We have all read and re-read the lot matrix definition and instructions and we are still confused about it.
Their instructions mention the soda can vs case scenario but when you actually follow their instructions, it doesn't work.
It says use the wizard which we did for a sample.... we made a part called COKE, ILC #3.
**You cannot put the cost and price in at that point.
We will sell by EACH, 6-pack, 12-pack, 24-pack. We will buy by EACH such to make it simple.
When we got to the Lot matrix properties, I made: Name Lot Price Lot Quanity EACH 0.50 1
6-Pack 2.90 6
12-pack 5.70 12
24-pack 11.00 24
I clicked NEXT which took me to a table that assigned the ILCs: 301, 302,
303, 304.
It also has a column for stock quantity! How is that? They are all the SAME ITEM...just with different quantity sets. Why is this even there? I am never going to have 99, 24-packs in stock....I will always have CANS in stock and sell them in groups.
the ICL #3 for COKE doesn't exist, so I can't order it or declare a COST....or make it a PARENT item.
How does it track inventory?????
When I sell a 302 (6-pack), where does it take the inventory from? I want it to relieve 6 coke cans from inventory (ILC 3, Cans of Coke).
I will try my best to explain but if you are still confused send me an email and I will call you. So here we go. When Sales Mangament System [SMS - the company that originally designed the product before Microsoft bought them and changed product name to RMS] designed the system they asigned to a product a type like Standard, Serial, Weight, Voucher, Non Inventory, etc... Then they creating 3 grouping concepts. These grouping concepts are Assembly, Matrix, and Lot Matrix. The groupings in and on themselves are not products but a way to treat a collection of product. Which is also why these grouoings do not have inventory [stock] associated with them.
Now these 3 groupings behave differently:
1- Assembly - This is a way to sell a non related series of products that form a logical group like a PC Assembly. When the PC Assembly is selected [one code lets say PCA123] the system will automatically post what is defined as the assembly components, their prices [which could be different from list price when bought in an assembly] and quantities. This is diffrent from KIT in as much as the component of an assembly after having being posted can be changed [change the Monitor size from 15" to 17" etc...]. Also KIT is an item and has a quantity per kit where assembly has no quantity. Also a KIT item can be part of an assembly.
2- Matrix - related products with a 1 to 3 dimension. Example shoe sold with Colour, Size, and Fit. If I post the Matrix Code [sometime referred to as Style code] I get a grid window to select the items based on the dimensions.
3- Lot Matrix is an set of associated individual products that have something in common. I will give you several examples:
Example 1- Golf Pro Shop. You ring up GOLFPRO and you get a window listing the name of each pro and their hourly rate. You can then select the which one you want and for how many hours.
Example 2 - Post Cards - You may have a whole series of postcards lets say for birthday. The paper insert inside them says Happy birthday Son, Next happy Birthday Daughter, Mother, Father, etc... usually the insert paper is added after the card was made with its barcode. Now you want to identify which greeting card it is. You place the printed barcode as the Lot Matrix Grouping code [lets say code Card001] and in the system when you create this Card what the system actually does is craete Card001-01 - Card002-02 etc... so you actually sell the correct one and track your sales and inventory correctly.
Example 3 - SoftDrinks. Lets say you buy a case of SoftDrinks [in cans]. the case may contain 2 sets of 6 packs. When you sell you can sell either Case of Softdrinks; or you can sell it as 6 pack, or as loose can. The manufacturer may have coded all as Case as this is how they want to sell it. This can become confusing as when you scan the item the system is not sure which of these 3 item you are selling. So we suggest that you create the Barcode as teh Lot Matrix Code and create distinct codes for the case, 6 pack and single can. In this case I would suggest that yo ualso make the 6 pack the parent of the can, and the Case the Parent of the 6 pack. This way you only buy case and you can control what is sold when it is sold having correct inventory.
Can we inventory the SMALLEST quantity, (i.e. can) and make the CASE have a parent of CAN? So, the case sale pulls the inventory out of can inventory?
How do we barcode the BASE Lot matrix item if it doesn't exist in RMS? i.e. ICL #3 is COKE....you enter 3 to get the popup list to choose from. Well, ILC 3 does not exist, so we can't print it.
My REAL-WORLD example is ARROWS. We buy arrows in bulk by EACH. I want to sell them individually, but at different lengths. Instead of asking the customer to write comments in the checkout about what length he needs his arrows cut, we want them to select from a drop-down box. So, I need a MASTER item called "Brand Style Arrow" with children of
27.5", 28", 28.5", 29" etc. None of the children will be inventoried....just take 1 each inventory out of the MASTER item's inventory.
Q1. Can we inventory the SMALLEST quantity, (i.e. can) and make the CASE have a parent of CAN? So, the case sale pulls the inventory out of can inventory?
A1. Logically you will make the CASE the parent for the Can. You break from larger to smaller unit. The other way is possible but the amount will be a decimal quantity [not too intuitive] so in a six pack environment if the can was the parent for the case the amount will be 0.16667 [too difficult to calculate and get to a whole amount]. NOT recommeneded = = = = = Q 2. How do we barcode the BASE Lot matrix item if it doesn't exist in RMS? i.e. ICL #3 is COKE....you enter 3 to get the popup list to choose from. Well, ILC 3 does not exist, so we can't print it.
A2. Printing Barcode for GROUPINGS [Assembly, Matrix, Lot Matrix] has always been a problem. You can buy a barcode font and use the Supplier ReOrder Number on the main item to be the LOTMATRIX code and then associated with the Barcode Fomt for printing. Of course if you buy the font you can also use the Microsoft Word Label format and create your labels outside of Microsoft RMS. = = = = = = Q 3. My REAL-WORLD example is ARROWS. We buy arrows in bulk by EACH. I want to sell them individually, but at different lengths. Instead of asking the customer to write comments in the checkout about what length he needs his arrows cut, we want them to select from a drop-down box. So, I need a MASTER item called "Brand Style Arrow" with children of 27.5", 28", 28.5",
29" etc. None of the children will be inventoried....just take 1 each inventory out of the MASTER item's inventory.
A 3. In effect you would want the child item to be a Non Inventory item. With a parent child relatioship when the child reaches 0 it would automatically break the parent and re-populate the child by the quantity [for example 1 - whivh you do not want - as you want to break the parent only when child is sold]. Now I am not sure how many of the Arrow type items you have. Assuming you do not have too many I would actually configure your system a bit differently though it is time consuming.
1st I would create a series of KITs called: Arrow 27.5 - Arrow 28- Arrow
28.5 - Arrow 29 etc... Each being a KIT of ONE item using Quantity 1 2nd I would create a Lot Matrix Called Arrow and would add as component KIT Arrow 27.5 - KIT Arrow 28 - etc... Advanatage is that this is NOT a parent child - you are actually selling th ebase Arrow from the pack. But the description of the sales will come from the KIT Item. Also in RMS if the KIT item quantity is ZERO and you sell the KIT as long as the component is available the component will be automatically reduced. So this would be the best way to do the arrow in my opinion.
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