System and method for providing sales order

Abstract

The present invention relates to a computer-implemented system (100) for facilitating generation of sales orders in a retail store, the system (100) comprising: an interface module (210) for providing a platform interface on a computing device to allow a user to interact with the system (100) through the platform interface; the inventory database is used for storing a list of commodity items, and each item is identified by a minimum stock unit SKU; a task module (220) configured to create and manage, by the user, a task for selling the item of merchandise, the created task including a specified access schedule of a salesperson to the retail store; a sales recording module (230) for storing sales history data of commodity items related to associated SKUs in the retail store; an inventory aging module (240) for storing and displaying a store inventory (OS) for the item of merchandise at the retail store, the inventory aging module (240) further configured to receive an update of the store inventory (OS) for the item of merchandise by the user; a sales ordering module (260) for creating a sales order for the item of merchandise wherein the sales ordering module (260) is configured to provide an item of merchandise associated with the task to include it in the sales order and to provide for each item of merchandise in the sales order a suggested number of items of merchandise to be ordered, the suggested number of orders to be ordered is calculated based on the store stock (OS) in the task, the sales history data, and an access schedule of the salesperson, the sales order being submitted in the system (100) after user confirmation.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application generally relates to inventory management. More specifically, this application relates to providing sales orders. Background Art

[0002] Traditionally, various types of platforms have been developed to facilitate communication between multiple user groups in an organization such as a retail organization having one or more retail stores, and to assist with operations involved in retail business. For example, sales orders can be generated and submitted by a marketing team and / or a merchandise promoters team via the platform. However, generating a sales order can prove to be a challenging task because it is difficult for merchandise promoters to predict the optimal quantity of products to order. On the one hand, overstocking takes up valuable resources, occupies storage space, and causes resource waste and profit loss. On the other hand, understocking leads to out-of-stock situations, customer dissatisfaction, and missed opportunities.

[0003] In some cases, merchandise promoters stationed in retail stores for in-store marketing activities may not have full access to previous sales records, current total inventory, or supplier information, which makes it difficult for them to accurately determine the quantity of goods required for a sales order. Therefore, additional effort may be required to communicate with other personnel or departments in the store, as well as with the distributor or supplier, before a sales order can be initiated.

[0004] In addition, retail operations are typically carried out via separate platforms or systems, often requiring manual cross-checking of various data sources. This makes retail and sales operations inefficient, and the submission and processing of sales orders may be difficult to streamline.

[0005] U.S. Patent No. US9792545 discloses a vendor-based inventory management system that analyzes and filters point-of-sale (POS) data and recommends restocking inventory from the vendor's warehouse for each storefront. The system includes a communication module for receiving POS data from multiple retailers and an analysis module for recommending product restocking between retail stores. However, the system does not integrate sales order or purchase order generation and cannot facilitate inventory management from the perspective of a retail store.

[0006] U.S. Patent No. US8239244 discloses a data modeling method using transaction logs recorded in a retail store. Information in the transaction log includes current price, promotion and sales information, and units purchased. The method includes determining the out-of-stock status of a product by comparing the likely sales quantity and the actual sales quantity.

[0007] U.S. Patent No. US10430756 discloses an inventory management system for tracking the total inventory level of products in a warehouse. The system takes into account sales orders from sales channels or purchase orders issued to the warehouse, which are used to update the availability of inventory levels in the warehouse. Although the above patents mainly focus on tracking and predicting the inventory levels in a seller's warehouse, these patents do not cover tracking and management at the retail store level, which will play an important role in product strategies and marketing at the retail level.

[0008] Accordingly, the present invention anticipates a solution that at least partially addresses one or more of the above problems. Summary of the Invention

[0009] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a computer-implemented system for facilitating the generation of sales orders in a retail store, the system being implemented on a host device and one or more computing devices that communicate data with a network. The system includes an interface module for providing a platform interface on the computing device to allow a user to interact with the system through the platform interface; an inventory database for storing a list of merchandise items (also referred to as goods) in the host device, each item (also referred to as goods) being identified by a stock-keeping unit (SKU); a task module configured to create task data for selling the merchandise items, the task data being created by specifying a merchandiser and a schedule of the merchandiser's visits to the retail store; a sales record module for storing sales history data of the merchandise items associated with the SKUs in the retail store; an inventory aging module connected to the task module for retrieving merchandise items that require inventory aging input, the inventory aging module being configured to display the store inventory levels of the merchandise items in the retail store and receive input from the merchandiser regarding the store inventory levels of the merchandise items, wherein the input of the store inventory levels forms dated inventory aging data; and a sales order module for creating sales orders for the merchandise items, wherein the sales order module is configured to generate and display a page of the merchandise items with the sales orders based on the task data and provide a recommended quantity to order for each of the merchandise items in the sales order, wherein the recommended quantity to order is calculated based on the store inventory (OS) of the inventory aging data, the sales history data, and the schedule of the merchandiser in the task data, and the sales order is submitted in the system (100) after user confirmation.

[0010] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a system for providing a recommended quantity of merchandise items to be ordered is provided. The recommended quantity is obtained by retrieving the store inventory (OS) of the merchandise item from the inventory aging module, calculating the average daily sales (ADS) in the retail store based on the sales history data retrieved from the sales record module, determining the number of days until the next visit (NOD) of the salesperson according to the access schedule of the task module, receiving the buffer percentage (BP) input by the user, calculating the recommended quantity to be ordered by multiplying the average daily sales (ADS) of the merchandise item by the number of days until the next visit (NOD), increasing the quantity by the buffer percentage (BP), and subtracting the store inventory from the quantity to obtain the value of the recommended quantity to be ordered.

[0011] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a computer-implemented method for facilitating the generation of sales orders for merchandise items in a retail store is provided. The method includes: receiving the task of selling merchandise items and updating the store inventory, generating a draft sales order based on the task, wherein a list of merchandise items and the recommended quantity to be ordered for each merchandise item are provided, and the recommended quantity to be ordered is obtained by retrieving the store inventory from the inventory aging module, calculating the average daily sales (ADS) of the merchandise item based on the sales history data retrieved from the sales record module, retrieving the warehouse inventory of the merchandise item from the warehouse inventory module, determining the number of days until the next visit (NOD) of the merchandise promoter (also known as the salesperson) according to the access schedule set in the task, multiplying the average daily sales of the merchandise item by the number of days until the next visit (NOD), increasing the quantity by the buffer percentage, and subtracting the store inventory from the quantity to obtain the value of the recommended quantity to be ordered. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] The present invention will be better understood with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0013] Figure 1 An embodiment according to the present disclosure shows a schematic block diagram of the interconnected devices for implementing a system for facilitating the generation of sales orders;

[0014] Figure 2 An embodiment according to the present disclosure shows a system for facilitating the generation of sales orders;

[0015] Figure 3 An embodiment according to the present disclosure shows an example of an interface for creating a task in the task module;

[0016] Figure 4 An embodiment according to the present disclosure shows an example of an interface of the task;

[0017] Figure 5A and Figure 5B Embodiments in accordance with the present disclosure show examples of interfaces for updating inventory aging in an inventory aging module;

[0018] Figure 6 Embodiments in accordance with the present disclosure show examples of interfaces for reviewing entries of a sales order;

[0019] Figure 7 Embodiments in accordance with the present disclosure show examples of interfaces of a sales order;

[0020] Figure 8 Embodiments in accordance with the present disclosure show examples of interfaces for reviewing merchandise items in a sales order for submission;

[0021] Figure 9 Embodiments in accordance with the present disclosure are flowcharts showing methods for providing a sales order. Detailed Description

[0022] Throughout the document, unless otherwise indicated to the contrary, the terms "comprising", "consisting of", "having", etc. shall be construed as non-exhaustive, or in other words, shall be construed as "including but not limited to".

[0023] Furthermore, throughout the specification, unless the context otherwise requires, the word "include" or variations such as "includes" or "including" shall be understood to imply the inclusion of the stated integer or group of integers, but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers.

[0024] Throughout the specification, unless the context otherwise requires, the term "module" shall be understood to imply a group or set of executable instructions for performing the functions of a system on a device.

[0025] Throughout the specification, the terms "supplier" and "vendor" shall be understood to be entities that supply merchandise items to a retail store. These terms may be used interchangeably to denote the source that supplies merchandise items to a retail store.

[0026] Throughout the specification, the term "sales order" shall be construed in a general sense as an ordering request generated through an electronic platform for the requested merchandise items to be provided to a retail store.

[0027] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the subject matter herein belongs.

[0028] The present invention relates to a computer-implemented system 100 and method for facilitating the creation and processing of sales orders for merchandise items in a retail store. The system is embodied as a user-accessible platform and allows the platform to interact with users.

[0029] Figure 1 Shows the interconnection of computing devices for implementing the system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The system 100 can be implemented using one or more computing devices 102 (e.g., laptops, desktop computers, and / or electronic mobile devices having computing capabilities such as smartphones and electronic tablets) and at least one host device 104 (e.g., a server). The one or more computing devices 102 and the host device 104 can be related to a communication network 108 by one or both of a wired connection and a wireless connection.

[0030] In one embodiment, the one or more computing devices 102 can include a first computing device 102a (first user), a second computing device 102b (second user), and a third computing device 102c (third user). Each of the first, second, and third computing devices can include a display screen and / or other peripheral devices for receiving input and providing information output. For example, the device can include an interactive screen, a keyboard, a mouse, an audio receiving device, a position detection device for receiving instructions or information. The computing device can also include output devices for providing content and information to the user, such as a screen and speakers. The first computing device 102a, the second computing device 102b, the third computing device 102c, and the host device 104 can be configured to communicate with each other via the communication network 108.

[0031] In one embodiment, users can be classified into different user groups that have different permission levels and accessibility to the platform. For example, a first user group corresponds to managers, a second user group corresponds to merchandise promoters, and a third user group corresponds to supervisors and managers. Each user group can have a designated accessibility to the platform and can view only certain interface screens of the system based on the permission level of the user group.

[0032] In this regard, it is understood that, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the platform 200 provided by the system 100 may be hosted by the host device 104. The integrated retail and sales platform 200 may preferably be implemented in a software-programmed manner. For example, the host device 104 may include a processor (not shown), and the platform 200 may be implemented by software code that may reside in the processor and may be executed by the processor. When the software code is executed, it causes the integrated retail and sales platform 200, which may include one or more interface screens, to be presented in a visually perceivable manner by the one or more display screens of the one or more user computing devices 102 by the above one or more users.

[0033] Reference Figure 2 , a system 100 for facilitating the generation of sales orders in a retail store is shown, which includes an interface module 210, a task module 220, a sales record module 230, an inventory aging module 240, a warehouse inventory module 250, and a sales ordering module 250. The interface module 210 is provided in the system for displaying a platform interface to a user having one or more computing devices 102. The interface module 210 displays one or more interface screens to the user and allows the user to provide input and feedback to the system 100 through the platform interface. The interface module 210 is adapted to display interface screens according to the user's permission level. The interface module 210 is connected to other modules for displaying a set of interface screens according to the modules. The task module 220 is provided in the system for managing and creating tasks for selling items in a retail store. The inventory aging module 240 is connected to the task module 220 such that inventory aging tasks can be automatically generated, and the necessary items requiring inventory aging input can be populated into the inventory aging module 240. The sales ordering module 260 is connected to the task module 220, the sales record module 230, the inventory aging module 240, and the warehouse inventory module 250 and retrieves information from the task module 220, the sales record module 230, the inventory aging module 240, and the warehouse inventory module 250.

[0034] An inventory database is established in system 100 for storing a list of merchandise items. Each item is identified by a Stock Keeping Unit (SKU) as the identifier for that item. The inventory database enables the use of a common identifier to identify merchandise items across multiple stores. In one embodiment, the system 100 provides an interface (not shown) to allow the insertion of details of new items into the system or the modification of details of existing items to update the inventory database. The details of the merchandise in the inventory database can include, but are not limited to, the barcode of the item, the SKU, a picture, the name of the item, and the description of the item. It should be understood that throughout the specification, the merchandise item is associated with the SKU for performing any action according to the present invention. In one embodiment, the inventory database is maintained as a centralized database and is retained in a host device.

[0035] The system of the present invention further includes a task module 220 for creating and managing tasks for selling merchandise items by a user. Task data is formed when a task is created, and the task data includes the salesperson and the access schedule of the salesperson to the retail store. Figure 3 An example of an interface for creating a task is shown, where the user can specify the retail store 320, the time period 330, and the access schedule 310 of the salesperson. In one embodiment, a list of selectable merchandise items retrieved from the inventory database can be provided for creating a task. In one embodiment, the creation and management of tasks can be performed by the managers of the organization as the first user group. In another embodiment, the task module 220 allows further updating of tasks and monitoring of the overall status of tasks.

[0036] Figure 4 An exemplary interface for updating the compliance of tasks accessible and utilizable by a salesperson after the task has been created is shown. The salesperson is specified when the task is created, and the task interface can be viewed and accessed from the computing device of the specific salesperson assigned to the task. It should be understood that multiple salespersons will use and access the system 100. Only the tasks assigned to the salesperson will be displayed on the salesperson's device. It should be understood that the salesperson is associated with an ID such that the system is configured to generate a task interface based on the salesperson ID in the created task data. The task section 340 provides several options for performing and updating the compliance of tasks. One of the options includes a sales order 350, which enables the salesperson to initiate the sales ordering process, which will be described in detail in the sales ordering module. In one embodiment, the salesperson includes any store employee, promoter, or store owner stationed in the retail store.

[0037] In addition, a sales record module 230 is provided in the system for obtaining and storing sales history data of merchandise items associated with SKUs in a retail store. In this regard, the sales history data refers to the transaction date of an item and the quantity of items purchased within a period of time. The sales history data can be derived from the order history between the retail store and the supplier. In one embodiment, the sales record module 230 provides an interface for a user to input the sales history data into the system. In one embodiment, the sales history data can be obtained from a warehouse supply portal of a seller or a supplier, or from a B-2-B system of a seller or a supplier. In a further embodiment, a warehouse system or a B-2-B system can be connected to the sales record module 230 for obtaining the sales history data. In an alternative embodiment, the sales record module 230 can be integrated with or connected to the accounting system of the retail store for retrieving the sales history data in an automated manner. The sales record module 230 can save the sales data for at least three months.

[0038] An inventory aging module 240 is provided in the system 100 for storing and displaying the store inventory quantity. The inventory aging module 240 is also configured to receive an input from a salesperson assigned to a task regarding the quantity of a merchandise item. The input to the store inventory quantity forms dated inventory aging data. Figure 5A and Figure 5B An example of an interface for updating inventory aging is shown in. In Figure 5A the inventory aging interface in, a list of merchandise items will be displayed according to the created task data, where the previous store inventory quantity 410 and the date are recorded. The inventory aging module is connected to the task module 220 for retrieving a list of merchandise items that require inventory aging input. In one embodiment, a salesperson can be prompted to update the inventory aging of a merchandise item on a specific date based on the requirements set in the task. As Figure 5B shown, the new entry button 420 can be pressed to insert a new store inventory quantity of an item. As a non-limiting example, the information that can be inserted includes an expiration date 440, a previous quantity 450, a new quantity 460, and a lot number 470. A picture 480 of the item can be shown in the inventory aging module interface, which can be retrieved from the inventory database. Alternatively, a new picture can be uploaded to the module. Pressing the save button 390 creates a record of the store inventory quantity 410.

[0039] In one embodiment, a warehouse inventory module 250 is provided in the system for storing the warehouse inventory quantity of merchandise items in a warehouse for supply to retail stores. It should be understood that the warehouse inventory quantity should be interpreted as the available quantity of items that can be supplied to retail stores, and the warehouse inventory quantity can be the total available inventory from suppliers across multiple warehouses. In one embodiment, the warehouse inventory module 250 is connected to the warehouse inventory system of a supplier or a seller to obtain the warehouse inventory quantity of items identified by SKU in an automated manner. In yet another embodiment, the warehouse inventory quantity can be input into the system by a seller or a supplier by accessing the system. Alternatively, the warehouse inventory quantity information can be obtained individually through any communication means (such as by email) for input into the warehouse inventory module of the system. In a further embodiment, the inventory quantity can be updated periodically and stored in the warehouse inventory module for retrieval to calculate the recommended quantity to order. Alternatively, the inventory quantity can be updated based on a user's request or when a sales order is generated.

[0040] A sales order module 260 is provided in the system 100 for allowing the creation of sales orders for merchandise items and providing the quantity of merchandise items to order. The sales order module 260 is configured to generate and display a page of merchandise items with a sales order based on task data and provide a recommended quantity to order for each merchandise item in the sales order, where the recommended quantity to order is calculated based on the store inventory quantity, sales history data, and the access schedule of the salesperson in the task data. The sales order can be submitted after user confirmation. Figures 6 to 8 An example interface for creating a sales order is shown.

[0041] Reference Figure 6 , the sales order interface can be invoked by pressing the "Sales Order" button 350 in the task interface ( Figure 4 ). The sales order interface displays a list of previously created sales orders 510, as well as the total amount 530 of the sales order and the status 520 of the sales order. In one embodiment, a draft sales order is automatically generated when the salesperson completes the inventory aging input required in the task. The draft sales order can be further accessed in a subsequent interface screen as shown in Figure 7 to modify the sales order before submission. Alternatively, a new sales order can be created by pressing the ADD button 540.

[0042] Figure 7Displays an exemplary interface of a draft sales order and various components within the interface. The displayed interface provides a view of basic details, including the purchase order (PO) number, retail store, PO due date, order status, remarks, and the responsible salesperson. Merchandise items identified by their unique SKU are provided and listed based on pre-created task data. Each proposed merchandise item is accompanied by a proposed quantity to be ordered. New items can be manually added to the item list by pressing the "+SKU" button 630. Additionally, the summary section 620 provides a view of the total cost of the sales order and the quantity of items involved. Furthermore, the interface allows the user to attach their signature to the sales order to enhance its authenticity and accountability when necessary. Each listed merchandise item 610 is interactive, allowing the user to modify the quantity as needed in subsequent interface screens.

[0043] Figure 8 Shows an example of an interface for one of the merchandise items to be ordered in a sales order, identified by a specific SKU. The interface displays various information about the selected merchandise item, including the item name, a picture 701 of the merchandise item, a barcode 702 and serial number associated with the merchandise item, and the unit price. This information can be retrieved from the inventory database. The sales history data 703 of the merchandise item is displayed, for example, including the average monthly sales, the previous order history of the item in the store. The sales history data can be retrieved from the sales record module 230. The warehouse balance 707 as shown in the interface refers to the warehouse inventory quantity retrieved from the warehouse inventory module 250. The current inventory 709 refers to the store inventory quantity available at the retail store retrieved from the inventory aging module 240. The threshold 706 corresponds to the maximum storage amount allowed for the retail store, which is predefined by the user. The threshold is specific to the retail store and can be provided or set into the system by the user. Additionally, a switch 704 is provided between piece-by-piece or case-by-case calculation modes. A proposed quantity 708 of the item to be ordered is automatically provided. However, the quantity can be manually adjusted using the adjustment button 705.

[0044] In operation, a method for creating a sales order on the system of the present invention will now be described according to Figure 9 First, a task for the sales item is created by the task module 220. The created task includes updating the inventory aging to be performed by the salesperson via the inventory aging module 240. After the update and input of the inventory aging are completed, a draft sales order is automatically generated in the sales order module, where proposed items and quantities of merchandise items have been provided in the draft sales order. When the inventory aging is updated, the generation of the draft sales order occurs instantaneously. To understand the data flow, the steps for calculating the proposed quantity of the sales order are described herein.

[0045] For the calculation of the recommended quantity in a sales order, the store inventory (OS) 1001 is first obtained from the inventory aging module.

[0046] The sales order module 260 retrieves the store inventory of the merchandise item from the inventory aging module 240. Then, the sales order module 260 retrieves the sales history data and calculates the average monthly sales (AMS) 1002 for the most recent three months, and then converts it to the average daily sales (ADS) 1003. Then, the sales order module 260 obtains the warehouse inventory (WS) 1004 of the item from the warehouse inventory module 250. In addition, the user-defined buffer percentage (BP) that has been input into the system will be retrieved 1005 for generating the sales order. For example, the buffer percentage can be input into the system at an earlier stage (e.g., when creating a task). Alternatively, the system can recommend the buffer percentage based on historical sales data. For example, the buffer percentage can be in the range of 0 - 15%. The buffer percentage can be determined based on the sales variation of the item within three months. The number of days until the next salesperson visit (NOD) 1006 is calculated based on the access schedule from the task module 220.

[0047] The recommended quantity of the item to be ordered is calculated by multiplying the average daily sales (ADS) of the merchandise item by the number of days until the next visit (NOD), then adding the result of multiplying the obtained value by the buffer percentage (BP), and subtracting the store inventory (OS) from the total obtained by the addition, so as to obtain the value of the recommended quantity of the merchandise item to be ordered.

[0048] In particular, the calculation is based on the following equation I.

[0049] Recommended quantity = (ADS × NOD) + (ADS × NOD × BP) - OS (Equation I)

[0050] In one embodiment, if the calculated recommended quantity is greater than the warehouse inventory (WS), the recommended quantity will be replaced by the warehouse inventory 1008. Alternatively, if the recommended quantity is greater than the warehouse inventory, an alert message will be displayed while retaining the calculated recommended quantity.

[0051] In addition, the maximum storage quantity 1009 is obtained for further adjusting the recommended quantity. If the sum of the calculated recommended quantity and the store inventory exceeds the maximum storage quantity (MSQ), the recommended quantity is adjusted 1010 to the quantity of MSQ minus the store inventory (OS). The maximum storage quantity (MSQ) is a user-defined value inserted into the system by the user to ensure that the ordered quantity does not exceed the storage capacity of the store. The MSQ value is specific to the merchandise item and the store and can be input into the system by the user at an earlier stage.

[0052] The recommended quantity 1011 is displayed for each item in the sales order interface. Although the recommended quantity of the goods to be ordered has been calculated and displayed to the user, the quantity of the goods items to be ordered can be adjusted manually 1012.

[0053] The user can review the draft sales order before submitting 1013 the sales order in the system.

[0054] Once the sales order is submitted, a sales order in a pending state is formed. This sales order can be further processed by other personnel in the organization. For example, the sales order can be approved by management or finance personnel and then forwarded to the seller or supplier. The status of the sales order can be updated accordingly after approval. Alternatively, the sales order module can be connected to the seller's or supplier's portal to send the sales order.

[0055] The following are various examples of calculating the recommended quantity of the items to be ordered.

[0056] Example 1

[0057] Parameter Value Data source Store inventory (OS) 15 Retrieved from the inventory aging module Average monthly sales (AMS) 300 Retrieved from the sales record module Warehouse stock (WS) 182 Retrieved from the warehouse inventory module Buffer percentage (BP) 5％ User input Number of days to next access (NOD) 5 Retrieved from the task module Maximum storage quantity (MSQ) 60 User input

[0058] Calculate

[0059] Average daily sales (ADS) = 300 / 30 days = 10

[0060] Recommended quantity = (ADS × NOD) + (ADS × NOD × BP) - OS

[0061] = (10 × 5) + (10 × 5 × 5%) - 15 = 37.5

[0062] New stock level = Recommended quantity + OS = 52

[0063] The new stock level 52 is less than MSQ, and the recommended quantity does not need to be adjusted to accommodate MSQ. The final recommended quantity displayed by the system is 37.

[0064] Example 2

[0065]

[0066]

[0067] Calculate

[0068] Average daily sales (ADS) = 140 / 30 days = 4.67

[0069] Recommended quantity = (ADS × NOD) + (ADS × NOD × BP) - OS

[0070] =(4.67×7)+(4.67×7×3%) - 25 = 8.67

[0071] New storage quantity = Suggested quantity + OS = 33

[0072] The storage quantity 25 is less than the maximum storage quantity, and the suggested quantity does not need to be adjusted to adapt to MSQ. Therefore, after rounding down, the final suggested quantity is 8.

[0073] Example 3

[0074] Parameter Value Data source Store inventory (OS) 18 Retrieved from the inventory aging module Average monthly sales (AMS) 315 Retrieved from the sales record module Warehouse stock (WS) 80 Retrieved from the warehouse inventory module Buffer percentage (BP) 10％ User input Number of days to next access (NOD) 10 Retrieved from the task module Maximum storage quantity (MSQ) 80 User input

[0075] Calculate

[0076] Average daily sales (ADS) = 315 / 30 days = 10.5

[0077] Suggested quantity = (ADS × NOD) + (ADS × NOD × BP) - OS

[0078] =(10.5×10)+(10.5×10×10%) - 18 = 97.5

[0079] New storage quantity = Suggested quantity + OS = 115

[0080] In addition, the storage quantity 115 is greater than the maximum storage quantity (MSQ), and then the suggested quantity is adjusted accordingly so that the new storage quantity does not exceed MSQ.

[0081] New suggested quantity = MSQ - OS

[0082] = 80 - 18

[0083] = 62

[0084] Therefore, the final suggested quantity for this quantity is shown as 62.

[0085] Those skilled in the art should also understand that one or more of the above modifications or improvements are not mutually exclusive and can be further combined to form another embodiment of the present invention.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented system (100) for facilitating the generation of sales orders in a retail store, the system (100) being implemented on a host device and one or more computing devices that communicate data over a network, the system comprising: An interface module (210) for providing a platform interface on a computing device to allow a user to interact with the system (100) through the platform interface; An inventory database for storing a list of merchandise items in the host device, each item being identified by a Stock Keeping Unit (SKU); A task module (220) configured to create task data for selling the merchandise items, the task data being created by specifying a salesperson and a schedule of the salesperson's visits to the retail store; A sales record module (230) for storing sales history data of the merchandise items associated with the SKUs in the retail store; An inventory aging module (240) connected to the task module for retrieving the merchandise items that require inventory aging input, the inventory aging module (240) being configured to display the on-shelf inventory (OS) of the merchandise items in the retail store and receive the salesperson's input of the on-shelf inventory (OS) of the merchandise items, wherein the input of the on-shelf inventory forms a dated inventory aging data; A sales order module (260) for creating a sales order for the merchandise items, wherein the sales order module (260) is configured to generate and display a page of the merchandise items with the sales order based on the task data and provide a recommended quantity to order for each of the merchandise items in the sales order, wherein the recommended quantity to order is calculated based on the on-shelf inventory (OS) of the inventory aging data, the sales history data, and the salesperson's visit schedule in the task data, and submit the sales order in the system (100) after user confirmation.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein, the recommended quantity to order is obtained by retrieving the on-shelf inventory (OS) of the merchandise items from the inventory aging module (240), calculating the average daily sales (ADS) of the retail store based on the sales history data retrieved from the sales record module (230), determining the number of days until the next visit (NOD) of the salesperson according to the visit schedule in the task data from the task module (220), receiving the buffer percentage (BP) input by the user, and calculating the recommended quantity to order by i. multiplying the average daily sales (ADS) of the merchandise items by the number of days until the next visit (NOD); ii. increasing the quantity by the buffer percentage (BP), and iii. subtracting the on-shelf inventory from the quantity to obtain the value of the recommended quantity to order.

3. The system (100) according to claim 2, wherein, The system further includes a warehouse inventory module (250) configured to store a warehouse stock quantity (WS) of the merchandise item at a warehouse for supply to the retail store.

4. The system (100) according to claim 3, wherein, the warehouse inventory module (250) is configured to receive an input of the warehouse stock quantity (WS) of the merchandise item from a vendor or supplier for supplying the merchandise item.

5. The system (100) according to claim 1, wherein, the sales record module (230) is configured to receive an input of the sales history data of the merchandise item.

6. The system (100) according to claim 1, wherein, the sales record module (230) is configured to calculate an average monthly sales amount for up to three months based on the sales history data of the sales item, and the average daily sales amount (ADS) is calculated from the average monthly sales amount (AMS).

7. The system (100) according to claim 1, wherein, the buffer percentage (BP) is in the range of 0 to 15%.

8. The system (100) according to claim 1, wherein, the calculated recommended quantity of the merchandise item to be ordered is further adjusted such that the recommended quantity of the merchandise item to be ordered together with the store stock quantity (OS) does not exceed the maximum storage quantity (MSQ).

9. The system (100) according to claim 1, wherein, the maximum storage quantity (MSQ) is input by the user into the system (100).

10. The system (100) according to claim 1, wherein, the sales order submitted in the system is subject to further processing before being sent to the vendor or supplier.

11. A computer-implemented method for facilitating generation of a sales order for a merchandise item in a retail store, the method comprises: receiving, by a computing device, a task for selling the merchandise item and creating task data in a task module, the task data including an access schedule of a salesperson, prompting and receiving an input of the store stock quantity for forming inventory aging data of the merchandise item, generating a draft sales order based on the task data, the draft sales order including the merchandise item and a recommended quantity to be ordered for each merchandise item, wherein, the recommended quantity to be ordered is obtained by retrieving the store stock quantity of the inventory aging data, calculating an average daily sales amount (ADS) of the merchandise item based on sales history data retrieved from a sales record module (230), determining the number of days (NOD) of the next visit of the salesperson according to the access schedule in the task data, and multiplying the average daily sales amount (ADS) of the merchandise item by the number of days (NOD) of the next visit, increasing the quantity by a buffer percentage, and subtracting the store stock quantity from the quantity to obtain a value of the recommended quantity to be ordered.

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