What resources will help me get started as an inventory manager?

Last updated: June 2024

Welcome to the training guide for Inventory Management Users in the ConnectSx Platform! ConnectSx has been designed to simplify your life, save you time, reduce manual headaches, and help you run a more streamlined business. Its our hope that by using the platform you’ll be able to optimize your business and maintain a strong, digitally connected value chain for your customers.

1. Your first step is going to be getting logged into the console.

2. To get started we’d first like you to walk through how the surgical case workflow works. This section will show you the whole pipeline and how the vTrakr users (sales users) interact with the Console (admin) users. This is important for understanding how you connect with your other users, keep track of case activity, and support your case volume.

3. Next, you’re probably wondering how to load inventory into the system. We’ll help you with your initial inventory load for go-live, but going forward you have 2 options for how to load inventory:

• Inventory Import using a .CSV File

• Manual Inventory Entry

4. Now that you know added your new inventory, you may need to build out a tray or other container. We use bills of materials to make this process easier and less time-consuming

5. One of the best ways ConnectSx can provide you value is how it allows you to maintain a single source of truth across your organization, and that starts with keeping your perpetual inventory records accurate.

• Using the Dashboard

• Reviewing Inventory Levels

• Editing Inventory Detail

• Exporting Inventory and Stock Reports

• Comments/Tags

• Deactivating Devices and Containers

6. An activity central to the inventory manager role is keeping a handle on inventory movement and case activity so you can support the demand for inventory. So next, I'd like to go through the functionality that will help you make sure you're getting your reps what they need.

• Watching your Dashboard and Notifications to track activity in real time.

• Inventory  Requests

• Inventory Transfers

• Packing Slips and Tracking Info with Transfers

• Due Back Dates 

7. One of the  last things you want to happen is to run out of inventory and not be able to support sales You will also need to be aware of case activity so you can support the demand for inventory. So next, I'd like to go through the functionality that will help you make sure you're getting your reps what they need and keep you in stock.

• Reviewing Inventory – Stock Reports

• Reviewing the Case Schedule to anticipate inventory needs

• Using reports to assess sales velocity – (reports, pivot tables)

• Inventory Request/Supplier Purchase Order to send an external order to your suppliers.

• Once you’ve determined the inventory need of the user, you can initiate a transfer of inventory to anticipate and meet their needs.

8. A critical component for quality and inventory managers is keeping a handle on your expired or expiring inventory to both prioritize sales and make sure it is pulled back from the field. Let’s go over how to keep an eye on this.

• Setting Expiration Dates

• Searching for Expiring Inventory