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The Inventory Management System (IMS) developed by Legler Systems in California (CA) is based on the client-server model and supports many special features for handling the inventory control function in small businesses and midsize companies. This customizable IMS software can be run as a stand-alone accounting application or integrated with other financial modules, such as the Order Entry System and Purchase Order System. The Legler Inventory Management software utilizes a character-based user interface with mouse support on desktop or laptop computers for fast data entry and optimum end-user productivity in a multi-user environment.
The latest IMS software version is now available with recent changes described in the Accounting Software Revision History document. This general-purpose Inventory Management System is easy to use and can function with or without a mouse for greater end-user flexibility and productivity.
After installations on different hardware and operating systems, this reliable inventory management software has evolved over the last 25 years to an efficient, proven and productive business application for today under Microsoft Windows 10. Custom versions of the online IMS software support in-house control of confidential inventory transaction records and have been in day-to-day operation in small businesses in Northern California for many years.
The online inventory management (IM) end-user procedures are identified on the Inventory Management System Menu (screen image shown below). Before any online IM end-user procedure can be run, the user must first sign-on by entering a valid User-ID and password. To display the Inventory Management Menu from the main Financial Menu, enter "IM" to the System-ID prompt. To start a specific IM end-user procedure, enter the 2-digit number associated with that online procedure or single-click the left mouse button when pointing to the procedure name on the Inventory Management System Menu screen. The active keyboard function keys are identified at the bottom of all screens, including the inventory management menu.
Data entry procedures IM01 (screen image) and IM09 (screen image) display the fields that comprise each inventory transaction record and perform the update functions (add, modify and delete) to the online Master File (DBSMST) based on a Transaction Code. A Product Master Record (name and price information) must be entered into the IM System before inventory transactions (purchases and sales) can be processed for an item number. If stock transactions are created by another system, they can be imported into the IM System using update procedure IM17 (to convert an input csv file of variable length records to fixed length records and create the Transfer File) and IM15 (to edit the fixed format records and update the online database). The Inventory Management Data Dictionary (printed by procedure DB11) defines each data field in data entry screens IM01 and IM09.
The online Help File contains a description of all IM data fields and IM error messages that are displayed in a separate Help Message Window whenever keyboard function key F1 is pressed. A drop-down list of valid codes for a field (marked by a down-arrowhead) is also shown in the Help Message Window when the F2 key is pressed after the F1 key. The Help Message Window temporarily overlays the bottom half of the basic application window (Command Prompt window).
For all IM inquiry procedures and reporting procedures, a selection screen is displayed so the user can enter various data selection parameters to retrieve specific inventory records from the online database (DBSMST) and to format the output. Prior data selection parameters are shown in the Report History Dashboard under the selection screen.
Inquiry procedure IM10 displays all transactions affecting an item in inventory showing the most recent activity first. Inquire Latest IM Changes procedure (IM96) displays a list of the latest Product Activity Records (IM01) in descending chronological date sequence.
Online reporting procedures IM02, IM03, IM04, IM07, IM08, IM13 and IM16 print inventory reports on a line printer (computer-size paper) or a laser printer (letter-size paper). Procedure IM11 prints shelf item labels are printed on label forms. Procedure IM12 prints the inventory Packing List for an order on preprinted forms or blank letter-size paper. Each online reporting procedure displays a selection screen for the user to enter report selection parameters, such as item number, dates, report format option and report sort option. Procedures IM05, IM06, IM14 and IM15 print one-page IMS Control Report showing the number of inventory transaction records processed for audit documentation. Inventory reports can be displayed in the basic application window or in a separate report window prior to printing a hardcopy.
Calculate inventory balances procedure IM06 reads in and out inventory transactions (Product Activity Records) for a specified date range and updates the Product Master Record. Procedure IM05 creates Product Activity Records from customer orders in the Order Entry Systme and is run before IM06.
If inventory invoice transactions were entered into another computerized system or imported using update procedure DB18, they can be edited and loaded into the online IM System using update procedure IM15. Update procedure DB18 creates the Transfer File (fixed length records) from a csv file that is input to procedure IM15.
Inventory management procedure 92, procedure 94 and procedure 96 are the same procedures in the Database Control System. When 99 is entered as the IM procedure number, the main Financial Menu is displayed. End-user procedures DB01, DB11, DB17 and DB18 appear only on the Database Control menu.
Each online IM end-user procedure identified on the Inventory Management System Menu is described in more detail in the IM Procedure Menu document.
In addition to the operational, security, technical and customization features mentioned in the Accounting Software Overview document, important Functional Features and Objectives of this proven inventory management module are highlighted below:
1. Inventory value can be computed or recomputer based on LIFO, FIFO, or average cost of an item by running accounting procedure IM06.
2. Basic parameters affecting the economic order quantity calculation (EOQ) and stock reorder point calculation can be overridden by the user.
3. The Item-Group code is used to divide the inventory into different groups. The user defines the Item-Group code using data entry procedure DB01.
4. Multiple warehouses are supported.
5. Flexible reporting capability allows the user to request and print 46 different Inventory Management Reports, including the inventory Packing List by procedure IM12, by specifying report selection parameters and a report sort option. One-time ad-hoc inventory reports are easily printed.
6. Online processing involves instantly viewing and changing inventory data in the online Master File (database) based on a Transaction Code (Trans-Code) for added accuracy.
7. Support batch job processing (optional), where report selection parameters are entered online for later batch processing by a separate job script, so large inventory reports are printed offline.
8. In the IM System, special notes (instructions, comments or significant events) can be entered and displayed from data entry screens IM01 and IM09 by dynamic linking to data entry procedure DB17 (General Notes Record) using keyboard function key F7 or a mouse.
9. Enable product number lookup by product name when the "#" character is entered in product number field and then enter the product's name, Mfg-Part number or product description when prompted. Both lowercase letters and uppercase letters are tested. When only one matching product is found, the associated product number automatically replaces the "#" character to eliminate the manual entry of the product number or item number. This product number lookup option is performed when "#" is entered in Item-No prompt. This "#" feature is in addition to the standard product number lookup by product name initials (uppercase) in both a client-server (ASCII coding) and IBM mainframe (EBCDIC coding) environment.
10. Cobol source programs have been revised to reference a new common Copy member (SLP310) for the IBM AIX system call to execute the Unix chmod command, when an output file is opened and the OPR-SYS-PARM field is set to "AIX".
11. A complete backup of the inventory management application is created by periodically copying the LSC directory to an external removable device, such as a compact disc (CD-ROM) or USB flash drive (thumb drive). The CD-ROM disc or USB flash drive can be stored off-site for added protection in case of an unforeseen disaster. The financial application can be run directly from these backup devices on any computer.
The online IMS software references three master records in the Database Control System (required) to control basic system functions (Company Control Record), to verify User-IDs (User Control Record), and to validate inventory Item-Group code and other user definable codes (Code Definition Records).
The IM System accepts sales input directly from the Order Entry System (optional) by executing procedure IM05. Data entry procedure IM09 is the same procedure as procedure OE09 in the Order Entry System when entering Product Master Records.
The IM System software references Customer Master Records when printing the inventory Packing List (IM12) and entering stock sales information (IM01), as well as Vendor Master Records when entering product purchases (IM01). These optional master records are maintained by the Order Entry System and Accounts Payable System (optional).
This user-friendly IMS software supports dynamic linking between data entry procedures (such as IM01 to IM09) with a single keystroke (function key F7). The linking data field is marked by an up-arrowhead. Dynamic linking to existing "NOTES" (DB17) about a product (item number) is performed with one or two keystrokes (F7) or a single-click of the left mouse button.
Update procedure DB18 in the Database Control System is used to export inventory data to a csv file. Also, DB18 can import a csv file of inventory transaction records and output them in a Transfer File for subsequent editing and updating of the online database by procedure IM15. CSV files contain variable length records where data values or fields are separated by a comma. Generally, a csv file uses the internal ASCII coding structure.
The Inventory Management System operates on any x86 personal computer (desktop or laptop) in the Command Prompt window using any version of Microsoft Windows operating system from Windows 3.1 to Windows XP (16-bit) and Windows 7 and now Windows 10. The IMS source programs are compatible with 32-bit cobol compilers (such as Micro Focus Net Express) that generate executable code for Windows 10 (64-bit version). Personal computers can be connected in a local area network with complete flexibility in specifying the disk location of master files on either the client laptop or desktop computer or the file server. Additionally, the IMS software can be run on a single stand-alone personal computer or on a Unix based computer, such as the IBM RS/6000 with IBM 3151 terminals using the AIX operating system. In addition to the standard application window size (80x25), a larger Command Prompt window of 80 characters wide by 50 rows (80x50) is now supported for greater usefulness.
The latest version of the inventory management software supports 32-bit code (.dll) or 16-bit code (.exe) depending on the OPR-SYS-PARM setting ("WIN" or "DOS") in the DBSPGM file. The exe programs run under Windows XP and dll programs are used with Windows 10. AIX programs use the .gnt code. The IM application programs (32-bit code) run on 64-bit hardware.
The Run Time Environment for Micro Focus COBOL support is included at no extra cost with the IMS executable programs. The latest Windows 10 inventory management programs (32-bit) are the same programs as the DOS inventory management programs (16-bit code) for compatibility. For inventory data archiving and historical reporting, the same IMS executable programs can be run offline from a removable device, such as a CD-ROM disc or USB flash drive; thereby eliminating the need to restore old inventory data and IM application programs to a separate hard disk drive in order to view or print inventory reports.
The Database Control System by Legler Systems Company is required to support online Master File updates in a multi-user environment and is included with the Inventory Management software. The IMS source programs are written in structured ANSI COBOL (COmmon Business Oriented Language), the most widely used business programming language, for easy maintenance in a client-server (ASCII code) or IBM mainframe (EBCDIC code) environment. A Micro Focus cobol compiler is used to generate the IMS executable programs for personal computers using 32-bit or 64-bit addressing. Each IM end-user procedure identified on the Inventory Management System Menu screen corresponds to a separate application program.
The IM System software cost is identified in the Software Price Sheet and includes: (1) IMS executable programs for the Microsoft Windows environment, (2) IMS Procedure Manual and (3) online Help File. The IMS source programs with common Copy members in the ANSI COBOL language can be purchased separately.
For sample inventory reports and screen formats or a free working demo of this user-friendly IM System on a USB flash drive or CD-ROM disc for any version of Microsoft Windows, e-mail Bill Legler in the San Francisco Bay Area, CA.
Legler Systems Company, developer of the online Inventory Management software, is located in the East Bay of the SF Bay Area in Northern California and provides local on-site IMS software support in Alameda County (major cities are Oakland and Berkeley), Contra Costa County (major cities are Concord, Walnut Creek and Orinda) and other counties in California. E-mail support is always available regarding IMS software questions or issues.