User guide

13
make sure that you print a label for each track by field you have selected to use
and attach them to each item. If the labels are not physically attached to each
item, it will be very difficult for you to keep track of which items should be tracked
by a specific field.
How do I use my Handheld Device?
The mobile devices that are supported by InventoryControl do not transmit every
add, remove, move, etc. to the main computer every time an action or transaction
is completed (real time). They only upload and download data when the device is
connected to the PC. This mode of mobile data processing is called batch
processing. It is important to understand how batch processing affects your
inventory counts throughout the day and it is important to implement some
standard procedures to make s ure your data stays current.
Suggested batch processing cycle:
1. Create the mobile database
2. Check the time on the device to make sure it is correct
3. Send that database to all devices
4. Use the devices to manage your inventory
5. Sync all devices to the PC and process all transactions
6. Repeat
Intheprocessofsendingthedatatothemobiledeviceweaskyoutocreatea
mobile database. We do this for two reasons. One is so you can filter the data if
needed. W e’ll discuss filtering later in this section and in Chapter 4 – Mobile
Devices. The other reason is so all the batch devices have the same set of data
at a certain point in time. Think of creating a mobile database as taking a
snapshot or backup of the database and placing that exact set of data on each
device.
The date and time on each device must be correct and all devices should be set
to the same time within a given site. The date and time are used to determine
which transaction on the same item or location came first. This order is important
to properly track the movement of items throughout time.
InventoryControl gives you the ability to filter the data you send to the mobile
device. If your company has a huge number of items or sites you may need to
use the filter to reduce the amount of data that is put on each handheld. The
filters give you the flexibility to select the data you want sent to the device. You
can also use the filters to limit what items a user c an audit to make sure you do
not get two people counting the same item.
To illustrate the importance of proper batch processing procedure lets describe a
common scenario. In my warehouse I have 3 mobile devices. After I get
InventoryControl set up and complete my audit I know I have an accurate view of
my inventory. I then create a database in the morning and put it on each of the