Inventory Control uses item structures to format item numbers. Item structures control which segments are included in item numbers and the order in which the segments appear. You select the item structure you want to use when you add items to Inventory Control.
The general steps required to set up item number formats include:
- Defining the segments you
require for your item numbers.
An item number can consist of up to ten segments. Use the segments in item numbers to organize items by common attributes. Also, you can sort reports by any segment of an item number.
- Adding segment codes (optional)
to control what the program allows you to enter in segments of the item
number.
Example: If you define a two-digit segment for color, you might set up the following segment codes: 01 for red, 02 for white, and 03 for blue.
-
Setting up one or more item structures in Inventory Control.
The following sections provide more information and examples of segments, segment codes, and item structures.
- Defining Segments
- Adding Segment Codes
- Setting Up Item Structures
- Designating a Default Item Structure
- Using Separator Characters
Defining Segments
Use the Items tab of the I/C Options screen to add the segments you want to use in your Inventory Control system.
You can define up to ten segments, any number of which you can then combine to define item structures, which are used to format item numbers.
Note: Sage 300 Standard allows a maximum of 4 item segments.
Item number #01-RED-L3401 has the following item number segments:
| Segment | Length | Description |
|---|---|---|
| XX | 2 | Style |
| XXX | 3 | Color |
| XXXXX | 5 | Size |
You can change the name of a segment after it is set up, but you cannot change or delete the segment itself.
- Each segment can be up to 24 characters long.
- An item structure can be up to 24 characters long (including all segments, separator characters, and a prefix character).
Adding Segment Codes
Use the Segment Codes screen to define segment codes for your segments.
After you define the segments you plan to use for your inventory item numbers, you can store valid segment codes for each segment. In other words, you can list all the valid codes that you can enter into a segment of an item number.
Adding segment codes is optional, as is using them once you have entered them. Use the Items tab in the Options screen to turn on the Validate option to restrict entries to the list of segment codes for individual segments at any time.
A segment code can contain upper-case letters and numbers. Segment codes can be neither longer nor shorter than the length of the segment for which they will be used.
You can turn the Validate option for segment codes on or off for individual segments at any time. When you add a new inventory item number, Inventory Control verifies what you enter in each segment (for which the segment code Validate option is on) of the item structure, against the segment codes you entered for the segment. If the segments are all valid, the program adds the item number to the system.
If you choose to use segment codes, you must enter all the codes you want the program to allow for a segment in the Segment Codes screen before you add your items.
The following table shows two examples of how you can set up segment codes (consecutive Xs denote a segment in an item structure):
| Segment | Length | Description | Segment Code and Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| XX | 2 | Style | R1 -- Regular |
| M1 -- Modern | |||
| XXX | 3 | Color | RED -- Red |
| WHI -- White | |||
| BLU -- Blue |
Note: You can add segment codes as needed, but you can delete segment codes only if they are not used by any item numbers.
Setting Up Item Structures
Use the Item Structures screen in the Setup folder to define item structures for your Inventory Control system.
You create item structures by combining up to ten segments (which you must set up first), in any order, and you can create as many item structures as you require for your item numbers. You must create at least one item structure.
You should set up your item structures to format your item numbers in a way that meets your needs for sorting and grouping items for inventory reports and lists.
The following table provides samples of several item structures. Note the following about the table:
- Consecutive Xs denote a segment in an item structure.
- Characters appearing between the segments of an item structure or item number are called separator characters.
-
A character appearing at the front of an item structure or item number (such as the # in the fourth example in the following table) is called a prefix character.
Item Structure Sample Item Number XXXX
F605
XXX.X
120.5
XX-XXX/X
K1-501/A
#XXX-XXXXX-XX-X
#L31-GT213-8A-0
While you design your item numbering format, consider the following suggestions:
- Use numbers (rather than letters or combinations of numbers and letters) for all segments to make the order in which item numbers appear on reports and in lists more predictable.
- Define item numbers so you have room to add items in the future. For example, assign large numbers such as 1100, 1200, and 1300 to a segment for consecutive items, rather than 1100, 1101, and 1102. Using large numbers leaves you room to assign a new item number, such as 1150, between two existing numbers (1100 and 1200).
- Assign item numbers according to the order in which you want items to appear on reports and lists. For example, identify the style of an item as men’s or women’s by assigning a style segment 1100, 1200, and 1300 for men’s styles, and 2100, 2200, and 2300 for women’s styles.
- Use segments of different lengths in an item number format so you can easily tell what each part of an item number represents.
Designating a Default Item Structure
If you create more than one item structure, you can designate one item structure code as the default for formatting item numbers.
The item structure code you select is used as the default when you add item records to Inventory Control. You should choose the item structure code that you will use most often.
Using Separator Characters
When you define an item structure, you can select a separator character to appear between segments so item numbers are easier to read. For example, for a three-segment item number it is easier to distinguish the segments in 5046-010-92 than in 504601092.
If you select a separator character for the last segment in an item structure, the character appears at the end of item numbers using that item structure. For example, 5046-010-92#.
If your current inventory item numbers already follow the rules for item numbers listed in the next section, you can create the item structures you need for entering item numbers into Inventory Control. Otherwise, design a new item number format before creating your item structures.