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Stock Requests

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Stock Requests

Stock requests are requests for inventory from one location to another, used for replenishment, fulfillment, and inventory balancing.

Operations (Warehouse/Inventory)

Start here:

  1. Depot Workflow - Process stock requests through depot workflow
  2. Verify Requests - Verify request details and inventory availability
  3. Pick and Ship - Pick items and create shipments
  4. Track Status - Monitor request status through workflow

Daily workflow:

  • Review pending stock requests
  • Verify inventory availability
  • Pick requested items
  • Create and ship shipments
  • Update request status

Planner (Forecasting + Replenishment)

Start here:

  1. Review Requests - Review incoming and outgoing requests
  2. Approve Requests - Approve requests that require approval
  3. Monitor Fulfillment - Track request fulfillment status
  4. Analyze Patterns - Identify recurring request patterns

Daily workflow:

  • Review pending approvals
  • Approve requests aligned with planning
  • Monitor fulfillment rates
  • Analyze request trends

Finance (COGS, Holding Cost, Cost-to-Serve)

Start here:

  1. Request Reports - Generate reports on stock requests
  2. Cost Analysis - Analyze costs associated with requests
  3. Fulfillment Metrics - Review fulfillment performance

Daily workflow:

  • Review request volumes and costs
  • Analyze fulfillment efficiency
  • Monitor cost-to-serve metrics

Types of Stock Requests

Standard Stock Requests

Regular replenishment requests:

  • Request Type: STOCK
  • Purpose: Standard inventory replenishment
  • Workflow: Request → Approval (if required) → Fulfillment

Ad Hoc Requests

One-time or special requests:

  • Request Type: ADHOC
  • Purpose: Special circumstances, urgent needs
  • Workflow: Request → Approval (if required) → Fulfillment

Electronic Requests (E-Requests)

System-generated requests:

  • Request Type: E_REQUEST
  • Purpose: Automated replenishment from stocklists
  • Workflow: Auto-generated → Fulfillment

Stock Request Workflow

Requestor Workflow

1. Create Request

  1. Navigate to Run → Stock Requests
  2. Click Create Request
  3. Configure:
    • Request Type: STOCK, ADHOC, or E_REQUEST
    • Requesting Location: Your location
    • Fulfilling Location: Depot or supplier location
    • Products: Products and quantities needed
    • Priority: High, medium, low
    • Delivery Window: When items are needed

2. Submit Request

  1. Review request details
  2. Add notes if needed
  3. Click Submit Request
  4. Request moves to:
    • PENDING: If no approval required
    • WAITING_FOR_APPROVAL: If approval required

3. Track Request

Monitor request status:

  • DRAFT: Being created
  • PENDING: Awaiting fulfillment
  • WAITING_FOR_APPROVAL: Awaiting approval
  • APPROVED: Approved, awaiting fulfillment
  • VERIFYING: Being verified at depot
  • PICKING: Items being picked
  • PICKED: Items picked, awaiting checking
  • CHECKING: Items being checked
  • SHIPPED: Items shipped
  • RECEIVED: Items received
  • FULFILLED: Request fully fulfilled
  • CANCELLED: Request cancelled

Approver Workflow

1. Review Pending Approvals

  1. Navigate to Run → Stock Requests
  2. Filter by Status: WAITING_FOR_APPROVAL
  3. Review request details:
    • Requesting location and need
    • Products and quantities
    • Priority and delivery window
    • Request history

2. Approve or Reject

To approve:

  1. Click Approve on the request
  2. Optionally add approval notes
  3. Request moves to APPROVED status

To reject:

  1. Click Reject on the request
  2. Required: Provide rejection reason
  3. Request moves to REJECTED status
  4. Requestor can rollback to DRAFT if needed

Depot Workflow

1. Verify Request

  1. Navigate to Run → Stock Requests
  2. Find requests in PENDING or APPROVED status
  3. Click Start Verifying
  4. Verify:
    • Inventory availability
    • Request details
    • Product specifications
  5. Request moves to VERIFYING status

2. Pick Items

  1. Click Start Picking
  2. Request moves to PICKING status
  3. Pick items from inventory:
    • Follow pick list
    • Verify quantities
    • Check lot numbers (if applicable)
    • Check expiry dates (if applicable)
  4. Click Complete Picking
  5. Request moves to PICKED status

3. Check Items

  1. Click Start Checking
  2. Request moves to CHECKING status
  3. Verify picked items:
    • Check quantities
    • Verify product correctness
    • Inspect condition
  4. Request ready for shipping

4. Ship Request

  1. Click Ship
  2. Request moves to SHIPPED status
  3. System creates shipment record
  4. Requestor can track shipment

5. Receive Request (at Destination)

  1. Requestor receives shipment
  2. Click Receive on the request
  3. Verify received items
  4. Request moves to RECEIVED status
  5. Request moves to FULFILLED when complete

Stock Request Status Transitions

Requestor Actions

  • Submit: DRAFT → PENDING (or WAITING_FOR_APPROVAL)
  • Cancel: DRAFT/PENDING/WAITING_FOR_APPROVAL → CANCELLED
  • Rollback: REJECTED → DRAFT

Approver Actions

  • Approve: WAITING_FOR_APPROVAL → APPROVED
  • Reject: WAITING_FOR_APPROVAL → REJECTED (requires comment)

Depot Actions

  • Start Verifying: PENDING/APPROVED → VERIFYING
  • Start Picking: VERIFYING → PICKING
  • Complete Picking: PICKING → PICKED
  • Start Checking: PICKED → CHECKING
  • Ship: CHECKING → SHIPPED
  • Receive: SHIPPED → RECEIVED → FULFILLED

Stocklists and Automated Requests

Stocklists can automatically generate stock requests:

Stocklist Configuration

  1. Configure stocklist with:
    • Target Location: Where items are needed
    • Products: Products and target quantities
    • Reorder Points: When to trigger requests
    • Schedule: Recurrence schedule

Auto-Generated Requests

When inventory falls below reorder point:

  1. System generates E_REQUEST
  2. Request follows standard workflow
  3. Requestor can track automated requests

What Success Looks Like

Operations Success

  • ✅ Requests processed through workflow efficiently
  • ✅ Picking accuracy high (no discrepancies)
  • ✅ Shipments created and tracked accurately
  • ✅ Requests fulfilled on time
  • ✅ No workflow bottlenecks

Planner Success

  • ✅ Requests approved promptly
  • ✅ Request patterns identified and optimized
  • ✅ Fulfillment rates meet targets
  • ✅ Stocklists generating appropriate requests
  • ✅ Request costs tracked and optimized

Finance Success

  • ✅ Request costs tracked accurately
  • ✅ Fulfillment efficiency measured
  • ✅ Cost-to-serve metrics available
  • ✅ Request volumes analyzed

Common Pitfalls

1. Not Specifying Delivery Windows

Problem: Creating requests without delivery windows makes prioritization difficult.

Solution: Always specify delivery windows:

  • When items are needed
  • Urgency level
  • Business impact

How to avoid: Make delivery window a required field.

2. Not Checking Inventory Availability

Problem: Creating requests for items that aren't available at fulfilling location.

Solution: Check inventory availability before creating request:

  • Verify fulfilling location has inventory
  • Check channel allocations
  • Consider lead times

How to avoid: Use inventory views before creating requests.

3. Skipping Verification Step

Problem: Moving directly to picking without verifying request details.

Solution: Always verify requests:

  • Check request details
  • Verify inventory availability
  • Confirm product specifications

How to avoid: Make verification a required step in workflow.

4. Not Tracking Request Status

Problem: Creating requests but not tracking their progress.

Solution: Monitor request status:

  • Set up status change alerts
  • Review request dashboard regularly
  • Follow up on delayed requests

How to avoid: Use request tracking features and alerts.

Troubleshooting

Request Stuck in Pending

Symptoms: Request remains in PENDING status without progress.

Possible causes:

  1. No one assigned to process requests
  2. Inventory not available
  3. Workflow configuration issue
  4. Permissions issue

Steps to resolve:

  1. Check if depot staff are assigned
  2. Verify inventory availability
  3. Review workflow configuration
  4. Check user permissions
  5. Manually transition status if needed

Can't Approve Request

Symptoms: Approve button not available or not working.

Possible causes:

  1. Insufficient permissions
  2. Request not in correct status
  3. System error

Steps to resolve:

  1. Check user permissions (APPROVER role)
  2. Verify request is in WAITING_FOR_APPROVAL status
  3. Refresh page and try again
  4. Contact support if issue persists

Request Fulfilled But Inventory Not Updated

Symptoms: Request marked as FULFILLED but inventory not updated at destination.

Possible causes:

  1. Receiving process not completed
  2. Inventory allocation failed
  3. System synchronization issue

Steps to resolve:

  1. Verify receiving process completed
  2. Check inventory levels at destination
  3. Review request fulfillment status
  4. Manually reconcile if needed
  5. Contact support if issue persists

Stocklist Not Generating Requests

Symptoms: Stocklist configured but not generating requests.

Possible causes:

  1. Stocklist not published
  2. Inventory above reorder point
  3. Schedule not configured
  4. Auto-pull not enabled

Steps to resolve:

  1. Verify stocklist is published
  2. Check inventory levels vs reorder points
  3. Review stocklist schedule
  4. Verify auto-pull is enabled
  5. Check stocklist status

Permissions & Roles

Creating stock requests requires standard user permissions. Approving requests requires APPROVER role. Processing requests through depot workflow requires DEPOT_MANAGER, PICKER, CHECKER, or SHIPPER roles. Contact your organization administrator for details.