How can I set up my product lines so it's easier to fulfill a request for a complete product? (i.e. associate a contents list)
If a user requests a product (rather than individual devices), the manufacturer can determine what items or containers are required to fulfill that product request in the Catalog.
Users are always able to request a Product or Individual loose devices when making an inventory request, but what if you'd like to consistently provide the same set of goods when a product is requested?
This way nothing is left up to chance and you can ensure a standard of service every time a product is requested. And you and your users will both know that they will receive everything that they need to cover the case.
To set this up for a product line, you need to take three steps:
Assign all correct Product Lines to your relevant Catalog Items
Create Canonical Container Names (Different from Catalog #'s and Descriptions)
Assign Containers and Devices to your Product Lines
Assign all correct Product Lines to your relevant Catalog Items
Every catalog item must have at least one product line, but if you're going to be designating an item as required for the fulfillment of a particular product line, make sure it has that product line assigned as a step 1.
1. Navigate to your Catalog
2. Identify the device or container catalog record that will need to be assigned to the product line in question and click on it to open up its detail screen.
3. If the product line has not already been assigned, click to add the product line.
4. Save.
5. Repeat this process for any other catalog records that are required for that product line to be considered complete or fulfilled in a request.
Create Canonical Container Names (Different from Catalog #'s and Descriptions)
When Containers are created in the catalog, they are required to have unique catalog #'s, but usually they are part of a certain standard tray configuration. For instance to call a product complete it might need to have an implant set and an instrument set, and those are always stocked to a standard configuration (like a BOM).
Creating a Container Canonical Name allows you to reference a container without needing to use individual catalog numbers. For instance "Hip Nail Implant Set 1/2", "Hip Nail Implant Set 2/2", and "Hip Nail Instrument Set".
Often times it's helpful to think about how you would refer to a container in a conversation, this will make it easy to fulfill requests for a product line when a user requests it. It is best to keep these consistent across your containers so they can be easy to reference.
1. Navigate to the Catalog
2. Filter for Containers
3. Locate the Containers that should be included in your product line and enter the Container Canonical Name in the top section.
4. Click Save.
Assign Containers and Devices to your Product Lines
Lastly, you need to define which devices and containers comprise a complete product line.
1. Now navigate to the Product Lines page.
2. Locate the product line you'd like to build a contents for and open its detail page.
3. Scroll down to the section labelled, "Containers/Devices Required to Fulfill this Product Line"
4. In the Search field locate the Device Catalog #s and Container Canonical Names which should comprise the Product Line.
5. Select Product Types to be more specific, if necessary.
6. Modify the quantity of items requiring.
5. Repeat this step for any other devices or containers that should be added.