Suggested Quantity Types

Overview:

Suggested Quantity Types (SQTs) provide a way to configure the metrics that are used to calculate item quantities for suggested orders, suggested transfer requests, suggested production, and/or suggested prep. You can select an SQT to use when you run worksheets for ordering, transfer requests, production, or prep. 

You can select an SQT when you enter orders, transfers, or production. If you select an SQT for the enter feature, then the suggested quantity calculation can be displayed for each item on the entry screen. Even though SQTs are preconfigured, they can be modified when running worksheets or entering orders, transfer requests, or production.  

Things to know!

• Suggested Quantity Types (SQTs) are typically used to suggest quantities for items to order, transfer requests, prep, or produce.  
• SQTs are preconfigured. Preconfigured SQTs are defaults (to save time), but they can be changed when printing worksheets or entering transactions. 
• SQTs can be used when you run an order, transfer request, prep, or production worksheet. 
• Suggested Quantity Types (SQTs) can be used when you enter an order, transfer request, or production. 
• If you just want to include the Theoretical On-Hand quantity on a worksheet or entry display, then you will need to configure an SQT and check the box for "Use Theoretical On-Hand Quantity". 
• At least one SQT must be preconfigured for each transaction type you want to create suggested quantities for (orders, transfer requests, prep, and/or production). 
• You can set up multiple SQTs for each transaction type. For example, if you order or make transfer requests on Mondays and Fridays, you can set up Suggested Quantity Types for each day, and one for each transaction type (Monday and Friday orders, and Monday and Friday transfer requests). 
• SQTs can, optionally, be configured to use Par Levels. A Par Level will compare an Item's Par Level to the calculated on-hand quantity and calculate the suggested quantity. Please click this link for more information about Par Levels. 
• SQTs can also be configured to use Usage Projections. A Usage Projection calculates how much of an item will be used between the order, transfer request, or production date and the next time you will order or make a transfer request.  Please click this link for more information about Usage Projections.   
• SQTs can be configured to include both Par Levels and Usage Projections. Or just one or the other.  
• If you want to use an SQT for the Prep Worksheet, this option must be enabled in Company>Setup>Company Settings>go to the Recipe Tab. 
• This feature will only be accessible and visible to users who are given access to it.

Add or Edit Suggested Quantity Types (Ordering, Transfer Requests, or Production):

To add, review, edit, or delete a Suggested Quantity Type, navigate to Inventory>Setup>Suggested Quantity Types.  Upon selection, a Find Grid will display all of the Suggested Quantity Types that you have previously set up:

The Find Grid includes more tools to help you find, filter, or sort the information on the grid according to your requirements. Some of these tools are intuitive, but other helpful tools can easily be overlooked. Please click this link for more information on Find Grid Tools - FAQs.

Add Suggested Quantity Types: Use the blue "+ Add" button to add a new Suggested Quantity Type.

Edit/Delete: Click the Edit or Delete option next to a row you wish to edit or delete.

Add/Edit:

In the below display we have selected to edit/view the "Order to Par" Suggested Quantity Type:

Name: Select a name for the Suggested QuantityType that helps you remember which one it is or that makes it unique (especially if you are configuring more than one Suggested Quantity Type or doing so for both ordering and transfer requests.  

Suggested Quantities For: If you have enabled orders, transfers, and production in your company settings, then the drop-down enables you to select whether this SQT is used for orders, transfers, production, or prep. This is a required field because the SQTs you configure will show up for the appropriate transaction type you select (orders, transfer requests, production, or prep).  

Use Theoretical On-Hand Quantity: When this box is checked, a Suggested Order, Transfer Request, or Production calculation will start by calculating the theoretical quantity on-hand for an item and then make additional calculations for Par Levels and/or Projected Usage from there. If you have items that typically have no or low stock levels and plan to utilize a Usage Projection, then it may make sense to uncheck this option. 

For example, we buy fresh fish daily and each day we either use it up or give away any unused portions, so we will not include the Theoretical On-Hand in our calculation because the assumption is there is never any fresh fish on hand. 

For an explanation of the Theoretical On-Hand Calculation, please click this link: Theoretical On-Hand FAQs. If you want to include the Theoretical On-Hand quantity on a worksheet or entry display for informational purposes, then check this box only.  

Use Open Transfer Request Quantity: If you have a Site such as a commissary or a central storage area that receives transfer requests from other Sites, and if you want to include transfer requests that have not yet been fulfilled in the suggested order quantity calculation, then check this box. 

Use Open Order Quantity: If you want the Suggested Order calculation to adjust for the item quantities that are on order (not delivered yet), then check this box. This calculation will use the expected delivery date that was entered for the order. 

Use Par Levels: COGS-Well provides the option to set up Par Level Types and Par Levels for an Item for each Par Level Type. If you have set up Par Levels and you want them to be included in the SQT that you are configuring, then check this option.  Click this link for more on Par Levels. 

Default Par Level Type: COGS-Well provides the option to set up multiple Par Level Types (such as High Volume and Low Volume, or Weekends and Week Days, etc.). If the SQT you are configuring will frequently use a specific Par Level, then use the drop-down to select it as the default.  You can still override the default when running worksheets or entering transactions. For more information please click this link on Par Level Types.    

Use Projected Usage Quantity:  Projected Usage can be calculated for any item that is used as an ingredient in a Recipe Item(s). The projection is for the usage between the order, transfer, or production date, and the next delivery, transfer request, or production date (this amount is added to the suggested quantity calculation).

For a detailed review of Projected Usage, please see this link for Usage Projections - FAQs. If you check this box to include Projection Usage in your SQT, then additional fields, which are overviewed directly below, will also display (see below):

Use User-Defined Historical Date Range: You should only check this box when you will not be using a consistent historical date range for your Usage Projection and prefer to select the range each time you order or make a transfer request.

If you do not check this box, then you can define the number of historical weeks in the Suggested QuantityType and it will default each time you order or transfer (see below). If you do check this option, then the Number of Historical Weeks and the Number of Current Weeks to Skip configurations will disappear from the criteria displays for worksheets and entry features. 

Number of Historical Weeks: This is the number of historical weeks before the order or transfer request date that will be used for the Usage Projection calculation sales portion. 

Number of Current Weeks to Skip: Oftentimes you may be selecting a report date that falls in the middle of a week and you will not have a full week of sales to be utilized in the projection.  The typical configuration is, therefore, to skip the current week by entering 1 so the projection will not include the current week.

Exclude High and Low Quantities: To help smooth the projection calculation, you can check this box to normalize against unusual lows or highs that may have occurred on a given day. Most customers check this box unless their sales volume is very stable throughout the look back number of weeks.   

Project Usage for all Sites: This prompt only displays if you have multiple sites. If you will be running projections for a commissary or warehouse site, then you might want to project usage for all of the sites so their projected usage is factored into the projection calculation.

Save or Exit:

Save - Click the save button to save your entry.

Exit - Click the exit button to exit.  If you have made unsaved changes, you will be asked if you are sure.