Introduction

Counting is the part of a stock take that happens on the mobile app. An operator opens a location, either from the Cycle Count list or by scanning it, counts the items and containers in it, and taps Stock Take. Descartes Peoplevox compares the count with what it expected in the location and creates a variance for a supervisor to approve or reject. The location is locked when the count is submitted and stays locked until that decision is made. While it is locked, nobody can pick from it, move stock into it or remove stock from it.

This page covers setting up cycle counting in the web app and counting on the mobile app. For how the whole process fits together, the permissions and how to choose a counting method, see Stock Take and Cycle Count. For deciding variances, see Approving Stock Take Variances.

Key Points

• Cycle counts are created automatically from the Stock take frequency on each location. A location without a frequency is never cycle counted.

• Cycle counts and ad-hoc stock takes use the same count screen. The only difference is how you open the location.

• The location is locked when the count is submitted and stays locked until its variance is approved or rejected, so decide variances promptly.

Before You Start

• Applies to: the web app for setting stock take frequencies, and the mobile app for counting, at the site selected on the device.

• Requires: the mobile app on each device that counts. For cycle counting, each location also needs a Stock take frequency (see Set Up Cycle Counting below).

• Permissions: set on the user's role under Users > Roles in the web app, as in the table below. The full permissions table, including the legacy screens, is on Stock Take and Cycle Count.

• Doesn't cover: approving or rejecting variances (see Approving Stock Take Variances), the legacy count screens (see Legacy Stock Take Workflows on Stock Take and Cycle Count), and creating locations (see Setting Up and Editing Locations in PVX).

Set Up Cycle Counting

Applies to: Web app

Stock take frequency sets how often the location should be counted, in days. Leave it blank and the location is never included in cycle counting. Last stock take date is recorded automatically each time a count is submitted for the location. You do not need to maintain it, but you can set it yourself, for example to stagger new locations.

When the time since the last stock take is longer than the frequency, Peoplevox creates a cycle count action for the location. Operators with the Stock Take Cycle Count permission see it in the Cycle Count list on the mobile app. For example, a frequency of 90 days creates a cycle count 90 days after the most recent recorded count.

Set the Frequency on a Location

1. In the web app, go to Warehouse > Manage location groups.

2. Open the location group that contains the location.

3. Double-click the Stock take frequency cell for the location and enter the number of days.

4. Optionally, enter a Last stock take date.

5. Save your changes.

To create a location, click Add and set the same two fields.

Set Frequencies for Many Locations at Once

The Locations CSV template includes a Stock take frequency in days column. Fill it in for the locations you want counted and import the file. Leave the column empty for locations you want to leave out of cycle counting. For the import steps, see Using CSV Files and Integration Templates to Transfer Data.

Where Cycle Count Actions Appear

• On the mobile app, in the Cycle Count list for the device's site, with search, sorting and filters (see below).

• In the web app, with your other actions under Actions > View actions. Set Action type to Cycle Count to list only cycle counts. For how the Actions screens work, see Understanding and Using Actions.

Count Stock on the Mobile App

Applies to: Mobile app. Roles that still have the legacy functions see the legacy screens as well; those are described under Legacy Stock Take Workflows on Stock Take and Cycle Count.

Cycle counts and ad-hoc stock takes use the same count screen. The only difference is how you get to it: from the Cycle Count list, or by scanning a location yourself.

Open a Location From the Cycle Count List

Each location that is due at your site is listed with its name and barcode, the last stock take date, the cycle count deadline, who the action is released to, and whether it is a single-product, multi-product or empty location.

1. Open Cycle Count under Stock Take on the mobile menu.

2. Find your current location.

3. Tap the location.

To find a location in the list, you can:

• Sort it by Cycle Count Deadline, Last Stock Take Date or Location Sequence.

• Narrow it with the Location Use Types and Storage Types filters.

• Type the start of the location's name or barcode in the search box.

The Action Details drop-down shows the action's deadline and priority. Then count the contents, as described under Count the Contents below.

Start an Ad-Hoc Stock Take

1. Open Stock Take from the mobile menu.

2. Scan the location or container barcode into the Location / Container field at the top of the screen.

The field's hint reads "Scan location / container to inspect". Then count the contents, as described under Count the Contents below.

Count the Contents

Use these steps for both a cycle count and an ad-hoc stock take. Scan the contents of the location, or mark it as empty.

1. Scan each item in the location into Contents.

2. Scan any containers in the location into Contents as well.

3. If the location is empty, turn on the Mark as empty? switch at the bottom of the screen instead of scanning.

4. Tap Stock Take to submit the count.

Each scan of the same item adds one to its count. If your role allows it, you can adjust the quantity instead of scanning every unit. Counting a container confirms it is present; it does not count the items inside it. The Mark as empty? switch is only shown while Contents is empty.

Peoplevox records the count, updates the location's last stock take date and creates a variance for approval. The location is locked when the count is submitted and stays locked until its variance is approved or rejected.

What Happens After You Submit

• The variance goes to the approval list on the web application. If your site has auto-approval switched on and the variance is within the thresholds, it is approved immediately and inventory is updated straight away. See Approving Stock Take Variances.

• Everything else waits for a person to approve or reject it, on the web app or on the mobile app. The location stays locked until then, so approve promptly during a count.

If Something Goes Wrong

Before You Contact Descartes Customer Support

Note these details so Customer Support can find the count quickly:

• The site, and the location or container barcode

• The variance Reference Number from Stock take variances, if a variance was created

• Who did the count (the Operator Name on the variance) and on which device

• The date and time it happened, with your time zone

• The exact message shown on screen, if there was one

Keeping Track

• Each location shows its Last stock take date, updated every time a count is submitted for it.

• The Failed actions screen also shows the date of the last stock take at a location, which helps when deciding whether a skipped pick needs a count. See Understanding and Using Actions.

• The Stock take approval report lists approvals and rejections. See Reports.

Related Articles

• Stock Take and Cycle Count, for how the process fits together, the full permissions table and what changed recently.

• Approving Stock Take Variances, for deciding the variance a count creates.

• Reports, for the Stock take approval report.

• Setting Up and Editing Locations in PVX, for creating locations and the Locations CSV template.

• PVX Mobile App User's Guide, for the mobile app in general.

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