C9 provides the ability to import inventory from a excel style spread sheet.  For example:

This can be useful for a number reasons, such as importing the results of a data dump from a cordless barcode scanner.

The import file format

The spreadsheet file must be either Excel 97 or later version, or a text file (Comma Separated values).

Minimally the file must define partnumbers and quantities. But other optional fields can be used too.

The spread sheets first row must be description of columns.  It is not important what column 'Part number' occurs on for example, it can be column A, or B or Z.  As long as the first row has a cell with a header indicating part number.

The precise fields recognised and used are as follows

Field	Mandatory	Description
Part Number	Y	The part number. Can contain hashes/spaces or without them.If the part number is a barcode or supercession, c9 will automatically follow the supercession.If the part number does not exist on the stock file, but exists precisely once on any master file, then the stock file entry will be automatically created
Quantity or Adjust	Y	The Quantity to set stock level to. If the header description is 'quantity' then stock level is set to this value. If the header description is 'adjust' then c9 will increase/decrease existing inventory level by this value
Supplier		The supplier the part number refers to. Can be franchise name or accessory supplier code. If Supplier is not set and part number occurs more than once then c9 will select the most stocked part to adjust. If more than one part shares same quantity level, then only one of those parts will be adjusted.
Location		If the stocked item currently has a blank location, then set stock location to this value.  If stocked item already has a location in c9 then this value is ignored

 

Full stock taking

C9 Electronic stock taking contains an option to do a 'full' stock take.  On importing a file, any part number currently stocked in c9 which is not recognised in the supplied file is assumed to no longer be in inventory and its inventory is adjusted to zero.

This option is disabled by default because it is obviously quite dangerous and should only be used if the stock take performed is thorough and trusted.

This option can be controlled to some extent by an optional 'location' setting in c9.  If you do a full stock take and location is set to 'B' only stocked items whose location starts with 'B' will have their inventory zeroed if part does not occur in supplied stock file for example.

Reversing stock take

C9 provides an option to reverse an electronic stock take. It just re-runs the stock take reversing the adjustment figures on the original stock take. A reversal cannot be un-reversed. You just start the process all other again.

Accessing this feature

From main menu:

• Spares
• Utilities
• Bulk Stock Take

The main screen looks like this:

Select 'import new stock take' to import a new file. Screen looks like this:

Main options:

• Date. Stock take date. defaults to today
• Source file: the spreadsheet file containing inventory to change
• Description: A description for reference later.
• Location: influences behaviour of full stock take option as described above
• Full:  see full stock take above for an explanation of what this does