MTS #41 Grower Batch Production and Receiving
Purpose: To provide a method of entering product harvested from a specific location, track it and receive it into On-Hand Inventory for sale.
Keywords: The following is a list of key terms used in the SMARTSystem that you should be familiar with and understand.
- Source is the farm/field location that the product has been harvested from and created in the Source Entry program under the Vendor Menu.
- Batch Production Manager is set in the Staff record of the person who will be posting harvested batches to On-hand inventory.
Workflow:
1. There are two basic workflows considered for this process:
a. Product is picked from the greenhouses/fields and entered in this program as a batch to be adjusted after the grading process or
b. Product is picked and moved to the packing house for grading, tally sheets created and entered as a batch identifying the source of product.
2. Products are finished, in containers and grouped onto rolling tables to await transportation to the warehouse for sale to customers
3. Labels can be printed prior to product arriving at the warehouse to save time during the processing procedure.
4. The only report needed when posting is product quantity summary by grade posted to on-hand inventory.
5. Once the Batch is entered a report can be produced before or after the On-hand inventory update.
Overview:
A grower may have several fields or farm locations with, or without, internet access. This process is for the farm locations to submit batches of products during the day before the product arrives in the warehouse.
If there is no Internet connection, then the batches may be entered once they arrive at the warehouse and graded by the receiving warehouse personnel.
A printed list of each batch will be checked for product quality and adjust the number of stems entered if the batches were submitted by the pickers or previously entered.
Once approved, the products will be received into the inventory for sales.
The Batch Entry Program functions:
- Enter or submit products harvested during the day to create the batch before product arrives at the warehouse
- Print a list of entries for each batch to be checked for quality and adjust the number of stems entered
- Post batch to update On-hand inventory
- Inventory item cost is captured from the inventory items either “landed costs or WAC” based on the System Control settings.
Step 1: The Batch Entry Screen
Select the Batch Production Data Entry menu item from the menu to get started:
The Batch Entry Screen is the starting point for this process.
Batch # is the current batch number and will automatically increment as each new batches are added. This cannot be entered manually.
Lot # is automatically assigned for each picker for each item entered in the Batch.
Date will automatically fill in with today's date, and cannot be changed.
Source is the farm/field location that the product has been harvested from. As a pre-requisite, you must enter the farm names into the Source Maintenance Table, and the Batch Entry column box must be checked. The Source Maintenance Table is accessed through the Vendor Menu:
Picker is the person responsible for the incoming product or who is inputting this data
Only Load Batch Entries checkbox will filter out and display only the items that have had quantities added to them when checked. This is unchecked when entering quantities of product received:
Check the box to re-display entries for a selected Batch #:
The product cost is captured from the items inventory record as either “landed costs or WAC” based on the System Control settings.
Filters:
The Category, Sub-Category, Subset, Product Code Search and Description Search filters are to help locate the inventory items to enter the harvested quantity:
Click the Find button:
Step 2: Entering a Batch of Product
Uncheck the “Only Load Batch Entries” checkbox to enter quantities. This box is checked to show open batches that need to be finalized and post. The program expects that batches entered remotely:
The Batch Entry screen is used to enter a batch of products picked in the field, sorted and graded. A list of product variety/grade is made and entered. The filters are used to reduce the number of products on the screen to simplify entry of flowers harvested.
Using the filters, we are showing all the Callas with "hot" in the description to select/enter in the quantity that has been harvested. Before the batches are entered into the system, the farm staff usually grades the product and removes low quality items from the batch.
Enter the quantity:
Move the screen down to continue adding product until all products for this batch are entered. Each line quantity entered is considered a Lot # within the batch.
All flowers entered on this screen are associated with the batch number at the top left corner of the screen:
At the bottom of the screen, “Total Units in Batch” is used to verify the quantity received for this batch.
Click “Save” periodically to record your entries for this batch:
You can SAVE your entries as often as you want without completing the batch. The batch will not be considered complete until the user clicks the “Done” button.
To complete this entry process click this button to indicate the batch is finished and start a new batch:
- Click Done/New Batch
Before the batches are “Completed” and entered into the on-hand inventory, the farm staff will grade the product and remove low quality products from the batch.
You can recall a specific Batch to correct and edit it.
All items in the batch are editable until the point that the batch is marked as Done. Editing entries to:
1. Changing the quantity associated with an item in the lot.
2. Deleting an item in the lot.
When you click “Complete Batch” it will display the lines entered for printing, and then display the screen showing that they have been processed (On-hand inventory updated) successfully:
Screen display:
You can verify the Batch entries entered into the On-hand inventory by going to the Inventory View and displaying the detail items for specific products entered:
All flowers entered on this screen will be associated with one Batch number.
Step 3: Warehouse Verification Step
The warehouse staff does a quick count and verification step for the open batches not yet processed, using the Batch# as a reference. In the case where there is no Internet connectivity, they will count and enter in the amounts for each batch as described above.
The warehouse staff person will open the Batch Production Data Entry program and select a Batch number. By checking the "Only Load Batch Entries" checkbox, only those items that have been added to that batch will be shown.
This screen will allow the warehouse staff to edit and delete specific line items in the lots in case of entry errors at the farm. Using this screen, the warehouse staff will have the ability to:
1. Change Quantities
2. Change the product from one product to another.
3. Delete a line item from the lot completely.
Step 4: Posting Quantities to On-hand inventory
Only Batch Production Managers can post harvested batches to on-hand inventory.
This setting is located in the person's Staff record (Staff > Staff Entry) on the "Staff Options" tab.
Once a person is designated as a Batch Production Manager, a hidden button will be visible on the screen to "Complete Batch." Clicking on it will cause the quantities to get added to on-hand inventory with the original
When all changes are completed, click the button to "Complete Batch. The inventory will be posted to your on-hand amounts, and a batch report will automatically launch.
When viewing the "Inventory Detail Items" for each of the products received, each item within the batch will create a receiving lot with the batch number in the Internal Comments field to identify Batch Receiving.
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