Manage inventory and purchasing by using the built-in inventory management system
Manage inventory and purchasing by using the built-in inventory management system
This domain tests warehouse stock, product consumption, purchasing, and inventory transactions in Field Service.
Core rules and concepts
- Warehouses hold product inventory. Product inventory records show quantity on hand by warehouse and product.
- Inventory adjustments correct counts; inventory transfers move stock between warehouses; return to vendor handles stock sent back.
- Purchase orders record ordered quantities from vendors. Receipts record what actually arrived and update inventory.
- Work order products track estimate, used, and billable quantities. Consuming a product affects inventory and the work order.
- Inventory transactions provide the audit trail for adjustments, transfers, receipts, and consumption.
- Field Service inventory is operational stock management, not a full financial accounting or manufacturing system.
Worked example
A technician needs three filters. The warehouse has two on hand, so you create a purchase order for five and receive all five. Later, the technician consumes three on the work order. Product inventory drops from five to two, and transactions record the receipt and consumption. The reasoning is that purchasing increases stock only on receipt, while work order consumption decreases it.
Traps that cost marks
- Treating an inventory adjustment as a transfer; adjustments correct discrepancies, transfers move stock.
- Assuming a purchase order increases stock when it is created; receipt does the increase.
- Forgetting to consume work order products, leaving stock and billing inaccurate.
- Mixing units of measure or products across warehouses without checking inventory records.
- Expecting Field Service inventory to replace finance-led inventory accounting.