June 16, 2016
Storerooms, Stockrooms To See Major Time-Saving Advantages With New Features
iLab Operations Software has two new pieces of functionality which further alleviate the workload of shared resource facilities. iLab storeroom management module is designed to help facilities such as stockrooms, supply closets, and scientific stores manage and sell the products that they have produced internally or procured from outside vendors. These new updates benefit those facilities that keep any quantities of samples or products on hand for resale. Both new features, entitled Formal Inventory Audit and Self Checkout Kiosk, are nearing completion.
For facilities focusing on resale, iLab’s Self Checkout Kiosk feature brings numerous benefits. With a self checkout station set up on a computer or tablet, facility staff are freed from playing the role of cashier, and can focus their time on providing value added services to their customers such as negotiating prices and optimizing stock levels. The self checkout workflow has been optimized for the facility customer and involves three simple steps: 1) Scan the desired products 2) Select a payment method 3) Sign digitally for the products. For those institutions which have opted for financial and ID authentication integration with iLab, self checkout becomes even faster as core customers use their existing credentials and fund numbers when selecting their payment method. Additionally, a wall-mounted tablet serving as a self checkout kiosk is a simple and efficient way to save floor space, a limited resource for many facilities.
iLab’s Formal Inventory Audit feature especially benefits those facilities which tend to keep a large and varied quantity of inventory on hand at all times, necessitating formal inventory counts. Stockroom managers can perform cycle counts via a simple and intuitive interface. After first determining what they’d like to inventory, managers then assign staff to do an initial count. After the count is complete, facility managers upload counts and review any discrepancies. Staff are then assigned to recount any discrepancies, and stock adjustments are created for any true discrepancies. A report can be generated which shows the expected versus new amounts as well as the dollar value of that difference in stock. What further distinguishes this feature is that storerooms can now do inventory on a rolling basis, giving them the flexibility to inventory their complete stock over time and as it becomes available.
“We’re thrilled to bring these new features to our stockroom customers,” stated Andreas Hagen, Chief Software Architect. “We have many facility managers and staff who could be adding a tremendous amount of value to their organizations by focusing on product procurement or production, discount negotiation with vendors and helping their customers with special orders or activities that are less than routine and that can leverage their expertise. Being able to simplify and accelerate the inventory count process as well as the checkout process are two ways that we hope to give back more time for these other valuable activities.”
When looking to streamline research efforts on limited resources, both Formal Inventory Audit and Self Checkout Kiosk can supply major time savings. With the help of these automation tools, not only is the administrative burden lightened, but more accurate records are also generated and kept on file. With accuracy and consistency a staple of scientific research, automated tools like these make for versatile and valuable assets.
