This guide will walk you through using the Expressway Order tool to generate suggested orders that help manage your inventory efficiently, ensuring you don’t overstock or run out of products.
Key Principles of Expressway Order
Optimized Stock Levels:
The Expressway Order tool generates suggested orders to help you maintain just enough stock to meet demand without overstocking.
Avoiding Overstocking is crucial, as excess inventory is often mishandled, wasted, over-portioned, or even stolen. Maintaining only what’s needed until the next delivery can improve overall efficiency and care in product use.
Accurate Counts are Essential:
The accuracy of suggested orders depends on the accuracy of your counts each cycle. Inaccurate counts can diminish the reliability of the suggested orders.
Be sure to complete troubleshooting and verify counts before generating orders. For support with troubleshooting, use the Expressway portal to submit a request.
Generating an Order
Preparing for Order Generation:
Approve all pending invoices and ensure there are no missing sales PMIX daily files.
Go to the Orders tab and select New Order. Configure a few key parameters:
Vendor: Choose the vendor for the order.
Category: Typically select the food group.
Order Dates: Set three dates:
Order Date: Usually the current day.
Delivery Date: When the truck will arrive.
Order Lasts Through Date: The expected arrival date of the next delivery.
Sales Projection: Adjust only in special cases like anticipated weather impacts or events that might affect sales. Avoid using it to increase stock buffers, as the tool is designed for minimum on-hand levels.
Generating and Reviewing the Suggested Order:
Click Create to generate the order. The Order Total at the top right displays the total cases and dollar value based on recent prices.
Caution Flags: Items with a yellow caution flag indicate insufficient historical data, often for LTO (limited-time offer) or new items. Use judgment when ordering these.
Adjusting Suggested Orders:
Review each item in the order:
Suggested Order: Shows the quantity to order based on calculations.
Quantity to Order: Adjust quantities directly if needed. Changes update the Order Total and the Projected Ending on hand.
Item Setup: Displays pack size information.
Key Data Columns:
Minimum Needed on Hand: The amount calculated from the order date to the delivery date.
IntelliCount: Estimated on-hand quantity based on recent counts. If red, it signals a risk of running out before the next delivery.
Projected Sales: Forecasted usage between the order date and delivery date.
Safety Buffer: Adjusts daily based on recent sales and usage patterns.
Projected Ending on Hand: Indicates expected inventory levels at the time of the next delivery.
Finalizing the Order:
Adjust quantities as needed and review the updated totals.
You can print, save as a PDF, or export the order for vendor submission.
Some vendors may support a direct order upload, and future updates will include a one-click submission feature.
Final Tips
Focus on the Projected Ending On Hand: This helps ensure you have enough stock until the next delivery.
Use Your Judgment: Even with suggested orders, rely on your understanding of your store’s needs to make final decisions.
Reach Out for Support: If you have questions or need one-on-one assistance, submit an online support request through the portal.