Automatic replenishment of exhibitions ensures that items are retrieved from a media hotel or a lending branch if the stock of an exhibition becomes too low.
The function’s method of operation
The function runs once a day - at night. The function generates exhibition orders for the mobile unit, so that items can be located to be sent to central sorting. From here, they will be assigned to an exhibition.
Each run follows this procedure:
- All existing (non-processed) exhibition orders are deleted and the assignment status of the associated items is reset.
- A list of all active exhibitions with low stock levels is generated. An exhibition is not included in the list, if it belongs to a closed branch, and the branch does not allow picking for closed branches.
- The next steps depend on, whether the exhibition is limited by total number of items, or by number of titles.
Exhibitions limited by total number of items
- These exhibitions have low stock levels if the number of items in the exhibition is less than the exhibition’s minimum number of items. In other words, the exhibition’s reorder point is equal to the exhibition’s minimum number of items.
- This procedure is run for each of the relevant exhibitions:
- Find items that match the exhibition’s exhibition group that are not on loan or fulfill a hold and have not already been assigned.
- Sort the items in relation to the order of priority of suppliers (see the description of the system parameters Prefer own branch when filling exhibitions and Prefer hotel when filling exhibitions). If the Automatic replenishment always takes the newst item first parameter is set on “Yes” at the exhibition’s branch, the items will be sorted secondarily according to the most recent acquisition date. If there are more items than needed, then the first ones in relation to the indicated sorting are used. However, no more than the “Max. number of copies” of each title indicated for the exhibition can be selected.
- Exhibition orders are generated for the items and they are assigned to the respective exhibitions.
Exhibitions limited by number of titles
- These exhibitions are replenished per title. An exhibition has a low stock level if, for an appointed title, the number of items in the exhibition of this title, is lower than the minimum number of copies per title of the exhibition.
In other words, the exhibition’s reorder point (per title) is equal to the exhibition’s minimum number of copies per title.
- If an exhibition has fewer appointed titles than the target number of different titles - given by the value of "Target number of different titles" from the exhibition - a number of titles must be appointed for the exhibition, before replenishment can begin.
Titles are appointed by chosing titles of the exhibition grouping, which have the highest number of available copies. Titles are added until the target number of different titles is reached.
Titles of items already in the exhibition (on an exhibition location or assigned to the exhibition) are automatically appointed to the exhibition. Note, that it is possible to affect the appointed titles of an exhibition, by manually placing items in exhibition, thus making the titles automatically appointed.
- For every appointed title in an exhibition with a low stock level:
- Find items of this title that match the exhibition’s exhibition group that are not on loan or fulfill a hold and have not already been assigned.
- Sort the items in relation to the order of priority of suppliers (see the description of the system parameters Prefer own branch when filling exhibitions and Prefer hotel when filling exhibitions). If the Automatic replenishment always takes the newst item first parameter is set on “Yes” at the exhibition’s branch, the items will be sorted secondarily according to the most recent acquisition date. If there are more items than needed, then the first ones in relation to the indicated sorting are used. However, no more than the “Max. number of copies” of each title indicated for the exhibition can be selected.
- Exhibition orders are generated for the items and they are assigned to the respective exhibitions.
The reorder point for the exhibition is the point to which auto-replenish will attempt to fill up the exhibition. The replenishment begins once the stock is below the reorder point. In other words, the stock does not need to fall below one point and subsequently be filled up to another point. Only the reorder point is needed.
Which items can be selected for replenishment?
A number of conditions must be met in order for an item to be a potential candidate for replenishment:
- The item must be matched to the exhibition’s exhibition group.
- In order for an item to be matched with an exhibition group, it must be included in IMMS and be lendable.
- The item must be in stock.
- The item cannot already be assigned.
- There must not be a hold on the item.
- The item must not currently be a part of another exhibition, that is be registred on to a location with the usage type "Chaotic - Exhibition"
- The item must not currently be a part of a pick order
- The “Max. number of copies” of the applicable title cannot already be present in the exhibition.
- The item must not be on a closed branch.