Using the aACE Inventory Counter App

After your system administrator has configured the Inventory Counter App, you can use it to count inventoried line item codes (LICs) and submit these counts to aACE.

Note: If your system administrator has customized the app, some details in this guide may no longer match your system.

On Open

When you open the app, it displays a blank inventory count worksheet.

Counting Methods

The app supports two workflows for counting inventory: scanning product in bins or scanning a product list. You can use either method as needed for the most efficient workflow.

Scanning Product in Bins

This workflow represents a user moving through your facilities and inputting data into the app (e.g. scanning all products in a bin). Note: If you start scanning, then navigate in the app (e.g. to change the Bin or the Increment setting), you must tap Scan again to shift back into scanning mode.

1. At the blank inventory count worksheet, tap Bin, then select the bin where the inventory will be counted.
   Note: Depending on how your system administrator has configured the app, this field may be required or optional.
2. Verify that the Increment setting is correct.
   Note: By default, this value is “1.00” (i.e. counting will occur in full unit increments). If your inventory can be counted in values less than 1 (e.g. partial sheets of metal, rolls of paper, etc), you can tap the Increment field and select a fraction before scanning the partial item.
3. Tap Scan, then scan the item’s code, serial number, lot number, SKU, or Barcode Input.
   The app searches the your LIC records to find the scanned item.
   • Each new item you scan adds the item to the inventory count and increments the quantity.
   • You can manually adjust the quantity of a scanned item; however, you cannot set the inventory amount to less than zero.
     • Tap the + or – button to raise or lower the quantity by the current increment. 
     • Tap the Count field to display an inventory calculator where you can enter an amount, then:
       • Tap Enter to make the amount you entered the new quantity.
       • Tap Plus (+) to add the amount you entered to the current quantity.
       • Tap Minus (–) to subtract the amount you entered from the current quantity.
   • If the item uses Mfr Lot Tracking () or Serial Tracking (), tap the appropriate icon, then scan the item type code, then enter the quantity of that lot or else scan the specific item's serial number.

Scanning from a List

For more systematic inventory counting, you can pre-populate a list of the inventory items to scan. This workflow can also be used to 'count' items which have zero inventory (i.e. there is nothing to scan) or to take advantage of aACE tools for counting sub-sections of your inventory (e.g. cycle counting).

1. At the inventory count worksheet, tap Create List to Scan. 
2. At the Add Items to Inventory Count dialog, locate each item you want included on the list and tap Select.
   Note: For quickly preparing your list, use the search fields, then tap the +/– button. This adds all items currently displayed to the list. After you select a batch of items, you can remove individual items from the list by tapping the Checkmark button.
3. If required, tap Bin and select the bin where the inventory will be counted.
4. Tap Add to Count.
   Note: You can run the search multiple times, adding several batches to the list. 
5. Tap Close.
6. At the populated inventory count worksheet, continue with counting inventory as outlined above.
   Note: You do not need to scan items in the order they are shown on the list; when you scan an item, the app will locate the correct record in the list.

Uploading Inventory Count

When you have finished the inventory count, you can transfer the data to aACE:

1. In the top-right corner, tap Upload. 
2. At the upload dialog, enter the additional data for the inventory adjustment record (i.e. Title, Date, Ref ID, Description, and Notes).
3. Tap Upload Count.

After the upload is complete, the Inventory App is cleared, ready for the next count. In aACE, your count is recorded as a pending inventory adjustment to be reviewed and posted.

Updating Barcodes

In aACE, the default value for a barcode is the underlying Record ID (e.g. CODE12345). If your barcodes are generated outside of the system (e.g. a manufacturer’s UPC printed directly on the product), you can enter that value to make counting inventory easier.

1. At the inventory count worksheet, tap Update Barcodes.
2. At the product search dialog, locate an item you want to update.
   Note: Only inventoried LICs that are in Active status will be available.
3. To the right of the product, tap Update ().
4. At the dialog, scan the product's barcode.
   Note: If the barcode conflicts with another LIC, the app will warn you and stop the update; duplicate barcodes are not allowed.
5. When you have finished updating barcodes, tap Close.

The new barcode values will be updated in aACE when the next inventory count is uploaded. If you do not want to wait for that inventory count, navigate to the app Settings and tap Refresh Master Data.

Troubleshooting and Customizing the App

If you need to troubleshoot the data or update settings to customize the app for your personal workflows, please have your system administrator refer to the guide for configuring this app.