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tSM Stock Management

The tSM Stock Management module provides functionality to manage and track material stocks, including:

  • Different stock types (central, local, project, consignment, personal, etc.),
  • Item-level details (serial numbers, batch numbers, etc.),
  • Stock movements (inbound, outbound, transfers, issues to tasks),
  • Shared responsibility or ownership among multiple users.

This module can be tightly integrated with existing ERP solutions via synchronization or serve as the primary stock-management system for smaller-scale deployments.

1. Module Overview​

Purpose and Scope​

  • Material/Equipment Tracking: Keep an up-to-date record of items in multiple stock locations.
  • Support for Various Stock Types: Central, project-based, consignment, or personal.
  • Integration with WFM Tasks: Technicians can issue or return items directly from their assigned stocks while performing field tasks.
  • ERP Synchronization: Optionally synchronize stock data with an external ERP (e.g., SAP) to maintain consistency in master data.

Key Features​

  • Create & Manage Stocks: Define new stock repositories; set status (active/inactive), type, and ownership/responsibility.
  • Item-Level Details: Track quantities, serial numbers, batch numbers, and pricing.
  • Movements and Transfers: Record inbound/outbound material movements, linking them to tasks or other destinations.
  • Shared Responsibility: Multiple users or roles can be associated with a single stock.
  • Code-Table Customization: Stock types, movement types, and item types can be extended or tailored to specific needs.

2. Core Functionalities​

2.1 Stock Creation and Management​

  • Define a Stock with attributes such as owner, status, type, and whether it’s a default stock.
  • Optionally assign multiple Shared Responsibilities (other users who can manage or access that stock).
  • Mark stocks as Active or Inactive to control usability.

2.2 Item Management​

  • Stock Items capture the existence of a material or device in a particular stock.
    • Can store amount, price, serialNumber, or batchNo.
    • Each item can be associated with a StockItemType (e.g., a category for modems, cables, etc.).
    • Items have a status (active, archived) to handle lifecycle states.

2.3 Movements​

  • Stock Movements allow transferring items between stocks, issuing items to tasks, or returning items from tasks.
    • Each movement references a StockMovementType (e.g., “Receipt,” “Transfer,” “Issue to Task”).
    • Statuses (new, canceled, or sync states) track the progress or synchronization outcome.
    • Movements can be “storno-ed” (canceled/reversed) when corrections are needed.

2.4 Synchronization with ERP​

  • The module supports two-way synchronization with external ERP systems for:
    • Stock definitions, statuses, and ownership.
    • Item catalogs, serial numbers, and movement records.
  • This ensures technicians in the field and back-office staff always see accurate, real-time stock data.

3. Integration Patterns​

  1. WFM/Tasks Integration

    • When a technician starts or completes a task, they can issue or return materials to a stock.
    • The “Moves” or “Movement creation” UI or API ensures each item’s quantity is updated accordingly.

  2. ERP Systems

    • Synchronize newly created or updated stock definitions, item details, or movement records to an ERP.
    • Regular updates from ERP to tSM can refresh stock item statuses, new item catalogs, or location changes.

  3. CRM/Ordering

    • Some scenarios may require that new orders or service requests trigger stock reservations or item picks.

  4. Reporting

    • Summaries of stock usage, movement history, or item availability can feed into analytics tools for replenishment planning or cost tracking.

4. Example Use Cases​

  1. Central Stock & Field Technician

    • A central warehouse (defined as a Stock) supplies items to technicians’ personal stocks.
    • Technicians mark items as “Issued to Task” while on-site to track consumption.
    • If leftover materials remain, they can be returned to the personal stock or transferred elsewhere.

  2. Consignment Stock

    • A supplier owns the stock at the telco’s site until items are consumed.
    • The tSM Stock Module tracks movements between the consignment location and active deployment, ensuring accurate usage and billing.

  3. Project Stock

    • A dedicated stock for a particular project or customer contract.
    • Items are only used for that project’s tasks, and any leftover is transferred back to central or reallocated.

  4. SAP Integration

    • Stock definitions, movement types, and item catalogs are mastered in SAP.
    • tSM pulls them regularly for WFM usage.
    • Any new item usage records or newly created stocks (like personal or temporary sites) are pushed back to SAP for consistency.

5. Best Practices​

  • Define Clear Stock Types
    • Keep code tables well-documented (e.g., “CENTRAL”, “LOCAL”, “PERSONAL”) to ensure consistent usage across systems.
  • Automate Movements
    • Encourage technicians to use the mobile or task interface for any materials they handle, rather than offline logs. This ensures real-time updates.
  • Implement Duplicates/Serial Check
    • For serial-controlled items, ensure unique serials are enforced to avoid data conflicts.
  • Regular Sync with ERP
    • Schedule frequent synchronization to catch stock changes from other departments and reflect them in field operations.

6. Conceptual Entity Model​

Below is a high-level Mermaid diagram illustrating the primary Stock entities and their relationships:

Diagram Explanation​

  1. Stock represents a repository of items; it references a StockType and has a StockStatus. One or more SharedResponsibility records link additional owners or users.
  2. StockItem belongs to a specific stock and can be classified via StockItemType. Its StockItemStatus reflects lifecycle states (e.g., active vs. archived).
  3. StockMovement tracks transfers (inbound or outbound) between items/stocks, referencing a StockMovementType and carrying a StockMovementStatus.

7. Entity Highlights​

7.1 Stock​

  • Business Role: Represents a physical or virtual location where items are stored. Examples: Main Warehouse, Technician’s Van, Consignment Storage.
  • Key Attributes:
    • status (ACTIVE/INACTIVE) dictates if the stock is currently usable.
    • stockType references StockType for classification.
    • ownerUserId or SharedResponsibility define who manages it.

7.2 StockItem​

  • Business Role: An actual item or batch in a stock (e.g., 5 units of cable or a single modem with a specific serial number).
  • Key Attributes:
    • amount or quantity.
    • serialNumber, batchNo for traceability.
    • stockItemType references StockItemType.

7.3 StockMovement​

  • Business Role: Any stock change event—receiving goods, transferring them from one stock to another, or issuing them to a task.
  • Key Attributes:
    • stockItemFrom and stockItemTo for origin and destination references.
    • movementType references StockMovementType (e.g. “TRANSFER,” “ISSUE_TASK”).
    • stornoMovement indicates if it’s a reversal/cancellation.

7.4 SharedResponsibility​

  • Business Role: Provides a flexible way for multiple users to share or overlap management of a single stock.
  • Key Attributes:
    • stock references the stock’s key or code.
    • validFrom / validTo define the period in which this responsibility applies.

7.5 Code Tables (Types & Statuses)​

  • StockType: Standard or custom categories of stocks.
  • StockItemType: Defines categories for items (e.g., “Router,” “Cable”).
  • StockMovementType: Distinguishes movement scenarios (transfers, issues to tasks, receipts).
  • StockStatus, StockItemStatus, StockMovementStatus: Basic enumerations or code tables marking lifecycle states (Active, Inactive, New, Canceled, etc.).

8. Use in Work Force Management​

The Stock Module is closely tied to Work Force Management (WFM). For example:

  • A field technician needs to have a personal or local stock assigned.
  • While completing a task, the technician “issues” an item from their stock to the task. This triggers a StockMovement record that updates both the WFM task status and the stock’s available quantity.
  • If an external ERP is in use, the movement record is synchronized so back-office staff see accurate item usage and can reorder or replenish.

9. Future Directions​

  • Primary ERP Role: Currently, tSM Stock often complements a main ERP, but upcoming enhancements may let tSM serve as the primary stock system for telecom operators who lack an external ERP.
  • Advanced Inventory Controls: Features like automated reorder points, min/max stock levels, or advanced batch/lot tracking can be added to further expand stock management capabilities.
  • Mobile-First Enhancements: Streamlined app workflows for technicians to scan and update items via QR codes or NFC.

10. Summary​

The tSM Stock Module provides a robust yet flexible framework for managing material inventories within a telecom or field-service context. By defining Stocks, Items, and Movements, it ensures accountability and real-time visibility over critical parts and devices. Coupled with code tables (types, statuses) and shared-responsibility features, organizations can mirror complex scenarios such as consignment, project-specific stocks, or multi-owner warehouses. When integrated with an ERP, the module keeps both back-office and on-site operations synchronized, reducing errors and improving the overall service delivery process.

In conclusion, tSM Stock is a versatile solution designed to handle a wide spectrum of inventory management tasks—from small-scale personal stocks in technicians’ vehicles to enterprise-grade integration with large ERPs. It is an integral part of the tSM suite, seamlessly blending into Work Force Management scenarios for telecom or similar industries.