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What inventory controls and tracking capability do I have in Beacon? 

Beacon is built around maintaining perpetual and canonical records of your inventory over its product life cycle. There are numerous ways we do this, data that is collected, and levers available to you to exercise control over your inventory. 

 

Inventory Custody and Locations

  • Inventory Custody: all inventory in Beacon must have a custody at all times, this is an immutable aspect of every piece of inventory. Custody can be thought of as "who is accountable for the inventory?" and is determined by user account. Inventory transfers move inventory from one custodian to another. In an Event Sales users may only use inventory that is in their custody or that is shared with them by a connected Distributor. Admin and Operations users act on behalf of the Organization's custody and may not hold their own inventory, but also have privileges allowing them to interact with inventory in other users' custodies.
  • Custom Locations: While all inventory must have a custody, they may also be optionally assigned to a location. Locations can be created by users to represent various geographic locations, warehouses, even trunk stock. Locations may be set at the individual device level or container level. To modify locations in bulk, the location may be reset when inventory is transferred for all inventory listed on the transfer. Creating Facility-based locations may even facilitate tracking Facility Par Levels. 

Inventory Data Model

  • Product Lines: The way you build your data is the first element of control you have over your inventory and how it is used. Every item and container must have at least one product line. Think of them like brand names or product names. They may be used at times to filter and search through inventory, as well as to request inventory. You may also build a list of the required items for a product line to be considered complete, to be used when fulfilling a request for an entire product. 
  • Inventory Catalog: The Catalog is the canonical list of your product numbers and related static data. Every item has a catalog # and every container has a unique catalog #. The data entered here will help ensure standardization across your inventory and reduce the potential for bad data and human error. The catalog record may also store important data like description, product line assignments, measurement specifications, cost, weight, warehouse location, ordering lead time, par level, and search tags. 
    • The catalog may also house product images, Technique Guides, and IFUs for the item, which may then be accessed from the device page for any item or container with that Catalog #. 

Inventory Detail, Production Data, and Regulatory Compliance

  • Inventory Detail: In Beacon, every inventory item is unique and will retain its own individual history and product information, ensuring an unprecedented degree of traceability, history, and reportability. Inventory detail may be created/amended at the unique discrete item level to ensure maximum traceability and context over the product life cycle. 
  • Production Information: Individual product information is captured, including Lot #, Serial #, Expiration Date, and UDI. These elements may be used to search, filter, and select inventory throughout the system. In the case of expiration, Beacon provides expiration warnings as automated notifications as inventory nears its expiration date. 
  • Compliance: Beacon enables you to manage your compliance needs throughout the product life cycle, maintaining creation date, movement history, inspections, and its ultimate use or deactivation. An item is intrinsically tied to the transfers in which it was involved and the Event/Case in which it was used or sold, and may easily be accessed by clicking links in the inventory detail screen. All production level information is also carried through to the transfer or Event, ensuring the UDI is available at the point of use and retained for your records. 
  • Kitted Inventory and Sets: Sets or Kits are managed as containers in Beacon, allowing for the easy transfer of a set with all of its contents. When an Item is used out of a container in an event, the container catalog number is also captured on that Event as part of the inventory usage data. Containers may be easily managed using Bills of Materials and facilitate restocking using the auto-refill option. 
  • Context: As every inventory item is unique in Beacon with its own data profile and history, each record may also retain individual images and documents to add depth and context to the inventory history. Additionally, like all other records throughout Beacon, comments may be made on individual devices and containers to add context to their movement or use, may mention other users, and are stored in perpetuity.
  • Deactivation Not Deletion: In Beacon, inventory is never deleted, just deactivated. You will always be able to search inactive inventory to reference inventory history. 

Capturing Device Usage Data

  • Event/Case Records: Whenever an event is submitted for billing or completed, the associated used items will be recorded in the Event record including the lot/serial/UDI, the container of origin, and a clickable link to the device detail screen. This data will be also be included on the Sales Order and Invoice, which may be regenerated from the Event Detail Screen at any time. Inventory in Beacon is never deleted, it is only deactivated, so the history will always be available to reference in the event of an issue or audit. 
  • Manual Deactivation: Though not recommended, in certain situations  inventory may be manually deactivated, but its device detail screen is still available to review in inactive inventory. The deactivation date will still be noted. It is recommended that if inventory must be deactivated outside of a sale, a Stock Adjustment Event is used in order to capture more context about the reason for deactivation, even if the inventory was created in error.

Tracking Inventory Movement and History

  • Inventory Requests: When users need inventory they submit a request (or request replenishment) in Beacon creating a perpetual record of inventory demand from the field. The requests may be fulfilled, partially fulfilled, or declined. When a request is fulfilled it creates an inventory transfer of custody and a perpetual linked relationship exists between the request and the transfer, creating an easy-to-follow chain. If a request is created in reference to an Event, this link is extended to include the case or sale the request pertained to. 
  • Inventory Transfers: Transfers are how inventory moves from one custodian to another in Beacon. Transfers may be created ad-hoc or as the result of fulfilling an inventory request. When a transfer is sent to a user it is considered "pending" until that user "accepts" or "declines" it, the inventory is not available for use during the time that the transfer is pending. Admins and Operations users may also accept or decline transfers on behalf of other users in the organization. Each transfer may store critical contextual information as well including shipping and tracking information, notes, images, attachments, and comments. It is critical to note that inventory is not available to be used in an event until the transfer is accepted, which will complete the transfer of inventory into the recipient's custody. 
  • Decontamination and Infection Control: If enabled with a setting, users must sign off that they have followed all relevant company decontamination and infection control procedures following a case before the inventory may be transferred. 
  • Movement History: While any request or transfer may be referenced in the relevant screens in the navigation and the inventory details of associated items, Beacon also provides in-depth reporting on Transfers, Partially Fulfilled Requests, and Inventory/Utilization for Request Fulfillment. 

Managing Loaned, Due Back, and Consigned Inventory

  • Consignment Status: If inventory will be consigned or loaned, it may be managed using the consignment status. Capture loaner and consignment status in the inventory detail screen. 
  • Due Back Dates: Any item may be assigned a due back date when it is transferred to the field. The user will receive notifications as that due date approaches and once it is over due, to help manage the prompt return of inventory from the field. 
  • Due Back Date Extension Requests: If a user still needs inventory with a due back date and loaned consignment status, they may request an extension. 

Inventory Hold Status

  • Hold Status: Inventory may be strictly controlled as it is being brought to market or in the event of an emergency/recall using the hold status. Inventory may be given a hold status when it is created and changed as inventory moves through various stages of your process. Alternatively, inventory may be given a hold status to prevent it from being sold or moved such as in the event of a non-conformance or recall. Inventory may not be moved or sold unless it is given a 'Ready for Sale' status. Available hold statuses include: 
    • Inspection
    • Non-Conformance
    • Quarantine
    • Receiving
    • Ready for Sale

Container Check-ins and Inventory Inspections

  • Container Check-Ins: When containers return from the field they often need to undergo some sort of check-in process. The check-in feature allows you to verify the state of the container upon its return and build a check-in history for that container to maintain in its Beacon record. Available Check-In parameters include: 
    • Cleanliness Check (Pass/Fail)
    • Visual Inspection (Pass/Fail)
    • Reconciled to BOM (Pass/Fail)
    • Documents attached (IFU, Decontamination, Etc.) (Pas/Fail)
    • Status Flag (Red, Yellow, Green): Containers may not pass check-in without a Green Flag
    • Upload Files to store images or documents for the check-in
  • Inventory Inspections: Often, inventory needs to be inspected periodically throughout its lifecycle. The inspection function allows you to set inspection frequency and build an inspection history for individual containers and inventory items.