production lot where you would like inventory to decrease. This field is only editable when the corresponding item is lot tracked. 
• From Warehouse Lot: This is the warehouse lot from which the item is being transferred. Therefore, enter the warehouse lot where you would like inventory to decrease. This field is only editable when the From Site is warehouse lot tracked. 
• Item: Description: This is the item being transferred. If the item selected is managed by units only, the Weight and Weight UOM fields will be disabled. If the item selected is managed by weight only, the Units and Units UOM fields will be disabled. 
• To Owner: This is the owner of the lot to which the item is being transferred. Therefore, this field is only editable when the corresponding item is lot tracked. 
• To Warehouse Lot: This is the warehouse lot to which the item is being transferred. Therefore, enter the warehouse lot where you would like inventory to increase. 
• Units: This is the number of units of the item being transferred. This field is only editable if the corresponding item is managed by units and weight or units only. 
• Units UOM: This is the unit of measure of the units being transferred. This field is only editable if the corresponding item is managed by units and weight or units only. This field will default to the item's default inventory unit UOM once the item is selected. If the UOM selected differs from either of the lots involved in the transfer, the units will be converted based on the UOM conversion on the UOM schedule. 
• Weight: This is the total weight of the item being transferred. This field is only editable if the corresponding item is managed by units and weight or weight only. 
• Weight UOM: This is the unit of measure of the weight being transferred. This field is only editable if the corresponding item is managed by units and weight or weight only. This field will default to the item's default inventory weight UOM once the item is selected. If the UOM selected differs from either of the lots involved in the transfer, the weight will be converted based on the UOM conversion on the UOM schedule. 

Note: The Units and Weight values must both be positive and cannot be zero. 

Saving the transaction

Saving the Transfer transaction as New will create lots for items that are not assigned to an existing lot and will update the available lot balances of items assigned to existing lots.

Step 2: Finalizing the transaction in NorthScope.

Changes can be made to a transaction until it is finalized. To finalize a transaction, the user will need to change the status to “Ready to Post”.  In some companies, posting is a two-step process where transaction(s) are “Approved” by one person and posted by another. 

Approving the transaction

This step is optional and is used for companies that require a two-step process where there the person who approves the transaction cannot be the same person that posts the transaction.

To approve a transaction open it from the list view, change the status to “Approved”, and click the “Save” icon on the header toolbar. In addition to the validations performed each time the “Save” icon is clicked, there are additional validations that are performed:

• Ensures there is at least one valid line item on the transaction
• Ensures the Date resides within a valid fiscal period as determined by the host system. 

Once the status has been successfully updated to “Approved”, all the editable fields, with the exception of Status, will be disabled.

Finalizing the transaction

When the transaction is ready to be finalized, the user must open it and change the status to “Ready to Post” and save the transaction. Setting the adjustment to “Ready to Post” does the following:

For a one part transfer (no Ship Via site):

• Validates the same conditions as the approval status and locks down all editable fields, including status.
• Sends the transaction to the host system as an Inventory Transfer if integration is turned on
• Decreases the on hand balance of the From Site lot
• Increases the on hand balance of the To Site lot

For a two part transfer (with a Ship Via site):

• Validates the same conditions as the approval status and locks down all editable fields, including status.
• Sends the first part of the transaction (transfer from the From Site to the Ship Via site) to the host system as an Inventory Transfer if integration is turned on
  • Decreases the on hand balance of the From Site lot
  • Increase the available balance of the Ship Via site lot
• Creates the second part of the transfer (transfer from the Ship Via site to the To Site) in NorthScope in a status of New
  • Decreases the available balance of the Ship Via site lot
  • Increases the available balance of the To Site lot

For two part transfers to be complete, the second part of the transfer must be posted. Saving the second part of the transfer as "Ready to Post" will do the following:

• Sends the transaction to the host system as an Inventory Transfer if integration is turned on
• Decreases the available balance of the Ship Via site lot
• Increases the on hand balance of the To Site lot

Note: For each transfer, a transfer receipt will automatically be created to record the receipt of the items by the To Site. The transfer receipt is not visible from the transactions list view but will display in the inventory module inquiries where applicable (i.e. Item History). 

Step 3: Posting the transaction in the host system.

For every Inventory Transfer transaction in NorthScope, an Inventory Transfer transaction will be made in the host system if the Company Integration Setup for 'IM Transactions' is set to Timed or Immediate. The transaction will appear in the host system's Inventory module as a Transaction Entry in the batch titled NS followed by the year, month, and day with the following format: NS: YY_MM_DD. For example, if the Transfer was integrated on July 14, 2015, the Batch ID for the transaction entry would be NS: 15_07_14. 

The values that will be sent to the host system include the following:

• Transferred On
• Transaction ID
• From Site
• To Site
• Item
• Units/Weight
• Units/Weight UOM

Once the user verifies all fields are correct, the user can post the batch in the host system. 

Note: Although this step is required, it does not need to be done for each transaction. Posting can be done nightly or as needed.

Step 4: Reviewing in NorthScope.

Once Step 3 is completed, the following will occur in NorthScope:

• The posted Transfer(s) will automatically update from “Ready to Post” to “Posted” and will no longer be visible in the Inventory Transactions List View.