Quick Summary: Validation confirms that data imported from the ERP aligns with reality. Accurate sourcing and checking of file inputs ensures correct forecasting, stock policies, and replenishment results in the app.
Data Inputs Used by the App
For the app to display accurate information, data is extracted from your ERP system via data files. Like any system, the quality of the output is dependent on the quality and accuracy of the imported data.
The following data drives the app:
Data file | Containing |
Locations | Physical stocking locations (warehouses and branches) |
Suppliers | Active vendors |
Product master | Basic product information |
Stock by location | The current stock position by location |
Custom groups | Codes and descriptions for custom data |
Sales & issues | Sales and issues summarised by month (or the equivalent transactional data) |
Outstanding purchase orders | Outstanding purchase/production order lines |
Outstanding sales orders | Outstanding sales order lines |
Outstanding transfers | Outstanding transfer lines |
Completed purchase orders | Completed purchase order lines and receipts |
Meta data (‘trigger’ file) | Information about the interface and data extraction |
Bill of materials | The relationship between finished goods and raw materials |
Supersessions | Product linkages where a product(s) has been replaced by a new product |
What to Validate
Validation ensures that information displayed in the app reflects the ERP accurately.
This should be verified at two levels:
Macro/global: High-level stock value, sales volume, location totals
Item/detail: Product-by-product data correctness
The sections below provide navigation and validation focus points.
Global / Macro Level Validation
The purpose of global validation is to ensure that we are looking at data of the right order of magnitude. Numbers that are very different from what you are expecting may indicate something is wrong with the data or that we are pulling data from the wrong fields in the files mentioned above.
Stock Value (at Cost) by Location
Click on Locations (found on the left panel of the screen)
Click on Stock holding to sort locations in descending order of stock value (applicable if there are multiple locations)
Validate that the product count and stock holding (valued at cost) appear correct for your key warehouses
Note: The locations table can be downloaded using the CSV download button.
Cost of Sales Value by Location
Click on Forecasts (left panel)
Use the location drop-down on the top right to view the full list
Click Stock holding to sort locations by stock value
Select a key selling location or warehouse
Ensure Cost price is selected in the Summary panel
Hover over the blue sales line to see monthly sales value at cost
Hover over blue bars in the Comparison panel to validate annual cost of sales
Note: Annual values reflect rolling 12-month history.
Line-Item Validation
Global validation may show issues or may confirm that data is broadly correct. Item-level checking verifies that values remain accurate at the detail level.
Select a cross-section of validation items, for example:
Sales movement behaviour: Fast, slow, sporadic, intermittent
Stocking policy: Make-to-stock, make-to-order, indent, non-stocked, obsolete
Manufacture type: Finished goods or raw materials
Known points of interest: Favourite item or largest anomaly
For each item, use Enquiry/Inquiry to search by product code or description and location.
Data to Validate
The Details panel
Average Cost
Selling Price
Volume (if used)
Weight (if used)
Stock on Hand
Unit of Measure
Stocking indicator: stocked, non-stocked, obsolete
The preferred supplier
The Groups panel
Group/dimension information
The Safety Stock panel
Lead time (if maintained in your ERP)
The Tabs (bottom of page)
Forecast: Unit sales by month
Purchase orders: Open and overdue lines
Sales orders: Open and overdue lines
BOM (if applicable): Use Line view to validate structure, linkages, and ratios
Data Quality Validation
Data quality reflects the integrity of information in your ERP.
To view data quality:
Navigate to System > Data quality
View the overall score percentage (top right corner of screen)
Drill down into panels including: Stock, Locations, Products, BOM, Sales orders, Purchase orders, Historical Purchase orders, and Sales data
High-priority issues to correct first
The following errors are most important to resolve first:
Area | Issue |
Stock Data | Cost price <= 0, On hand < 0, No lead time, No supplier |
Bill of materials | Looping BOM structures |
Sales Orders | Overdue sales orders |
Purchase Orders | Overdue purchase orders |
These issues have the greatest operational impact and should be remediated early.
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