Every item you stock should have a partnumber (sometimes called a stock code). This partnumber identifies the stock item to the system.

 

Your partnumbering system should be easy to understand. If possible your staff should be able to look at a partnumber and deduce what the item in question is, or at least what kind of item it is. Developing a partnumbering system is a science in itself, but it is normally wise to avoid a system with:

 

· Spaces in a partnumber e.g.. ABD 332 232

· Dots and dashes e.g.. 2.2/22-33.245

· A jumbled mixture of letters and numbers e.g.. A2H44D2Q9

· Very long partnumbers e.g.16060344845916.

 

Remember that if similar items are given partnumbers with the same starting letters or numbers they will be sorted together on reports and screen displays.

 

Stock item details are entered into the system using the partnumber tool.  When you start to enter a new partnumber, Herschel checks your existing partnumbers. If the new partnumber is part of a sequence of partnumbers, the partnumber tool will show you the last partnumber on file:



Note that this tool will let you copy an existing item's details if required - this can save a lot of time and effort.



The information held about each partnumber is as follows:


Full Description

The description can be up to 100 characters long. Note that many screen enquiries show only the first 25 or 50 characters; you should ensure that wherever possible the first 25 characters describe the item in sufficient detail to identify it.  Upper and lower characters are accepted, as well as characters such as µ, ¼, and ±.

Unit Of Measure

The unit in which the item is stocked, issued and received. This is often EACH, but could be INCH, M, L, KG, LB, BOX etc.

Family

The family to which the partnumber belongs.

ABC Code

This is used to aid stock control. Items that need to be monitored most closely are given a code of A, those that require some monitoring are coded B and those that require little control are given a C coding. Items that require no control or can be considered obsolete are coded as Z items. The system can automatically code all stock items if required - there is an option to do this in the History module.  In a typical stores most items would have a code of C.

Mass

The net mass of the item, in kilograms.

Selling Leadtime

This is the time taken from receipt of a sales order to you actually despatching the goods, measured in working days. Note that this could be longer or shorter than the time it normally takes to manufacture or purchase the goods.  The system uses this leadtime to calculate delivery dates during sales order entry.

Selling Tax Rate

The percentage tax (e.g. VAT in the UK) to be added to the selling price when this item is sold to a customer.

Stocktake Period

This figure, in days, is used by Herschel determine when this item should be next stockchecked.  Leave this as zero if you do not intend to use the system's stocktaking facility.

Manufacturer 1

This, along with their partumber, are used to record any specific manufacturer details for the partnumber.  This is often used for electronic components.

Manufacturer 2

This, along with their partumber, are used to record any specific manufacturer details for the partnumber.  This is often used for electronic components.

Picture File

This the name of a picture file of the item.  This can be any type of document, such as a spreadsheet or a PDF.

URLThis is the URL for this partnumber, for example the item's page in a vendor's online store.

Alias Partnumber(s)

These are alternative partnumbers this item can also be identified by.  This allows you to use several partnumbers for the same thing.

RoHS Status

The restriction of hazardous substances status for the partnumber.

Serial Numbered

Whether the item is serial numbered. This is for information only - Herschel does not handle serial numbering at the moment.

Purchased

Whether the item is purchased or made in-house.

Preferred Vendor

If the item is purchased the vendor code of the preferred vendor can be entered for future reference.

Ordering Method

This dictates how Herschel should handle the reordering of the item. 


Issue Type 

When a works order is raised to manufacture an assembly this partnumber may be required as part of that assembly. The issue type dictates how this partnumber is issued to the works order. The item may not be issued at all, issued in bulk, issued in a kit of parts prior to manufacture or back flushed from the system after the works order has been completed. 

Scrap Allowance

The percentage to be added for wastage when Herschel calculates requirements of the item.

Ignore Scrap Below

The level below which scrap allowance should be ignored.  This avoids Herschel adding on small amounts of scrap.

Round Up To Nearest

The figure to which all calculated requirements should be rounded up to.

Accounts Code

This can be used to integrate with your accounts system.

Tariff Code

This can appear on the documentation for exported items.

Commodity CodeThis can appear on the documentation for exported items.

Standard Cost

This standard cost is decided by you. It remains fixed and is used as a “target” or “expected” cost for the item. The standard cost of an item is normally reviewed every six or twelve months.

Average Cost

This is automatically maintained by Herschel, and changes each time the item is received into stock. It is the “historical average” cost of the item.  Pretty useless, but used by accountants for something or other.
Latest CostEach time the partnumber is received into stock its latest cost is automatically updated with the cost of the receipt.
Latest Cost DateThe date the latest cost was most recently updated.
Extended Description An extended description of the partnumber.


User Defined Variables Up to twenty user defined variables that can be used for a variety of purposes.  These are set up in the Manager module.

 

If a new partnumber is entered that is purchased and you enter a valid vendor code for the preferred vendor, the system will optionally allow you to enter pricing details for the item. 

 

If you have lots of partnumber information in another system then you can quickly import this into Herschel using the import partnumber details option.


To delete a partnumber, press the delete button. Herschel will check the partnumber and warn you if deleting the item will cause you a problem in the future: