Managing Inventory with OTO Inventory

Effortless inventory management is at the heart of warehouse efficiency, and OTO INVENTORY is here to make it happen. With powerful tools for tracking stock, automating updates, and maintaining accuracy, OTO INVENTORY ensures your operations run seamlessly. This guide walks you through key concepts, settings, and inventory management methods.

Understanding Inventory Concepts in OTO

OTO INVENTORY keeps track of two crucial metrics for every product:

1. Quantity on Hand

   • Represents the physical stock available in your warehouse or branch.

   • Updated through inventory imports, inventory orders, and bin inventory updates.

2. Quantity Available

   • Reflects the sellable inventory, calculated by subtracting reserved quantities for pending orders from Quantity on Hand.

   • Formula: Quantity Available = Quantity on Hand - Reserved Order Quantities

Pro Tip: Both Quantity on Hand and Quantity Available are automatically updated whenever an inventory order is processed or completed.

Configuring OTO INVENTORY

1. Inventory Integration Type

• Navigate to OTO PACK Settings.

• Set the Inventory Integration Type to otoInventory:

  • This setting makes OTO the central hub for inventory data.

  • Automatic updates ensure inventory records stay synchronized across orders, returns, and transfers.

2. Activate Bundle Feature

• Enabled by default, this feature simplifies managing bundled products:

  • Picking and Packing Bundles: Sub-products in a bundle are picked and packed separately using the product tree configured in product forms.

  • Ensures accurate tracking of individual items within a bundle.

Example: A laptop bundle with accessories will show each item as a separate inventory entry but still be grouped as a bundle for order processing.

Adding & Removing Inventory

OTO INVENTORY provides multiple methods for adjusting inventory levels:

1. Import Inventory

• Ideal for bulk updates during onboarding or significant stock adjustments.

• Updates Quantity on Hand directly using a preformatted Excel template.

2. Inventory Orders

Daily operations are managed using Inbound and Outbound Inventory Orders:

• Inbound Orders: Handle stock increases such as purchases, production, and customer returns.

• Outbound Orders: Manage stock decreases like supplier returns, disposals, and inter-depot transfers.

Note: When an inventory order is completed, both Quantity on Hand and Quantity Available are updated automatically.

Managing Bin Inventory

For clients using OTO PACK Advanced with Bin Tracking, bin inventory is managed precisely at the bin level. Bin inventory updates are automated during warehouse operations and inventory orders, ensuring alignment without manual intervention.

Bin Inventory Import

Use this tool to onboard or bulk update bin-level inventory:

• Automatically aligns the total bin inventory with Quantity on Hand.

• Recommended for initial setup or significant adjustments.

Bin Inventory and Inventory Orders

When an inventory order is processed, the system updates:

• Bin Inventory for relevant bins.

• Quantity on Hand and Quantity Available at the warehouse level.

Key Bin Inventory Actions

• Equal On Hand Inventory to Bin Inventory: Aligns warehouse inventory with the total bin inventory.

• Update Quantity Available: Recalculates sellable inventory based on updated bin data.

How OTO Automatically Updates Inventory

OTO INVENTORY automates updates for better accuracy and efficiency. Here's how each inventory type is updated:

1. Sales Orders

   • Quantity Available: Reduced immediately when an order is placed in a warehouse or branch.

   • Quantity on Hand: Updated after the order is fulfilled with actions like “Mark As Delivered”, “Create Shipment”,”Collected By Customer”.

2. Returns

   • Quantity on Hand: Increased upon receiving returned stock.

   • Quantity Available: Updated simultaneously, assuming all returned items are sellable.

3. Inventory Orders (Inbound and Outbound)

   • Quantity on Hand: Updated for stock increases or decreases.

   • Quantity Available: Recalculated automatically.

4. Bin Inventory

   • Updated automatically when processing inventory orders, including inter-depot transfers, picking, and packing operations.

Tracking Inventory Transactions

All inventory updates are logged for complete transparency. Access transaction history via the Reports/OTO PACK page:

• Inventory Transactions: Tracks all changes to Quantity on Hand and Quantity Available.

• Bin Inventory Transactions: Logs bin-specific inventory updates for detailed tracking.

These reports help you audit inventory changes and ensure operational accuracy.

Best Practices for Managing Inventory

1. Leverage Inventory Orders

   • Use inbound and outbound orders to handle daily stock operations efficiently.

2. Enable OTO as the Inventory Hub

   • Configure the Inventory Integration Type to otoInventory for automated updates.

3. Maximize Bundle Features

   • Simplify tracking and handling of bundled products with the default bundle feature.

4. Audit Regularly

   • Use tools like Equal On Hand Inventory to Bin Inventory and Update Quantity Available to maintain alignment.

5. Monitor Transactions

   • Review logs in the Reports/OTO PACK page to ensure inventory and bin inventory remain consistent.

Quick Reference for Inventory Management

With OTO INVENTORY, you can manage your stock confidently, automate updates, and maintain alignment across all metrics. For more details, explore related articles or contact the OTO support team.