Inventory Formation Settings

Access

Use this routine to create or edit inventory formations. If you specify an existing formation, the formation elements display in the grid.  Formation elements include:

• products

• product groups

• product categories

• product vendors

• product brands

Once you specify a product, group, category, vendor, or brand, the other four prompts inactivate and the Usage Action field activates.   For each element you add to a formation, use the Usage Action field to specify whether to include or exclude the products from the element in the formation.  

For example, assume you have Product ABC from Vendor 123.  You can create an inventory formation to include all products from Vendor 123 except Product ABC.  To do this, select Vendor 123 and include it (via the Usage Action field), then select Product ABC and exclude it.

You can add inclusions or exclusions to a formation in any order.  Once you save a formation, the grid sorts in the following order:

• Inclusion items first, followed by exclusion items.

• Within either inclusion or exclusion items,

- brand

- vendor

- category

- group

- product

 If you change an existing formation that is currently referenced in the system (for example, referenced by one or more sales discount codes), all products previously included in the formation may not be available in the formation.  

If you attempt to delete a formation that is currently referenced in the system (for example by one or more sales discount codes), a warning message appears but you can continue.  If you choose to continue, the program removes the formation from all discount codes prior to deletion.

To generate a list of all discount codes associated with a formation, use the Inventory Formations With Discounts report in the Report Builder.

Inventory Formation Code

Description

ProductEnter the code of the product you want to include or exclude in the selected inventory formation.  If you click on the Search button, the Search for a Product window appears from which you can choose one or more products. If you click on the Actions button, the Multiple Product Selection Window appears from which you can choose one or more products.  

You can also double-click on a grid item to select it. Once you specify one or more products, the Usage Action field activates.

GroupEnter the code of the group whose products you want to include or exclude in the selected inventory formation. If you click on the Search button, a list of product groups appears from which you can choose. If you click on the Actions button, the Multiple Group Selection Window appears from which you can choose one or more groups.   

You can also double-click on a grid item to select it. Once you specify one or more groups, the Usage Action field activates.  

CategoryEnter the code of the category whose products you want to include or exclude in the selected inventory formation. If you click on the Search button, a list of product categories appears from which you can choose. If you click on the Actions button, the Multiple Category Selection Window appears from which you can choose one or more categories.  

You can also double-click on a grid item to select it. Once you specify a category, the Usage Action field activates.  

VendorEnter the code of the vendor whose products you want to include or exclude in the selected inventory formation. If you click on the Search button, the Vendor Name Search appears from which you can choose. If you click on the Actions button, the Multiple Vendor Selection Window appears from which you can choose one or more vendors.  

You can also double-click on a grid item to select it. Once you specify a vendor, the Usage Action field activates.  

Brand

Usage ActionSpecify whether to include the selected product, group, category, or vendor in the formation, or to exclude it.

This field is inactive until you select a product, group, category, or vendor.