Inventory management support device, inventory management support method, and inventory management support program

Abstract

To provide an inventory management business assistance device, an inventory management business assistance method, and an inventory management business assistance program which can assist inventory management business by automatically generating movement instruction data regarding a movement instruction between warehouses.SOLUTION: This inventory management business assistance device performs the following process including;: (1) comparing records in which a commodity CD and a warehouse CD are similar between a work table and an each center ordering condition master, and extracting a work record having a shippable number smaller than the number of ordering points in the master record; (2) comparing records in which a commodity CD and a warehouse CD are similar between the work table and the center ordering condition master, and extracting a work record having a shippable number equal to or larger than an appropriate stock number in the master record; and (3) generating movement instruction data regarding a movement instruction from a warehouse identified by the warehouse CD included in the work record extracted in (2) to a warehouse identified by the warehouse CD included in the work record extracted in (1).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 13

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an inventory management business support device, an inventory management business support method, and an inventory management business support program.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses that "Generally, parts that are received at a factory and stored are discarded if they are not used by the expiration date. Also, even for common parts that can be reused at multiple factories, there was no effective mechanism for sharing parts." (See paragraph 0006 of Patent Document 1), and also discloses that "Therefore, one aspect of the disclosed form aims to provide a method capable of using up parts with an expiration date by the expiration date." (See paragraph 0013 of Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the field of inventory management as described in the above Patent Document 1, in order to optimize the inventory at each site, it is necessary to generate movement instruction data regarding movement instructions between warehouses. However, conventionally, the generation of such movement instruction data was performed manually by the person in charge, resulting in mistakes such as movement omissions and excessive movement instructions, and there was also a problem of a large workload.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide an inventory management business support device, an inventory management business support method, and an inventory management business support program that can support inventory management operations by automatically generating movement instruction data regarding movement instructions between warehouses. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] To solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the objective, the inventory management support device according to the present invention comprises a control unit and a storage unit, wherein the storage unit stores a work table containing work records having product identification data, warehouse identification data, and available shipment quantity, and an order condition master containing a master record having product identification data, warehouse identification data, appropriate inventory quantity, and reorder point, and the control unit compares records between the work table and the order condition master where the product identification data and warehouse identification data are the same, and determines the work record containing the available shipment quantity that is less than the reorder point in the master record. The system is characterized by comprising: a means for extracting insufficient inventory records that extracts a credit code; a means for extracting surplus inventory records that compare records with the same product identification data and warehouse identification data between the work table and the order condition master, and extract work records that have a shippable quantity greater than or equal to the appropriate inventory quantity in the master record; and a means for generating inter-warehouse movement instructions that generates movement instruction data relating to a movement instruction from a warehouse identified by the warehouse identification data of the work record extracted by the surplus inventory record extraction means to a warehouse identified by the warehouse identification data of the work record extracted by the insufficient inventory record extraction means.

[0007] Furthermore, in the inventory management support device according to the present invention, the storage unit further stores a lead time master including the lead time between warehouses, and the inter-warehouse movement instruction generation means refers to the lead time master and prioritizes generating movement instruction data relating to inter-warehouse movement instructions that result in a shorter lead time.

[0008] Furthermore, the inventory management support device according to the present invention is characterized in that the control unit further comprises an order schedule generation means that generates order schedule data for placing orders with suppliers, following the processing by the inter-warehouse movement instruction generation means.

[0009] Furthermore, in the inventory management support device according to the present invention, the order condition master further includes supplier identification data and lead time between the supplier and the warehouse, and the order schedule generation means generates order schedule data which includes an order schedule date, warehouse identification data held by the work record extracted by the inventory shortage record extraction means, supplier identification data in the order condition master, and an arrival schedule date calculated by adding the lead time in the order condition master to the order schedule date.

[0010] Furthermore, the inventory management support device according to the present invention is characterized in that the goods are purchased goods acquired from suppliers.

[0011] Furthermore, the inventory management support device according to the present invention is characterized in that the control unit further comprises: a logistics management department-issued movement instruction data generation means that generates movement instruction data relating to a movement instruction to a warehouse identified by the warehouse identification data contained in the work record extracted from the logistics management department by the inventory shortage record extraction means, following the processing by the inter-warehouse movement instruction data generation means; and a manufacturing request generation means that generates manufacturing request data for requesting manufacturing from the company's own factory, following the processing by the logistics management department-issued movement instruction data generation means.

[0012] Furthermore, the inventory management support device according to the present invention is characterized in that the lead time master further includes the lead time from the logistics management department to the warehouse, and the logistics management department movement instruction data generation means refers to the lead time master and prioritizes generating movement instruction data relating to movement instructions from the logistics management department to the warehouse that result in a shorter lead time.

[0013] Furthermore, the inventory management support device according to the present invention is characterized in that the goods are manufactured products produced in the company's own factory.

[0014] Furthermore, the inventory management support device according to the present invention is characterized in that the storage unit further stores sales plan data including sales plan records having product identification data, warehouse identification data, and planned sales quantities, the master records in the order condition master further have a reorder point multiplier, and the control unit further includes an order condition master generation means that identifies records between the sales plan data and the order condition master where the product identification data and the warehouse identification data are the same, sets the planned sales quantities in the identified sales plan records as the appropriate inventory quantities in the identified master records, and calculates the reorder point by multiplying the set appropriate inventory quantities by the reorder point multiplier.

[0015] Furthermore, the inventory management support method according to the present invention is an inventory management support method executed by an information processing device comprising a control unit and a storage unit, wherein the storage unit stores a work table including work records having product identification data, warehouse identification data, and available shipment quantity, and an order condition master including a master record having product identification data, warehouse identification data, appropriate inventory quantity, and reorder point, and the control unit executes by comparing records between the work table and the order condition master where the product identification data and warehouse identification data are the same, and records in the master record that have available shipment quantity less than the reorder point, The system is characterized by including: an inventory shortage record extraction step that extracts inventory shortage records; an inventory surplus record extraction step that compares records with the same product identification data and warehouse identification data between the work table and the order condition master to extract work records that have a shippable quantity greater than or equal to the appropriate inventory quantity in the master record; and an inter-warehouse movement instruction generation step that generates movement instruction data relating to a movement instruction from a warehouse identified by the warehouse identification data of the work record extracted in the inventory surplus record extraction step to a warehouse identified by the warehouse identification data of the work record extracted in the inventory shortage record extraction step.

[0016] Furthermore, the inventory management support program according to the present invention is an inventory management support program to be executed by an information processing device comprising a control unit and a storage unit, wherein the storage unit stores a work table including work records having product identification data, warehouse identification data, and a number of items that can be shipped, and an order condition master including a master record having product identification data, warehouse identification data, an appropriate inventory quantity, and a reorder point, and the program to be executed by the control unit, comparing records between the work table and the order condition master where the product identification data and the warehouse identification data are the same, and the master record having a number of items that can be shipped that is less than the reorder point - The system is characterized by including: an inventory shortage record extraction step that extracts a credit code; an inventory surplus record extraction step that compares records with the same product identification data and warehouse identification data between the work table and the order condition master to extract work records that have a shippable quantity greater than or equal to the appropriate inventory quantity in the master record; and an inter-warehouse transfer instruction generation step that generates transfer instruction data relating to a transfer instruction from a warehouse identified by the warehouse identification data of the work record extracted in the inventory surplus record extraction step to a warehouse identified by the warehouse identification data of the work record extracted in the inventory shortage record extraction step. [Effects of the Invention]

[0017] According to the present invention, by automatically generating movement instruction data related to movement instructions between warehouses, it is possible to support inventory management operations. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0018] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of an inventory management support system. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is an illustrative diagram showing an example of logistics (movement of goods) for purchased items. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is an illustrative diagram showing an example of logistics (movement of goods) for manufactured products. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of an order condition master by center. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a lead time master by center. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a product master. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of demand forecast data and an order condition master by center. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of the generation of a work table. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of the generation of an available-to-ship table in the logistics management section. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of tables and masters necessary for processing purchased parts. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of planned order data generated for purchased parts. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of tables and masters necessary for processing manufactured products. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of movement instruction data regarding movement instructions between warehouses generated for manufactured products. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a diagram showing an example of movement instruction data regarding movement instructions from the logistics management section generated for manufactured products. [Figure 15] FIG. 1% is a diagram showing an example of production request data generated for manufactured products. [Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention]

[0019] Hereinafter, embodiments of an inventory management business support apparatus, an inventory management business support method, and an inventory management business support program according to the present invention will be described in detail based on the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited by this embodiment.

[0020] [1. Overview] In industries where inventory management is essential, manual ordering and manufacturing requests can lead to errors such as omissions or excessive instructions, ultimately resulting in lost opportunities and excess inventory. Furthermore, a large number of warehouse locations and items can increase labor costs and reduce operational efficiency.

[0021] Therefore, in this embodiment, for example, movement instruction data, planned order data, and manufacturing request data can be automatically generated based on demand forecasts (optimal inventory levels) and reorder points. More specifically, in this embodiment, the planned inventory level of goods for each logistics base is calculated according to the demand forecast for each base, the calculated planned inventory level is compared with the safety stock level of the base, and if the safety stock level is exceeded, movement instructions are issued to other bases and then to the logistics management department until the safety stock level is met. If the safety stock level cannot be met, manufacturing instructions are issued for manufactured goods and orders are placed for purchased goods.

[0022] This has enabled, for example, the control of optimal inventory levels, the streamlining of movement instruction operations, the creation of appropriate order and manufacturing requests, and the reduction of ordering costs. The specific configuration and operation will be explained below.

[0023] [2. Structure] An example of the configuration of the inventory management support device 100 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 1. Figure 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the inventory management support device 100.

[0024] The inventory management support device 100 is a commercially available desktop personal computer. However, the inventory management support device 100 is not limited to stationary information processing devices such as desktop personal computers; it may also be a portable information processing device such as a commercially available notebook computer, PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), smartphone, or tablet personal computer.

[0025] The inventory management support device 100 comprises a control unit 102, a communication interface unit 104, a storage unit 106, and an input / output interface unit 108. Each component of the accessory input support device 100 is connected to communicate via any communication path.

[0026] The communication interface unit 104 connects the inventory management support device 100 to the network 300 via a communication device such as a router and a wired or wireless communication line such as a dedicated line. The communication interface unit 104 has the function of communicating data with other devices via a communication line. Here, the network 300 has the function of connecting the inventory management support device 100 and the server 200 so that they can communicate with each other, and is, for example, the Internet or a LAN (Local Area Network). Data such as various masters, which will be described later, may be stored in the server 200, for example.

[0027] The input / output interface unit 108 is connected to an input device 112 and an output device 114. The output device 114 can be a monitor (including a home television), a speaker, or a printer. The input device 112 can be a keyboard, mouse, microphone, or a monitor that works in conjunction with a mouse to provide pointing device functionality. In the following, the output device 114 may be referred to as the monitor 114, and the input device 112 may be referred to as the keyboard 112 or mouse 112.

[0028] The memory unit 106 stores various databases, tables, and files. The memory unit 106 also stores computer programs that work in cooperation with the OS (Operating System) to give instructions to the CPU (Central Processing Unit) to perform various processes. As the memory unit 106, for example, memory devices such as RAM (Random Access Memory) and ROM (Read Only Memory), fixed disk devices such as hard disks, flexible disks, and optical disks can be used.

[0029] The storage unit 106 includes, for example, a work table 106a, demand forecast data 106b as planned sales data, a center-specific order condition master 106c as an order condition master, a center-specific lead time master 106d as a lead time master, movement instruction data 106e, planned order data 106f, manufacturing request data 106g, a product master 106h, and the like.

[0030] In this embodiment, the goods may be either purchased goods or manufactured goods. Purchased goods refer to items purchased from suppliers, and manufactured goods refer to items manufactured in the company's own factory. Figure 2 shows the logistics (movement of goods) for purchased goods, and Figure 3 shows the logistics (movement of goods) for manufactured goods. When the goods are purchased goods, there are two ways to move inventory: moving goods from another warehouse (logistics center) as shown by the arrow (1) in Figure 2, and purchasing goods from suppliers as shown by the arrow (2) in Figure 2. When the goods are manufactured goods, there are three ways to move inventory: moving goods from another warehouse (logistics center) as shown by the arrow (1) in Figure 3, moving goods from the logistics management department as shown by the arrow (3) in Figure 3, and manufacturing goods in the company's own factory as shown by the arrow (4) in Figure 3. The logistics management department is a warehouse that complements the manufactured goods. Furthermore, the company does not store product inventory at its own factories; finished products are moved to the logistics management department.

[0031] As shown in Figure 12, etc., the work table 106a includes work records that have, for example, product identification data (product code), warehouse identification data (warehouse code), current inventory quantity, order quantity, planned shipment quantity, planned receipt quantity, planned incoming quantity, available shipment quantity, and required quantity.

[0032] The demand forecast data 106b is data for managing product demand forecasts as planned sales quantities, and is also the data that forms the basis for generating the center-specific order condition master 106c, which will be described later. As shown in Figure 7, the demand forecast data 106b includes, for example, a sales plan record having the target year and month, the warehouse identification data (warehouse CD), the product identification data (product CD), the planned sales quantity, etc.

[0033] As shown in Figure 4, the center-specific ordering condition master 106c includes a master record that includes, for example, the applicable year and month, the warehouse identification data (warehouse CD), the product identification data (product CD), the safety stock quantity, which is the lower limit at which inventory will not run out if this number of products is maintained, the appropriate inventory quantity, the reorder point, which is the lower limit at which an order must be placed if the quantity falls below this amount, the safety stock markup rate, which is the markup rate used to calculate the safety stock quantity, the reorder point markup rate, which is the markup rate used to calculate the reorder point, supplier identification data (supplier CD), the lead time required for movement from the supplier to the warehouse, and so on. Note that the safety stock quantity, the appropriate inventory quantity, and the reorder point are initially set to "0" at the start of processing, as shown in Figure 4.

[0034] As shown in Figure 5, the center-specific lead time master 106d includes, for example, the warehouse identification data (warehouse CD) for the destination warehouse, the warehouse identification data (source warehouse CD) for the originating warehouse, the lead time required for movement between warehouses, and so on.

[0035] The movement instruction data 106e is data used to instruct movement between warehouses or movement from the logistics management department to a warehouse, and is data used to instruct the flow of logistics as shown by arrows (1) and (3) in Figures 2 and 3. As shown in Figure 13, the movement instruction data 106e includes, for example, the movement instruction date, the warehouse identification data for the outgoing warehouse (outgoing warehouse CD), the warehouse identification data for the receiving warehouse (receiving warehouse CD), the product identification data (product CD), the number of items to be moved, the scheduled receiving date, etc.

[0036] The planned order data 106f is data used to place orders with suppliers, and in Figure 2, it is data used to indicate the flow of logistics indicated by the arrow (2). As shown in Figure 11, the planned order data 106f includes, for example, the planned order date, the warehouse identification data (warehouse CD), the supplier identification data (supplier CD), the product identification data (product CD), the planned order quantity, the planned arrival date, etc.

[0037] The manufacturing request data 106g is data used to request manufacturing from the company's own factory, and in Figure 3, it is data used to instruct the logistics flow indicated by the arrow (4). As shown in Figure 15, the manufacturing request data 106g includes, for example, the manufacturing instruction date, business establishment identification data (business establishment CD), manufacturing warehouse identification data (manufacturing warehouse), the aforementioned product identification data (product CD), the number of items to be manufactured, etc.

[0038] Product master 106h is data used to manage whether a product is purchased or manufactured. As shown in Figure 6, product master 106h includes, for example, the product identification data (product code), asset classification, and manufacturing department identification data to identify the manufacturing department. The asset classification is a category indicating that the product is purchased ("product" in Figure 6) or a category indicating that the product is manufactured ("product" in Figure 6).

[0039] In addition to these tables, data, and masters, the storage unit 106 may also include, for example, current inventory data (see Figures 8 and 9), order data (see Figure 8), scheduled shipment data (see Figures 8 and 9), scheduled incoming data (see Figure 8), scheduled incoming data (see Figures 8 and 9), available shipment table (see Figure 9), and business location master (see Figure 15).

[0040] The control unit 102 is a CPU or similar component that comprehensively controls the inventory management support device 100. The control unit 102 has internal memory for storing control programs such as the OS, programs that define various processing procedures, and required data, and executes various information processing based on these stored programs.

[0041] The control unit 102 is functionally conceptually comprised of, for example, (1) an order condition master generation unit 102a which identifies records between the sales plan data and the order condition master where the product identification data and warehouse identification data are the same, sets the sales plan quantity in the identified sales plan records as the appropriate inventory quantity in the identified master record, and calculates the reorder point by multiplying the set appropriate inventory quantity by the reorder point multiplier; (2) an inventory shortage record extraction unit 102b which compares records between the work table and the order condition master where the product identification data and warehouse identification data are the same, and extracts work records that have a shippable quantity less than the reorder point in the master record; (3) a required quantity calculation unit 102c; and (4) an inventory surplus record extraction unit which compares records between the work table and the order condition master where the product identification data and warehouse identification data are the same, and extracts work records that have a shippable quantity greater than or equal to the appropriate inventory quantity in the master record. (5) A warehouse movement instruction generation unit 102e, which is a means for generating movement instruction data relating to a movement instruction from a warehouse identified by the warehouse identification data of the work record extracted by the warehouse movement instruction generation unit 102e, which is a means for generating movement instruction data relating to a movement instruction from a warehouse identified by the warehouse identification data of the work record extracted by the warehouse movement instruction generation unit 102e, which is a means for generating order schedule data for placing an order with a supplier, following the processing by the warehouse movement instruction generation unit The system includes (7) a logistics management department-issued movement instruction data generation unit 102g, which generates movement instruction data relating to a movement instruction to a warehouse identified by the warehouse identification data contained in the work record extracted from the logistics management department by the inventory shortage record extraction means, following the processing by the inter-warehouse movement instruction generation means, and (8) a manufacturing request generation unit 102h, which generates manufacturing request data for requesting manufacturing from the company's own factory, following the processing by the logistics management department-issued movement instruction data generation means.

[0042] The order condition master generation unit 102a identifies records between the demand forecast data 106b and the center-specific order condition master 106c where the product identification data and warehouse identification data are the same, sets the planned sales quantity in the identified sales plan records as the appropriate inventory quantity in the identified master records, and calculates the reorder point by multiplying the set appropriate inventory quantity by the reorder point multiplier.

[0043] The inventory shortage record extraction unit 102b compares records with the same product identification data and warehouse identification data between the work table 106a and the center-specific order condition master 106c, and extracts work records that have a shipmentable quantity less than the reorder point in the master record.

[0044] The required quantity calculation unit 102c calculates the required quantity, which is the number of units needed to restore the stock to the safety stock level.

[0045] The inventory surplus record extraction unit 102d compares records with the same product identification data and warehouse identification data between the work table 106a and the center-specific order condition master 106c, and extracts work records that have a number of available shipments that is equal to or greater than the appropriate inventory number in the master record.

[0046] The inter-warehouse movement instruction generation unit 102e generates movement instruction data 106e relating to a movement instruction from a warehouse identified by the warehouse identification data contained in the work record extracted by the inventory surplus record extraction unit 102d to a warehouse identified by the warehouse identification data contained in the work record extracted by the inventory shortage record extraction unit 102b.

[0047] Furthermore, the inter-warehouse transfer instruction generation unit 102e may generate transfer instruction data 106e only for combinations of work records extracted by the inventory surplus record extraction unit 102d and the inventory shortage record extraction unit 102b that have the same product identification data. In other words, the inter-warehouse transfer instruction generation unit 102e may generate transfer instruction data 106e only when the products are common to both the source warehouse (inventory surplus warehouse) and the destination warehouse (inventory shortage warehouse).

[0048] The order schedule generation unit 102f generates order schedule data 106f following the processing in the inter-warehouse movement instruction generation unit 102e.

[0049] The Logistics Management Department's Movement Instruction Data Generation Unit 102g generates movement instruction data 106e related to a movement instruction to a warehouse identified by the warehouse identification data contained in the work record extracted from the Logistics Management Department by the Inventory Shortage Record Extraction Unit 102b, following the processing in the Inter-Warehouse Movement Instruction Generation Unit 102e.

[0050] The manufacturing request generation unit 102h generates the manufacturing request data 106g following the processing performed by the logistics management department's movement instruction data generation unit 102g.

[0051] [3. Overview of the process] This section will explain the outline of the process according to this embodiment, separately for the case of purchased goods and the case of manufactured goods.

[0052] [3-1. In the case of purchased goods] In the case of purchased goods, the following processes (1) to (4) will be executed.

[0053] (1) The number of goods that can be shipped from each logistics center is calculated. (2) Based on the center-specific ordering condition master 106c, the required quantity up to the safety stock level is calculated only for items that fall below the reorder point. (3) According to priority (lead time), transfer instruction data 106e is generated from other locations where there is a shipmentable quantity exceeding the appropriate inventory level. (4) If there is no available stock at each location, a planned order data 106f for the supplier is generated for each location.

[0054] [3-2. In the case of manufactured goods] For manufactured goods, the following processes (1) to (5) will be performed. It should be noted that, as a premise for this section, the manufacturing warehouse does not hold inventory, and the logistics management department holds inventory of manufactured goods; furthermore, the logistics management department does not ship goods to customers.

[0055] (1) The number of manufactured goods that can be shipped from each logistics center is calculated. (2) Based on the center-specific ordering condition master 106c, the required quantity up to the safety stock level is calculated only for items that fall below the reorder point. (3) According to priority (lead time), transfer instruction data 106e is generated from other locations where there is a shipmentable quantity exceeding the appropriate inventory level. (4) If there is no available stock at any location, a transfer instruction data 106e is generated from the logistics management department. (5) If the Logistics Management Department has no available stock for shipment, a manufacturing request data of 106g will be generated for the Manufacturing Department.

[0056] [4. Specific examples of processing] This section describes a specific example of the processing according to this embodiment. In this section, [4-1] describes the generation of the center-specific order condition master 106c, and [4-2] describes the generation of work tables 106a, etc. [4-1] and [4-2] are, so to speak, preliminary steps necessary for performing inventory optimization processing. Then, [4-3] describes the inventory optimization processing for purchased goods, and [4-4] describes the inventory optimization processing for manufactured goods.

[0057] [4-1. Generating Order Condition Master by Center] This section explains the generation of the center-specific ordering condition master 106c, primarily referring to Figure 7. First, demand forecast data 106b, shown in Figure 7, which holds the planned sales quantity for each target year / month, warehouse (center), and product (item), is imported from the demand forecasting system, etc. Here, as explained in [2. Configuration], in the center-specific ordering condition master 106c, the appropriate inventory quantity, reorder point, and safety stock quantity are initially set to "0" as shown in Figure 4.

[0058] The order condition master generation unit 102a generates the center-specific order condition master 106c by calculating and storing predetermined values ​​for the appropriate inventory quantity, reorder point, and safety stock quantity in the center-specific order condition master 106c in the state shown in Figure 4, based on the demand forecast data 106b shown in Figure 7, as described below.

[0059] As shown in Figure 7, the order condition master generation unit 102a identifies records with the same product code and warehouse code between the demand forecast data 106b and the center-specific order condition master 106c, and sets the planned sales quantity in the identified records in the demand forecast data 106b as the appropriate inventory quantity in the identified records in the center-specific order condition master 106c. Specifically, as shown in the appropriate inventory quantity column of the center-specific order condition master 106c in Figure 7, the order condition master generation unit 102a sets the appropriate inventory quantities from top to bottom as 100, 150, 250, 300, 350, and 400.

[0060] Next, the order condition master generation unit 102a calculates the reorder point by multiplying the set appropriate inventory quantity by the reorder point multiplier in the center-specific order condition master 106c, and also calculates the safety stock quantity by multiplying the set appropriate inventory quantity by the safety stock multiplier in the center-specific order condition master 106c. Specifically, as shown in the reorder point column of the center-specific order condition master 106c in Figure 7, the order condition master generation unit 102a calculates and sets the reorder points from top to bottom as 70, 120, 175, 240, 280, and 280, and also calculates and sets the safety stock quantities from top to bottom as 120, 225, 325, 480, 525, and 520.

[0061] Figure 7 shows the completed center-specific ordering condition master 106c, in which predetermined values ​​are stored for the appropriate inventory level, reorder point, and safety stock level.

[0062] [4-2. Generation of work tables, etc.] This section describes the generation of work table 106a and the available-for-shipment table with reference to Figures 8 and 9. This generation can be automatically executed at night using batch processing, for example, and in this example, it will be executed at 1:00 AM on March 3, 2021. It will also be calculated based on the available-for-shipment inventory information as of the previous day.

[0063] (1) Generation of work tables The generation of worktable 106a will be explained with reference to Figure 8. As shown in Figure 8, worktable 106a is generated by using product code and warehouse code as keys, obtaining the necessary values ​​from current inventory data, order data, planned outbound data, planned incoming data, and planned incoming data, and calculating the available shipment quantity and required quantity.

[0064] Specifically, the number of items available for shipment in worktable 106a can be calculated using the formula: "Current inventory count in current inventory data - Number of orders in order data - Planned shipment count in shipment schedule data + Planned incoming quantity in incoming shipment schedule data + Planned incoming quantity in incoming shipment schedule data". For example, for the first record in worktable 106a in Figure 8 (Product CD: Manufactured Product A, Warehouse CD: West), the number of items available for shipment can be calculated as 50 using the formula: "Current inventory count 100 - Number of orders 40 - Planned shipment count 10 + Planned incoming quantity 0 + Planned incoming quantity 0".

[0065] Furthermore, the required quantity in worktable 106a can be calculated using the formula: "Safety stock quantity in center-specific ordering condition master 106c - Calculated available shipment quantity". For example, the required quantity for the first row record in worktable 106a in Figure 8 (product CD: manufactured product A, warehouse CD: Western) can be calculated as 70 using the formula: "Safety stock quantity in center-specific ordering condition master 106c 120 - Calculated available shipment quantity 50". However, if the calculated available shipment quantity is not below the reorder point in center-specific ordering condition master 106c, it will not be included in the calculation of the required quantity, and the required quantity will be 0.

[0066] The worktable 106a generated in this way is shown in Figure 8.

[0067] (2) Generation of a table of available inventory The generation of the available-for-shipment table will be explained with reference to Figure 9. As shown in Figure 9, the available-for-shipment table is generated by using the product code and warehouse code as keys, obtaining the necessary values ​​from the current inventory data, planned outbound data, and planned inbound data, and calculating the number of items available for outbound shipment.

[0068] Specifically, the number of items that can be shipped out in the shipping table in Figure 8 can be calculated as 80 using the formula: "Current inventory count in current inventory data 100 - Planned shipping count in planned shipping data 100 + Planned incoming quantity in planned incoming data 80".

[0069] The list of available inventory generated in this way is shown in Figure 9.

[0070] As a result of the processing up to this point, the center-specific ordering condition master 106c, work table 106a, and available-for-shipment table have been generated as masters and tables necessary for inventory optimization processing. Next, inventory optimization processing for purchased goods and manufactured goods will be executed.

[0071] [4-3. Inventory optimization process for purchased goods] This section explains the inventory optimization process for purchased goods, primarily referring to Figures 10 and 11. When goods are purchased, the process is executed in the following order of priority: shipment from each location and order placement.

[0072] The data and other information that form the basis for the inventory optimization process in this section are as described in this paragraph. As the center-specific ordering conditions master 106c, a portion of the center-specific ordering conditions master 106c in Figure 7 generated in [4-1] (see Figure 10) shall be used. As the work table 106a, a portion of the work table 106a in Figure 8 generated in [4-2] (see Figure 10) shall be used.

[0073] (1) Extraction of records with insufficient stock The inventory shortage record extraction unit 102b extracts centers where the number of available shipments falls below the reorder point. Specifically, by comparing records with the same product code and warehouse code between the work table 106a in Figure 10 and the center-specific order condition master 106c in Figure 10, the work records in the first row (warehouse code: Western) and third row (warehouse code: Kyushu) of the work table 106a in Figure 10 have a number of available shipments less than the reorder point in the master records in the first and third rows of the center-specific order condition master 106c in Figure 10. Therefore, the inventory shortage record extraction unit 102b extracts the work records in the first row (warehouse code: Western) and third row (warehouse code: Kyushu) from the work table 106a in Figure 10.

[0074] (2) Processing to calculate the required number Next, the required quantity calculation unit 102c calculates the required quantity for each work record extracted by the inventory shortage record extraction unit 102b, which is the number of items needed to restore the stock to the safety stock level. Specifically, for the first row of work records (warehouse CD: West) extracted by the inventory shortage record extraction unit 102b, it calculates 480 safety stock - 230 available shipments = 250 required quantities, and for the third row of work records (warehouse CD: Kyushu) extracted by the inventory shortage record extraction unit 102b, it calculates 520 safety stock - 220 available shipments = 300 required quantities.

[0075] (3) Extraction of excess inventory records Next, the inventory surplus record extraction unit 102d extracts centers that have a number of available shipments exceeding the appropriate inventory level. Specifically, comparing records with the same product code and warehouse code between the work table 106a in Figure 10 and the center-specific order condition master 106c in Figure 10, the work record in the second row of the work table 106a in Figure 10 (warehouse code: East) does not have a number of available shipments exceeding the appropriate inventory level. Therefore, the inventory surplus record extraction unit 102d does not extract a work record. In other words, since there is no surplus inventory in other warehouses, the inter-warehouse transfer instruction generation unit 102e does not generate transfer instruction data 106e related to inter-warehouse transfer instructions.

[0076] (4) Order schedule generation process Finally, the order schedule generation unit 102f generates order schedule data 106f. Specifically, as shown in Figure 11, the order schedule generation unit 102f generates order schedule data 106f for the western warehouse with an order quantity of 250 units, the same as the required number calculated in (2), and for the Kyushu warehouse, it generates order schedule data 106f with an order quantity of 300 units, the same as the required number calculated in (2). Note that in the order schedule data 106f in Figure 11, the expected arrival date of 2021 / 3 / 4 for the western warehouse is calculated by adding a lead time of 1 day from the center-specific order condition master 106c in Figure 10 to the expected order date of 2021 / 3 / 3, and the expected arrival date of 2021 / 3 / 6 for the Kyushu warehouse is calculated by adding a lead time of 3 days from the center-specific order condition master 106c in Figure 10 to the expected order date of 2021 / 3 / 3.

[0077] As explained above in this section [4-3], if there is insufficient stock of purchased goods, the process is carried out in the following order: first, consider moving goods between warehouses, and then place an order.

[0078] [4-4. Inventory optimization process for manufactured goods] This section explains the inventory optimization process for manufactured goods, primarily referring to Figures 12 to 15. When goods are manufactured, the process is executed in the following order of priority: shipments from each location, shipments from the logistics management department, and manufacturing requests.

[0079] The data and other information that form the basis for the inventory optimization process in this section are as described in this paragraph. As the center-specific ordering condition master 106c, a portion of the center-specific ordering condition master 106c shown in Figure 7, generated in [4-1], shall be used (see Figure 12). As the work table 106a, a portion of the work table 106a shown in Figure 8, generated in [4-2], shall be used (see Figure 12). As the center-specific lead time master 106d, the one shown in Figure 12 shall be used. As the available-for-shipment table, the one shown in Figure 9 shall be used.

[0080] (1) Extraction of records with insufficient stock The inventory shortage record extraction unit 102b extracts centers where the number of available shipments falls below the reorder point. Specifically, by comparing records with the same product code and warehouse code between the work table 106a in Figure 12 and the center-specific order condition master 106c in Figure 12, the work records in the first row (warehouse code: West) and second row (warehouse code: East) of the work table 106a in Figure 12 have a number of available shipments less than the reorder point in the master records in the first and second rows of the center-specific order condition master 106c in Figure 12. Therefore, the inventory shortage record extraction unit 102b extracts the work records in the first row (warehouse code: West) and second row (warehouse code: East) from the work table 106a in Figure 12.

[0081] (2) Processing to calculate the required number Next, the required quantity calculation unit 102c calculates the required quantity for the work records extracted by the inventory shortage record extraction unit 102b, which is the number of items needed to restore to the safety stock level. Specifically, for the first row of work records (warehouse CD: West) extracted by the inventory shortage record extraction unit 102b, it calculates the required quantity as safety stock 120 - shippable quantity 50 = required quantity 70, and for the second row of work records (warehouse CD: East) extracted by the inventory shortage record extraction unit 102b, it calculates the required quantity as safety stock 225 - shippable quantity 100 = required quantity 125.

[0082] (3) Extraction of excess inventory records Next, the inventory surplus record extraction unit 102d extracts centers that have a number of available shipments exceeding the appropriate inventory level. Specifically, by comparing records with the same product code and warehouse code between the work table 106a in Figure 12 and the center-specific order condition master 106c in Figure 12, the work record in the third row of the work table 106a in Figure 12 (warehouse code: Kyushu) has a number of available shipments exceeding the appropriate inventory level. Therefore, the inventory surplus record extraction unit 102d extracts the work record in the third row (warehouse code: Kyushu) from the work table 106a in Figure 12.

[0083] (4) Warehouse transfer instruction generation process Next, the inter-warehouse movement instruction generation unit 102e generates movement instruction data 106e related to movement instructions between warehouses. Here, as explained in (3), there is surplus inventory in the Kyushu warehouse, and the number is 300 (number available for shipment) - 250 (optimal inventory) = 50 units. In other words, 50 units of inventory can be moved from the Kyushu warehouse. On the other hand, as explained in (2), the required number of units in the western warehouse is 70, and the required number of units in the eastern warehouse is 125.

[0084] Thus, when there are two or more destination warehouses, the inter-warehouse movement instruction generation unit 102e prioritizes generating movement instruction data 106e for the warehouse with the shorter lead time. Referring to the center-specific lead time master 106d in Figure 12, the lead time from the Kyushu warehouse to the western warehouse is 2 days, and the lead time from the Kyushu warehouse to the eastern warehouse is 3 days. Therefore, as shown in Figure 13, the inter-warehouse movement instruction generation unit 102e generates movement instruction data 106e instructing the movement of 50 inventory items from the Kyushu warehouse to the western warehouse. Note that in the movement instruction data 106e in Figure 13, the scheduled receiving date 2021 / 3 / 5 is a date calculated by adding a lead time of 2 days to the movement instruction date 2021 / 3 / 3.

[0085] (5) Logistics Management Department Movement Instruction Data Generation Process Next, the Logistics Management Department's Movement Instruction Data Generation Unit 102g generates movement instruction data 106e related to the movement instruction from the Logistics Management Department. Referring to the Available Stock Table in Figure 9, the number of available stock is 80. In other words, 80 units of inventory can be moved from the Logistics Management Department. On the other hand, the required number for the western warehouse is 20 units, which is 70 units minus the 50 units moved by the process described in (4), while the required number for the eastern warehouse remains 125 units.

[0086] Thus, when there are two or more destination warehouses, the Logistics Management Department's Movement Instruction Data Generation Unit 102g also prioritizes generating movement instruction data 106e for the warehouse with the shorter lead time (the western warehouse). Referring to the Center-Specific Lead Time Master 106d in Figure 12, the lead time from the Logistics Management Department to the western warehouse is 0 days, and the lead time from the Logistics Management Department to the eastern warehouse is 1 day. Therefore, as shown in Figure 14, the Logistics Management Department's Movement Instruction Data Generation Unit 102g prioritizes generating movement instruction data 106e instructing the movement of 20 inventory items from the Logistics Management Department to the western warehouse, and then generates movement instruction data 106e instructing the movement of 60 inventory items from the Logistics Management Department to the eastern warehouse. In addition, in the movement instruction data 106e in Figure 14, the scheduled arrival date of 2021 / 3 / 3 for the western warehouse is calculated by adding a lead time of 0 days to the movement instruction date of 2021 / 3 / 3, and the scheduled arrival date of 2021 / 3 / 4 for the eastern warehouse is calculated by adding a lead time of 1 day to the movement instruction date of 2021 / 3 / 3.

[0087] (6) Manufacturing request generation process Finally, the manufacturing request generation unit 102h generates manufacturing request data 106g. Here, due to the process described in (5), the required number of units in the western warehouse is 0, and the required number in the eastern warehouse is 65, which is 125 minus the 60 units that were moved. In this case, as shown in Figure 15, the manufacturing request generation unit 102h generates manufacturing request data 106g requesting the manufacture of 65 units.

[0088] As explained above in section [4-4], if there is insufficient stock of manufactured goods, the process is carried out in the following order: first, consider moving goods between warehouses; second, consider moving goods from the logistics management department; and finally, request manufacturing.

[0089] [5. Summary of this embodiment] Thus, according to the inventory management support device 100 of this embodiment, inventory management operations can be supported by automatically generating movement instruction data 106e related to movement instructions between warehouses, which is common to both purchased goods and manufactured goods.

[0090] Furthermore, according to the inventory management support device 100 of this embodiment, if the goods are purchased goods and the shortage in inventory cannot be compensated for by movement instructions between warehouses, it is possible to generate additional order planning data 106f.

[0091] Furthermore, according to the inventory management support device 100 of this embodiment, if the goods are manufactured goods and the shortage of inventory cannot be compensated by movement instructions between warehouses, movement instruction data 106e related to the movement instructions from the logistics management department can be generated, and if the shortage of inventory cannot be compensated even with the movement instructions from the logistics management department, manufacturing request data 106g can be generated.

[0092] [6. Contribution to the United Nations-led Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)] This embodiment can contribute to improving operational efficiency and promoting appropriate management decisions by companies, thereby contributing to SDGs Goals 8 and 9.

[0093] Furthermore, this embodiment can contribute to reducing waste and promoting paperless and digital processes, thereby contributing to SDGs Goals 12, 13, and 15.

[0094] Furthermore, this embodiment can contribute to strengthening control and governance, thereby enabling contributions to SDG Goal 16.

[0095] [7. Other Embodiments] In addition to the embodiments described above, the present invention may be implemented in various different embodiments within the scope of the technical idea described in the claims.

[0096] For example, among the processes described in the embodiments, all or part of the processes described as being performed automatically can be performed manually, or all or part of the processes described as being performed manually can be performed automatically by known methods.

[0097] Furthermore, the processing procedures, control procedures, specific names, information including parameters such as registration data and search conditions for each process, screen examples, and database configuration shown in this specification and in the drawings may be changed at will unless otherwise specified.

[0098] Furthermore, with respect to the inventory management support device 100, each component shown in the diagram is a functional concept and does not necessarily need to be physically configured as shown.

[0099] For example, the processing functions of the inventory management support device 100, particularly those performed in the control unit, may be implemented entirely or partially by a CPU and a program interpreted and executed by the CPU, or they may be implemented as wired logic hardware. The program is recorded on a non-temporary computer-readable recording medium containing programmed instructions for the information processing device to execute the processing described in this embodiment, and is mechanically read by the inventory management support device 100 as needed. That is, a storage unit such as ROM or HDD (Hard Disk Drive) contains a computer program that works in cooperation with the OS to give instructions to the CPU and perform various processing tasks. This computer program is executed by being loaded into RAM and works in cooperation with the CPU to constitute the control unit.

[0100] Furthermore, this computer program may be stored on an application program server connected to the inventory management support device 100 via any network, and it is possible to download all or part of it as needed.

[0101] Furthermore, the program for executing the processing described in this embodiment may be stored on a non-temporary computer-readable recording medium, or it may be configured as a program product. Here, "recording medium" includes any "portable physical medium" such as memory cards, USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory, SD (Secure Digital) cards, flexible disks, magneto-optical disks, ROMs, EPROMs (Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory), EEPROMs (Registered Trademark) (Electrically Erasable and Programmable Read Only Memory), CD-ROMs (Compact Disk Read Only Memory), MOs (Magneto-Optical disks), DVDs (Digital Versatile Disks), and Blu-ray (Registered Trademark) Discs.

[0102] Furthermore, "program" refers to a data processing method described in any language or writing method, regardless of its format, such as source code or binary code. Note that "program" is not necessarily limited to a single, monolithic structure; it also includes distributed structures consisting of multiple modules or libraries, and those that work in cooperation with other programs, such as an operating system, to achieve their functions. Regarding the specific configuration and reading procedures for reading the recording medium in each device shown in the embodiments, as well as the installation procedures after reading, well-known configurations and procedures can be used.

[0103] The various databases stored in the memory unit are memory devices such as RAM and ROM, fixed disk devices such as hard disks, flexible disks, and optical disks, and store various programs, tables, databases, and web page files used for various processes and website provision.

[0104] Furthermore, the inventory management support device 100 may be configured as a known personal computer or workstation or other information processing device, or as an information processing device to which any peripheral devices are connected. Alternatively, the inventory management support device 100 may be implemented by installing software (including programs or data, etc.) on the device that enables the processing described in this embodiment.

[0105] Furthermore, the specific forms of distribution and integration of the devices are not limited to those shown in the figures, and all or part of them can be configured by functionally or physically distributing and integrating them in any unit according to various additions or functional loads. In other words, the embodiments described above may be implemented in any combination, or the embodiments may be implemented selectively. [Industrial applicability]

[0106] This invention is useful, for example, in the logistics industry, and is particularly useful for companies that have logistics bases throughout the country and hold large amounts of inventory. [Explanation of symbols]

[0107] 100 Inventory Management Support Device 102 Control Unit 102a Order Condition Master Generation Unit 102b Inventory Shortage Record Extraction Unit 102c Required Quantity Calculation Unit 102d Inventory surplus record extraction unit 102e Inter-warehouse movement instruction generation unit 102f Order Schedule Generation Unit 102g Logistics Management Department, Movement Instruction Data Generation Unit 102h Manufacturing Request Generation Department 104 Communication Interface Section 106 Storage section 106a Work Table 106b Demand forecast data 106c Center-Specific Order Conditions Master 106d Lead Time Master by Center 106e Movement instruction data 106f Order Schedule Data 106g Manufacturing request data 106h Product Master 108 Input / Output Interface Section 112 Input device 114 Output device 200 servers 300 Networks

Claims

1. An inventory management support device comprising a control unit and a storage unit, The aforementioned storage unit includes: A work table containing work records that have product identification data, warehouse identification data, and available shipment quantity, A master order condition set includes a master record containing product identification data, warehouse identification data, appropriate inventory quantity, reorder point, supplier identification data, and lead time between the supplier and the warehouse. It is stored there, The control unit, A means for extracting insufficient inventory records that compares records with the same product identification data and warehouse identification data between the work table and the order condition master, and extracts work records that have a shipmentable quantity less than the reorder point in the master record, A means for extracting surplus inventory records that compares records with the same product identification data and warehouse identification data between the work table and the order condition master, and extracts work records that have a shippable quantity greater than or equal to the appropriate inventory quantity in the master record, An inter-warehouse movement instruction generation means generates movement instruction data relating to a movement instruction from a warehouse identified by the warehouse identification data contained in the work record extracted by the inventory surplus record extraction means to a warehouse identified by the warehouse identification data contained in the work record extracted by the inventory shortage record extraction means, Following the processing by the inter-warehouse movement instruction generation means, an order schedule generation means generates order schedule data for placing an order with a supplier, which includes: (1) the order schedule date; (2) the warehouse identification data held by the work record extracted by the inventory shortage record extraction means; (3) the supplier identification data held by the master record in the order condition master, which includes the product identification data and the warehouse identification data held by the work record; and (4) the expected arrival date calculated by adding the lead time held by the master record in the order condition master to the order schedule date. To be equipped, An inventory management support device featuring the following characteristics.

2. The storage unit further stores a lead time master including the lead time between warehouses, The inter-warehouse movement instruction generation means refers to the lead time master and prioritizes generating movement instruction data relating to inter-warehouse movement instructions that result in a shorter lead time. The inventory management support device according to claim 1, characterized by the following:

3. The storage unit further stores sales plan data including product identification data, warehouse identification data, and sales plan records having planned sales quantities, The master record in the aforementioned order condition master further has an order point multiplier, The control unit, Between the sales plan data and the order condition master, identify records where the product identification data and warehouse identification data are the same, and set the sales plan quantity in the identified sales plan records as the appropriate inventory quantity in the identified master record. Order condition master generation means that calculates the order point by multiplying the set appropriate inventory quantity by the order point multiplier. To further equip, An inventory management support device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by the above.

4. An inventory management support method performed by an information processing device comprising a control unit and a storage unit, The aforementioned storage unit includes: A work table containing work records that have product identification data, warehouse identification data, and available shipment quantity, A master order condition set includes a master record containing product identification data, warehouse identification data, appropriate inventory quantity, reorder point, supplier identification data, and lead time between the supplier and the warehouse. It is stored there, The control unit executes the following: A stock shortage record extraction step involves comparing records in the work table and the order condition master where the product identification data and warehouse identification data are the same, and extracting work records in the master record that have a shipmentable quantity less than the reorder point. A surplus inventory record extraction step involves comparing records with the same product identification data and warehouse identification data between the work table and the order condition master, and extracting work records that have a shippable quantity equal to or greater than the appropriate inventory quantity in the master record. An inter-warehouse movement instruction generation step generates movement instruction data relating to a movement instruction from a warehouse identified by the warehouse identification data in the work record extracted in the inventory surplus record extraction step to a warehouse identified by the warehouse identification data in the work record extracted in the inventory shortage record extraction step, A purchase order generation step that generates purchase order data for placing an order with a supplier, following the processing in the inter-warehouse transfer instruction generation step, the data includes: (1) a planned purchase date; (2) the warehouse identification data held by the work record extracted in the inventory shortage record extraction step; (3) the supplier identification data held by the master record in the purchase order condition master, which includes the product identification data and the warehouse identification data held by the work record; and (4) a planned arrival date calculated by adding the lead time held by the master record in the purchase order condition master to the planned purchase date. Including, A method for supporting inventory management operations characterized by the following features.

5. An inventory management support program to be executed by an information processing device comprising a control unit and a storage unit, The aforementioned storage unit includes: A work table containing work records that have product identification data, warehouse identification data, and available shipment quantity, A master order condition set includes a master record containing product identification data, warehouse identification data, appropriate inventory quantity, reorder point, supplier identification data, and lead time between the supplier and the warehouse. It is stored there, To be performed by the control unit, A stock shortage record extraction step involves comparing records in the work table and the order condition master where the product identification data and warehouse identification data are the same, and extracting work records in the master record that have a shipmentable quantity less than the reorder point. A surplus inventory record extraction step involves comparing records with the same product identification data and warehouse identification data between the work table and the order condition master, and extracting work records that have a shippable quantity equal to or greater than the appropriate inventory quantity in the master record. An inter-warehouse movement instruction generation step generates movement instruction data relating to a movement instruction from a warehouse identified by the warehouse identification data in the work record extracted in the inventory surplus record extraction step to a warehouse identified by the warehouse identification data in the work record extracted in the inventory shortage record extraction step, A purchase order generation step that generates purchase order data for placing an order with a supplier, following the processing in the inter-warehouse transfer instruction generation step, the data includes: (1) a planned purchase date; (2) the warehouse identification data held by the work record extracted in the inventory shortage record extraction step; (3) the supplier identification data held by the master record in the purchase order condition master, which includes the product identification data and the warehouse identification data held by the work record; and (4) a planned arrival date calculated by adding the lead time held by the master record in the purchase order condition master to the planned purchase date. Including, An inventory management support program featuring [specific characteristics].

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