This document summarizes new inventory management features in RQ4 software. It discusses a three-step automated ordering process that includes setting min/max levels, auto transfers between locations, and auto purchase order generation. Several new reports are highlighted like aged serial number status, back order ETA, discontinued/do not order indicators. The document emphasizes that RQ4 tools help streamline workflows and ensure the right inventory levels are in place.

1. THE INVENTORY
MANAGEMENT GAME:
Using RQ4 To Win
Kris Rogers & Jeff Wilson
Retail Management

2. Agenda
Introduction
Part I: New Features and Advanced Tools
Part II: Three-Step Automated Ordering Process:
Part III: Inventory Reports You Need to Know

3. Inventory is like an apple…

5. Why Do We Manage
Inventory?

6. How Do We Know We
Are Doing Well?

7. Inventory Turns
• Important Metric is: Inventory Turns
• Definition: Number of Times the Average Inventory
Investment is sold per year.
• Average Inventory Turns Should be between 6 and
12 times per year.
• Average Turns for our Clients is 5.24 turns.

8. What If We Do It
Poorly?

9. 6 Inventory Management Best
Practices
" Craig Harding, President of Direct Tech, Inc.,
provider of demand planning, inventory
optimization, merchandise planning and analysis
software.
1. Manage simple, consistent success metrics,
such as fulfillment, turnover and gross margin
return on investment.

10. 6 Inventory Management Best
Practices: Craig Harding
2. Dedicate your business to accurate data.
Garbage in still results in garbage out.

11. 6 Inventory Management Best
Practices
3. Maintain the quality of communications
between marketing, merchandising and
buyers.

12. 6 Inventory Management Best
Practices: Craig Harding
4. Apply top-down controls to align bottom-
up item plans with budgets.

13. 6 Inventory Management Best
Practices: Craig Harding
5. Reduce time from processes wherever
possible.

14. 6 Inventory Management Best
Practices: Craig Harding
6. Apply time against the 20 percent of your
inventory problems that will deliver 80 percent
of the benefit.

15. How RQ4 Can Help…

16. …the RQ4 Tool Belt
MIN/MAX Calculator
END OF LIFE
WRITE-OFF
DO NOT ORDER
LOCK MIN/MAX
MASS INVENTORY EDITING
MASS INVENTORY
ADJUSTMENT TOOLS
IMPORT/EXPORT MIN/MAX
AGED SERIAL NUMBER
WIDGET
MANY OTHERS…

17. Did You Know…???

18. You Can Lock RQ4…

19. …To Lock RQ4
" Press Control & L to Lock RQ4
" Or Set Idle Time in Role Management

21. Part I: New Features
and Advanced Tools

22. Aged Serial Number Status Widget

23. Aged Serial Number Status Widget

24. Aged Serial Number Status Widget

25. Aged Serialized Sales Status Report

26. Back Order ETA

27. Back Order ETA

28. Special Order

29. Write Off

30. Write Off –
Quantity
Adjustments

31. Write Off - Inventory
Quantity Adjustment

32. Write Off - Inventory
Quantity Adjustment

33. Discontinued

34. Discontinued

35. End Of Life

36. End Of Life

37. Do Not Order

38. Do Not Order: Purchase Order

39. No Sale

40. No Sale

41. Purchase Order Edit Field

42. Part II: Three Step
Automated Ordering
Process

43. Three Step Automated Ordering
Process
" Step 1: Set Min/Max
" Step 2: Stock Balancing: Auto Transfer In / Out
" Step 3: Auto Purchasing Report

44. Step 1: Set Min/Max

45. Product with Sales History
We use the sales history in the Min/Max Pricing Report.

46. Min/Max
Pricing
Adjustments
Report

47. Min/Max Calculator
" Period is critical: Best Practice
" Accessories: 21 days
" Phones: 14 days
" Set Min Qty:
" How many days from order to receipt of product
" Set Max Qty:
" How often do you wish to order product

48. Min/Max: Sales History

49. Min/Max: Adjusting Values
" Adjust Min or Max to a fixed value
" Adjust Min and Max by % for Seasonality or
Promotions (can be positive or negative %)
" Can set the Order column to a fixed number

50. Product with No History
(New Product)
" Create the product in inventory
" Set Min/Max for first orders
" Lock Min/Max

51. Create New Product: Blackberry
• Right Click on Existing Blackberry Torch and
Create Similar

52. Blackberry Torch 2: Fill in the Blanks

53. Min/Max Location Type
" Can narrow down search by store volume or
size
" Select A Stock Location to set min max for
new products
" This will pull up only those stores that are part
of that location type

54. Min/Max Location Type
" This will pull up only those stores that are part of
that location type

55. Min/Max for New Products

56. Lock Min/Max Settings
" Until you have history, you should lock min/max
numbers

57. Step 2: Stock
Balancing
Auto Transfer In | Auto Transfer Out

58. Auto Transfer In
• From All Stores to One Location
" Recalls: From All Stores to
Corporate Location

59. New Transfer Request

60. Email Transfer Request

61. Auto Transfer Out
" From Warehouse to Locations
" Between Locations

62. Creates Transfers: One per Store

63. Step 3: Auto
Purchasing

64. Auto Ordering

65. Auto Ordering: One PO per Vendor

66. Auto-Generated Purchase Orders

67. Auto Ordering: Import

68. Did You Know…???

69. You Can Restrict
Selling Into the
Negative…

70. Restrict Negative Selling

71. Part III: Reports You
Need to Know

72. Inventory counts

73. Update Committed Count Sheet – Mass Edits

74. Did You Know…???

75. You Can Create
Inventory Adjustment
Reason Codes

76. Inventory Adjustment Reason Code

77. Stale Inventory Report

78. Moving Products
From Non-Sellable

79. Non Sellable Products Report

80. Moving Products To
Non-Sellable

81. Non-Sellable Products Report

82. Sales History Report

83. Product Tracking Report

84. Accessory Products… OR

85. Lifecycle of One Serialized Product

86. Over Receiving Inventory Report
" allows you to see who is over receiving inventory

87. Product
Imports

89. Regular Product,
Non Stocked,
Vendor Rebate
Master List

90. Regular Product Master List

91. Mass Price Change Now Available

92. Select Locations…

94. Master List Also Includes:
• Do Not Order, Back Order ETA
• Special Order , EOL
• And Write Off

95. Auto Ordering Report:
Alternate Use

96. Auto Order Report: Alternate Use

97. Summary
" RQ4 has introduced The Tool Belt to shave time
from every work flow.
" The Automated Ordering Process ensures you have
the Ripe Apples at the right place at the right time.
" The reporting enhancements allow for detailed
analysis:
" new reports
" new features within reports.

98. Latest RQ4
Enhancements are
Proof that we are…

99. …WINNING!!!
The Inventory Management Game

100. iQmetrix.com | 1.866.iQmetrix
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