Count Inventory - Using a Tablet
Overview:
The Count Inventory feature for a tablet is the same for a desktop computer, but with some optimization features that can be utilized to accommodate a smaller display and a tablet keyboard. Therefore, the help article that covers accessing the Count Entry feature, viewing the Inventory Count find grid, and adding a new count applies to a tablet. Please click this link to Count Inventory if you need that added information.
It is very important to understand the Save, Save & Process, and Exit buttons at the bottom of the count entry grid. Please review the section at the bottom of this article that explains these buttons in detail.
Entering Counts via a Tablet:
Using a tablet instead of an Inventory Count Worksheet is very efficient. It eliminates the need to print worksheets, write down the counts, and then reenter the counts. A basic Android tablet, which is all COGS-Well requires, has also become much more affordable. For these reasons, we have features to make Count Entry “user-friendly” on a tablet. The features will work on an Apple (iPad) or Android tablet.
If you select Add a new Inventory Count, then complete the Count Criteria tab, and then access the count inventory Entry screen, you will see a display like below.
Tablet (mobile device) Icon: The square icon highlighted on the top left defaults to mobile mode if you are on a tablet. Mobile mode can be disabled and re-enabled by touching the icon. Tablet mode enables the grid to recognize a tablet keyboard. It will also adjust to any tablet settings you may have configured on the counts tab in your company settings. Please click this link if you would like more information on company settings.
Column Chooser: The button directly to the right of the Mobile Mode button is a “Column Selector”. This button allows you to choose what columns to display on the entry grid so that you can eliminate columns to increase the amount of real estate for displaying the most important information. In the example below, the Column Chooser has been touched and we have unchecked the "last received" and the "total" columns to provide more real estate on the tablet (not that these columns no longer appear on the entry grid):
In the above example, we have disabled the columns for Last Received and Total to provide more room for the other column displays. The tablet is being held in a landscape position, but it is not required (there is less real estate when held vertically, but you can display more rows of items). The x button is touched to remove the Column Chooser.
Below is an example of holding the tablet vertically for count entry. Please note that columns are narrower, but there are more items on the entry grid. If you want to use vertical and also increase the column widths, then you can eliminate more columns such as the Pack Cost and/or Unit Cost:
Navigation for Counts on a Tablet: Touching the cell you want to enter a quantity for (Pack Quantity or Unit Quantity) will bring up your tablet keyboard (please see the example below). Enter the count and then touch the next Pack or Unit Count cell that you wish to enter a quantity for and repeat.
Other Navigation On the Entry Grid:
Storage Location Search: If you selected to enter by Storage Location on the Criteria tab, you can use the location drop-down to find and display the items specific to a storage location.
Storage Location or Inventory Category: If you selected to enter by Storage Location on the Criteria Tab then the Storage Location name displays above the Items in the location at the top left. The arrow to the left of the name will collapse all the items in that location. If you did not select to enter by Storage Location then the Inventory Category name displays above the Items.
Items: The Items will display in alphabetical order unless you select the criteria to enter by Storage Location Item Sequence. Inventory Items will include the vendor name and vendor product code in parentheses after the item name. A Recipe Item flagged for counting will say "Recipe Item" in parentheses. A Combined Item flagged for counting will say "Combined Item" in parentheses.
Last Received: This is the date that the Item was last received on an invoice.
Pack Cost: This is the cost for a Pack based on when the Item was last received.
Pack Quantity: Enter the count for the Item based on the Pack Size description.
Unit Cost: This is the cost for a Count Unit based on the Pack Cost and the number of Count Units configured for the Pack.
Unit Quantity: Enter the quantity count for the Item based on the Count Unit description.
Pack and Count Unit Combinations: You can make a count entry for an Item using both Pack Quantity and Count Unit Quantity. In the example below, the Butter Continentals come in a Pack of 200 packets and you can count Packs or Count Units (or both). If you have 1 Pack and 50 packets then you could enter 1 pack and 50 packets as shown below. Or you could enter 1.25 packs. Or you could enter 250 packets. Another example shown below is for entering a Pack count of 4 packs and a Count Unit count of 3 pounds for Egg Whites Liquid.
Total: This column displays the dollar value of the count that you have entered for an Item based on the cost when the Item was last received. If you have selected to value your inventory using Weighted Average Costing, it will be utilized when you print an Inventory Extension or Usage Report.
Zero Count Entry: If an item has been flagged as "Count When Active" in the Inventory Item setup feature, and if it is no longer being used, and if there is no count for this item, then you should enter a zero ("0") as the count for this item. By entering a zero you are making the item inactive and it will not show up the next time you enter counts unless you receive the item on a new invoice. This is an important feature to make sure everyone utilizes as it will keep your inventory list clean. For more information please click this link and view the "Count When" definition: Inventory Item Setup.
Special Buttons: The buttons at the top of the display provide additional features as described below:
Add an item to the Count Entry grid. If you click this button, the items in this lookup are items that are inactive or new items that have been set up since the count entry was started, or Items that were not included in the Item Group that was selected. Click the button to search for and select an item.
This button will let you add an Item to the Storage Location that is being displayed. This feature is only available when you select Count by Storage Location. When you click this button a search window will display all active items and you can select the item.
Remove an Item from a Storage Location. This will remove the item that is highlighted on the display from the Storage Location being displayed. This feature is only available when you select Count by Storage Location.
Collapse all the Inventory Categories or Storage Locations to navigate to a specific Category or Storage Location. When you click this button, it will display all the storage locations or categories, with no individual items. It is handy for moving from one location or category to another.
Reverses the above Collapse feature.
Fills a zero count into any item that does not have a Pack or Counting Unit count entry. The assumption will be that the item is out of stock and no longer active. However, if you receive this item again on a new invoice then it will automatically switch back to being active.
Copies an inventory item count for a category of items from a previous count into the current count. This button will not show if you have not enabled this feature in your company settings. If you have a certain category of items (such as dried goods) where the count or value does not change significantly from period to period, then use this button.
This button will filter out all of the items that do not have a count entry for either the Packs or the Count Units (Items with blank entries will not display). This is a way to only view or edit counts for Items that were counted.
Calculator:
Enter Counts Supports Basic Math: Addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division can now be done when your cursor is inside a Pack or Unit quantity entry field on the inventory count entry feature. Addition uses the + key, subtraction uses the - key, multiplication uses the * key, and division uses the / key. For example, If the pack size for lemons is 60 Count, and you count 18 lemons, and you want to enter a quantity in the Pack Quantity column, you can enter 18/60 in the Pack Quantity field and press the enter, tab, or arrow key and the quantity will calculate .30.
+ Key to Enter Multiple Recorded Counts: Sometimes a person recording a count on the Count Worksheet writes down a count for an Item in the margin of the Worksheet. This can happen when the worksheet is printed by Category and an item is stored in more than one location. Or, it can happen if an item is not assigned to all of the Storage Locations it is in. For this situation, you can now enter the counts as they are recorded on the worksheet such as 2+6+3+10. When you move the cursor out of the field it will calculate 21. Please see
Multiple Users - Same Inventory Count:
COGS-Well allows multiple Users to edit the same Inventory Count, but the following rules must be followed:
1. An initial Inventory Count for the date must exist. This will create a Count that can now be Edited.
2. Each User should work in separate Inventory Categories, Groups, or Storage Locations. If multiple users are entering counts for the same inventory category or storage location, they may overwrite entries.
Save, Save & Process, and Exit
It is very important to understand the Save, Save & Process, and Exit buttons at the bottom of the count entry grid. Please review this section carefully:
Save, Save & Process, Exit:
It is very important to understand the Save Counts, Save & Process Counts, and Exit buttons at the bottom of the count entry grid. Please review this section carefully:
Save Counts: The Save Counts button will save the counts you have entered. The counts are saved to a temporary table in the database and will not process to the table in the database that is used for reporting. This button should be used if you want to save your counts as you go, or if you need to save a count entry that you have not yet fully completed.
Save & Process Counts: The Save & Process Counts button will both save and process the counts that have been entered into the reporting database. Processing takes longer than saving because valuation calculations will be performed.
Users should know that reports such as an Inventory Extension Report will not show an updated valuation until a new count has been processed.
When the Save and Process Counts button is selected, Users will see a message their count is being processed. When the process is completed, they will see the message below:
Exit: If you Save before you Exit, and don't make any subsequent changes or additions, the Exit Button will exit back to the count entry grid. If you have any entries that have not been saved then you will be prompted whether you want to save the changes.
Don't Close your Browser Before Exiting a Count Entry: Please note that a User should never close their browser until after they have exited the count entry screen.