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I’ve been working on a new inventory management system that I want to have live before the Q4 meeting. I plan on opening it up as a sandbox for everyone to get familiar with and test/break/report by the end of October.Day 1 functionality:
- Repository for all Inventory
- Sets – This will replace the Google Sheet
- Track
- MILS
- MISC
- Systemic way to handle redemption
- Includes straight PAB and sets
- Includes bonus cups (bday, first meeting, build challenge)
- User request and admin approval step
- Mobile-friendly interface
- General features
- Import and export inventory via Excel sheet template
- Holistic logging and viewing of all activity
- Admin ability to redeem on behalf of the user
- Inventory dashboard summary for each ‘stack’ (sets – most of, total PAB worth, etc.) (track – sum of curves, 9v, ballasted, etc.)
Version 2 functionality (release TBD):
- Events as a stack and revamped interface
- Check out/in inventory
- Archive viewing/reporting for sets, events, users
Version 3 functionality (maybe?):
- LUGBulk system
For now, what I want from you is to:
- Be aware of the changes to the redemption process.
- Ask any questions.
- Make any requests for functionality.
How do we access the new system? Navigating to the Inventory Tracker link on the mobile menu takes me to a Google spreadsheet.
Not accessible yet. Just wanted to raise awareness. Still working on a few bugs and trials. Alpha at best.
So I have a few questions and suggestions here.
Questions:
1.) I think I am reading this right, but I want to ensure I understand. Is the basis of this saying we are revamping all of our LUG spreadsheets into one location?
–If so then I completely support this. A one stop shop to deal with everything LUG related.2.) Will those who already have access to most of these LUG spreadsheets already have access to the new stuff?
— Only asking for the sake of being thorough.3.) “Check out/in inventory”, does this mean a log of who has what, and the date in which it was returned?
3a.) Would this inventory list link to and/or include any MILS items by individual members, or just LUG stuff?
— I know we have a spreadsheet for member owned MILS items, was not sure of that was going to remain separate since it is not LUG owned or not.4.) When is the estimated roll out date for all this, and will there be a period of trials and input by other LUG members and/or inventory management?
Suggestions:
1.) I have had this thought for a while but was not sure on how to bring it up, or if it was even feasible. When it comes to Redemption is it possible to come up with a digital system that will allow the member to input everything they redeem and it automatically deduct the cups on the spot? Basically a Redemption Check Out counter of sorts. I see it as either on a lap top or I-Pad. We would go up, type our name in a box, and then a data entry window would pop up with slots to input how many were redeemed (could likely make separate entry points for the BDay, First meeting, and Build challenge cup areas that do not deduct from Members overall total, but still creates a log for total cups redeemed), as well as one for sets (ideally we would make it like LUGbulk where we link the Inventory spreadsheet to this. So the member would input the set number(s) and it would auto populate the correct credits to be deducted).
2.) For set redemption, I think the current storage of said sets is still valid, but what about creating a QR code that members can scan to view the inventory spreadsheet on the spot instead of having to deal with any sort of on the spot verification of people. This would also come in handy if sets get mixed up.
3.) Is it time that we do one last large scale re-sort on our Redemption parts? I know bags are getting slim and our parts inventory is not what it used to be. Is it worth the time to go through and formally consolidate more to create more shelf space for LUG items?
4.) Do we want to take this time to formally add to the Inventory management committee and/or hold an election to create a formal board and committee heads for the LUG?
So I have a few questions and suggestions here.
Questions:
1.) I think I am reading this right, but I want to ensure I understand. Is the basis of this saying we are revamping all of our LUG spreadsheets into one location?
–If so then I completely support this. A one stop shop to deal with everything LUG related.2.) Will those who already have access to most of these LUG spreadsheets already have access to the new stuff?
— Only asking for the sake of being thorough.3.) “Check out/in inventory”, does this mean a log of who has what, and the date in which it was returned?
3a.) Would this inventory list link to and/or include any MILS items by individual members, or just LUG stuff?
— I know we have a spreadsheet for member owned MILS items, was not sure of that was going to remain separate since it is not LUG owned or not.4.) When is the estimated roll out date for all this, and will there be a period of trials and input by other LUG members and/or inventory management?
Suggestions:
1.) I have had this thought for a while but was not sure on how to bring it up, or if it was even feasible. When it comes to Redemption is it possible to come up with a digital system that will allow the member to input everything they redeem and it automatically deduct the cups on the spot? Basically a Redemption Check Out counter of sorts. I see it as either on a lap top or I-Pad. We would go up, type our name in a box, and then a data entry window would pop up with slots to input how many were redeemed (could likely make separate entry points for the BDay, First meeting, and Build challenge cup areas that do not deduct from Members overall total, but still creates a log for total cups redeemed), as well as one for sets (ideally we would make it like LUGbulk where we link the Inventory spreadsheet to this. So the member would input the set number(s) and it would auto populate the correct credits to be deducted).
2.) For set redemption, I think the current storage of said sets is still valid, but what about creating a QR code that members can scan to view the inventory spreadsheet on the spot instead of having to deal with any sort of on the spot verification of people. This would also come in handy if sets get mixed up.
3.) Is it time that we do one last large scale re-sort on our Redemption parts? I know bags are getting slim and our parts inventory is not what it used to be. Is it worth the time to go through and formally consolidate more to create more shelf space for LUG items?
4.) Do we want to take this time to formally add to the Inventory management committee and/or hold an election to create a formal board and committee heads for the LUG?
All good questions and exactly what I was hoping to bring out.
The finance Google sheet isn’t going away anytime soon. Not sure what other sheets are there, but anything that is a list of things are game for transition.
Access will be through this sites login, so everyone will have at least view access by default.
Checking in/ out is probably exactly what you’re thinking. Not sure how to enforce people use the functionality, but empowerment is one step.
I don’t think anyone has the desire to set up and maintain a QR code system, but anyone is able to reset my thoughts. The iPad idea crossed my mind as a possibility. The requirement though is that a person is logged in as themselves to do the redemption. I need that responsibility to stay with the requestor to avoid risks like writing/reading the wrong set number or cup credits.
I think inventory mgmt roles are a reasonable thing to cover at Q4. I personally think things are organized well enough, but we usually do spend some time ahead of meeting at my house maintaining that.
OK, I think it got all the basic functionality done for redemption.
https://www.steelcitylug.com/members/inventory/
Some pre-emptive guidance –
• I’m referring to “groups of inventory types” as “STACKS”.
• I’ve primarily worked on the ‘sets’ stack, so I anticipate lots of questions/issues on other stacks (like track, MILS, etc), but I want to fix those promptly to make them more valuable/useful.
• As we get to definition of processes –
o When a new member attends a meeting, they’ll need an admin to go to ‘user admin’ to get their “first meeting”. The same will need to happen on build challenge credits.
o The idea is anytime someone wants to redeem cups or sets, they need to submit the request. They can do that on a PC, or I designed ‘mobile redeem’ to be really clean/simple on a phone. The REQUIREMENT is that they need to log into the webpage to gain access to the ‘mobile redeem’ button, so I can capture their user information for tracking/audit.right now, I’m using TEMP pab credits. You can give yourself temp credits in the user admin section. redeem, reject, approve, at will.
There is still a lot of debugging stuff being displayed on pages. you’re fine to report that with the feedback form as well as any suggestions for better text to display on screens.
I plan on defining some test cases for people to run through to help validate all the functionality too, but you’re welcome to start reporting anything.
Feel free to kick the tires and give me feedback with this form:
https://forms.gle/yPnYuXqhHfJ98dDPAhmmm…some had trouble with the link I gave…someone confirm they can at least get to it, either by the link here or in the new menu links that I just created.
To be clear, all the inventory and activity will be wiped once we’re ready to go live. the currenty inventory is based on what we have though.
The inventory link works for me. The P-a-B Tracker claims I am not logged in, though I am.
Screenshot for me?
fixed the link to pab tracker.
also opened up all the links, like user admin, to everyone, so you can add temp cups as will to walk through the redemption process.
I’ve seen pete go through a request and such. 1) let me know if you have any suggestions for additional text descriptions on what’s going on when you go through navigation. let me know if you find any bugs.
make sure you’re familiar with the new inventory system. the plan will be to finalize testing by the end of the month, update the inventory to be accurate with what is in stock, and then have people request redemption for q4 ahead of time, so I can take sets, if desired.
I’m not confident we did much testing, but I went ahead and wiped everything and Phil put a bunch of time to make sure all the sets are accurate. Our inventory system is now live and replaces the excel sheet for sets. This system is the only way to redeem sets and cups from now on.
@joshhall, Is there a new process for cup reconciliation before a meeting (to replace the last- minute message that says “Hey Josh, please add +2 cups for blog recognition ((TBB 11/28, Carnegie Magazine))” ) ?
@joshhall I tried to go and update the Blogged event, but it’s fallen out of the top 25. When I click on page 2 I get an error that the page doesn’t exist. 🤔
Thanks for all the hard work on this. One question – we used to do redemption by who had the most cups first. With the mobile redemption, are we not doing that anymore? Or if we redeem something and someone with a higher cup count redeems it after, they get it? Have we figured that out? just curious in case it happens.
Thanks! 🙂
Wow it looks great. Way more functional than the excel sheet. I love having a reference photo next to the sets, makes browsing much more enjoyable. Thank you for putting all that work!
Thanks for all the hard work on this. One question – we used to do redemption by who had the most cups first. With the mobile redemption, are we not doing that anymore? Or if we redeem something and someone with a higher cup count redeems it after, they get it? Have we figured that out? just curious in case it happens.
Thanks!
I thought I’d get by for a lot longer without someone thinking about this….i was wrong. I have no good/sustainable solution for this. If anyone knows how to do this well, let me know. The only way I could thing of would either requiring notifying every person with more cups and then giving some reasonable (minutes? Hours? Days?) time to say they want it instead…which is kinda crappy. I think it shifts to first come first serve otherwise.
I don’t support ending the highest cups redeems first system. I rarely redeem but save my cups so I can get what I want when I do.
The new system could allow everyone to submit redemption requests prior to a quarterly meeting then award items based on cup counts. This would constrain redemption times in exchange for not changing the rules (as I don’t remember the group discussing or agreeing to such a change).
@joshhall I tried to go and update the Blogged event, but it’s fallen out of the top 25. When I click on page 2 I get an error that the page doesn’t exist.
fixed.
“Hey Josh, please add +2 cups for blog recognition ((TBB 11/28, Carnegie Magazine))” ) ?
done. (thanks for citing the references).
Is there a new process for cup reconciliation before a meeting (to replace the last- minute message?
Not yet/entirely. Earned cups will still be tracked under the existing event creation. The exceptions are:
1)Build challenge cups – An inv. mgr will need to go into user admin and click the buttons to add the build challenge cups (these will no longer expire, but do not compound).
2)First meeting cups – an inv mgr will need to go into user admin and click on the button to give first meeting credit, which will again, not expire, but not compound.I don’t support ending the highest cups redeems first system. I rarely redeem but save my cups so I can get what I want when I do.
The new system could allow everyone to submit redemption requests prior to a quarterly meeting then award items based on cup counts. This would constrain redemption times in exchange for not changing the rules (as I don’t remember the group discussing or agreeing to such a change).
Noted. After the discussion at Q4, I’ll build out a view of “queued for approval” where people with more cups than the existing person will be able to usurp the reservation. Give me to Q1 to finish that.
The nuance will be there are times where I’ve let people redeem sets outside of business meetings that we have multiple of or seem less desirable/low cup count. Phil suggested an option to subscribe to notifications of when a cup is reserved. I think I’ll go with that.
We’ve also never done ‘ranking’ when it cups to loose parts redemption, and I think that can still apply, regardless of when it occurs, but I figured it’s worth stating here.
All of this will eventually need to be put in the handbook for reference…
So do I need to do something special to access he new Inventory System? It goes to a user that was created 34 minutes ago. And the PAB Tracker goes to “Oops can’t find this page”
- Repository for all Inventory
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