For this exercise, let's imagine we want to count Item B1, which is located in Warehouse WEST. To begin, we need to create a Count Tag for this Item/Warehouse combination, as shown in the following screen:

Create Count Tag by Item

Once our parameters have been entered, we are ready to select the CREATE TAG button. Doing so will create our Count Tag. To verify the Count Tag has been created, we open the Count Tag Edit List. Sure enough, the Count Tag does appear on the list, as shown in the following screenshot:

Count Tag Edit List Showing Count Tag

Okay, let's assume we have now physically gone into Warehouse WEST and counted Item B1. Our count discovered 635 units on hand. We are now ready to open the Count Tag and enter our Inventory count total. To open the Count Tag, either double-click on it or highlight it and then select the EDIT button. The Count Tag entry screen opens up, as shown in the following screenshot:

Enter Count Tag Details

In the "Count Qty." field we enter 635. This is the Quantity on Hand (QOH) we discovered during our Inventory count. Interestingly, the system is showing a different QOH for Item B1 in Warehouse WEST. If you look closely at our example, you can see the system believes there are 640 units on hand. Inventory discrepancies such as this can arise from a number of different causes—from undocumented Scrap transactions, to pilferage, etc. The important point is that by entering and posting a Count Tag with current physical Inventory information, you can update the system and revise QOH totals.

Continuing on, we go ahead and enter a comment to associate with the Count Tag. This comment, which is optional, may contain any information you want to associate with the Count Tag. We are now ready to select the SAVE button. As you can see in the following screenshot, the count total is now registered on the Count Tag Edit List:

Count Tag Details in Edit List

Looking at the example, you see that the QOH discrepancy has created a negative Inventory Asset variance. The Count Tag Edit List is a good starting point for identifying and tracking these discrepancies. Note that the list gives you the ability to highlight records when variances exceed either a monetary value or percentage you define. When a record is highlighted, it will be easy to locate because it will display in red type. Inventory Asset variances—if they exist—will also post to the General Ledger when Count Tags are posted, providing yet another starting point for investigating discrepancies.

Before we post this Count Tag, let's take a quick look at the I/M Module display Quantities on Hand by Item to verify the QOH total we"re seeing on the Count Tag Edit List. As expected, the following screen shows us a QOH of 640 for Item B1 in Warehouse WEST:

QOH Before Count Tag Posted

We are now ready to post our Count Tag and update the system record. After highlighting our Count Tag on the Count Tag Edit List, we select the POST button. The following screen appears:

Post Count Tag

Looking at the Post Count Tag screen, we see our count total and the comment we associated with the Count Tag. If we need to include an additional comment—for whatever reason—we may do so at this point. Notice that the option "Thaw Inventory" is selected. If you recall, we elected to freeze Inventory at the time we created the Count Tag. Now that our count is complete, we want to be sure to thaw Inventory so QOH for the Item will be updated appropriately. For more information on freezing and thawing, see the section dedicated to that topic.

The final step is to post the Count Tag. To do so, we select the POST COUNT button. Posting a Count Tag removes the Tag from the Count Tag Edit List. And, as you can see from the following screen shot, Quantity on Hand for the Item is also updated to reflect the Count Tag total:

QOH After Count Tag Posted

We have seen how to post an Inventory count total using a Count Tag. Now let's repeat the same process, but add Count Slips into the mix. If Count Tags are the parents, then Count Slips are the children. Count Slips are used to contribute Inventory count totals to a Count Tag.

To begin, we will create another Count Tag, using the same Item/Warehouse combination used in the previous example. The following screenshot of the Count Tag Edit List shows both the newly-created Count Tag and also the "Enter Count Slip" option selected from the right-click menu:

Count Slip Option on Count Tag Edit List

As this next scenario will show, having the ability to contribute count subtotals from various sources can be extremely useful. Selecting the "Enter Count Slip" option brings up the Count Slip interface, as shown in the following screen:

Enter Count Slip Details

As you can see in the example, the Enter Count Slip screen presents us with a range of information and options. For the purpose of this exercise, we will enter the following:

Once all the required information has been entered, we select the SAVE button to add the Count Slip total to the parent Count Tag.

So far, we have only counted one Location: RACK01. Item B1 is also stored in Location RACK02. Counting Inventory at that Location falls to another employee (i.e., Sandra). As before, the employee enters the required information on the Count Slip. However, when she attempts to save the Count Slip quantity to the Count Tag total, she encounters the following error message:

Duplicate Count Slip Error Message

As the message indicates, the system has been configured to disallow duplicate Count Slip Numbers. To correct the problem, the employee must return to the Enter Count Slip screen and enter a unique Count Slip Number.

xTuple ERP provides a range of possible configurations for the I/M Module, many of which have an impact on Count Tag processing. The following screen shows the Configure I/M options found within the System Module:

I/M Module Configuration Options

For our purposes, we are only going to concern ourselves with the configuration options related to Count Tags and Count Slips. You or your xTuple ERP administrator may select from the following options to establish the default behavior for your site:

Getting back to our scenario, the employee corrects the Count Slip Number problem and successfully saves the Count Slip quantity to the Count Tag total. In the next screen, you can see the Count Tag Edit List with both Count Slips displayed:

Count Tag Edit List with Unposted Count Slips

Just as Count Tags have their own edit list, Count Slips also have an edit list. To access the Count Slip Edit List, highlight a Count Tag record and open the right-click menu. The following screenshot shows the Count Slip Edit List:

Count Slip Edit List

From the Count Slip Edit List, you can edit, post, and delete Count Slips—or create new ones. As you can see, the list provides detailed information about each Count Slip record. For this exercise, we will be posting both of our Count Slips from this screen.

To verify that the Count Slips are showing as posted on the Count Tag Edit List, we return to that screen. Sure enough, the Count Slips are showing as posted:

Count Tag Edit List with Posted Count Slips

To review, then, we have used Count Slips to collect Inventory quantities from a variety of different Locations using different employees. As we have shown, Count Slips enable you to divide up the task of Inventory counting. You can use multiple employees and multiple Count Slips, yet have all count quantities applied to a single Count Tag.

Now that all Count Slip quantities have been collected, we are ready to post our Count Tag, as shown in the following screenshot:

Post Count Tag with Count Slip Comments

The cumulative count quantity is displaying as expected. In the Current Comments field we see the Count Slip comments posted by each of our employees. Again, we want to be sure to thaw the Inventory at posting. Finally, we simply select the POST COUNT button, and the system is now updated with the most current QOH information for Item B1 in Warehouse WEST.

Throughout this example, we have focused on the creation of single Count Tags. But xTuple ERPxTuple ERP also enables you to create manual Count Tags in batches. To see how this is done, we open the Create Count Tags by Class Code utility, as shown in the following screen:

Create Count Tags by Class Code

For this scenario, we will be creating Count Tags for all Items belonging to Class Code Books located in Warehouse WEST. A comment is entered, and then we then select the CREATE TAGS option. To see the resulting Count Tags, we once again open the Count Tag Edit List:

Count Tags Created by Class Code

As you can see in the example, multiple Count Tags have been created—one for each of the Items fitting our criteria. These Count Tags can now be processed using the basic techniques described throughout this example.