Planned
Planned cycle counts can be generated when you run EOD processing. This processing automatically executes at midnight, if Report Scheduler is running, or whenever the report is started once per day. EOD processing performs these tasks:
- Ages the data that is stored in the TWL files
- Calculates inventory class by movement
- Schedules cycle counts
- Cleans up system log files
- Creates the item history files
In this process, the cycle counts are created based on ABC Classifications.
The frequency of the cycle count rotation is critical to correct system management. If you recalculate the ABC Classification more often than necessary, then you can adversely affect the data in the system. Incorrect data can affect slotting and counting functions. Yet, if you have highly seasonal products, then calculating class velocity once a month might be justified.
Based on your ABC Classification type, you can perform planned cycle counts by product or by location. Cycle counting by product is when every location for the product is counted regardless of where the locations are in the warehouse. Counting by product increases travel distances, but enables you to count each product in its entirety. We recommend you cycle count by product for at least the first 6 to 12 months after you go live on TWL. You should cycle count by product until you are confident that all warehouse personnel are correctly recording all inventory movements. This count also works well with serial and lot products.
Cycle counting by a range of locations may maximize counting productivity. This is because a section of the warehouse can be counted at one time, thus minimizing travel distances. The disadvantage of this method is that the accuracy is only for that location range, not the total for each product. A product can have several locations outside of the counting range. Usually when a shortage occurs, there is an overage in another location for the same product. Counting by location maintains accuracy at the individual inventory location. Shortages and overages are found when the other locations for that product are cycle counted.
Perform cycle counts during low-activity periods. When you set a cycle count, TWL expects a quantity of a product to be in a specific bin location.
A regular count wave can be manually set in TWL Execution-Cycle Count-Create. This type of cycle counting forces the warehouse to perform counts regardless of the workload and affect on productivity.
After you select the desired locations and click , the Status and Counts summary data are displayed for you to review. If you created a physical inventory by location, then this summary includes any empty locations.