Transfer stock between branches

A transfer moves stock from one branch to another in three parts: the branch that needs it asks, the branch that has it sends it, and the receiving branch records what arrived. In between, the stock is in transit: it has left one shelf and nobody can sell it at the other yet.

Steps

Ask for the stock

At the branch that needs it. At Mkulima Agrovet, Faith Chebet asks Nakuru town for stock for the Njoro branch.

1. Open Request transfer

   Open Stock › Inventory › Transfers and tap Request transfer: “Ask another branch or the warehouse for stock. It is reserved there when approved and counts here only once you receive it.” To is your branch already.

2. Add the products and how many

   Search in Add a product: name, SKU or scan a barcode and type each quantity. Add them before you choose the branch that sends: see What if below.

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3. Choose the branch that sends

   Choose it in From. Add a note if it helps: “What it is for, and how soon it is needed.”

4. Tap Request transfer

   Kila says TRF-000006 requested: “The sending branch reserves and dispatches it once approved.” The transfer waits, Waiting for Nakuru town: “Once approved, the stock is reserved at Nakuru town so it cannot be sold while it waits for the van.”

Send it

At the branch that has the stock. At Mkulima Agrovet, Samuel Mwangi, the storekeeper at Nakuru town.

1. Approve it

   The transfer is on Transfers under Needs action, with Dispatch. Open it and tap Approve and reserve: “TRF-000006 approved. The stock is reserved at the source until it is dispatched.” It now says Reserved at Nakuru town, ready to dispatch: “Pick it, load it and dispatch. Stock leaves Nakuru town at dispatch.”

2. Enter what is loaded

   Tap Dispatch: “Enter what is actually loaded. Stock leaves this branch and goes in transit.” Loaded starts at what was asked for. Change it if less goes on the van.

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3. Tap Dispatch

   The stock leaves your branch and goes on the road:

   Kila shows:

   18 units in transit to Njoro branch. They count there once Njoro branch receives them.

   The value sits in inventory in transit until Njoro branch confirms what arrived. Nobody at Njoro branch can sell it before then.

Receive it

At the branch that asked, when the van arrives.

1. Open the transfer and tap Receive

   Transfers shows it under Waiting for you. Open it and tap Receive: “Count what arrived. Anything short needs a reason so it can be investigated.”

2. Type what arrived

   Arrived starts at what was sent. Leave This is everything that arrived ticked when nothing more is coming.

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3. Tap Record receipt

   Kila shows:

   Received in full

   Received in full at Njoro branch. 18 units now count there.

   The transfer says “Received in full at Njoro branch. Every unit accounted for.” The stock is available to sell at your branch now.

Good to know

While stock is on the road, Stock on hand at the receiving branch shows it under In transit, and it is not available to sell there until it is received.

What if

Kila finds no product when you search

Kila shows:

No product matches Diminazene. Check the spelling or the barcode.

You work at one branch and chose From first, so Kila searched the other branch’s stock, which your role does not see. Set From back to Branch that sends, add the products, then choose From again. The Free at Nakuru town column then says Checking: the sending branch sees what it has free when it approves. Someone who works at both branches, such as the owner, sees the figures, such as 37 sachet free.

The sending branch does not have enough free

When they approve, Kila refuses:

Kila shows:

That did not go through

Intramammary mastitis tubes, box of 4: only 19 free at the source branch, 500 requested. Reduce the quantity or wait for stock.

Cancel the request and ask for less: on the transfer, tap Cancel, give a reason and tap Cancel transfer. “Reserved stock is released at the sending branch.” Kila says Transfer cancelled: “Any reserved stock is free again.” Once a transfer is dispatched it can no longer be cancelled: receive it, then deal with any difference.

Less arrived than was sent

If more is coming later, untick This is everything that arrived: “The rest stays in transit for a later delivery.”

If nothing more is coming, leave it ticked and say why in Why is it short? For example: two sheets bent in transit. Record receipt waits for the reason.

Kila shows:

Received short

2 units received at Njoro branch, 1 unit short. The difference is recorded for investigation.

The transfer then says Received short at Njoro branch, with the reason: “The difference is written off to shrinkage and both branches have been told.”

Needs a manager

Requesting, dispatching and receiving need the right to transfer stock, which owners, branch managers, inventory managers and storekeepers have. Each branch dispatches only what leaves it and receives only what comes to it.

Related

• See your stock on hand: what each branch has, and what is in transit.
• Check stock movements: each transfer is a Transfer out at one branch and a Transfer in at the other.
• Reorder stock: Kila counts transfers not yet dispatched before it suggests buying.
• Issue materials to a production order: at a plant, materials go to a production order.

Next: sell from it: the stock is on your branch’s Stock on hand once it is received.