Minimum Version Required: 22.07
Steps
How to 'Allocate a New Product' - Not Authorized Allocation
A 'Not Authorized' Allocation is used to restrict access to the product so that it can be selectively available and is necessary in cases where only certain Customers and Locations should have access to purchase it. If a Not Authorized is not set, it is available to be purchased by Customers who fit the Location, Distribution Area, Product Group, and other qualifying criteria. To create a Zero Allocation:
1. Using Universal Search, navigate to the Allocations table
2. Click Add Allocations button
a. Choose a Location
b. Choose a Product
c. Choose Not Authorized on Allocation Type
d. Choose a Start Date when the product's allocation process should begin
NOTE: This should be the same Start Date or later than the Start Date of the Not Authorized Allocation you just created
3. Click Add Record button
NOTE: Another Allocation will be used to truly allocate the product that was just 'zeroed out' by the allocation you just made.
How to Allocate a New Product - Actual Allocation
Once the appropriate Not Authorized is created to restrict the purchase of the product, the Reserve Inventory, Limit Purchase, Limit Purchase Quantity and Reserve Inventory, or Reserve Inventory Depleting Allocation must be created to selectively open access to purchase the product. For more information on selecting the right type for your use case, see the Allocations Overview guide.
1. After making a Zero Allocation, Click Add Allocation button
NOTE: This new Allocation is used to truly allocate the product that was just 'zeroed-out' by the allocation you just made and determines which customers can purchase the Product or which Salesman can sell the product
a. Choose a Location
b. Choose a Product
c. Choose a preferred Allocation Type. Must not be ‘Not Authorized’
d. Filter additional fields according to preference
Allocation logic follows an order of precedence, prioritizing in the following order (from greatest priority to least): Customer, Chain, Salesman, Customer Type, On Premise or specify a Salesman to allocate the product
e. Choose Start Date - Make sure that the start date is the same as the previous ‘Not Authorized’ Allocation (Zero Allocation)
f. Enter Units Allocated - This is the quantity in Units for this particular product that is permissible for selling
g. Click Add Record button
Fields And Definitions
Fields
Location: The location where customers will be affected.
Product: The product for which the allocation will apply.
Allocation Type: The rules governing the allocation, determining its purpose.
Start Date: The date when the allocation begins. This date determines eligibility based on the invoice's "Time Entered," not the invoice date. Salespeople/customers cannot invoice the product before this date.
Units Allocated: The number of units included in the allocation
On Premise: Determines if the product is available to "On Premise" or "Off Premise" accounts.
Customer Type: Filters the type of customers to whom this product is available under the allocation.
Salesman: Filters by the assigned sales representative available to sell the product. The sales representative must be assigned to the customer for the allocated product to be invoiced.
Chain: Filters by the chain to which this product is available under the allocation.
Customer: Filters by the specific customer to whom this product is available under the allocation.
End Date: The end date of the allocation. After this date, any unallocated units will revert to available inventory.
Allocation Types
Reserve Inventory - Allocation quantity reserves that quantity for the exclusive use by that customer (but does not limit the quantity that customer can purchase).
Limit Purchase - Allocation quantity establishes an upper limit of how many of the product the customer can purchase (but does not reserve that same quantity for the exclusive use by that customer).
Limit Purchase Quantity and Reserve Inventory - Allocation quantity will establish an upper limit of how many of the product the customer can purchase as well as reserves that same quantity for the exclusive use by that customer.
Reserve Inventory Depleting - Allocation quantity reserves that quantity for the exclusive use by that customer (but does not limit the quantity that customer can purchase) and decreases the allocated amount as the customer purchases the product.
Max Purchase QTY Per Invoice - This allocation type will limit the amount of product that can be on a single invoice to a maximum. This allocation will not deplete and can be set across locations, chains and any other related allocation fields to help prevent a single customer from eating up all the inventory.
Unrestricted - Allows the customer to purchase the product, used in conjunction allocation type Not Authorized to provide overrides to more finely filtered allocations. For example, if you wanted to restrict a certain product to only On-Premise accounts, you would then add an allocation of type Not Authorized for Off Premise customers. If you then want to allow a specific liquor store to purchase that same product, you could then add an allocation of type Unrestricted for that one customer. As this second allocation is filtered more granularly than the first, the Unrestricted overrides the Not Authorized for that one customer.
Not Authorized - Prevents the customer from purchasing the product. The customer is able to view and retun the product, but sales of this product are not authorized.
Best Practices
1. When allocating a new product, a Not Authorized should be made first and foremost. A Not Authorizedn is used to 'clean the slate' for a new product and prevent ANY customers from purchasing or Salesmen from selling a product. Only after a Not Authorized is made should new Allocations be created.
2. Couple any new Allocations with a Not Authorized to ensure that the Product is only allocated to the desired Customers.